Do You Need a Night Beard Grooming Routine?

Spencer Bryce |

April 27, 2023

If you rock a beard, then you should know that maintaining a well-groomed and healthy beard requires more than just letting it grow wild.

A proper beard grooming routine is essential for keeping your facial hair in top shape.

But should you ONLY be grooming in the morning, or should you consider a night beard grooming routine as well?

In this video, I'll explain why you might consider a small change to how you finish your night to help improve the way your beard looks, feels, and grows.

Now, it's probably pretty obvious, but before we jump in, it's important to note that your night routine will vary on whether you shower at night or not.

For me, 90% of the time I do NOT shower at night, but I do still have a nighttime routine, and it's one that I recommend for you to follow.

If you don't shower at night:

First, I wash my face and then use water to wash my beard in my bathroom sink. I'm not using a beard wash here, but rather just rinsing my beard with water.

From there, I'll towel dry my beard to get about 90% of the water out.

Now what we're really looking to do in the evening is to add moisture to the beard hairs, so lastly I'll snag my Nightcap Leave-In Deep Conditioner and work it into my beard.

If you don't have Nightcap, you could also substitute beard butter, however I much prefer the Conditioner because of how well it absorbs into the beard hairs, plus it has therapeutic grade essential oils and the fragrance profile is extremely calming which I love before bed to help me wind down.

We use tea tree, lavender, and nag champa which have been shown to improve sleep and relaxation, and decrease stress.

It also has CBD which has been shown to help improve hair growth while making your hair follicles softer and stronger, so it's a great product to have soaking into your beard all night long.

If you shower at night:

Now for those of you who shower, the only difference will be in how you wash your beard.

If you're a shower at night only kinda guy, then wash and condition your beard in the shower, then towel dry and apply Nightcap just the same as I mentioned.

If you shower twice a day, well, good for you. You don't need to wash and condition your beard both times so dealers choice here.

With this addition to your nightly routine, you may need to modify your morning to ensure you rise out the conditioner.

Should Your Night Routine Vary By Beard Length?

Your nightly beard grooming routine should absolutely vary by beard length, as the needs of both the hair and the skin underneath change dramatically as your beard grows.

While the core goals of a nightly routine—to clean, moisturize, and prepare for the next day—remain the same, the tools, products, and intensity required will evolve. Here’s how your routine should adapt to different beard lengths.

1. Stubble to Short Beard (Less than 1 inch)

At this stage, the primary focus is on skin care to prevent itchiness, ingrown hairs, and the dreaded "beardruff" (beard dandruff).

Cleaning: A gentle face wash or a dedicated beard wash is sufficient. You need to remove the day's dirt and oil without irritating the skin.
Moisturizing: This is the most critical step. Apply a few drops of beard oil. The main goal of the oil here is not for the hair, but to moisturize the skin underneath, which can get very dry and itchy as the new, sharp hairs grow.
Detangling: Not necessary. Running your fingers through it is enough.

2. Medium Beard (1 to 4 inches)

The focus now expands from just skin health to include conditioning the beard hair itself to keep it soft and manageable.

Cleaning: A dedicated beard wash is essential. Regular shampoos will strip the natural oils from your beard hair, leaving it dry and brittle.
Moisturizing: This becomes a two-step process.
1. Beard Oil: Apply oil first, making sure to massage it down to the skin. The skin is now harder to reach and still needs hydration.
2. Beard Butter: After applying oil, use a small amount of beard butter. Butter is a deep conditioner that works overnight to soften the coarser hairs, reduce frizz, and provide a light hold to help shape the beard for the morning.
Detangling: Use a beard comb (preferably wood or acetate to reduce static) to gently detangle and evenly distribute the oil and butter through your beard.

3. Long Beard (4+ inches)

For a long beard, the routine is about deep conditioning, thorough detangling, and preventing damage while you sleep.

