Simplify Your Skin & Hair Routine By Using Just These Products

You spend your whole life inside your skin, you should take care of it. We get it—many of us men grew up believing it wasn’t masculine to be well-groomed, and many of us don’t even know where to start. Well, we’ve got you covered with two products that truly do it all. 

Men’s skin is different than women’s skin. Men’s skin is typically thicker, oilier, and more porous. Guys have a better chance of getting acne, and our pores make for more pronounced lines— especially as aging starts to exhibit its many signs.

But you don’t need to fill your cabinet with a dozen products to take care of your hair, beard, skin, and tattoos. Create your own simple skincare and haircare routine with the Beardbrand Utility Bar and Beardbrand Utility Balm.

Both products are practically utility knives for your morning (or evening) routine. The Utility Bar cleans you up, and the Utility Balm keeps your beard, hair, skin, and tattoos hydrated and conditioned. 

In fact, you could survive using just these two products—and look damn good doing it. 

We’ll show you how below, because what man doesn’t want that kind of simplicity?  

A quick disclaimer before we get into it: this blog serves to provide suggestions for simplifying your grooming routine. We are, however, not doctors and cannot provide recommendations to treat a variety of skin conditions. Always consult with your doctor or dermatologist. 

SIMPLE SKIN AND HAIRCARE ROUTINE.

Taking care of your skin and hair isn’t difficult but we see a lot of guys take it to one of two extremes—they either get lazy and use cheap products full of synthetics or they go over-the-top and load up on products. 

Look, you don’t need a shower full of plastic bottles, and you don’t have to sacrifice quality with all-in-one products. Investing in a couple of high-quality, natural products that serve multiple functions will do you well. 

You want to be well-groomed without looking like you tried too hard to be well-groomed. But first, let’s get back to basics. 

Wash
Warm (not hot, mind you) water helps to open your pores and encourages better circulation over the subdermal layer of your skin. Resist the urge to wash your face with cheap bar soap—you know the ones. Cheaper soaps often contain harsh chemicals that will strip your face of important nutrients. Look for gentler soaps, preferably those that don’t contain sulfates, parabens, or other synthetics that rob your skin of needed moisture. A good option would be—you guessed it—the Utility Bar. 

Dry
Really mind-blowing stuff, we know. Here’s the catch: you need to dry off in the right way. You don’t want to towel off like you’re waxing your car. Instead, a gentle pat dry helps to preserve your skin’s natural elasticity. 

Moisturize
Your skin needs moisture and the right amount of oil to look its best. This is where the Utility Balm comes in. Use a small amount on your face, making sure to cover all areas—cheeks, forehead, neck, etc. The same rules apply for moisturizing your body; make sure to apply the balm to your ankles, elbows, knees, shoulders, lower legs, and don’t forget your hands.

KNOW YOUR SKIN TYPE

Knowing your skin type is essential to caring for your skin. Not knowing your skin type means potentially treating your skin with products that do more harm than good. Here’s a quick look at the five general skin types:

Normal skin
Guys with normal skin get all the breaks. Normal skin doesn’t get oily during the day and doesn’t easily get dry or irritated. Acne isn’t typically an issue either. 

Oily skin
You know you have oily skin when it has a natural shine (or light sheen) to it. Unfortunately, this often leads to acne.

Dry & sensitive skin
If your skin gets irritated easily and often feels dry and tight, then you have dry or sensitive skin.

Combination
Just as its name implies, combination skin is both oily and dry, but in specific areas of your face. We all have what’s known as the “T” zone on our faces with the horizontal bar of the T across our foreheads, and the vertical bar running from the forehead to the tip of the nose. Men with combination skin experience an oily T-zone while the rest of their face has dry/sensitive skin.

Aging
The signs of aging skin are readily apparent: the skin looks worn out, has wrinkles and lines, and also has age spots. These signs become more apparent when you neglect your skin.

