Grown out beard. Is it time for a beard trim? Not always, sometimes you may just need a good washing and a home styling. Trimming your beard to often will weaken your beard.

What you will need:

1. Beard wash ( beard shampoo a shampoo specifically designed for beards)
2. Blow dryer (to dry your beard)
3. Towel (to dry your beard so it is not dripping wet)
4. Wide tooth comb (ideal comb would be made out of wood. steer clear from fine tooth & metal combs they tend to rip and shred the beard hair.)
5. Beard balm or beard oil (Controls the "bearddruff" and moisturizes the face and skin under the beard)
6. Finish styling aid (preferably a matte clay pomade to hold your beard style for the day without extra sheen).

I am going to tell you a trick with a blow dryer that is going to give you a smooth polish look without having to trim your beard.

Start by washing your beard.

I always like to style beards in their natural state. Making sure there are not kinks from being slept on. Getting your beard nice and wet and washing the beard. your are going to remove all of that. Be sure to use a specific beard wash that will be nourishing and a gentle plant based cleansers with detoxifying and moisturizing agents. Moisturizing agents will act like a built in beard oil. Detoxing agents will help cleans the skin under the beard preventing unwanted acne under your beard. Wet the beard then add beard wash emulsifying making the wash suds up. Be sure to scrub your beard with the beard wash removing any dirt and debris. Let the wash sit for about 60 seconds to allow the moisturizers penetrate the hair and skin. Making sure everything is soft and conditioned. Then rinse your beard with water. Make sure your beard is thoroughly rinsed completely from the beard wash.

Dry your beard.

Pat the beard dry with a towel. Don’t be too vigorous with it. After you pat dry your beard apply a little bit of beard balm or oil through your damp beard. Rub a small amount of balm or oil into your damp beard making sure you apply from the ends massaging the product up to the skin under the beard. Make sure there are no clumps or little bits left behind.

Comb your beard.

Using a wide tooth comb. Like mentioned before be sure to use a wide tooth comb preferably one made from wood. A plastic one is fine as long as it is an extremely wide tooth comb. Steer away from fine tooth combs and metal combs. They will remove too much hair. ABSOLUTELY Stay clear from combs made of metal. Metal combs will snag and tear your beard hair creating split damaged ends. Take the comb and comb through to get rid of the tangles and to evenly distribute beard balm/oil though out your beard.

Blow dry your beard.

Once you get started with the blow dryer air flow is directed straight down from your cheeks and sideburn area. Sometimes using a airflow concentrator will help control the airflow direction. Using your comb very sparingly. Just to get rid of the tangles combing the beard downwards.

The air flow from the blow dryer is going to be doing most of the work and is going to blow dry the hair straight down making sure it smooths it out. Work at it until your beard is about 80% dry. Start on one side before moving to the other side. Always make sure the air flow is pointing straight down nice and flat up against the beard. When you get to the front you are going to want to pitch the airflow so its at a nice flat stream going right smooth down. All this is really doing is smoothing down all the flyaway hairs and helping directing the beard. You don’t have to use a brush or anything like that because its going to give you that really artificial look and you just want your beard to look nicely cleaned up.

Now you are going to want to make sure you will be able to get to your mouth. You are going to want to take your comb and pull the mustache starting at the center then taking the blow dryer using the heat and airflow you are going to direct the hair away from the center toward the side or corner of your mouth. Once that is done switch to the alternate side using your comb to hold down the previously blow dried side to make you get a nice separation on your mustache. This is going to help get the hair out of the way of your mouth. Making everything you eat doesn’t taste like mustache. Once the mustache is dry you are going to blend it into the wrest of the beard using the remaining heat to blow dry the hair straight down.

Now, it is time for the cold shot button.

Cold shot is probably the most important part of the whole process. By cooling the hair down using the airflow and cold shot button making sure all of the flyways are nice and snug down nice and clean and sleek. If you leave the beard hot it tends to flair out again. So by cooling the beard down you are locking the shape into the beard.

Add the finishing touches.

Take dry hair paste like a styling clay or texturizing paste. (Usually one for styling the hair on top of your head). You are going to want to run it over the top of the beard just to shape it into place, especially your mustache points so they aren’t all flared out and looking all haggard.

And then Boom! you have a much polished looking beard.