The Dreaded Beardruff

As the name suggests, beardruff is beard dandruff and is pretty common at the start of one’s bearded journey, as well as during the colder months of the year. But some guys get beardruff all year round and find it hard to get rid of.

So what causes it and how does one get rid of it? We’ve broken it all down for you – so read on!

The cause

The main causes of beardruff are dry skin or a fungal infection.

Dry skin is caused from the use of products like washes and shampoos that contain hash ingredients, causing your skin to react and dry out. Dry skin can also occur during the colder winter months.

Fungal infections occur from the yeast that lives on your skin. It’s a bit more technical than that – but in a nutshell that’s it. On a hairless face, the yeast is disturbed by day-to-day washing and touching of the face, as well as from the sun. But for the bearded, the beard essentially acts as a barrier for the yeast, protecting it and allowing it to grow – resulting in itchy, flaky skin.

But don’t worry – all of the above can be solved from some simple beard care techniques.

The effect

Beardruff results in itchy, flaky skin beneath the beard - causing irritation, inflamation and all an round itch. It's a main reason many beardsmen give up on their bearded journey early on.

The treatment

To start - don’t, and we repeat DON’T use normal hair shampoo on your beard – even anti-dandruff hair shampoo will do damage.

Most shampoos made for head hair work to dry out the oils and moisture in the hair – so you don’t end up with a big greaseball on your head. Many are also filled with harsh chemicals which you really don’t want all over your face. Instead, you should instead opt for a quality beard oil and / or beard balm for use on a daily basis. The emphasis on quality here is important:

Quality beard oils and balms contain awesome carrier oils that are rich in nutrients and easily absorbed by both your hair and skin – they will leave your face and beard feeling well moisturised, without being greasy. We’ve noted some benefits of a few main carrier oils found in our beard oils below:

Jojoba oil – is one of the main oils you want to see in a quality beard oil. It helps to trap the moisture into the hair and skin, leaving it feeling hydrated and healthy. It is good at battling fungi and bacteria; helping to avoid ingrown hairs and beardruff. It mimics sebum, which is a natural oil produced by the skin. Finally, it can also promote hair growth. So all in all, it’s a must have in any quality beard oil.
Argan oil – is known for protecting and regenerating the skin and hair, leaving it nice and soft. It locks in moisture; reducing hair damage through breakage and hair loss. It is moisturising and very absorbent, and like jojoba oil, is a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. With its high content of vitamin E and fatty acids, it is great for all skin conditions.
Almond oil – is one of the most commonly used oils in skin products. It acts as a moisturiser and softens, soothes and nourishes the skin. It is rich in proteins and Vitamin D.
Avocado oil - is packed with minerals and vitamins. It is perfect for hair growth and is rich in essential fatty acids such as Biotin.
Grapeseed oil – is rich in Vitamin E and Omega 6. It is a lightweight oil, and spreads easily on the skin, penetrating quickly. It’s has great antiseptic and moisturising properties.
Hempseed oil – is packed with lipids, which add moisture and shine to your skin and beard. The fatty acids in the oil help to strengthen damaged hair and can also promote thicker hair growth.
Caster oil – is a long lasting oil and great as a carrier base in a beard oil. It can promote hair growth and provides good nutrition to the hair follicles. It won’t clog pores or irritate the skin.
Coconut oil – works wonders for hair growth and moisturises the skin. It is used in both cosmetic and food products. It keeps hair moisturised, strengthens the follicles and improves all round growth.

Cheap beard oils may contain traces of the above, but not enough to provide these real benefits. So if you have beardruff, we suggest you opt for a quality, all natural beard oil or balm in the first instance. Read our blog on the benefits of beard oil if you need more convincing.

And for quality beard balms, they are likely to contain one of the above oils, as well as shea or cocoa butter. Both of these ingredients are rich in vitamins and minerals, helping to combat dry, flaky and itchy skin. Beeswax is is also great for moisturising the beard, and has the added benefit of styling.

SHOP BEARD OILS

SHOP BEARD BALMS

In addition, a quality beard shampoo help to do the trick. As mentioned above, quality beard shampoos are specially designed for the face and therefore do not contain any hash or damaging ingredients. They should be sulfate-free – as sulfates will cause your beard to be coarse, dry and frizzy. Beard shampoos are specifically designed for the facial hair – to hydrate, clean and moisturise both the beard and face.

We don’t suggest using a beard shampoo over a beard oil and/or balm – an oil and/or balm should be part of your daily routine. A quality beard shampoo should only be used once or twice a week. This can be increased to every other day once you’re satisfied your beardruff is well and truly gone.

Check out our blog on beard washes for more information.

An awesome tip from one of our brands, Scotch Porter: NEVER dry your beard with a towel. EVER. The rough surfaces of bath towels snag beard hair and cause unnecessary frizz. Why would you voluntarily do that to yourself? Makes sense huh! Scotch Porter say it’s best to use an old cotton t-shirt or microfiber cloth if you have one.

If you're wanting a deeper conditioning treatment, we suggest you opt for a quality beard conditioner too.

And finally, using a quality boars hair brush will help to dislodge and remove excess skin cells and evenly distribute the oils throughout your beard. Again, the emphasis on quality is important. Boar's hair is better than synthetic as it has a natural ability to trap any oils into the brush hairs, allowing a more even distribution around your beard. In addition, a good brush will help to train your hair follicles to grow in the same direction.

BEARDED. BEARD BRUSH

So to recap:

Use a quality beard oil and/or beard balm daily
Use a quality beard shampoo once or twice a week
Brush with a quality boars hair brush daily

Here at BEARDED. we’re all about quality – each product has been tried and tested by Andy or selected customers, so you can be sure what you’re buying is the good stuff.