Before You Begin: Should I Dye My Beard?
There are a number of options available to you today for coloring your beard.
The key to remember is that while your beard is like a head of hair, it is not hair. And as such, coloring your beard is a bit different than coloring your hair.
Over-the-counter hair dyes work on beard hair but not really that well. They are often too stiff and if you want the right results you need to go with a semi-permanent dye.
The biggest problem that people experience is the bleeding that can happen when dying a beard. It’s not uncommon for a beard to bleed when you dye it and will happen with hair dyes. If you are looking to get an exact color match then you need to get the semi-permanent dye.
Another important thing to remember is that people grow beards for a variety of reasons. Some to look awesome, some for religious reasons, some to hide scars, and some to show their individuality.
Although it is possible to dye almost any shade you desire, it is important to match your beard’s color to your natural hair color. Unless you really want to stand out, do not dye your beard yellow, orange, or pink.
It’s a matter of aging
As I discovered when writing my beard care ebook, beard color is directly tied to your age.
Younger men, who are in their 20s, don’t really need to color their beards. Let’s face it. They’re already pretty cool at their age already.
Though they look like children still, there’s a lot of reasons why what they are saying are truly wise words.
The young ones are not yet interested in their appearance. They concentrate on their career, on their family, and on raising a family.
But as we grow older and reach our 30s, we become more “mature”. A beard coloring will appear a good idea. And, of course, when you grow old like me, you will completely color your beard.
Ask any male- and females too -and they will tell you that colored beards look masculine and sexy.
You want to change your look
But you want to do it in a way you can go back to your old one. This is where beard dyes come in. They can be temporary or permanent and can be chosen based on how much time you have and how extreme you want the change to be.
Beard dyes are already given different names, but the process itself is as universal as your simple haircut. Just as you need to find the right hairstylist, the right tattoo artist or the right tailor to fit your needs, you need to find the right beard dye brands so you can pick the right color of your choice. With the right products, you can be absolutely sure that any choice of color will be a good one.
To do a beard dye the right way, you need a few things.
It’s a job/career thing
Some guys decide to work with turquoise or flame orange hair. I personally never thought that this is not aimed at those who wanted to look impressive. I thought it’s a long-term job. It’s a kind of career. A person can’t leave his workplace indifferently.
Everyone thinks that long hair looks very cool with dyed pieces, but I assure you, a beard looks it too! You don’t believe me? Just wait a little! You will see for yourself.
Are you asking why? Well, read on and I will tell you that too.
Why do you want to dye your beard? Some answer that they like to experiment with colors, others are interested in how it will look. Most importantly, you want your fashion to be up to date features and the current beard style. Many also want to make the beard more vivid. Well, you can achieve all of this with a bright, colorful beard. Also, you may want to look more spectacular and attractive on social media. Maybe some people like to be in the spotlight. I think that all the above is the perfect reason for dying the beard.
What results do you want?
You’re willing to take the time
To dye your beard?
If you’ve read any of my other articles in this series you’ll know by now that I’m pretty excited about beards and all things beard related.
And yes, I did say ‘beard related’, because we started with how to maintain and grow it, and then we graduated to why beards are better than ever.
Now we get to the fun part, how to dye a beard.
Believe it or not, dying a beard is a well-developed art form, and people will debate the exact methods for weeks.
I won’t get into a deep discussion here. I’ll lay out a simple method you can use at home and share a few tips. You can follow this beard dyeing tutorial and see how it goes for you.
You can add your own flair (see what I did there?) by using different colors and creating really cool designs.
Matte Effect
The matte effect is flat, one-dimensional, and extremely natural looking. Matte dyes soak into the hair shaft and leave just the tips of your beard a richer, darker color.
What Color Should I Choose?
Here is a quick information that will help you choose what color to use. The follicles of your hair primarily determine your hair color. As you age, your hair gradually grows lighter. (In some cases, this process is very slow). So, at the age of 25 or 30 years old, the hair color that you have had since you got out of your mother’s womb, gradually begins to change. So, your hair color will gradually get darker.
All of this is accurate information, though it does not mean that you have to change your hair color every time your hair color changes. This is a very important information that makes it possible to know what color you want to choose.
Now that you know what color to use, decide how much you want your beard to be dyed in applying hair dye on your beard.
