The Gentleman Beard Grooming Kit

Taming the Beard Beast: Ingredients Matter

We’ve all been there, groggily waking up, stumbling to the bathroom, throwing on the hot water and while you’re waiting for the water to heat up you notice something. Your beard looks the same day in and day out. You’ve accepted this because it’s easy. You’ve accepted this because there’s nothing else to do. Shampooing your beard has become a recurring practice in the shower. Because, well, what other option do you have? Understanding your skin. To understand why you shouldn’t use any regular shampoo is to understand what happens on the surface of your skin. Walton Wood Farm definitely knows what is going on on the surface. Your skin is producing valuable oils. The sebum oil needs to stay intact because the absence is what creates dry skin. (Or worse, beardruff.) However, most men are not willing to expand into beard shampoo or even beard balm. Walton Wood Farms has done a great job of contouring to men’s needs in this aspect. Let’s see what happens when you stick with shampoo. Why is shampooing your face potentially dangerous? The difference between shampooing your hair, your beard and by consequence your face can be harmful. Chemicals found in shampoo such as Parabens, SLS, and dyes have been found to have long-lasting negative effects. SLS (Sodium lauryl and laureth sulfates) are known irritants. However, the scariest extreme has been that SLS has been linked to certain forms of cancer. So, when you decide that using a shampoo is easy, at what expense are you making this decision? We’ve all seen the ads that show a perfectly groomed beard. It’s been cut right, shines, and is generally healthy-looking. Do you really think shampoo can do that? Most people that have fallen victim to irritation never thought it would happen to them. This trap can happen to anyone. Small ingredients can make the biggest of difference. So, what makes a beard shampoo and regular shampoo different? Certainly, it’s the ingredients. Most shampoos differ in only a handful of chemicals. However, there is more diversity with a quality beard shampoo and beard balm. Just ask the folks over at Walton Wood Farm. Some of those quality ingredients are meant to heal your beard from the inside out. So, when your beard is looking immaculate, it is not a show. It is because it is healthy. Most quality beard products contain argan oil. This oil does several things; it aims to moisturize and nourish. The moisture content of a product is just as important as anything else. Without a proper moisturization, how can you sustain your beard? When hair is dried out and frayed, what happens? It begins to fall out. It begins slowly, and by the time you figure it out, a full shave is in order. Argan oil also does a great job of nourishing your beard. Moisturizing cannot happen without the nourishing power of argan oil. The nourishment it provides takes everything back to the basics and set everything up to have the best-looking beard around. Other ingredients include Aloe and Vitamin E. These two work together to give your beard the fullest look possible. Aloe provides even more moisture to really give your beard the color and sleek look it deserves. Along with helping moisturize it also strengthens your hair. The one-two punch that’ll save the day and your beard. Your beards thickness goes a long way when it comes to looking full and complete. While a beard wash can help, it is only half of the solution. The other part of proper beard care is life after the shower. A good beard balm doesn’t just make your beard shine like there is no tomorrow, but does more. Shea butter is what will give your beard the conditioning and shine it deserves. If your beard balm doesn’t have that, then what are you doing to yourself? A good balm also has also has carrier and essential oils. A carrier oil will support the nourishment aspects of the wash, while the essential oils will further help get the most from both your skin and beard follicles. When you iron a suit, you don’t go over it just once, you go over the same spot at least twice to make sure it’s taken care of. Why treat your beard any differently? In summation, shampoo may technically work, but does not sustain your beard. Overtime your beard will begin to look spotty, dry and not kept. Oils will be stripped, irritation can happen, easily and not be just a one-time thing. It can be systematic of a bigger problem that is growing. To avoid these problems why start in the first place? Beard shampoos and balms can solve your problems before you run into them. From beard to blade and everything in between, Shawn is the founder of Tools of Men, a men’s grooming blog that helps men get the most from their morning routine. Featuring in-depth guides, product review roundups, and common questions that men are too afraid to ask, this site should set you in the right direction when it comes to how to care for your body.