Life gets in the way of man’s grooming sometimes. Issues eventually crop up and sometimes, it can be tricky to know how to handle them. So, can anything be done about a stringy beard?
A stringy beard can be helped by some simple grooming methods; brushing and oiling daily, moisturizing with a little beard balm, and carefully snipping stray hairs.
It’s not so much a step-by-step process as it is a “groom as you go” process.
First, it’s important to discuss what it is in the first place.
Let’s get to it.
Disclaimer – This is a general style/grooming article, not professional advice. If you have any concerns about an uneven or unusual distribution of growth, seek professional advice.
What Exactly Is A “Stringy Beard”?
If your beard hair is wispy, feathery, and light, you probably have a “stringy” looking beard.
They tend to look thinner than they actually are and have hairs sticking out in various directions.
Overall, brushing a beard that’s long enough to benefit from it will often lead to a straighter, flatter, and fuller looking beard.
In general, this should make a previously stringy-looking beard look less stringy.
With fewer strays sticking out and a generally more voluminous appearance, it should help.
Over time, you’ll often find that you’ll need to brush less to produce the same result.
It’s a tricky habit to get into the swing of, but many bearded men do eventually come to a point where their grooming routine feels incomplete without it.
It’s also great for distributing products such as oils and balms.
Go for a boar bristle beard brush instead of a synthetic nylon one. Boar hair is similar to beard hair and glides effortlessly through it.
Synthetic bristles will often do more harm than good.
2. Comb The Beard
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Consider combing once you’ve got around 8 weeks’ worth of growth. Before that point, it’s probably not long enough to benefit from combing.
It isn’t “essential”, but it has the additional benefits of detangling and styling.
Consider a pearwood or sandalwood one as these are generally anti-static and don’t frizz up the beard hairs. Plus they’re gentler on the hairs themselves.
Unless you’re going for one of the more uncommon styles, you’ll generally want to comb downward and toward the chin.
A tidy and well-styled beard without many tangles is less likely to look stringy.
3. Snip the Strays
When you go to tidy up your beard it doesn’t always mean you need to break out the buzzers. Sometimes, all you need is a small pair of beard scissors and you can tame those strays with a few snips.
You can get pretty intricate with it.
As your beard grows longer, you may start to notice it getting wispier and stringier, with stray hairs sprouting and sticking out.
You can deal with them as you grow by snipping them when you see them.
Over time, you’ll probably notice how your beard looks more even in length.
4. Go See the Barber
Believe it or not, your barber isn’t just for the hair on your head, and they can often help make a beard look less stringy.
They may do this by recommending a specific style. For example, trimming a goatee could remove those wispy and stringy cheek hairs.
Seeing a professional couldn’t do any harm. As long as they’re a trusted source, the advice (and potentially the trim) they provide could be very eye-opening.
Even if you just have questions about what products would suit your beard best, they may well be able to shed some light.
5. Try Growing It Out
This one isn’t going to be for everyone.
For some, it may not even help. In fact, they might even find that the beard becomes stringier as it grows longer.
But it’s worth a shot.
Try growing it out a little longer than you’re used to. This may well give the stringier parts of the beard more time to settle themselves.
As a beard grows longer, the weight of the hair often gently pulls it downward. This often leads to a more uniform-looking beard, with most of the hairs generally growing in the desired direction.
If you find that growing your beard out longer than you have before does make it look fuller, you’ve won.
Conclusion
It may be a daunting task at first but, with a little can-do attitude, progress can be made.
Consider paying a visit to your barber. They may have suggestions for the right style and products to use.
Whatever you do, have fun with it. Keep up with the grooming requirements to make sure things don’t get out of control.
Ready Sleek founder. Obsessed with casual style and the minimalist approach to building a highly functional wardrobe. Also a fan of classic, vintage hairstyles.