If you have a very strong beard and if you want to dye 60-70% of your hair, then you will prefer dark colors such as blue, silver, dark blue, purple, dark purple, dark green, dark red, dark orange, black, and brown.
Temporary or Permanent Dye?
Facial hair dye comes in two main categories: temporary and permanent.
If you want a perishable look, choose a temporary dye. This will wash out after a few washes. Temporary dye won’t damage your facial hair or skin and will come out after a few shampoos.
Permanent dye will fix the color and is semi-permanent. It will fade over time and may need to be reapplied. Permenant dye usually comes in a more concentrated form and needs to be handled properly. Permanent facial hair dye is not water soluble, so it will stay on until it gradually fades.
The main difference between the two is that a permanent dye usually has Man-made color pigments while the temporary dye has a dye or food coloring.
This allows the temporary dye to wash out and not permanently stain your hair. Both will work by depositing color into the hair shaft.
How to Dye Your Beard in 9 Easy Steps (A simple, illustrated guide)
Keep it simple. Try to use colors that complement each other. Make sure your beard has enough gray hairs.
Pick a color you like
Use a beard coloring guide to help you pick your preferred color.
Find hair dye that matches your desired color
Hair coloring products come in different concentrations. Make sure to read the instructions carefully for mixing advice before you start.
Apply hair dye
Part your beard hair into sections. Apply the hair dye to your desired color sections. To ensure even coverage, concentrate the dye on the tips and work your way up to the growth section.
Let the dye settle
Leave the dye on for about 30 minutes. If the instructions say so, stay away from excess heat and water.
Rinse the dye away
Rinse with not-too-hot water until you’re sure there’s no longer any dye in your beard.
Wash your beard with a specialized product
Use a shampoo that is specifically made for beards to avoid excess drying and damaging of your beard. Do a second rinse if needed.
Condition and let air dry
Condition your beard with a beard moisturizing conditioner to restore lost moisture and to add shine.
Comb your beard
Preparation
Or more likely, your better half will. Start by finding a location that is well-lit, has a sink, a mirror, and sufficient space for you to fully spread out and work.
Test the color on a strand of hair that is growing beyond the perimeter of the beard. A strand that leads downward from the top of your cheek on your chin, or a strand growing on your forehead just above your ear are good choices.
Your beard will likely be an entirely different color than the hair on your head or the hair on your face. This test strand will let you know how it will look, and no one will ever know that it doesn’t look the same as your beard because it will be on your face.
{1}. Take the strand of hair and submerge it into the deepest part of your mixing bowl.
{2}. Add half a packet of hair dye to the bowl, and then fill it with room-temperature water until the strand is completely covered.
Some brands mix the color and water together for you. A few drops of this should be sufficient.
If you are using a color developer, add this to the bowl and let it steep for 10 minutes or so before adding the next step.
Do a sensitivity test
Step 1: Brush your beard to make sure there are no tangles or areas that need a little extra work.
Step 2: Next, you will want to use your beard dye on a small section of your beard or moustache.
For the color I used, the company recommended doing a small section of my beard and seeing how the coloring reacted.
That way I would be able to make sure the color reacted the way I wanted without ruining a larger section of my beard.
After following the instructions and checking the coloring, I had some extra dye so I applied it to a few more sections of my beard.
Make sure to check the instructions on how long to wait before you wash out the dye.
Everyone is different and so you will need to do a test patch first to make sure the coloring reacts well for you.
Step 3: Before I applied the remainder of the dye, I made sure to do a patch test on my skin.
I wanted to make sure the dye didn’t have a negative reaction with my skin.
I usually do this step on my hand because it is easier to spot a reaction and then wash it off and apply the dye to my facial hair.
After your skin is free of dye, you can move onto the next step in the beard coloring process.
To wash or not wash your beard
Before dying… That is the question.
It is the age old debate, which some claim will have you with a clean beard dying the color you like and others advising to grow one out for months before you touch a hair on your mane.
Let’s examine the merits of each.
PRE-BEARD-DYING PREPARATION:
The beard dying process begins even before you see the mane. The very first choice every man must make when it comes to dying their beard consists of two options. Should I wash it or not wash it?
It is the age old debate, which some claim will have you with a clean beard dying the color you like and others advising to grow one out for months before you touch a hair on your mane.
