Beard Wax VS Beard Balm

Let me first start by making the critical distinction that will make you easily understand which is the right one for you then I'll go into detail about each and the pro's/con's. Simply put, beard wax should only be used if you are trying to pull off a look that demands an incredible hold, I'm talking the level of a beard competition (I'll post a picture below of a crazy beard competition where they use beard wax).  Beard balm gives you the ability to create a more textured look with your beard without the drawbacks of a gunky wax. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying waxes are bad but I don't think they have a place in everyday beard care. Unless you're trying to enter a competition and you need to work on your beard art daily or you've joined some goth beard club at school. I think your best bet is always to stick to a balm, it's going to cause less damage to your hair and give you a smoother overall look. If you're here by mistake and you're actually looking for beard oil then check out my post on the best beard oils.

Beard Wax

To give you a specific relation if you've never used a wax before (I don't know when you would unless you went through that dreadlocks phase during the grunge years) it's creates the hold of a extra strong hair spray. Although there is a better consistency than dumping a half gallon of hair spray on your face, there is a gunkyness that comes along with any wax. It's available in different scents like most beard products but it's got less of a punch to it as compared to beard oils. The carrier oil/agent in these products will vary for the most part but you'll find a lot of them are made with beeswax. I've heard a lot of people talk about how great it is for protection against the rain and harsh weather but at one point during a blizzard do you give a crap about what your beard looks like...

Beard Balm

Ahh beard balm the beautiful crossbreeding of beard wax & oil, it's basically the donkey of the beard kingdom. I say that in a very positive way (I probably should of said unicorn instead but..). This is my favorite type of product when my beard gets to a certain point, when it reaches the length that it starts to get a mind of it's own then this is great for getting it to shape exactly how you want. They usually go light with the beeswax which is also typically found in a balm and still retain most of the effects. Now you wont be able to walk on stage at a beard competition with just using a beard balm but you can get the serious hold without the gunky mess.

How To Apply Beard Wax or Balm

Now here's the trick of it all, don't you dare try to just slap this on the outside of your beard and try to finger it through, you're not going to get the full effects. You're going to need a great beard comb or brush, if you have no idea what I'm talking about then visit my post to understand what the best beard brush is for you.

Here's a quick rundown on how I apply it:

Step 1 - Get a thumbnail size amount in your palm.

Step 2 - Massage into the outside of your beard.

Step 3 - Dip your comb or brush into your balm thereby coating the tips.

Step 4 - Bush your beard out.

Do I really Ever Need A Wax?

I think they are great for really making a statement or Halloween parties but unless you have an incredible beard that people would pay money to see then probably not. On the other hand it gives you something to shoot for, I mean who doesn't want to look like the guy from 300 (He uses a beard wax to get that look).

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How To Grow Facial Hair Faster

Now this can be a problem for a man at any age, I don't care if you're 18 or a 28 year old man you could still be in the process of trying to squeeze out your first full beard. Discarding the actually physiological imbalance for a second (I'll get into those later), let's start with start with the most obvious reasons why your mom has more facial hair than you and work our way into the more dark arts of beard growing.

Keep It Clean

I know this seems fairly obvious but you would be surprised at how many people just disregard this as a real hindrance in their beard growing journey. I think it's because they focus on the wrong issue, they are probably referring to their skin getting to dry and that causing an issue but actually the bigger problem comes in when you skin gets too oily. As the oil builds up it begins to start clogging your pores and thus interfering with the hair follicle itself. I'll use this analogy even though I've ran through it a few times in my heard and there is no way to make this not sound crazy. Imagine if  your parents dumped you in a box and through a bunch of mud on you, how easy would it be for you to grow... Good look forgetting that weird mental picture.

