Just like the hair on your head needs to be brushed and maintained to look its best, your facial here also needs some care to maintain its health and give your face the proper framing. You might be sporting some basic winter growth for warmth, or you could be working with an award-winning piece of facial hair. Either way, you should keep it in line with a pick from our best beard brushes guide.
Best Beard Brushes Rundown
What To Look For In A Beard Brush
Bristle: Boar bristles are without a doubt the most popular choice for beard brushes, due to the material’s natural ability to retain moisture while being sturdy yet flexible enough to get a thorough clean (and spread oil). Synthetic bristles have caught up over time if you want more options, but boar hair is the standard.
Body: Just as classic as using boar hair on a beard brush is using a wooden body. But again, synthetics offer more options with some trade-offs, with something like plastic being easier to clean and maintain, but not as nice as wood. As for the size, you’ll want something that isn’t too small so you have ample control, but travel options are available if you’re on the move. The shape of the brush is also something to take note of, with an oval being one of the most popular and safe choices. How the brush is shaped contributes to the kind of control you have, so if you want something that fits comfortably in your palm, go for the oval or the rectangle. There are also some options with handles if that’s what you’d like, but be careful not to confuse them with beard combs, which are meant for styling your beard instead of maintaining its health.
How to use and care for a beard brush
The benefits of brushing your beard are to help keep it clean and healthy, since stimulated hair follicles are healthy follicles, and to move oil across it for moisturization. Before you get to brushing, make sure you’ve cleaned your beard and let it dry before applying oil to the bristles and/or your beard. Caring for your beard brush requires a few steps that you’ll want to follow, like making sure your beard is dry so hair doesn’t get tangled in the brush. You’ll also want to keep it away from water that’s too hot and keep it in a dry place with the bristles facing up, preferably in a case if you can.
Beard comb vs. beard brush
Simply put, a beard comb is for styling and detangling your facial hair, and a beard brush is meant for maintaining its health. Moreover, a brush utilizes bristles along with some oil (or another beard care product like beard wax), while a comb utilizes teeth, along with a more slender body, to detangle and style your (recently) washed beard.
Diane Curved Boar Military Brush
The Best Budget Brush: The Curved Boar Military Brush from Diane is a great deal as it’s a quality brush with a classic boar hair bristle, all for a reasonable price. This also makes for a great entry-level brush for you to test the waters and add to your grooming routine.
BFWood Beard Brush
The Best Travel Brush: BFWood’s Beard Brush has a walnut body and boar bristles, all in a portable package. So if you want a classic beard brush that you can take with you on the go, then this brush is a great choice. They even include a small travel case so you can store it without worry.
ZEUS Beard and Mustache Brush
The Best Mustache Brush: The Beard & Mustache Brush from ZEUS is another brush with the tried and true wood base and boar bristles, but it’s designed with an ergonomic handle to assist with mustache care as well. So if you want a brush with more of a mustache focus, then this is a good pick.
Wild Willies Beard Straightener 2.0
The Best Beard Straightener: If your beard needs some extra help to get straight or for styling in general, then consider Wild Willies’ Bear Straightener 2.0. This is a heated brush that gets up to 400°F and uses negative ion tech to tame wild beards. There’s also an LED display for easy info access.
Beard Brand Beard Brush
The Best Brush Overall: The Beard Brand’s Beard Brush is a classic choice that’s made in France with premium wood and boar’s hair bristles. The shape of the handle and the quality of the build make this a great brush for any beard and maintaining its health.
Kent MG2 Natural Beechwood military brush
The Grail Pick: Kent has been making quality beard tools since the 18th century, so you can trust your beard will be taken care of with the MG2 brush. Not only will your beard be healthy, but it makes for a great scalp care tool as well.
The Best Aftershaves for Your Face
If you have a beard, then you’re probably shaving too (at some point). So get something from our best aftershave guide for more beard care.