Let’s examine the merits of each.
WASH FIRST
A clean beard is ideal before dying because the color will stick to the follicle better than if you leave it as is. A clean beard also gives you the opportunity to get any stray hairs under control before getting to town dying it.
As such, a shaving-in period is recommended before any serious beard dying efforts with men using this method giving their facial hair shampoo and conditioning for a good half hour or so.
Provide protection
Before we get into details, all we can say is that it is best to find and use products which are specially designed for beard coloring. There are harsh ingredients for beard dying on the market. Some of them are just too powerful for your facial hair follicles. They can damage, dry, and/or permanently damage your beard.
It takes only a quick search on the web. You will find dozens of companies selling the beard dying products. Most of them claim that their product will not damage your beard.
Most of them are lying. And we have no way of knowing who is lying and who isn’t, unless you have used the product before.
So please, for the love of your beard, use a beard dye products intended specifically for it!
Here are some of the best choices:
What You'll Need:
Check regularly the levels of all these ingredients to achieve the best results.
Ingredients:
- 3 tbsp of Lactic Acid
- 2 tbsp of Citric Acid
- 4 tbsp of Aloe Vera Gel
- 3 tbsp of Coconut oil
- 3 tbsp of Shea butter
- A handful of vitamin C tablets
- Sugar and/or honey
- 1 packet of unflavored gelatin
- 3 tbsp of regular non-scented shampoo
Preparing the dye
You can use most hair dye brands to dye your beard. The dye is available in most drugstores. Pick one that’s for your hair and your face specifically. To mix the dye with the developer, you need a bowl and gloves.
Do not pick a bowl with sharp edges.
This is an important step as not mixing them thoroughly can result in a patchy color. You don’t want that. The mixture is ready after 10 minutes. Now you have to apply it to your beard from the top to the bottom. Don’t forget to cover every single layer of hair.
Apply your dye
One of the first steps to coloring or dyeing your beard is to apply the kit. What you’ll want to be sure of is that you’re using a dye or kit that is meant for dyeing your beard. Attempting to color or dye your beard using another hair dye kit will only lead to complete frustration for you.
Using a dye kit for your beard is the best possible answer when you want to color your facial hair. A dye kit such as Touch of Gray Beard Dye or Go-Gray contain natural ingredients like botanicals and leave your beard looking and feeling natural without any harsh chemicals.
You’ll want to lather up your beard with a natural beard conditioner like Beard Butter in order to make your hair as soft and healthy as possible. Then, you can simply apply the dye to your beard using your gloved fingers.
Once you’ve applied the dye, you can let the beard sit for a minute to ensure that it’s evenly distributed. Then, you’ll want to wash it off with cool water before rinsing again with lukewarm water.
Wait and test
Your hair. The last thing you want is to try out a color, and have your hair turn beet red or neon yellow. So test the dye on a part of your hair that isn’t easily visible. It’s a good idea to wait about 24 hours when testing to see how your hair reacts and how the color actually looks before embarking on the entire beard hair dying process.
Rinse
Before applying the dye, it’s best to thoroughly rinse the hairs with cold water to remove any excess dirt and oil from hair and skin.
This removes any impurities from the hair shaft, which can cause uneven dyeing.
Wash it
Without washing your beard, dyes will not adhere properly to your beard. Make sure you use a mild shampoo or a soap that will not strip the oils out of the beard.
Most beard washes also contain beard conditioners, so make sure you use those as well. Then rinse it off with warm/cold water to ensure that no shampoo or soap is left behind.
STEP 1: Get Your Supplies
If you want to dye your naturally dark or light colored beard, then you're good to go. If you have a black beard, you'll need to bleach it. Some recommend to buy a "beard dye kit." But why waste money on dye you’ll never use again? If you're interested in one, then this one is most popular.
All you really need to dye your beard properly is a black hair dye (darker the better) and a small pair of flat nose hair scissors. You can find both of these on Amazon at very reasonable prices.
STEP 2: Dye it
Maintaining Your Beard
How many trims will it take to keep my beard in the color of my choosing?
Most trimmers will maintain your hair color with a series of three to four trims. You will probably only need to take a fourth trim if your hair grows quicker than normal.