SIMPLE SKINCARE FOR DRY SKIN

Beardbrand Utility Balm is excellent for dry, cracked skin because of its deep conditioning properties. If you live in a dry climate, or in an area where freezing winters are common, you can use Utility Balm on your hands, knuckles, and elbows to prevent them from drying and cracking. Or, if you use your hands a lot when you work, you can apply the Utility Balm to your hands at bedtime each night to keep your skin hydrated.

How to care for dry skin: 

• Moisturize it – Dry skin indicates that your skin doesn’t get enough moisture naturally. Everyone’s skin produces a mix of oils, lipids, and dead skin cells that provide a protective layer. Men with dry skin, however, don’t produce as much protective oil, and daily washing can strip what oil they do have. Using a moisturizer is a must for men with dry skin. Apply a moisturizer every day, and don’t be afraid to try out a few to find one that best suits your skin and won’t cause an allergic reaction.
  
  
• Apply after washing your face – Moisturizers form a layer on your skin that keeps moisture from leaving it. If you have dry skin, you want to trap in as much moisture as possible. So, apply the moisturizer after washing your face.
  
  
• Stop. Smoking. – Your skin takes its share of punishment when you smoke, not the least of which is that smoking prematurely ages your skin. Smoking damages and dries out skin, while the nasty particles and pollutants found in cigarette smoke settle on your skin, form a residue and eventually block your pores and cause discoloration. Nasty stuff, gents.
  
  
• Be wary of winter – Almost everyone will experience dry skin when temperatures plunge, but as a man with dry skin you need to be particularly wary of protecting your skin from dry, winter air. Moisturize multiple times a day and consider adding a humidifier or two to your home.
  
  
• Take shorter showers – The longer you linger in the shower, the more you’ll remove your skin’s protective layer— and lose more moisture. Shorten your showers and you’ll help your skin retain it’s moisture while lowering your water bill. 

SIMPLE SKINCARE FOR OILY SKIN

You’re not alone if you have oily skin—it’s common. Oily skin isn’t all bad, but you definitely want to manage it. 

How to care for oily skin: 

• Don’t over-dry it - This one’s a little counter-intuitive but when you over-dry your skin, it reacts by producing even more oil. Because of this, you want to manage the oil on your skin, not remove it.
  
  
• Use a gentler soap - Many popular bar soaps dry out your skin, causing it to produce more oil. The Utility Bar is gentle enough to use as a face wash and won’t pull too much moisture from your skin.
  
  
• Don’t skip moisturizing - Daily moisturizing helps to normalize the skin and keep it from over or under-producing additional oil. Utility Balm works well at maintaining your skin’s hydration. Start with a small amount and use more as needed.
  
  
• Reduce greasy foods - We’re not saying you can’t eat pizza, you just can’t live off it. It’s alright to indulge, but make foods with supplements such as vitamin A and zinc a staple in your diet. They help regulate and reduce oily breakouts.
  
  
• Keep your hair clean - Don’t climb into bed with dirty, oily hair. The oily buildup in hair can end up on your pillowcase—and then on your face.

SIMPLE SKINCARE FOR COMBINATION SKIN 

Combination skin can be difficult to manage because it contains elements of dry and oily skin. 

How to care for combination skin: 

• Moisturize - If you have combination skin, a moisturizer helps to prevent dry patches, but you’ll want to use a little less of it on the oilier parts of your face.
  
  
• Use a quality face wash - Cheap bar soaps dry out the skin. Have we mentioned how awesome the Utility Bar is?
  
  
• Exfoliate - Exfoliating the skin in your T-zone helps to reduce oil while scrubbing away dirt and debris. You only need to exfoliate a few times a week.

SIMPLE SKINCARE FOR AGING SKIN

There's not much we can do about the aging process. It is, after all, part of being human. The best thing you can do is care for your skin while you are young. This will slow things down, but only for so long. The silver-lining? Some men look even better with a little wear and tear on their skin - just don't be in a rush to get there.

How to care for aging skin:

• Don’t overdo it - Stick to the basics—cleansing and moisturizing. You can even begin by focusing on one area of the face, such as your eyes, before jumping into a more comprehensive routine.
  
