r/BeardTalk • • Jan 08 '25

So, You've Decided to Grow a Beard. 👍

77 Upvotes

Welcome to the ranks of millions of dudes worldwide who decided to stop shaving. We're stoked to have you in the community! Whether it's your first beard or just the first beard you've decided to take care of, we're glad you found your way to a community that can offer advice, tips, and support.

One of the most common questions we see from brand new beard-growers is, "Here's my 2-3 week beard, do you think it'll grow in full?" To which, we'll always answer: Growing a beard is a marathon, not a sprint. Don't shave. Be patient.

We're here to offer that same advice to you, along with a breakdown of what you can expect as you grow your beard, along with some advice to make the process smoother. Read on!

Day 1 - 1 Month: Setting the Stage

From the moment you stop shaving, you're in it, and it can be a bit chaotic. Your face has been trained from years of shaving, exposure to harsh soaps and skin treatments, and subjected to all kinds of environmental inflammation. Your sebaceous oil glands are hardly functioning, taught to lie dormant, and your skin is dry and itchy. This is why the first few weeks, and even the first few months, can be rough.

What to Expect:

  • Growth will be sporadic. You’ll likely notice more hair under your chin and along the jawline, where skin is less exposed to irritation.
  • "Patchy" growth, as some follicles are dormant or inflamed, so growth is uneven.
  • Itchiness hits hard. This happens because your skin is adjusting to the new growth and isn't producing enough oil to keep up.

How to Manage It:

  • Wash your face daily and exfoliate weekly to keep pores open, skin clear, and prevent ingrown hairs.
  • Use a good beard oil to reduce inflammation, feed the follicles, and ease the itch.
  • Drink plenty of water and eat a balanced diet with protein, B12, biotin, and sulfur-rich foods to support healthy growth.

1 - 3 Months: The “Is This Worth It?” Phase

This is when patience really comes into play. Growth is still uneven for most, and some areas might feel like they’ll never fill in. Many give up here, but this is the time to lean in and trust the process. Beard growth is wildly personal to your genetics, so don't compare yourself to others at this stage.

What to Expect:

  • The itchiness should start to subside as your skin adjusts.
  • Ingrown hairs can be an extra concern, especially if you’ve been shaving for years.
  • The awkward phase begins. Hairs may grow in all directions, looking sloppy and unkempt.

How to Manage It:

  • Stick to your routine: beard oil daily, exfoliate weekly, and wash as needed (not too often—overwashing can dry out your skin).
  • Use a light balm to train hairs and keep them from sticking out. This also helps guide future growth in the direction you want.
  • Avoid trimming, especially your neckline, unless absolutely necessary. You’re building a foundation, and trimming now can set you back later.

3 - 6 Months: Awkward but Promising

By now, you’ve likely hit your stride. This is when growth really starts to show, but your beard may still feel unruly.

What to Expect:

  • Your beard will start to show density and length, but it may still feel uneven.
  • You’ll start seeing the potential of your beard, but the awkward phase isn’t over yet.

How to Manage It:

  • Keep using beard oil daily. It’s essential for healthy growth and keeping the hair soft and manageable.
  • Incorporate more balm if needed to control the direction of growth and keep things looking tidy.
  • If you’re struggling with dryness or frizz, consider a butter or a heavier conditioning product.

6 - 12 Months: The End of the Awkward Phase

Congratulations, you’ve made it through the toughest part. By now, your beard should look much fuller, and you’re starting to see the real potential of your growth. You may decide this is the length you want to keep, or you may decide to let it rip into the stuff of legends. It's all up to you.

What to Expect:

  • Length and density are the name of the game. Your beard will start to settle into its natural pattern.
  • The itch is long gone, and maintenance becomes easier with the health provided by good care.
  • You’ll likely feel more confident about the look, even if it’s not perfect yet.

How to Manage It:

  • This is a great time for your first professional trim. A skilled barber can shape your beard without sacrificing length or density.
  • Keep training your beard with oil and balm. Regular maintenance helps prevent breakage and keeps it healthy, soft, and clean.
  • Focus on your end goal. Whether you want a “yeard” (year-long beard) or a business beard, consistency is key.

After 12 Months: The Next Steps

You’ve reached your first “yeard.” Now it’s all about what you want to do next. Some guys aim for terminal length, while others prefer to maintain a neat, professional style. From here, you're ready to help the next generation of growers start their journey. Pat yourself on the back. In modern times, only around 18% of all men have ever grown and maintained a beard for a full year. Well done.

A few takeaways and tip:

Remember that growing a beard is an exercise in patience. Give it time, trust the process, and stick to a good routine.

Beard health is about more than just hair. It’s also about the skin underneath. Take care of it, and your beard will thrive.

Let your beard grow naturally before making big decisions. You can always trim or shape later, but you can’t undo over-trimming. This is the death of so many beards. So many.

Don't shave. That's the most important part.

Welcome to the grow, brother. You're in good company!


r/BeardTalk • • Apr 08 '14

Welcome to /r/BeardTalk!

