Why You Should Grow A Beard During Winter (5+ Key Reasons)

What Are The Benefits of Growing a Beard During the Cold Winter Months?

The bitter and cold months of winter tends to bring out the worst in most men. However, when the cold wave sets, there is some good news for men. You have a reliable companion to whom you can turn to, the beard. Yes, your beard can guard you against the vagaries of nature; keep you warm, healthy, young, and even make you look more dashing! 

Having facial hair is always manly. But growing a beard during winter is not just about the looks and virility but practical too. Your beard comes with several benefits that a clean-shaven brother will sadly not enjoy during the cold winter months.

Beards Keep You Warm

While studies have shown that women love men sporting full beards, your manly chin hair also comes with an added benefit. It will also keep you warm during the frigid winter spell. Taking her for a walk during such cold times may not be that romantic if your face is freezing. Your beard can keep your face warm without having to use a bulky and unromantic scarf that covers your mouth and nose. 

Science says that a beard will keep a man warmer as they aid in thermoregulation. It’s a fact that skin under a beard stays warmer than when you are clean-shaven. You can look at your facial hair as nature’s scarf. When it becomes cold, your body will adjust to the facial hairs which cause the hairs to stand up and in the process trap the heat closer to your skin. 

Beards Protect Your Facial Skin

The colder months also come with their unique pains. They can cause skin breakouts, blemishes, and spots on the face more than during the warmer summer months. Thankfully a furry face can help in protecting your face from having to face those nasty looking cold sores and spots. Just a couple of inches of facial hair seem to significantly lower the chances of breakouts on your face. 

Because facial hair will possibly block the chilly winter winds, it not only keeps you warm but also protects your skin. Using facial hair grooming products such as beard balms, oils, and butter also provides your skin with vital essential oils. These act as skin moisturizers adding more protection during the cold times.

Facial Hair Retains Skin Moisture

Even though it’s cold and chilly, your skin still needs to be moisturized. The beard not only helps in protecting your face from the wind and chill but also in retaining moisture. When you apply beard oils, they get retained for longer thus keeping your skin moisturized, something a clean-shaven man may not get to benefit from. 

The last thing you want is dry and brittle facial hair that will have itching and tugging at your beard. Your skin will thank you and so will your beard. By adding some shine, you are also letting your beard breathe freely!

Facial Hair Blocks out Harmful Sun Rays 

You might be wondering, what are the health benefits of having a beard, right? Well, facial hair guards you against the harmful ultraviolet radiation rays. It absorbs and reflects some of the ultraviolet rays because it’s essentially forming a protective layer between the rays and the skin. This way, it stops the harmful rays from reaching your dermis which means the potential harm is reduced. 

So, if you need a scientific reason to grow a beard, there you have it. Anything that can minimize the number of ultraviolet rays reaching your skin is welcome and your beard does just that. This reduces your risk of getting skin cancer. 

Beards Help Retain Youthful Looks

If you have keenly been following all those flashy skincare commercials on TV, you might have noticed how several tend to blame the weather elements such as the sun or cold for dry, wrinkled and aging skin. How do you keep your skin looking young and youthful?

Well, if that is the case, it makes lots of sense to say that your beard can be a good shield against such elements. Your beard acts as a barrier to keep your skin looking youthful, fresh and supple. Yes, that facial hair can preserve the boyish and youthful glow of your looks. 

Beards Add Style

Now, this might not be every man’s idea of style or pomp but you can use your burly beard to create some sparkle during the cold winter season. Imagine those snowflakes shining and reflecting on your mustache. Imagine your beard locks encased in white snow tufts while you make your way through the unforgiving landscape. It will give that imposing figure of the rugged adventurer and daring frontiersman. 

Shape your beard to your liking. Do you want stubble? Are you aiming to have a full-fledged beard? Are you looking to try something new such as a goatee or a faded beard? Facial hair will add some spice to your look and create an almost new version of you. Add some style and see what you like!

How to Prepare your Beard for the Colder Months?

Well, we have covered the benefits of a beard during the chilly and cold months. Now let's talk about maintaining that beard. Attending to your facial hair is of utmost importance particularly when the weather outside is not too kind. No man wants to look unkempt and rugged no matter the weather. Of course, you don’t want it to be ragged and unkempt but smart and neat. Growing a well-maintained beard during winter and the cold, however, takes care and total commitment. 

Avoid Hot Showers

The number one enemy for your beard is a hot shower. It strips your skin and hair of natural oils. These would otherwise be moisturizing and nourishing both your skin and hair. In cold areas or seasons, the low humidity levels soon dry out your beard hair. This leads to dry, scratchy skin and hard hair. Your facial hair becomes very weak and brittle. The best you can do is to avoid hot showers and keep them as cool as possible to ensure your hairs retain their natural oils. 

Keep it Moisturized

Ideally, you should apply beard oil year-round but during the cold months of winter, it becomes particularly important. During cold months, the beard becomes dry and lacks vital nutrients. Because it lacks moisture, it starts to frizzle and look very unkempt.

Beard oil works as a hair conditioning agent, vital if you want to keep your face and beard from drying out. It moisturizes your beard and face. During cold spells, your beard tends to soak up more oil and there is no harm in increasing your normal portion so long as it’s not overdone. 

How do you keep your beard looking great? To keep your beard looking luxurious, it’s essential to use moisturizers and conditioners. Use such beard care products at least 3-4 times a week.

Shampoo Less

During the winter season, you still need to keep your face and beard clean particularly in light of the partying. However, it’s wise to tone down when it comes to shampooing. Consider cutting back on the usage of shampoo to perhaps twice a week. Continue daily rinsing of both your face and beard to remove any buildup of superficial buildup. When choosing a shampoo for your beard, avoid Sulfates and Silicones as they can cause more harm than good. Take the time to understand what fits your style and needs while growing a beard during the harsh winter months.

Trim Loose Hairs 

We all know how tempting it is to simply let your beard grow during winter. The fact is that with every millimeter of additional growth, your face becomes warmer, and the more shielding you receive from cold winds and snow. But that winter comfort could come at a cost as the line of divide between overgrown and bushy is very thin. So, this winter make sure that you don’t allow the growth to go overboard and end up with an unkempt face. You need to keep those whiskers tamed. 

Don’t allow the beard length to be excessive, lest it becomes unruly. Learn how to keep your beard trimmed to give that sharp look yet long enough to keep you warm and protected. A thought-out and even beard line helps you avoid the dreaded neck hair and leaves you looking sharp.

Combing and Brushing 

Brushing or combing your beard comes with numerous benefits. It not only keeps the beard in good form, organized and neat but it’s also hygienic. It also allows your natural hair oil to be distributed evenly and also stimulates healthy beard growth. 

Investing in a good comb or brush is essential as they keep your beard organized. They help contain straggling hairs for that neat look. During the cold months of winter, combing and brushing also help in evening out the beard care product you could be using such as beard oils, balms, moisturizers or conditioners.

Conclusion

Growing a well-groomed beard takes perseverance and time. However, all your good efforts can quickly become eroded during the harsh winter months. To counter that, you need to adopt a daily routine of beard care that includes the usage of a quality beard oil or balm. This will not only give an enhanced appearance but will also guard your valuable whiskers against the impact of a cold climate.

Let's face the truth - your facial hair is a priceless asset, something all men desire to have. It not only garners you a lot of attention, especially from the ladies but more than that, it creates confidence and enhances your looks. And it comes with lots of health benefits too. That’s why you need to take of it well especially during the cold winter season. Take care of your beard and it takes care of you!