  
• Don’t neglect the skin around your eyes – One of the first places you’ll see signs of aging skin is the skin around your eyes. Left untreated, it will dry out and crack, but a good eye cream will provide protection and keep the wrinkles, lines, and crow’s feet from becoming painfully obvious.
  

SIMPLE SKINCARE FOR NORMAL SKIN 

Normal skin is awesome but can also make you lackadaisical. It still deserves a routine, and caring for it now will help it age well. 

How to care for normal skin:

• Manage exposure - Even skin that’s naturally balanced can change depending on what you expose it to each day. The sun, wind, and sweat can all affect your skin and may lead to breakouts and skin damage if you’re not careful.
  
  
• Keep it simple - use a gentle face wash like the Utility Bar and moisturize with Utility Balm.

SIMPLE BEARD CARE WITH TWO PRODUCTS 

Beardbrand Beard Oils, Beard Wash, and Beard Softener are built to hydrate and cleanse your beard, give it a healthy shine, and keep it soft. With Beardbrand Utility Balm, you get all of that in one product. 

Simply scoop a dime-sized amount out of the jar, gently warm it between your palms, and rub it into your beard. Be sure to get down to the roots. Unlike waxes and pastes, the balm is a no-hold moisturizer, meaning your beard will stay soft to the touch and have a natural shape that’s unaffected by the balm itself.

Why Utility Balm is great for your beard
Beardbrand’s Utility Balm serves as an excellent daily beard conditioner, much like Beard Oil. But the balm lasts a bit longer than oil because it sits on top of your beard and skin longer than Beard Oil does. 

The balm’s thickness also provides enough weight that you can comb down stubborn beard hairs that defy your grooming goals and your beard’s shape. You can also use it to style and hold your mustache and sideburns to give them a more finished look.

Last, but not least, Utility Balm hydrates the skin under your beard, which is essential to maintaining a soft, healthy beard—and preventing beard itch.  

How to use it: Warm our Utility Balm between your hands and then apply it to your beard evenly and spread it with a quality beard brush, preferably one made of boar’s hair.

You can also use our Utility Balm as a beard conditioning mask. You're certainly not alone if your beard tends to be drier than the beards of other men. There are a variety of reasons for it; whether you work in an occupation that requires you to give your beard a deep cleaning every day, or you live in a cold, dry climate that can damage and irritate skin easily. Whatever the reason for your dry beard, our Utility Balm also serves as a restorative beard mask that works to repair dry and broken facial hair.

How to use it: The best time to apply our Utility Balm as a conditioning mask is at bedtime. Warm a generous amount of the balm in your hands and apply it throughout your beard. Use a brush to make sure you distribute it evenly. Rinse it out after about 30 minutes, or wash it out in the shower the next morning.

Washing your beard
You’ve probably read articles about the bacteria that ends up in your beard. Like your skin and head hair, you need to wash your beard. A lot of guys reach for regular hair shampoo to do this. This is a big mistake. 

The skin on your scalp is way different than the skin on your face. Scalps generally produce more oil than your face does. Hair shampoos are designed to handle the amount of oil on your scalp. Using it on your face often leads to dry skin underneath your beard—dry skin under the beard leads to a dry, itchy beard that feels like a bale of hay. 

You want to opt for a Beard Wash that is gentle enough for the skin on your face. Beardbrand Beard Wash is a great option, but the Utility Bar is also easy enough on your skin to stand-in as a cleanser for your beard.  

2 steps to a clean and conditioned beard using the Utility Bar and Utility Balm:

1. Grab your Utility Bar, lather it up in your hands, and apply to your beard. Focus on the skin beneath the beard, and then work the lather through the rest. 
2. After you shower and pat your beard dry with a towel. Scoop out a dab of Utility Balm (a little goes a long way), rub together in your hands, and apply evenly to your beard. 

