Stop listening to old wives’ tales and wash your beard every single day. The days of washing your beard once or twice a week are outdated and come from a time before the current technology of the beard industry.
Why the "Wash Once or Twice a Week" Advice Is Outdated
Even just 15 years ago, there were no reliable, gentle daily beard wash options on the market. Beardsmen were faced with the impossible decision of washing their beard once or twice a week and dealing with a beard that felt good, but likely wasn’t as clean or looking as clean. Their only other option was using a harsh wash, also known as soap, that would be damaging their hair if used too frequently. But they would have a clean beard that, at least at the time, appeared to look better.
In that situation, I genuinely do not know what the better choice would be. Thankfully, that choice is no longer a burden that beardsmen need to take on. We now have beard-specific formulas for a daily gentle beard wash, such as the beard wash by 8-Bit Beard Co.
Why Beard Wash Is Different Than Soap
The key differences come down to the pH levels, the ingredients, and the ratios. Soap has a pH between 9 and 11 in almost all cases. That is too aggressive and harsh to wash your facial hair with every single day. Using that once a week as a stripping wash is totally fine, such as the bar soap from 8-Bit Beard Co.
A daily gentle wash is normally in the pH range around 5.5, plus or minus 1. pH is not the entire story, though. It also requires having more gentle cleansing ingredients that aren’t as clarifying. Beyond that, even more so, it comes down to the ratios of those ingredients and how it works within the blend. Many times, you will find beard washes highlighting key ingredients that we find in products such as beard oil, and this is absolutely the case with 8-Bit Beard Co.
Why Daily Beard Washing Matters
Your facial hair surrounds your mouth and is underneath your nose, and your beard acts as a filter for life, grabbing allergens, pollutants, food, saliva, and whatever else is in the path of your face throughout the day. That is a great thing, and it shows that your beard is doing its job. If you’re not washing your beard, you’re going to be ingesting all of those allergens, pollutants, and things you do not want in your system.
Should You Wash Your Beard Twice a Day?
Washing once a day is the recommendation, and a natural question would be: what about twice a day? While it is acceptable and fine on occasion, I do not recommend making a habit of washing your beard twice a day. Just like most good things in life, there can be too much of a good thing.
However, if you wash your beard in the morning and then you get barbecue sauce all over your beard at dinner, it is absolutely worth it to wash your beard again. If this situation becomes a habit and a trend, you might want to consider washing your beard at night and rinsing in the morning, which is simply using water.
The Bottom Line
Modern, gentle daily beard washes are strong enough to clean your beard, but not too strong where it damages it to use them every day. When paired with daily use of beard oil, it makes for the perfect environment for your beard to look its best, feel its best, and smell its best.