31 Upvotes

"Welcome to /r/BeardTalk! We're proud to introduce /r/Beards' new sister sub, which is here to give those with beard-related questions and issues the opportunity to talk about what we all love: beards! So feel free to post all your beardly discussions, questions, and general comments here!"


r/BeardTalk • • 1h ago

Cannot find Cremo One For All beard & scruff cream anymore.

• Upvotes

Anyone know where to get it these days? Was it discontinued? I enjoyed the scent of it a lot and ran out. Been trying to find it again with no luck. If it is gone, and it's probably a long shot, but does anyone know a product with a similar scent if you're familiar? I am sad about it :(


r/BeardTalk • • 11h ago

Brittle Beard - New to beard oils/ advice

4 Upvotes

Hello all, essentially I’m new to beard care. I have a short stubble and pretty much I’m a neck beard but I try to maintain it to look somewhat normal. My hair is brittle and it curls so it looks like stubble. My wife says when I kiss her it’s pokes her and it feels like she gets electrocuted. Can’t grow hair on my cheeks but I wish I did ( I don’t believe I can fix that, genetics) I’m assuming beard oil is the fix for this, what’s an overall good one so I can make my beard and mustache soft.


r/BeardTalk • • 14h ago

Neck edge up advice

3 Upvotes

About to edge up the neck and trim it down a bit. I usually like to keep the facial hair to a minimum (8mm-10mm) , I usually just edge straight across but I’ve seen a u-shape edge up as well. Which do yall recommend?


r/BeardTalk • • 22h ago

For Men - Beard Dye

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1 Upvotes

r/BeardTalk • • 1d ago

Beard products in Germany

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1 Upvotes

r/BeardTalk • • 1d ago

24M : Which beard oil is best for patchy beard?

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3 Upvotes

r/BeardTalk • • 3d ago

Patchy beard growth

1 Upvotes

I have one or two spots of light patchy beard on my face. Should I even use any beard kit? If yes then which would be better?


r/BeardTalk • • 4d ago

Wahl beard trimmers for this?

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1 Upvotes

r/BeardTalk • • 4d ago

After trimming

0 Upvotes

How can I get rid of all of the beard hair I cut off? I trim my beard before showering, I shampoo it twice, rinse it well, wash my body, obviously, but during the day, I will find little bits of hair that I trimmed from beard on my shirt. How can I stop this?


r/BeardTalk • • 6d ago

Blades

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2 Upvotes

r/BeardTalk • • 6d ago

BĂźrste

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2 Upvotes

r/BeardTalk • • 7d ago

Philips Beard Trimmer 5000 vs Philips All-In-One 5000 Trimmer

2 Upvotes

Im trying to decide between the Philips Beard Trimmer 5000 (BT5785) vs Philips All-In-One 5000 Trimmer (MG5975)

What would be the best? I want to make it easy to keep that short stubble, daily, but I like the fact of the hair catcher, does it actually work?

I like the idea of having more attachments for hairstyles(dont know if I would ever cut my own hair though) and like the nose trimmer but never used one and dont think i need one

https://a.co/d/0eWQdSwy

https://a.co/d/03jmOQzB


r/BeardTalk • • 7d ago

Philips OneBlade Pro - am I using it wrong, or is it just not for me?

5 Upvotes

I bought a Philips OneBlade Pro QP6552/15 for €65 (which was quite a good deal) and have only used it twice. And so far, to put it softly - I am not happy with the results.

I normally keep my beard at around 4-5 mm and trim it shorter down the neck. The adjustable guard feels quite flexible, and when I press it against my face, it seems to bend towards the blade and cut shorter than the selected length. I ended up with uneven patches and had to shave the whole beard off. That was my first clean shave in about 5-6 years, so I was pretty annoyed.

That said, I may have applied too much pressure so I’m not ruling out user error.

I also tried trimming my balls with the sensitive-area guard attached and still managed to nick myself.

For anyone who uses this model or the same adjustable guard: can you reliably maintain an even 4-5 mm beard with it? Have you experienced the comb flexing, and is there a particular angle or technique I should be using?

I wonder whether to sell the kit on second-hand sites, including the blades it came with, while it’s still nearly new and under warranty, for let say €50-55 and get a conventional beard trimmer. Or give it another chance? I will appreciate hearing from people who’ve used both.


r/BeardTalk • • 7d ago

Seven potions

3 Upvotes

I’ve finally got fed up of the dandruff problem I have in my beard. The skin underneath is terribly dry, I have the same problem on my head hair and am thinking it may be Seborrheic dermatitis. Beard also feels sort of rough and not soft at all. For a time I used Viking revolution oil which seems to be low quality. Going to buy the seven potions bundle, a boar brush and comb unless someone has better suggestions for uk based companies.


r/BeardTalk • • 8d ago

Best beard trimmer that doesn't leave the hairs under my nose a different length?

5 Upvotes

I keep a heavy stubble beard, but all the trimmers I have used, when using a guard, leave the top of my mustache right under my nose longer than the other hairs. I can't pass the trimmer correctly to cut them. Are there any beard trimmers good for this?


r/BeardTalk • • 8d ago

Formulated a home-brew beard butter focusing on complex fragrance layering. Looking for feedback on this note combination.