SIMPLE HAIR CARE WITH TWO PRODUCTS

There’s no need to over-complicate your haircare routine, either. While beard hair is quite different than the hair on your head, the beauty of the Beardbrand Utility Bar and Utility Balm is that they’re versatile enough to handle both. 

Washing your hair with the Utility Bar
The Beardbrand Utility Bar is formulated to be an effective hair shampoo—and a damn good one. Formulated with natural ingredients that hydrate and nourish hair and without sulfates, parabens, and silicones—it won’t dry out your hair and scalp. Many of us at the Beardbrand office skip the standard hair shampoo and use Utility Bar from head to toe. 

How to use it: Grab the Utility Bar and create a solid lather in your hands. Work the soap into your hair focusing on the scalp and roots more than the tips. Rinse it out and you’re good to go. 

Conditioning your hair with Utility Balm
If you want to give your hair a deep, leave-in conditioning, simply warm a dime-sized amount of Utility Balm between your palms and apply to your hair. Be sure to pay special attention to getting it down to the roots as well as the ends. The result is healthy, soft, smooth hair that is nourished by all-natural ingredients.

How to use it: Apply a generous amount of the balm at bedtime and then brush it in for even distribution. Wear it overnight and rinse or wash out in the shower the following morning.

Styling your hair with Utility Balm
Bearbrand’s Utility Balm is an ideal product for men who prefer a glossy finish on their hair but don’t want their hair to feel like it has products in it. Utility Balm adds a natural-looking shine but lets your hair’s natural texture show through. The deep-conditioning properties keep your hair and scalp nourished and healthy. You can also use it to style your side part, quiff, or natural curls while giving you a nice finished appearance as you walk out the door.

How to use it: Rub a small amount of balm—no more than a finger full—between your fingers and spread it evenly throughout your hair before your brush or comb it into your preferred style.

TIPS FOR CREATING A SIMPLE HAIRCARE ROUTINE

The following are more suggestions for creating a simple, yet effective, haircare routine, no matter which grooming product you choose.

Limit your hair washing
Shampooing your hair on a daily basis can strip your hair of the protective oils produced by your scalp. Some experts suggest washing it only two to three times a week. If your hair gets greasy easily, you can always do a water-only wash on the days you don’t use Shampoo. Your hair may overproduce oil as it adjusts to less shampooing but it will eventually balance out and your hair will stay clean longer.

Dry your hair gently
The same principle for drying your face and body applies to your hair. That is, pat dry it instead of rubbing with the force of someone with runaway testosterone levels. You only need to get rid of the excess water, not all of it. 

Speaking of drying your hair, you should watch the heat when blowdrying. Using a hairdryer (especially on high heat) every day will eventually cause damage to your hair, and if you have thinning hair, you may want to ditch the dryer altogether. The heat from a blow dryer is good for training your hair and getting it into the style you want. But, you want to avoid blasting it with high heat or holding the blow dryer too close. As your hair dries, change the setting to warm, and then cold to lock in your style. 

Use styling products sparingly
From pomade to gel, to hair cream, and our excellent Styling Balm, there are many products you can use to keep your hair’s style in place. The key, however, is to use only as much product as you need—which isn’t that much. Too much can leave your hair looking greasy. Anything more than a dime-sized amount is probably overdoing it if you have a shorter hairstyle.

Don’t be a stranger to your barber
Regular trips to the barbershop are an essential part of a haircare routine. You’ll need to keep it trimmed, of course, but a professional barber has all kinds of tips and suggestions for hair care and keeping your style looking its best.

SHAVING WITH THE UTILITY BAR

One of our favorite ways to use the Utility Bar is as a shave soap. Drop the puck-shaped bar into your favorite shaving mug, grab your brush, and then whip up a lather. Whether you’re shaving your face, head, or doing some manscaping, the Utility Bar will give you a smooth wet shave. Check out the video below to see it in action: 

If you shave or buzz your hair, it’s wise to use something that softens and heals your scalp after you’ve shaved it. Utility Balm can serve that purpose, while also helping to improve your scalp’s appearance. Shaving with clippers or trimmers is a common practice, but it can stir up some dandruff and dead skin that you need to exfoliate.

