How to apply beard oil

Instructions:

As with most things, there is more than one way to apply Beard Dry Oil and Traditional Beard Oil. Master beardsman, Andy Pokorski shows us his method for applying beard oils to his award winning beard. Included below are written instructions and videos to help you on your bearded journey! First things first, in order to apply beard oil and use your Beard Care Kit, you will need to own one! Here is where you can pick the best Beard Care Kit for your needs. Here is where you can pick up a world class Kent beard comb. We made some videos that cover beard and moustache care, over here.

1. First, check out the videos! to see master beardsman Andy cover beard and moustache care
2. Get out your CanYouHandlebar oil: Open your new CanYouHandlebar beard oil and set it aside
3. Oil your brush: Gently twist your beard oil brush on top of your Dry Oil and twist a quarter turn or so. If you are using a traditional beard oil, add a nickel sized dollop to the center of the brush
4. Condition the front: Start on one side and brush the Dry Oil down into the beard from the sideburns. Move on to the middle and other side.
5. Condition the back: Now, make sure you brush oil onto the underside of your beard.
6. Optional comb through: If you’d like you can comb your beard out to ensure total coverage. If you do this comb your beard horizontally and then finish by combing down and out into the final shape
7. Optional hand sculpting: If you’d like, grab the outside of your beard and stroke your manly beard into its final stately form.
8. Not optional: Admire your birthright in the mirror and each time you see the branded question mark, ask yourself what you need to do to be the sort of man you want to be.

Should I get Beard Dry Oil or Traditional Beard oils?

Taking care of a beard is like taking the tire off a bicycle.

When I was about eight years old I decided my bike wheel needed to come off so I flipped my bike upside down and attacked the nuts that held the wheel to the frame with a Crescent wrench and a hammer because the threads were too tight for my little sausage fingers. My dad noticed what I was about to do but couldn't stop me in time. I managed to practically weld the nut to the shaft by cross threading it something fierce. What I learned was any time it occurred to me to grab a hammer to finish a job, I should probably also ask for some advice. (By the way, I was without a bike for a whole summer as a result of my "creative" approach to bike repair!).

Use the right tool for the job.

Suffice to say, I am now a big fan of using the right tool for the job. It helps if you have a good toolkit. For beards, this means having a traditional beard oil and a beard balm of some sort. My beard balm is called "Beard Dry Oil." It is also a good idea to have a high quality beard comb, a brush for shaping your beard and a Beard Oil Brush for application. With these tools, you are ready for anything. That said, you may not need everything at once. Since I have a year old beard and use both a traditional oil as well as Dry Oil. If you are buying a gift or want to know what to start with, here are some tips for picking the right product.

For shorter beards (or for more control)

In general, a Beard Dry Oil is best for beards younger than a couple months or for when you want a little more control. A beard balm style oil adds a little volume and really helps control "fly aways." In particular I use Beard Dry Oil for my sideburns or whenever I have slept on my beard and I have a bad case of "bed beard," or whenever I just want to have a sculpted look like Santa had in A Miracle of 34th Street. The way Beard Dry Oil works is that it contains a little beeswax and lanolin and provides a little structure. While it is mainly designed for shorter beards and touch-ups, it can be used as a daily oil, even on longer beards. Case in point, Brian Furby the beard expert from the beard and moustache product review site TitleBeard has a year old beard (aka "Yeard") and uses Dry Oil daily. He likes it because it provides the control he desires.

For longer beards (or for for shine without hold)

As my beard has gotten longer, I have come to really appreciate traditional liquid beard oils. These oils provide great hair health properties, add a really nice shine to my beard and smell awesome. Most folks I talk to with more than a few months growth prefer liquid oils because the Beard Dry Oil can weigh down longer beards if that is all that is used. Some guys like to use Beard Dry Oil and traditional oils together for maximum control over the way their beard behaves since they can use as much of each type of oil as they like. There really isn't a right or wrong when it comes to beard oils, just what works best for your beard and how your beard is behaving on a given day.

Getting the right tool for your beard!

Like I mentioned earlier, it is good to have the right tools for the job! My guess is that curiosity will get the best of you and you'll want both eventually. If you buy both at the same time you save on shipping! :} The good news is that the Beard Oil Brush works great with either type of oil. You can buy just about any combination of beard care kit that you want, including getting a Beard Oil Brush, a Beard Dry Oil and Traditional Oil by using the pull-down option on that product page. Now, you'll be ready for anything!

Product Review: Moustache Comb by Offerman Wood Shop

Handmade moustache (err, beard) comb

There are a few things in this world of which I am a big fan: craftsmanship, things made of wood, heirloom quality, beards, moustaches, and the free market. Nick Offerman, perhaps best known as Ron Swanson on the show Parks and Recreation, offers all of these rolled up into one handcrafted comb, which I received this week.

Overview of the moustache comb:

The comb is touted as a moustache comb, perhaps because Ron Swanson/Nick Offerman wears a moustache and not a beard, but this comb is a far better beard comb than moustache comb. The fingers of the comb are too far apart to provide much utility as a moustache comb. That does not take away from the comb at all but if you are looking for a moustache comb for daily use, this is probably not it.

The comb is made from three pieces of wood–maple, wenge, and walnut seamlessly combined into a high-contrast form that gently tapers from the handle toward the ends of the eight tines.

The finished product is both beautiful and functional as a beard detangling brush. As well as it works as a beard comb, the real charm is as an homage to American manufacturing and classic grit and masculinity. As a functional decoration it is a reasonable $75 (or $100 monogrammed). As merely a comb, it would be steep.

Noteworthy details

I was fortunate to have mine monogrammed with “CYHB” for CanYouHandlebar. The letter of the monogram, like the logo on the opposing side are burned in so I won’t need to worry about the logo wearing off over time.

The details are what really make this comb stand out from the pack.

• Each tine is carved by hand and the marks from the knife are left in place.
• From the reputation Offerman has as a master wood worker I knew the product would be technically flawless and I was not disappointed.
• The grain of the tines goes along the length of the tines and the grain of the handle goes along the width of the handle. I suspect this provides the most strength for each application. This attention to detail and knowledge of the materials he uses is the mark of a good craftsman.
• The overall piece has a suitable amount of fit and finish without removing the charm of a slightly rustic handmade tool.

Frankly I would have been a little disappointed if everything were too perfect because I would then need to compare it to a mass produced comb from Amazon and it may have fallen short on account of the price versus utility ratio. As it stands, I feel like I am buying something made by the hands of a person I’d like to know.

Verdict

If you have a beard or just like good old-fashioned men’s lifestyle products like combs, dopp kits or straight razors, then this comb will make a nice addition to your collection. If you are looking for the cheapest way to arrange the hairs on your face, then you probably will feel this costs too much. Personally, I am really happy with the purchase and the opportunity to support another craftsman and enjoy the thought that went into delivering such a high quality product.