2 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

​As a bearded guy who has a huge interest in fragrance design, I’ve spent the last few months working on my own small-batch beard butter formula at home.

​I kept running into the same issue with commercial products: either the scent vanished after 20 minutes, or the formulas left a greasy residue instead of properly conditioning the beard. I wanted to combine proper beard care with a scent profile that evolves like a fragrance throughout the day.

​I made a test batch recently and handed samples out to 20 bearded friends and colleagues to test across different beard lengths and hair types. The feedback on skin feel and scent longevity was great, but I want to get the community's perspective on the scent formulation itself.

​Here is the breakdown of the base and scent profile:

​Base: Mango butter, shea butter, white beeswax, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, vitamin E.

​Fragrance Notes: BERGAMOT, ORANGE, GINGER, CINNAMON, NEROLI, BLACK TEA, AMBER, OLIBANUM, GUAIAC WOOD.

​My goal was a warm, resinous citrus profile grounded in dark woods, spices, and tea.

​For those who enjoy scented beard products

How do you feel about complex, fragrance-style scent notes in a beard butter versus simple single-note scents?

​What is your sweet spot when it comes to scent longevitydo you prefer something subtle that stays close to the beard, or something with stronger projection?

​Would love to hear your thoughts or answer any questions about the formulation process!


r/BeardTalk • • 9d ago

Need recommendations for a new shaver / beard trimmer (Looking at Kemei 2024 vs Philips OneBlade

1 Upvotes

I'm looking for a new shaver/trimmer. I don't have a huge, Viking-style beard or anything-just basic stubble that I keep trimmed at around 3mm with a guard.

I've been looking at options and I'm torn between the Kemei 2024 and the Philips OneBlade, but I'd love to get the sub's opinion on these two.

For anyone who has used either (or both):

Has it caused any folliculitis, razor bumps, or allergic reactions?

Do you struggle to cut through hairs (e.g., having to go over the same spot multiple times)?

• Any issues with ingrown hairs?


r/BeardTalk • • 9d ago

Designing a new beard trimmer — what are your biggest pet peeves with current trimmers on the market?

0 Upvotes

Hey r/BeardTalk,

Full transparency: I run TEKARC and we are in the R&D stage for our next beard grooming product.

Most trimmers out there feel like slight variations of the same design with the same annoying flaws (cheap guards, snagging, proprietary chargers, etc.).

What would make a trimmer an absolute 10/10 for your routine? Tell me what bugs you the most about the ones you've used. Taking all notes seriously!


r/BeardTalk • • 10d ago

Me again.

2 Upvotes

Has anyone here just used pure refined shea butter on their beard instead of a proper beard butter?

I've got a very grey, about 6-inch beard, and it's quite coarse and wiry.

Anyone tried it? Particularly interested in hearing from anyone with a longer, grey/coarse beard. Does it leave the beard feeling soft and manageable, or does it just turn into a greasy mess?

And how much are you actually using? I'm guessing a little goes a long way.


r/BeardTalk • • 11d ago

Beard Club PT45 failed, support asked for proof, then disappeared for 52 days

2 Upvotes

I actually liked my Beard Club PT45, which is why this is so disappointing.
I opened a warranty claim on August 10 after the trimmer developed an E1 fault despite extremely light use. It still works when connected directly to power, has never been exposed to water, and has always been used with the original charging equipment.
On August 13, Beard Club support asked me to send a photo of the charger I was using so they could confirm it was the correct one. Fair enough. I sent exactly what they asked for.
That was 52 days ago.
I waited because I assumed somebody would eventually pick the claim back up. It’s now October 4, and I’ve received no warranty decision, no replacement, no additional troubleshooting, and no meaningful follow-up.
Apparently they needed nearly two months to conduct a forensic examination of a photograph of a charging dock.
The frustrating part is that I’m not even here to say the PT45 is garbage. I liked the trimmer. Electronics fail. That happens. But when a company asks a customer for specific proof, receives it, and then simply stops communicating, that’s a customer-service problem, not a product problem.
Email and clippers


r/BeardTalk • • 12d ago

St Ives scrub alternative

1 Upvotes

Hey guys. I get bad spots under my beard (folliculitus) and they only thing that has ever stopped/minimised it is the St Ives Blemish Control Scrub once or twice a week — but it seems it may have been discontinued.
Any guys have an alternative that they seen results from?


r/BeardTalk • • 12d ago

Meißner Tremonia discontinued Indian flavor and I need a replacement

1 Upvotes

Meißner tremonia discontinued the beard oil that i Iove. I'm on a limb but does anyone know of a similar product to their "Indian flavor"? It was described as coriander, lemongrass, and mint scented. Thanks in advance!


r/BeardTalk • • 12d ago

Help with gift set

2 Upvotes

Hiii I hope this is allowed! I'm trying to source a good gift set or just products in general for my partner's Christmas! He has quite a 'curly' beard (I really hope I'm making sense please forgive me if not!!) He prefers more 'natural' products if possible! He currently has a variety of brands I know he switches between but hasn't found one he absolutely loves yet. He used beard wash, oil, a comb etc! Thank you🫶