How to use it: Apply a layer of Utility Balm over the scalp after you shower and/or shave. Warm the balm in your hands before you apply it.

SIMPLE TATTOO CARE 

Sun damage and dry weather can strip your tattoos of their color and vibrance. But a super-conditioning balm, like Beardbrand Utility Balm, can penetrate to the deep dermal layers and ensure your ink doesn’t break up or fade. 

Note: Beardbrand Utility Balm is only intended for use on fully-healed tattoos. Consult with your tattoo artist about what products to use while the tattoo is healing. 

How to use Utility Balm to moisturize your tattoos
Beardbrand Utility Balm will help your tattoos pop and look as vibrant as they did when you first got them. It provides excellent moisture that keeps your skin healthy and hydrated, and healthier skin holds your tattoo’s ink for a longer time. As we’ll talk about in a bit, not taking care of your tattoos means they’ll fade more quickly and become a dull replica of their original.

How to use it: Warm Utility Balm in your hands and apply it to your tattoos.

The basics of maintaining your tattoo:

• Moisturizing is perhaps the most important thing you can do to maintain your tattoo’s vibrant colors. Our skin becomes drier as we age and proper hydration will keep your tattoo from looking dull and tired.
• Exercising and staying in good physical condition will help maintain the look of your tattoo. Weight gain and a loss of body tone—even dramatic weight loss—alters your body’s shape, and ultimately how your tattoo looks. Eating right and getting plenty of rest also helps. The bottom line is that keeping yourself in shape helps keep your tattoo in shape as well.
• You should also minimize, or quit, habits that are proven to increase the physical effects of aging, including smoking, drug use, stress, and excessive tanning.
• Exfoliating the skin (removing dead skin cells) is another great way to maintain your tattoo. As the layers of dead skin cells become thicker, they’ll obscure the vibrancy of your ink. Exfoliating, then moisturizing the skin on and around your tattoo is a good routine to follow.
• While maintaining a fitness regimen is good for body, mind, and soul, be careful to keep your tattoo dry from sweat as much as possible. Sweat can make the color of your tattoo fade faster. If you can’t keep it dry during your workout, make sure you pat it completely dry after you’ve finished dominating the weight bench.

Protecting your tattoo from the sun, as mentioned, is another crucial part of the tattoo-maintenance process. Excessive exposure to the sun can bleach the color from your tattoo. Here are some steps to take to limit sun damage:

• Apply sunblock, preferably one with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 50 or higher, over your tattoo. Reapply it often, particularly if you’re going to be in the sun for a long time.
• Wearing a lighter garment over your tattoo provides even better protection. But still, apply sunscreen; the sun’s harmful rays can even cause damage through thin clothing.
• Remember: even the most seasoned tattoos can peel or scar when you experience sunburn. Needless to say, peeling and scarring do nothing to help the look of your ink.
• Natural, chemical-free sunblocks are your best bet for protecting the skin. Many major-brand sunblocks contain chemicals that can damage the skin with prolonged use.

SIMPLE FOOT CARE WITH UTILITY BALM

We've covered caring for your skin, beard, hair, and tattoos using just Utility Bar and Utility Balm. Let's take "from head to toe" literally and talk about foot care.

The skin on your feet often becomes dry and cracked or develops calluses that cause you no shortage of grief. Utility Balm can help relieve these issues.

How to use it: Apply a generous amount of Utility Balm to your feet each night to help soften the skin—especially on your heels and calluses. Exfoliating your feet on a regular basis will help speed up the conditioning process.

That wraps up our guide for taking care of your beard, skin, hair, and tattoos without overly-complicating your routine. Our Utility Balm and Utility Bar help you to keep it simple while providing the same benefits—if not more—than what you find in most men’s grooming products. We hope you find this guide helpful as you continue to knock your grooming routine out of the park.

We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions. Is there a grooming routine that you follow? Have you tried our Utility Balm and Utility Bar? Are there other products you use? Drop a comment below.