When you think of summer, you probably think of BBQs with your friends, camping with your family, fireworks under the stars and bikinis, well, everywhere. And those are all great things. But what's even better than all of that? Having a seriously impressive beard!

It's a pretty common (and unfortunate) truth that many men shave their beards when the temperature starts to rise. The primary reasoning is that beards do in fact serve as a warm sweater on your face in the winter, and the though of wearing a sweater on a hot summer day is not exactly appealing. Because of this, many guys go through summer with a shorter beard, stubble or no beard at all, to then return to full bearded glory in the winter time.

This thought process is only half correct. YES, your beard serves as an awesome face sweater in the winter to keep you warm, but what if I told you that your beard can actually keep your face cooler?

AND better yet, what if I told you that your beard grows significantly faster in the summer? We'll get into the beard growth benefits shortly but first let's talk about the summer heat...

Beards actually keep your face cool

And I'm not just talking Matthew McConaughey cool... although having a beard may actually make you that cool.

Having a beard will literally keep your face protected and cool this summer. A beard serves as a shield to keep your face protected from heat and sun rays. In fact according to a study in Radiation Protection, beards can protect skin from 50-98 percent of UV radiation! Makes sense right? When it's hot outside what do you do? You seek shade. Well fortunately for you, your beard is built in shade for your face!

Now that's not to say you're not going to sweat this summer. But let's face it, with the increased temps you're gonna be sweaty this summer whether you have a beard or not. And sweat actually serves as a built in air conditioner for your body. The sweat itself will cool the skin, plus when you catch a little breeze you'll feel the drop in temp instantly. So embrace the sweat and keep rocking the beard all year round!

Why your beard grows faster in the summer

Now we all want a seriously impressive, thick and full beard. And if this includes you, you really should keep growing in the summer because it's actually been proven to grow faster in the warmer summer months!

That may go against what you might think...with winter being cold you'd think your body would produce more beard to keep your face warm. But the outside elements aren't want impact your beard growth, it's what's going on inside that matters!

The biggest reason your beard grows faster in the summer is because of increased natural testosterone production and increased vitamin D, both of which will play a huge role in beard growth (backed by science!). 

The reason your body produces more testosterone in the summer time is primarily because of increased activity levels with the better temperatures. Going for a hike, playing sand volleyball, swimming in the ocean or whatever activity you prefer isn't nearly as easy or enjoyable in six inches of snow.

Studies in the UK say the average testosterone production peaks in July because of this. Pair that with all the extra vitamin D you're getting from being outside and it's the perfect combination for faster, fuller, better beard growth!!

So if you like to rock a big, glorious beard, I recommend keeping it growing through the summer. Why?

1. It's not any hotter then trimming it down or shaving it off. In fact, it's cooler...

2. That extra growth in the summer will give you beard a head start to be the best it's ever been this fall and winter.

However, you'll want to be aware of a few things...

Your beard gets beat up in the summer

Summertime usually comes with a ton of fun activities. From pool parties, beach trips and so on, and your beard will take a beating! That combined with increased sweat, you really need to make sure you maintain a proper beard grooming routine to keep your beard looking, feeling and growing great.

We recommend grabbing a beard grooming kit to make sure your beard stays at its best throughout summer and into the fall. The all natural beard wash and conditioner will cleanse away the sweat and dirt, without drying out your beard hairs. The beard oil is designed to moisturize the skin under you beard, and the beard butter will be a deep conditioner and give you the perfect amount of hold to style your beard and keeping it looking great all day long.

These quick steps in the morning before you walk out the door will make ALL the difference in how you beard looks, feels, smells and grows!

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, rock whatever beard YOU want to rock. If you like taking it shorter in the summer then go for it. But you can no longer say it's because it's TOO HOT!!! 

If you have any questions or need anything at all, don't hesitate to contact us anytime. Our mission here at Live Bearded is to help Beardsmen look, feel and be their best. If there is any way we can support you, please let us know how.

Live Bearded, Brother!