Cleaning: A thorough cleaning with a beard wash is non-negotiable to remove buildup from the day.
Moisturizing: This is a crucial, multi-product step.
1. Beard Oil: Use a generous amount of oil, focusing on working it all the way down to the skin, which is now very difficult to reach.
2. Beard Butter: Apply a significant amount of beard butter from the mid-lengths to the ends. A long beard loses moisture quickly, and the butter provides intensive overnight conditioning to keep it healthy and prevent split ends.
Detangling: This is a two-tool process.
1. Beard Comb: Start with a wide-tooth comb to gently work out any significant knots, starting from the bottom and working your way up.
2. Boar Bristle Brush: After combing, use a boar bristle brush to smoothly distribute the products, exfoliate the skin underneath, and train the hairs to lie in a uniform direction.
Overnight Protection: To prevent tangles, breakage, and "bed beard," loosely tying your beard with a silk tie or sleeping with it in a silk bonnet or wrap is highly recommended.

What is the Best Night Time Beard Care For Oily Beards?

The best nighttime beard care for oily beards focuses on a delicate balance of thorough but gentle cleansing and lightweight hydration to regulate oil production rather than trying to strip it away.

Many people with oily skin or beards make the mistake of using harsh cleansers to eliminate all oil. This is counterproductive, as stripping the skin of its natural sebum sends a signal to the glands to produce even more oil to compensate, leading to a vicious cycle. The goal of a proper nightly routine is to clean away excess grime and signal to your skin that it is sufficiently moisturized, helping it find a healthy balance.

Here is a step-by-step routine for optimal results:

Step 1: Cleanse Thoroughly but Gently

Your primary goal is to remove the day's buildup of excess oil, dirt, and pollutants without over-drying the skin underneath.

Product: Use a gentle, pH-balanced beard wash. Look for products containing ingredients known for oil control, such as tea tree oil or a small amount of salicylic acid. Avoid harsh bar soaps or regular head shampoos at all costs.
Technique: Use lukewarm water, as hot water can stimulate your oil glands. Lather the wash and spend time massaging it directly onto the skin beneath your beard before rinsing thoroughly.

Step 2: Pat Dry Carefully

After washing, gently pat your beard and face dry with a clean towel. Rubbing vigorously can irritate the skin and stimulate oil production.

Step 3: Hydrate with a Lightweight Oil

This is the most critical step for managing an oily beard. Applying the right kind of moisturizer can trick your skin into thinking it doesn't need to produce so much of its own oil.

Product: Choose a lightweight, fast-absorbing, and non-comedogenic beard oil. "Non-comedogenic" means it will not clog your pores, which is essential for oily and acne-prone skin. The best carrier oils for this purpose are:
- Jojoba Oil: Its molecular structure is very similar to your skin's natural sebum, making it excellent for balancing oil production.
- Grapeseed Oil: Extremely lightweight, non-greasy, and absorbs quickly.
- Argan Oil: Rich in vitamin E and absorbs well without leaving a heavy residue.
What to Avoid: Steer clear of heavy beard butters and balms at night. These are typically formulated with heavy butters (like shea or cocoa) and waxes that can feel greasy and clog pores on already oily skin. Also, be cautious with coconut oil, as it can be comedogenic for some individuals.
Amount: Use a very small amount—just a few drops is plenty.

Step 4: Comb Through

Use a clean beard comb to evenly distribute the small amount of oil through your beard. This helps ensure all the hair is lightly conditioned and that the oil has a chance to reach all the skin underneath without concentrating in one spot.

By following this routine consistently, you can help train your skin to regulate its oil production, leading to a healthier, less greasy beard.

What If I Use Beard Oil During the Day? Should I Still Use a Leave-In Conditioner or Butter at Night?

Whether you should still use a leave-in conditioner or butter at night if you use beard oil during the day depends primarily on your beard length, your hair's texture, and your ultimate grooming goals. While not always necessary, using both can be highly beneficial, especially for longer beards.

To make the right choice, it's helpful to understand the different roles these products play:

Beard Oil: Its primary function is to moisturize and nourish the skin under the beard. Its smaller molecules are designed to penetrate down to the epidermis, preventing itchiness and flakes. It also provides a light coating of moisture and shine to the beard hair itself.
Beard Butter/Leave-In Conditioner: Its primary function is to act as a deep, long-lasting conditioner for the hair. With a thicker consistency from ingredients like shea or mango butter, it coats the hair shaft, intensely softening it, taming frizz, and repairing damage. Think of it as a "leave-in conditioning mask" for your beard.

Here’s how to decide what's best for you based on your beard length:

For Short to Medium Beards (approx. less than 3 inches)

Using both is likely unnecessary and may be overkill.

