I’m sure you’ll agree with me that there’s nothing like a beautiful beach vacation or trip across the country to visit family.
But you cannot forget that you have a new friend you need to take care of.
…Yup I’m talking about your beard. Growing it was hard, I’m sure you don’t want it to ruin on a hiking trip.
Most men have a few methods that they use to keep their beards in check when they’re traveling, but that’s not always enough. There are plenty of ways to keep your beard looking barbershop fresh while you’re away from home.
Beard Care Is a Must
You’d think that you could go about business as usual when you travel, but your beard is going to need extra attention from you the second that you hit the road. Depending on where you’re headed, your beard could be exposed to a drastic change in temperature, high winds, dirt, sweat, and it can even dry out if it’s not properly maintained while you’re away.
I’ve detailed the environmental factors that could impact your beard while you’re traveling, and how you can make sure that your beard is just as stylish and healthy as it was before you left home.
What Your Beard Will Be Up Against
In the pre historic days, facial hair’s biological reason for existing was to keep warm and to protect the face, but there will be plenty of factors that you’ll need to protect your face from when you travel. When you’re vacationing, a lot of the fun activities that you have planned could be a big part of why your beard might look a little lackluster.
Here are a few activities that you’ll want to maintain your beard before and after:
- Bicycling– If you plan on hitting the bike trails in a wooded area, you can bet that harsh winds and debris can harm your beard.
- Hiking- If you venture out into nature for a hike, you run the risk of dirt and sweat making its way into the thick hair of your beard.
- Surfing- You’ll want to be sure to do preventative measures as well as aftercare for your beard if you’re going to be riding the waves. Saltwater and sweat could gather in your facial hair, and disrupt the neat look that you’re going for.
Most people aren’t used to being exposed to all sorts of temperatures and environmental factors on a daily basis. You’ll have to be sure to remember that you’re going to need to change your maintenance routine for your beard if you’re going to be travel for a long time.
It’s easy to forget to keep up with your beard maintenance when you’re backpacking. You’ll want to remember that it’s important to pay extra attention to your beard on every day of your trip. If you’re going to be in an especially humid area while you’re traveling, be sure to bring products to help you adjust accordingly.
How to Prepare
You need to adjust your beard care routine to the climate of the location that you’re visiting. If you’re used to the brutal winters in places like Michigan, be sure to pack some products that will work just as well when you’re in a much warmer climate like South America. The tips listed below can help you maintain your beard regardless of what climate you’re in:
- Hydration and Conditioning- A dry beard is an unattractive beard, it’s important to frequently condition and hydrate your beard. You can hydrate your beard by washing your face every day, and following up with high quality beard oil. Beard oil will condition and moisturize the hair in your beard, and allow your beard hair to grow stronger.
- Brush Your Beard- A lot of men neglect to brush or comb their beards, they make the mistake of thinking a trim, and a good rinse is enough. However, you’ll never have a healthy beard if you are not brushing and combing it. Brushing the hair in your beard will help to remove dead skin follicles, build up, and dirt from it. You’ll want to wash and brush your beard every day of your trip, especially if you’re going to be around dirt and unfamiliar debris.
- Wash Your Beard- While you’re away, if you’re doing some hiking or something similar you need to wash your beard as often as you would wash your body. If you’re not doing something extreme you can wash it 1-2 times a week.
Be sure to wash your face and beard every day while you’re on vacation and avoid harsh cleansers. Silicones and sulfates can be harsh against the sensitive skin on your face, so be sure to use a face wash that will be gentle on your beard. Follow up with your favorite beard oil to keep your beard moisturized all day.
The tips listed above can help you keep your beard in good shape for the duration of your trip, getting a beard kit can solve your problems. Also, if your hair happens to grow pretty fast, you might want to consider purchasing a compact, durable trimmer for your travels. You’ll especially want to invest in this if you usually can’t go a week without visiting a barber so that they can clean up the hair around your beard.
While I’ve laid out a lot of ways to keep the beard that you left home with while you’re traveling, be sure to take care of other parts of your skin while you’re traveling. If you’re going to a really hot climate like the islands of Hawaii or Jamaica, you’re going to need to use sunscreen to protect your skin.
Your beard can’t protect all of your skin, and if you have some skin exposed in your beard, it’s better to be safe than sorry and lotion up. Additionally, you can wear a scarf around your beard to prevent the elements from taking a toll on it. If you’re going to be cycling on a dense mountain bike trail, dirt is your worst enemy. A light and carefully wrapped scarf can help keep unwanted dirt out of your beard, and the addition of a scarf can make your beard easier to maintain throughout the rest of your trip.