Check Your Testosterone

It's never too early to get your hormone levels checked, you would be surprised at how many people have hormonal imbalances that can inhibit hair growth among other things. Whether you grew up with a crazy home environment (like the kid in the box above) or you were like me and you experimented with all sorts of over the counter pro hormones that the guy at the supplement shop said are "safe" then you've probably done more damage then you realize. As a man if you at any point mess with your testosterone level then you can pretty much guarantee that it's going to be permanently out of wack for the rest of your life. It's not the end of the world though, just schedule an appointment with your doctor and have them do a full hormone panel, if the test comes back with Low T or elevated estrogen levels then a form of TRT (testosterone replacement therapy) could be an option.

Hair Growth Serum

I know what you're thinking, this serum stuff sounds like an amazing new thing that you have to buy, in reality I just couldn't think of another word to use. It's actually just Rogaine foam that you use on your beard. There isn't a ton of research backing it and it's not FDA approved so it's one of those lovely little gray area's in life where you get to turn your body into the experiment. Do you research first, you can check out the post I did on it by clicking rogaine foam above because there are some periods that will scare you, like the shedding period. Don't worry, it will get worse before it gets better than life will be good again. If you have these three areas in check then you shouldn't have any issues growing a huge beard faster than you were before.

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Pogonophile

Pogonophile

A creep for beards, typically found in the wild in the form of a woman from the ages of 20-45 years old. See additional information on Beards.  

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Coconut Oil For Beard Growth

So let me get this straight someone whispered to you that this was in fact another way to get that full facial hair look you've always wanted. While I still to this day think that these weird wise tales are funny they do have some truth to them but not exactly what you had in mind. It actually has the same benefits you get from putting in the hair on the top of your head (which I'll explain later) but just in case you're coming here to learn how to apply it, let's go over that first.

How To Apply Coconut Oil To Your Beard

Now I know what you're thinking is coconut oil really for your beard? Actually it's really good for it but you're going to have to take some precautions otherwise it will look like you're moonlighting as an adult film star. I'm not going to give you a 5 step system on how to apply coconut oil to your face, I've made too many of those ridiculous posts on this site and let's hope by this point in lift that you've mastered the art of taking something out of a jar and applying it to an area of your body without dying. So what I'm going to do is give you a few key points that you need to know.

#1 Use Refined Coconut Oil

I know what you're thinking "But unrefined is better because blah blah blah" and yes your blah's are correct but unless you're going to lay on your stomach like a chubby six year old kid and eat half a jar while you're putting it on your beard, don't worry about it. Trust me, I tried to use unrefined but not matter how warm I got it pasty white flakes in my beard that looked like There's Something About Mary but worse because I'm a man..

#2 Don't Use Too Much

If your first instinct was like mine and you want instant results then you're going to have to fight the urge to throw a gallon on your face. As much as you and I hoped it did, it doesn't work that way. It will actually cause more problems because you will end up clogging your pores and inhibit beard growth. The best thing you can do is use a small amount and stay consistent with it, put your oil in place where you can't forget to use it. If you wife get's mad that it looks tacky to have it sitting on the bathroom counter then find a 'pretty' little container to store it in or just buy her a car. Sorry I just have to point out the ignorance of the world real quick. As I was paroozing the internet to find cold hard facts on why coconut oil is so good for your hair and the indirect result it has on hair growth (it helps keep your hair healthy, it does NOT grow your hair) I found this lovely quote from the first search engine result - "Coconut oil stimulates hair growth getting deep into its follicles" - lucybee.co Call me crazy but that isn't even a complete sentence. I think there is supposed to be a "and some crap happens to make it grow" but since there is no evidence to support that they just ended the sentence right there. Alright that is enough of my tangent, here is the truth.

How Coconut Oil Helps Beard Hair

I'm only going to list one because to me it's the real powerhouse of why it's so good for facial hair. Simply put, it's a great anti bacterial and anti fungal. If you have done any research on the good ole dermis then you know that the biggest determent to hair growth is unhealthy skin and this is a great way to remedy that. When it comes to making your beard smooth and silky or hydrating your skin I say there are several better way's to make that happen. Check out the Beard Oil Balm Homepage for more info on that.

