A Bearded Mistake: Washing at The Wrong Water Temperature

How often do you practice your daily beard care routine?  If the answer is every day, you should give yourself a pat on the back.  It’s so important that men take the time each day to wash and hydrate their facial hair.

However, there are some ways that men can damage their beard even when they’re using the best products that are out there.  One of the most common mistakes is using the wrong water temperature when washing that beard.  As you’ll see, extreme temperatures can actually cause breakage and prevent any nutrients from getting beneath those cuticles.

Does Temperature Really Matter That Much?

To put it simply, yes it does.  Think about how our bodies respond to extreme temperatures.  When it’s really hot outside, we feel dehydrated and zapped of energy.  When it’s too cold, we want to wrap ourselves in a million blankets to avoid experiencing that discomfort.  It’s not that different when it comes to how your facial hair responds to harsh temperatures.

When the Water is Too Hot

When you expose your facial hair and skin to hot water, you’re doing more harm than good.  Our skin and facial hair are more sensitive than we may think, and extremely hot temperatures can do quite a bit of damage.  Heat strips away moisture, not only leaving you with dry skin and hair but also making it far more prone to damage.  This means that hot water can give you those dread split ends along with a serious case of frizz.

Besides that, hot water can cause the skin on your face to become extremely irritated.  Irritated skin is no good for beard growth.  So, even though hot water may feel heavenly first thing on a cold winter morning, resist the temptation.

When the Water is Too Cold

Cold water comes with its own problems.  When our skin and hair are exposed to cold, they do everything they can to prevent that coldness from getting through the outer layer.  Think about how we wear jackets to protect our bodies from the cold.  Well, when your hair cuticles sense that uncomfortable temperature, they essentially close up so that the water and product can’t get deep into the shaft of the hair.  This means that they’re not going to get the moisture and nutrients that they need.  Furthermore, our skin responds to cold by closing up its pores, meaning that you won’t be able to clean your skin deep beneath the surface.

Lukewarm is Just Right

Whenever you wash your beard, lukewarm water is the way to go.  This temperature is non-offensive to your skin and facial hair, meaning that it’s perfect for any man who wants to have a healthy and happy beard.