When you first start your beard dye experience, it’s a great idea to start with a trim every two weeks just to make sure you don’t make your beard too short.
What can I do to help maintain the beard dye after it has been applied?
Keeping your beard clean will not only make sure that it looks fresh and healthy, but it will also help the dye last longer. The more you can wash your hair and clean your skin, the less you will have to retouch your beard.
What other things should I be doing to make the beard dye last?
For help maintaining the color on your skin, avoid beard oils, balms, and waxes. They can all remove some of the dye.
If you are still having trouble maintaining your beard dye, adding a conditioner to your hair can also help. It will also give your hair and your overall beard a healthy feeling and look.
Use a beard oil
Like Beard Destroyer to oil and condition your beard before applying the dye.
Application
{1}. Apply the dye evenly using a cotton swab or an old makeup brush.
{2}. Leave it untouched for about ten minutes.
{3}. While the dye might be considered color safe, I would still avoid getting it on your skin.
{4}. Wash away or wipe the excess dye away, then wash after about 30 minutes.
{5}. Keep shampooing and rinsing until the water runs clear and has no color in it.
{6}. Don’t worry if your beard fades after the first week or two; it’s supposed to.
{7}. Buy a pair of disposable latex gloves and wear them while applying the dye.
{8}. Apply petroleum jelly around the beard and neck area before applying the dye. Just make sure not to get any of the petroleum jelly on the rest of the beard.
{9}. Use a towel to keep the dye off of your skin while you are applying it and wash the dye off of your skin with soap and warm water.
Shampoo carefully
Once you've chosen a beard dye for its colorfastness and its ingredients, you can begin the process of getting it on your beard. Be aware that you don't want hair dye on your face. It can irritate your skin and leave a stain that will take forever to get out of your beard.
Grab a bunch of cotton swabs or some Q-Tips and some shampoo (preferably baby shampoo). The shampoo is going to help you get a better grip on your hair in the event that it gets a little slippery from the dye.
First, wet your beard with warm water. This will, dull and warm up your hair making the dyeing process go more easily. It will also help the dye stick better to your hair, preventing it from dripping all over your neck and face.
Once you've wet your beard, lather in your shampoo. You want to make sure that you've got a nice even layer on your beard before you apply the dye. The shampoo will help get the dye through your hair and it will help your hair hold the dye more firmly. Expect to have to shampoo twice.
Keep on top of it
It’s important to continually apply the dye in small, overlapping layers to protect and saturate the hair. You should see the dye flowing downward towards your neck and ears.
Let it set.
If you suffer from itchiness, you can apply a thicker layer of a non-irritating moisturizer or even olive oil. With time, this will create a barrier between the skin and the dye. Leave the dye to set for at least an hour to avoid the dye washing off when you shower.
Comb it.
If there’s any dye that’s drying and tangling up on the hair that you didn’t cover, comb it out with a wide-toothed comb. This will get out any loose dye and lock it back down into the cells of the hair shaft.
Brush it.
Brush your hair using a natural boar hair brush or just a wide-toothed comb. The brush will help you to remove any coloring that’s dried on and spread it down to where it needs to go.
Wash it.
Try hair shampoo or a gentle shampoo designed for color-treating.
Rinse it off.
Touch it up
As Time Goes By Just like wearing the wrong clothes and not washing your beard or hair, doing nothing will eventually lead to patchy color, fading, and beard dye fade. Do your best to keep your beard and hair clean.
If your hair color starts to fade a bit or show a little grey, that’s when it’s time to take a step back in front of the mirror and give the beard a touch up. Usually this means reapplying hairspray or other product to add more hairs to the attention to the roots of the beard, and adding in some lightening dye through to the mid-shaft of your hair.
If your beard has grown out a lot in the past 18 months, you may want to consider using more dye for your beard touch up, or consider asking your barber for some precision beard trimming.
Knowing how soon you need your beard to be dyed again is mostly something that you can control with how often you touch up. As a heads up, if you’re noticing too much grey creeping in around the chin area, or about half of your beard is grey and the other half is still a dark brown, you’re probably a good candidate for a beard dye and beard trim.
Be patient
Remember that you can’t get an exact color match from temporary, semi-permanent or permanent dye. All dyes fade over time, and the faster the dye fades, the more damage it does to your hair. You can minimize the latter by using conditioner and oil. The actual dyes take time to penetrate the hair shaft to lighten the hair, so do not be surprised if your hair is black after the first wash.