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Beard Shaping Trim Template & Guide

To be honest I wanted to give you not only a guide of how to use a bread trimming template but also a DIY way to cut out your own. Why? Because I wanted the same thing, I thought why buy one of these cheap plastic shaping tools when I can make one out of a block of wood, all I need is a faint excuse to fire up the saw and I'm doing it. Turns out now matter how good of craftsman you are the cheap plastic route is just that much better. So much to my dismay since I would love to see a world of men with a slab of oak against their face while they are training, here is a guide to using a shaping template.

Beard Trimming Guide Tool How To's

1. Comb Out Your Beard

[caption id="attachment_54437" align="alignright" width="300"] Image via beardicure.com[/caption] I like to wet the comb a little to get the hair to cooperate a little more and tame some of those stragglers first. Don't get your beard too wet or you'll run into issues with the clippers getting gunked up. Pick your favorite comb/brush here, I tend to use all of them at once just to prove a point.

2. Decide Your Depth

[caption id="attachment_54439" align="alignleft" width="150"] Image via Pinterest.com[/caption] I tend to go a little lower than most but everyone is different on this due to the shape of your face. You will see notches in the side of the tool (if it's a good one) that will help you line up both sides evenly every time. I have an oddly large tragus so I use that to line up the dots with and as a side note who knew that weird thing that women sometimes pierce is called a tragus... Make sure you pick a spot on your ear and use it consistently because if you pick a difference spot every time, one morning or a time when you decide to drunk trim, you're going to end up looking like you had a stroke victim with one droopy side.  

3. Line Up The Tool & Press To Your Face (Trimmer or Blade)

Don't be afraid to get aggressive with it, now we're not forcing marshmallows into keyholes here but you want to get it firm enough against your face so that you don't cut underneath it. Basically the opposite of the picture that I'm providing you on the right. Now depending on the length of hair on your cheeks your can do one of three things. First, use a trimmer only to give the five o clock shadow look. Second, if you have shorter hair then you can go strait for the razor and get a close shave on those rosy cheeks. Finally, if you want the close shave but have a build up of cheek hair then to a little weed wacking (trimming) first then shave it down.

4. Flip The Tool Upside Down For Neckline

[caption id="attachment_54441" align="alignleft" width="186"] Image via Youtube.com[/caption] This is my favorite part because as you can see when you do this correctly you look like a degenerate gambler or strait pirate until you cut the little point off the bottom of your neckline. All you do is flip the tool upside down and trim your neck on both sides by flipping it horizontally. Then trim the remaining piece off your neck unless your want to look like you just spent your kids Christmas gift money at the Golden Nugget.  

5. Clean Up Your Side Burns

It's best to do this step after you've finished your neckline so you can line it up perfectly. Simply flip the tool back to Step 3 position and trim the backside, the part between your beard and your ear, following it all the way down and lining up with our neckline. If you've done all this correctly and you didn't start drinking at 3am then you should have a killer looking beard. If you for any reason cut yourself it's not my fault, you have fat hands and you need to go on a diet chumbo.

My Favorite Tool

If you know me, then that's already weird because you found this off the search engines, you know my favorite brand is Zeus. They make killer oils and balms and they just added this tool that has a straight edge to it too so you can make some crazy shapes with your beard. Click the link or picture to check it out

Zeus Edge Up Beard Shaping Template Tool

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Best Bottles For Beard Oil DIY

Whether you're girlfriend who has a great idea to make your man a DIY beard oil or you're someone who want's to scale up their beard product to a manufacturing level and you need the highest quality bottle with the lowest cost and MOQ (minimum order quantity) then this will guide you in the process.

DIY Reusable Bottles/Containers

My top three around the house items are:

1. Contact Lens Bottles

These are easily the best DIY bottles because they are the exact size you need and use the same application principles. Since a few drops will do the trick with beard oil this will make sure they last as long as they should.

2. TSA Travel Bottles

If you've traveled since 2001 then you have these somewhere around your house otherwise you're a gross person to vacation with. These are a good short term option but because they are plastic you run the risk of getting parabens in your oil if they ever get heated.

3. Nail Bottles

Nail polish bottles are good because they are a high quality of glass that will protect your solution better than the TSA bottles but they have a useless nail brush that just feels weird to paint your beard with.

