I've had many men tell me that they wash their beard with the same shampoo that they use on their head hair. Well, it would seem natural. After all, you’re in the shower with your head all lathered up. Why not just spread it on down to your beard, right?
Oh no, stop that! The skin on your scalp is different than the skin on the rest of your body. It's thicker than the rest of your body composed of five layers. Your scalp also contains many sebaceous glands, which produce oil, or sebum, that protects hair.
Since there are so many of these glands, you can have an oily build up on your hair, which can build up and clog the follicles or cause dandruff. Dandruff is bacteria that has become trapped in the oil, producing fatty acids which in turn cause itching and swelling. This results in the skin cells replenishing more frequently. The flakes of dead skin get caught in your hair and fall on to your shoulders.
Shampoos are designed to strip the excess sebum so that your hair doesn’t look greasy. Your beard needs these oils. If you are using hair shampoo on your beard, you are stripping away essential oils that your beard needs, causing it to become dry and brittle. In addition, the ingredients in the shampoo are not meant to wash the skin on your face. You’re putting chemicals on your face that can dry it out and contribute to the itchy feeling sometimes associated with growing a beard.
Quality beard washes or beard shampoos do not contain harsh chemicals. They are designed to gently clean the beard of dirt while leaving the oils that are necessary to keep it from drying out and becoming brittle.
So, do yourself and your beard a favor. Stop using hair shampoo on your beard. Find a quality beard wash to gently cleanse and condition your facial hair. Your manly mane will appreciate it…and so will she.