So, be patient … or use permanent dye and have the best of both worlds.
2 Best Beard Dyes for Men
Those among you who want a more elaborate and professional beard dyeing should search for a dye that contains some basic components. Such components tend to make the organic beard dye much more real, including glycerin, cassia obovata extract and aloe juice extract.
These special components allow the dye to hold on to your beard for longer and also get into the pores of your beard to make it shinier and more natural looking.
Thanks to its components, this dye gives you a simple and easy way to manage your beard without wasting time and money, or take risks.
This beard dye is popular among bearded men, mostly because of its state of the art components. Apart from its carefully designed organic components, it also helps to nourish your hair with essential vitamins. Also, you need to know that it does not contain any harmful chemicals.
These components help to rejuvenate your scalp and also nourishes your facial hair. Moreover, it helps to make your beard thicker and shinier, and also gives you an immediate natural shine.
Thanks to its organic components, you can always be more satisfied with your beard. Also, thanks to its ingredients, you immediately notice a difference after the first application.
RefectoCil Cream Hair Dye (Natural Brown)
To every beard coloring experimenter!
Are you ready to discover the easiest way to dye your beard? You don't need to look any further. The RefectoCil Cream Hair Dye is the ultimate beard dye!
The RefectoCil Cream Hair Dye is a natural beard coloring cream that allows you to create natural looking hair coloring effects with ease. It is the perfect beard dye to use on a tight budget.
The beard dye comes in a 6.8 oz. (200 g) tube that includes 1.1 oz. (31 g) of hair dye. It has a natural brown color that goes well with most hair and skin color tones.
Unlike other beard dyes, this product has no ammonia smell, no peroxide, and it is wheat and gluten-free.
You should only use the cream on your beard as the product is not made for head use. The cream has natural herbs that help to enrich your skin and hair. The fragrance of the cream is mild so that you can use the cream 8 hours a day for 1 week and not smell.
According to the manufacturer, the product has no parabens or phthalates and is not tested on animals.
The product does not use harsh chemicals so it will not permanently change the color of your beard.
The color remains in your beard for about 4 to 6 weeks without fading away.
Henna Guys Pack of Dark Brown Henna Hair Color
Henna Guys is a popular all natural line of hair and beard hair color.
It comes in a really cute box with a picture of a beard on the front, making it easier to understand the concept of using henna as a hair dye.
They have a great set of helpful instructions on how to use the natural ingredients in their hair dyes, and I really appreciated that they came with a pipette for application.
Special Note about Beard Dyes
Beard dyes only lightly tint your hair, so they will be easier to remove compared to regular hair dye. If you are using a beard dye for the first time, you may want to test it out on a small area of hair first to get an idea of what it will look like.
Also, if you have a T-zone full of blackheads, then don’t dye that area, or instead use a high quality pore clearing face wash to prevent excessive staining. Wash your face with warm water and a mild cleanser before applying the dye to the beard area, and again after applying the dye.
How to Dye Your Hair with Henna
The exact steps on how to dye your hair with this product will depend on the color that you chose to purchase. Be sure to carefully read the instructions that are included with your dye, or you can also visit their website directly for more information.
Conclusion
From the S-shaped mustache to the Viking`s chin curtain, beards have been a fashion statement throughout human history. With some of the styles above, you can give a creative twist to your whole style and look. For an even bolder look, try a Vandyke or handlebar mustache with the addition of one of the beard styles listed above.
Like the Grizzly Adams, suit up in a flannel shirt and a pair of jeans and you’ll look more like a lumberjack than someone who deals with unruly facial hair. But make sure you don’t lumber out to the woods without your beard grooming kit.
After all, your beard is a reflection of your state of mind and aesthetic choices. Rather than going for cheap gimmicks, stick to the basic essentials of beard care for your face and body. A top quality beard brush will keep you clean and your skin healthy. A skin conditioner will stop your skin from drying up in the winter. Some beard oil and beard wax will keep your beard manageable, clean and shiny. A mustache wax will keep your mustache tame and perfectly coiffed. And a hair clipper will ensure your new hairstyle isn’t short and unusable.