Swimming and Your Beard - Tips to Protect That Beardscape
The hot days of summer are coming. Temperatures are climbing slowly but surely. Here in California’s Northern range, we are looking at a hot, dry, and potentially long summer season. A few weeks ago, I started working on our pool. As I struggled with the cover and began fishing winter’s remains from the putrid green depths, I reminded myself of the extra care my beard needs during this time. It’s one of those things that I am terrible at remembering, but when I forget to take the much-needed steps before and after swimming my glorious beard pays a hefty price. So, I wanted to share some personal tips with you all on how you can enjoy the pool, beach, lake, or river and keep your beard nice and healthy. This is what I like to do and find the results positive.
Step 1: Before Care
Usually around lunch time on a hot summer day the pool calls my name. I get a little exercise and cool off at the same time--one of my favorite relaxers this time of the year. Before jumping in, I like to do a cold-water rinse of the beard. Then, dry it to around 90% and apply some fresh beard oil. I use unscented oils like our “True O.G.” for this step (why waste the scented stuff when it’s virtually gone the second I jump in the pool). The idea here is to give your beard a little fresh H2O cleanse and some new oil before the pool water gets to it. Let that oil soak in for a minimum 5 minutes. Then, it’s balm time! Beard balm is designed for styling but in this situation, we want the benefits of that higher amount of bee’s wax to help seal the hairs a bit from the pool chemicals. This helps protect and block out some of the pool chemicals from soaking into the beard hair. Comb it through well. You want to make sure evenly distribute it through your beard so every hair gets the benefits. You cannot 100% prevent it but this absolutely helps, and I personally have noticed the difference.
Step 2: Before and While Swimming
Before diving in, I like to use some fresh clean water to lightly wet my beard. I sometimes will use a water fountain or my wife’s mist bottle. The idea behind this is to put some good clean water on the skin and hair prior to the chlorine getting its chance. This should give the chemicals of the pool water or any other salt or fresh water less chance of getting into the beard hair and doing damage.
While swimming or laying out on a float in the hot sun, you would naturally think to put on sunscreen to protect your skin. But what about your beard? There is no real sunscreen for your beard, but you can help it by preventing dehydration. Drink your water! Stay hydrated while in the pool. One of the best ways to keep your beard healthy overall is drinking water--doubly so when spending time in a pool or even when you’re out in the hot summer sun. Chlorine and pool chemicals are major beard offenders. Doing our first step, and staying hydrated will help.
Step 3: After Care
After you get out of the pool, you will want to head to the shower. Make sure it is as soon as possible because you will want to get all that pool water off your beard! You do not need any of the pool chemicals causing damage. Use a very light beard-wash to get all that chlorine out. Then you would want to apply a beard conditioner to restore the natural oils that were stripped out. Let that conditioner sit. Just like oil I like to give the condition around 5 minutes to do its thing. After you're done showering, dry your beard to about 90% and apply your favorite beard oil. Now, grab your beard butter and apply. I personally use twice as much as I normally do just to make sure the beard gets some extra attention. If you don’t like applying that much butter at once you can always go back and apply more an hour or so later.
If you won’t be able to shower right after the pool, I use the same method before I jump into the pool by soaking it with fresh water. Get the chemicals off it as soon as possible is the key. Now, get to that shower when your able and do the after care steps above.
Bearded Coast is getting ready for summer! We are also hard at work getting “Phase 2” of our online store stocked up. If you haven’t yet, please follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or subscribe to our email list so you get the latest news, product drops, discounts, and more!
Be stoked. Your beard is!
~ Bearded Coast
