Photo by Drew Hays on Unsplash

Every man who has a beard eventually wakes up one day and realises that they need to take a bit of extra care managing their facial hair. Not everyone can grow a beard like Gandalf, but even shorter beards benefit from management. Many men wind up asking themselves at this juncture, “Should I use a comb or a brush?” The simple answer is, yes – you should at least use one of them! Odds are, it will make a big difference in how neat your facial hair appears to others. What many will be left wondering is, does it make a difference which I choose, and what are my options? Fear not – whether you’ve reached this point in your beard journey at 16 or 116, we’ve got you covered.

Combs

Most men probably have a comb laying around somewhere, and if this is where you start with your beard care, that’s just fine – after all, something is better than nothing! Even a regular comb can help untangle your beard a bit and straighten those hairs out. Combs are generally easier to use than brushes, too, as they don’t require your hair to be dried out to be effective – wet hair usually resists brushing and can easily get tangled again afterwards. 

If your beard is on the longer side, a comb can be great for styling it a bit, too – combs are firmer than brushes, making them better at parting and steering the path your hair takes on your face. Combs are also a big asset if you decide to start using any product in your beard: whereas brushes tend to be denser and more voluminous, combs are strong and simple, and won’t waste as much of your product, distributing it more evenly throughout your hair.

Brushes

Combs can’t do it all, though, and there’s a reason that many guys tend to buy a dedicated brush after a while. We don’t all have a hairbrush sitting in our drawers, and that’s fine – a comb will usually do in a pinch, and if you want a brush, you probably want to buy something specially designed for bears anyways. You will probably eventually want something that is a bit more comfortable to use than a comb, and preferably something that helps manage your skin in addition to your hair. The soft bristles in a brush are great for exfoliating the skin beneath a beard, and many prefer them to combs for the additional comfort. They are also good for catching up and redistributing your natural skin oils, which help keep your beard and skin healthy and moisturised.

As a result of this softness, brushes are also less likely to cause breakages in your hair. Their softer bristles bend with your beard, letting you keep things tidy enough without raking into your skin or snapping off those stubborn tangles, which can leave beards looking uneven or unkempt after a long time. 

While it can’t hurt to have both, the choice between which of the two you use on a daily basis should ultimately come down to what type of hair you have. Generally speaking, guys with longer, denser, thicker hair tend to prefer combs, as their thicker, stronger hair can take a bit more pulling without breaking, and they have a bit more length to disentangle and play with in terms of styling, which is where combs really excel. For shorter beards, or those with thinner, weaker hair, a brush is a better option, since it can help keep the skin that might still be visible beneath a shorter or thinner beard in better condition by exfoliating, and won’t risk breaking hairs off and hurting growth potential. Ideally, anyone with a longer beard should be using both: a brush to keep the skin healthy, train the direction of growth, and spread oils further down the beard, and a comb to keep the length tidy and well-styled.

Finding The Perfect Match

Whichever you choose, there are a few factors to consider. When it comes to combs, choosing the right material and tooth spacing is crucial. If you have a longer beard, you may want something with wide-spaced, thicker, stiffer teeth made from metal that can really get in deep and help you untangle your beard without getting caught; conversely, a shorter beard might benefit from a finer, shorter, and slightly softer comb made from wood or plastic to avoid skin damage and help give you finer control over your shorter hairs.

Combs vary a bit more in terms of material, and while some of the same rules apply, there’s more room for preference here. Beard combs are made from anything from plastic to boar or horse hair, and just about anything in between, although most experts tend to agree that boar hair provides the best mix of durability and firmness. At the end of the day, it’s best to read a comprehensive review of the products you’re considering and make your choice according to your own tastes.

At the end of the day, if you’ve made it this far, you clearly care about taking your beard-whatever you choose, the fact that you’re taking the time to do proper beard care