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.
