Can you wash your beard with normal shampoo?

Beard Wash? Bar Soap? Body Wash? Which of these will work? 

With so many options on the market, it can seem like a chore to know which one is best for you. Washing your beard is just as important as washing your body, and the hair on your head, and using a proper beard wash is critical!

Here are the 5 Things You Need to Know About Washing Your Beard:

1. Bar Soaps & Body Washes: Will these work on your beard?
2. Regular Shampoo: Can you use it on a beard?
3. Does Beard Wash Really Makes A Difference?
4. How Often Should You Use Beard Wash?
5. How to Eliminate Beard Itch, Irritation and Flakes?

1. Bar Soaps & Body Washes: Will these work on your beard?

Bar soaps and body washes are intended for your body, so they offer a much harsher clean. This is great when scrubbing the grime off your body from a long days work, but if used on your face it will dry out your skin and beard leading to dry, itchy, flaky skin, split ends and unhealthy growth. If bar soap is all you have available and your beard is in desperate need of a cleaning, use a light amount and make sure to rinse thoroughly. Applying a good amount of beard oil and depending on length, beard butter, is absolutely critical as to not allow your beard to dry out too much causing irreversible damage. Related: Learn more about beard butter

2. Regular Shampoo: Can you use it on a beard?

The hair on your head is very different than the hair on your face. Most regular shampoo strips the natural oils from your hair so your hair doesn't look greasy or oily. This is why you should avoid using on your beard! Yes, this is a better option than a bar soap or body wash however regular shampoo can easily cause your skin underneath your beard to become dry, leading to beard itch and dandruff. Do you struggle with dry, itchy skin, or beard dandruff? A top beard oil will fix this and is critical no matter what shampoo you use as it will keep the skin under your beard healthy and moisturized.

3. Does Beard Wash Really Makes A Difference?

A good beard wash is designed specifically with your beard in mind. It will offer a cleanse that is soft enough for your face but has the capabilities to handle the thicker, more dense beard hairs. It won't strip as much of the sebum (natural face) oils away and will require less oil and products after It won't strip as much of the sebum (natural face) oils away and will require less oil and products after a shower to keep it moisturized and healthy. This will result in time and money saved in the long run, plus a healthier, better looking and softer beard!

4. How Often Should You Use Beard Wash?

Using a high-quality beard wash allows you to wash your beard daily without damaging your skin or beard! This also depends on how dirty you get so use some common sense here. If you work indoors and don't get outside much, you may not need to wash every day. If you work indoors and don't get outside much, you may not need to wash every day. For those of you who really want to go the extra mile, make sure you wash your beard with cold to warm water if you like hot showers, try to avoid hot water from spraying directly on your beard as high heat can damage the hair cuticles.

5. How to Eliminate Beard Itch, Irritation and Flakes?

We’ve all heard the complaints about irritation when growing out a beard, and most of us have experienced this first-hand. Dry, itchy and flaky skin starts with how you wash and moisturize your skin and beard. Beard oil will go help reduce skin irritation, but sometimes it's not enough to completely solve the problem, especially if you have naturally dry skin or skin conditions like eczema. That's why we recommend following a simple, 3-step beard care routine:

1. Wash your beard daily with a high-quality beard wash.
2. Apply beard oil directly to the skin after washing.
3. Apply butter to your beard to moisturize, condition and style.

Following this 3-step routine every day guarantees your beard is always clean, your skin is healthy and your beard is soft and conditioned daily.

Having a god-tier beard or mustache doesn’t take care of itself, as much as we’d like it to. Routine maintenance and proper cleaning techniques are required to ensure that your facial hair is at its best.

In this post, we’ll be tackling the often-asked question of should you use hair shampoo and conditioner or body soap to clean your facial hair.

Why Shouldn't I Use Regular Hair Shampoo and Conditioner on My Beard?

Let’s first talk about why hair shampoo and conditioner is no bueno for your beard or mustache. I know it’s really convenient to just use a product that cleans the hair on the top of your hair to clean the hair on your face, but doing so will come at a cost.

The job of regular shampoos and conditioners is to remove dirt and oil from your scalp and hair so that it doesn’t look greasy. The problem is that many of these products are made with surfactants —a fancy way of saying detergents — that strips your facial hair of its natural oils, which it needs to keep in moisture and keep the hairs and skin hydrated, healthy and soft.

Same thing goes for using body soap on your facial hair. Lye, which is found in most soaps, is great for ridding your body of excess oils and grime, but it’s too aggressive to use on your beard or mustache.

Facial skin is also more sensitive than your scalp, which means it is more prone to irritation and acne.

You could compensate and add beard oil or balm to your facial hair after you’ve washed it with hair shampoo or soap, but the oil and balm won’t be effective if you wash it out the next day with an aggressive shampoo or soap. That would be like waxing your car and then washing it all off the next day.

Clean and Hydrate Your Facial Hair with Beard-Specific Shampoo and Conditioners

So why use beard shampoo? It’s specifically formulated with your beard and mustache in mind. It doesn’t have the chemicals found in hair shampoo or body soap, so you don’t have to worry about washing out the natural oils your skin produces.

Zeus Beard Shampoo Wash is free of parabens and sulfates, and is made with natural ingredients such as green tea, which is full of Vitamin B2 and E that hydrates your skin and hair, as well as promote hair growth. It also contains dragon’s blood to prevent skin irritation and inflammation. You can also find chamomile in it, which benefits the skin and hair with anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.

We also recommend using beard conditioner in your grooming routine, as it will provide additional hydration and protection to your facial hair and skin while making it soft and healthy. It’s also a good way to prevent beardruff — dandruff, but on your face.

Check out our collection of beard shampoo and conditioners!

TLDR: Stick to using shampoos formulated to work with facial hair. Hair shampoo and conditioner, as well as body soap will dry out beard and mustache hairs, along with the skin underneath them. If you decide to go with those types of products, be prepared to deal with an itchy, brittle beard and beardruff.

What can I use if I don't have beard shampoo?

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