Growing a beard - The Black African male

While growing a beard has been a trend in the last couple of years, we are now seeing more black African men growing their beard with some serious style, too. From music, film and sports industries, you'll find many black men with a beard.

Although this seems to be a new trend, try to recall the amount of men you remember growing a beard as you've grown up. The result might surprise you that there in fact has always been a culture of this practice in black societies around the world.

The reason we wanted to draw on this topic a little further is because there are clear differences between the hair construct of a black man and with that we wanted to touch on some grooming ideas.

Here are some of the things you need to take into consideration for growing your beard out.

#1: Trimming Is Necessary

Trimming is a must. The truth is that when you don't trim your beard, you'll look sloppy. However, when you trim your beard, you'll be able to have a cleaner and healthy look besides the fact that you'll be able to maintain the shape that you want. Not trimming the beard will cause split ends.

#2: Don't Pick At Ingrown Hairs

Most black men have curly or coarse hair which grows in a spiral which if not cared for, may lead to dreaded ingrown hairs. Also, darker skinned males that tend to pick at their ingrown hairs will most likely end up with hyper-pigmentation. as these skin types tend to have a negative reaction when it comes to inflammation.

In case you are faced with ingrown hairs, picking on them will probably cause you scars that will be take time to get rid of. So, the best thing you can do to remedy ingrown hairs is to schedule an appointment with a dermatologist and figure out the best solution for your case.

#3: Remember The Skin Underneath Your Beard

You need to clean and exfoliate your skin under your beard thoroughly and this is more true if you have a lengthy and full grown out beard.

As a rule of thumb, black men should avoid using products that contain lanolin, artificial fragrances and dyes since these can cause clogged pores, dryness, and even irritation. All natural products are your best solution here.

In addition, applying a moisturizer with sunscreen is a must for general skin well-being.

#4: Your Own Beard Grooming Kit

Black African men should all invest in a beard grooming kit to combat some of the above skin conditions. As we have always punted, caring for your scalp hair is totally different from caring for your beard hair and the truth is that most hair products black men use on their hair are usually waxy, thick and tend to contain harsh chemicals that can cause acne breakouts, clog pores and even dull complexions when used on their hair.

In conclusion and as a rule, always opt for all-natural products as these are best for your body and hair. The Gentleman's Beard Club has your best interest at heart for your beard to look it's absolute best and this means having a good understanding of the above pointers to help you along the way. 

Reach out to us if you have any questions - we're here to help in any way we can.