Small Scale Production

If you're starting out in the market place or you just want to make a great party gift for all of your bachelor party buddies then you're going to want to splurge for a dozen 1oz amber glass bottles. This is by far the best way to package your oils because the amber tinted glass protects from damaging the essential oil combination you've concocted far better than any other option. There are also uv black glass bottles available that offer an even higher level of protection if you are really worried about it.

1oz Black Glass UV Resistant Dropper Bottles

[caption id="attachment_54416" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Image via Amazon.com[/caption]

1oz Amber Glass Bottles

[caption id="attachment_54417" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Image via Amazon.com[/caption]

Manufacturing or Sourcing

Now if your looking for a manufacturing solution then you're at the point where you're ready to scale your business to another level while simultaneously increasing profits because anyone who has ever manufactured anything overseas will tell you the profit margin is on a whole other level. I'm going to give you the exact step by step process on how to source those lovely little glass bottles from China and protect your ass in the process.

Step 1. Find a Manufacturer on Alibaba.com

You're probably saying to yourself "I've heard horror stories about that place" and there are some pretty bad ones out there but If you do what I say then you'll be safe. Side note, if you have a relationship with someone in China by all means use them for your sourcing process but I wanted to give an outline fore anyone to take the steps needed to get this done. Search for a manufacturer in China that specializes in glass by simply searching for "1oz glass bottles"

Step 2. Submit a Sample Request

You're most likely going to have to front the shipping cost to get a sample to you but trust me it's worth it to get an real life version of their craftsmanship. If the quality is up to your standards then go onto the next step, if not rinse and repeat with another factory.

Step 3. Submit a Buyers Request

There are a couple of specific things you're going to want to include so make sure you pay attention. 1. MOQ This is the "minimum order quantity" that a factory will accept, it can very anywhere from a 100 all the way up to 100k so make sure you're working with a factory that will fit the current size of your business. 2. Express Shipping If you want to take the time to get a customs agent and ship it by...ship to save a few bucks then go for it but it's a light enough weight product that using express shipping is fairly cost effective and companies like DSL will act as the customs agent on your behalf. You're going to want to include these two questions into your buyers request. "What's your MOQ" & "Please include express shipping in the quote". From that point you'll be able to pull the trigger and get your beard oil business off the ground.

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Jamaican Black Castor Oil for Hair Growth

Let's get one strait while there are a ton of benefits to Jamaican Black Castor oil, hair growth isn't one of them. There are a TON of benefits of which I'll list below as well as the best protocol to use but I'm amazed by how many people think that products like this alone will make you grow more hair. Don't get me wrong, if you have a chemical imbalance, dry/unhealthy skin or clogged pores then yes you will absolutely see a dramatic difference in the quality and fullness of your hair but that has more to do with an imbalance in your body than the castor oil working magic. Visit our homepage for more facial hair remedies.

Jamaican Black vs Regular

Other than the obvious one color, there are a few major differences that matter. The lighter versions of the oil are said to be "purer" do to the fact that it's cold pressed. JB on the other hand isn't cold pressed, it's actually roasted castor seeds that are ground then boiled. So the real question is who do you trust? Because it's obvious that the pure oil has gone through a better process of extraction but the Jamaican process has such a cult following that people swear by. I'll be honest, in my opinion always go with the better processed product no matter how good the trendy one sounds.

What Are The Benefits

Treats Dry Hair

Due to the high amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids it makes a option for treating dry scalps and moisturizing the hair.

Prevents Hair Loss

Keeps the hair & hair follicles happy and healthy preventing any excessive hair loss which is most often due to unhealthy hair root and growing environments.

Skin Cleansing

Full of vitamin E oil, it reduces inflammation and therefore keeping the amount of clogged pores and blackheads to a minimum.

Antibacterial

It's an anti-fungal which means it's a great natural remedy for any acne that stems from bacterial issues. My advice is to give it a try but don't expect a dramatic difference, there a ton of more qualified products for hair and beard health.

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