At this length, your beard hair is still relatively close to the natural oils (sebum) produced by your skin. A good application of beard oil once or twice a day is usually sufficient to keep both your skin and hair properly moisturized. Adding a heavy butter at night could weigh the hair down or make it feel greasy.

Recommended Routine:

Day: Apply beard oil as usual.
Night: Simply cleanse your beard (even just with water) and let it rest. If your skin feels particularly dry, a few more drops of oil are all you need.

For Long Beards (approx. 3+ inches) or Very Coarse/Dry Beards

Yes, using both is highly recommended for optimal health and softness.

The ends of a long beard are far from the skin and receive very little natural oil, making them prone to dryness, split ends, and breakage. In this case, beard oil alone may not be enough to keep the entire length of the hair adequately conditioned.

Recommended Routine:

Day: Use beard oil to keep the skin underneath healthy and to give the beard a nice shine.
Night: Treat your beard butter as an overnight deep conditioning treatment. After washing your face and beard, apply butter to the hair (you don't need to force it down to the skin like you do with oil). It will work for hours while you sleep to dramatically soften the hair, reduce frizz, and make it much more manageable in the morning.

Quick Guide to Help You Choose:

Use Oil Only If: Your beard is short to medium, or your hair is naturally fine or oily.
Use Both (Oil for Day, Butter for Night) If: Your beard is long, your hair is very coarse and dry, you live in a dry climate, or you are aiming for maximum possible softness and control.

Are There Benefits to Brushing Your Beard Before Bed?

There are significant benefits to brushing your beard before bed, making it a highly recommended step in any nightly grooming routine, especially for medium to long beards. This simple act does much more than just straighten hairs; it plays a crucial role in the overall health, cleanliness, and appearance of your beard.

Here are the key benefits of a nightly beard brushing session:

Cleanses and Exfoliates: Throughout the day, your beard traps dust, food particles, pollutants, and dead skin cells. Brushing acts as a mechanical cleaner, dislodging and removing this debris before you go to sleep. The bristles also exfoliate the skin underneath, helping to prevent itchiness and beard dandruff ("beardruff").
Evenly Distributes Products: This is one of the most important benefits. After applying your nightly beard oil or butter, a thorough brushing ensures the product is evenly distributed from the roots to the tips of every hair. This prevents greasy spots, ensures the skin gets moisturized, and allows the conditioning products to work more effectively overnight.
Detangles and Prevents "Bed Beard": Going to bed with a tangle-free beard is the best way to wake up with one. Brushing out any knots before your head hits the pillow minimizes the chances of them worsening overnight from tossing and turning. This leads to less pulling, snagging, and hair breakage in the morning.
Trains Hair Growth Direction: Over time, consistently brushing your beard hairs in a downward direction helps to "train" them to grow in a more uniform and manageable pattern. This can lead to a naturally neater, less wild appearance over the long term.
Stimulates Blood Circulation: The gentle friction of the brush bristles on the skin can help stimulate blood flow to the hair follicles. Improved circulation delivers more oxygen and vital nutrients to the follicles, which is essential for promoting healthy and strong hair growth.

How to Brush Correctly at Night

Apply Product First: Never brush a completely dry beard, as this can cause static and damage. Apply your beard oil or butter first.
Be Gentle: Start by brushing from the bottom of your beard and working your way up to gently remove tangles.
Smooth Downward: Once detangled, brush from your cheeks downward to smooth the hairs and style them for the night.
Use the Right Tool: A boar bristle brush is the ideal tool for this job. The natural bristles are excellent at distributing oils and are gentle on the hair, unlike harsh synthetic bristles.

Morning routine consideration:

For me, I rinse my beard with water only, then comb it out and hit the gym and shower after to go through my full routine of wash, conditioner, oil, and butter to be ready for the day.

Now, you may be wondering...

What Beard Length Needs a Night Beard Grooming Routine?

The truth is, this gets more and more important the longer your beard gets. If you're keeping your beard tight, you don't really need to worry about this.

But for me, if my beard is this long or longer, I highly recommend you work it into your routine.

Final Thoughts:

I hope you found this information helpful. Give it a shot and see how it can help elevate your beard game.

If you have any questions about this or anything else, reach out anytime and we are here to help.

And always, Live Bearded, Brother!