Understanding your beard hair type can help you know how to take care of it. It can also help you know the right beard products for your beard.
Below is an explanation of what a 4 C beard is, how to grow and take care of it.
4 C beard type is the kinkiest textured facial hair and common among men of African descent. 4 C beard tends to be more curly and springy compared to other beard types. It has an ‘s’ pattern, delicate and fine, wiry and very coarse. It can shrink as much as 75 % of its normal length. Ensuring your 4 C beard is well moisturized is the secret to maintaining a healthy 4 C beard.
Read on to know the best natural or beard oils to use on the 4 C beard type.
How to grow a 4 C beard
As described above, 4 C beard type is found amongst men with an African descent.
If you have enough beard growth genes and beard stimulating hormones that is testosterone and DHT. Then you will have an easy time growing a beard.
However, if you have low levels of beard growth hormones or your genes are not sensitive to beard growth hormones, your beard may grow in patchy.
On average a beard grows at 1/2 an inch per month, however, there are men who can grow their beard at a faster rate than the 1/2 an inch mostly Caucasian men and men of African descent compared to Asian and Native American men.
A 1 month 4 C beard will still be patchy and have some bald spots even if you can grow a full thick beard.
Men with a 4 C beard will tend to experience more itch compared to other less kinky and curly beard types. This beard texture tends to coil as it grows which will result in beard itch, especially if it is not well moisturized.
Below are tips to help you through the first month of 4 C beard growth, to help you face the challenges successfully.
Washing
While you may not need a beard shampoo or beard wash at the 1-month of growth of beard
, as it grows you will need some high-quality beard shampoo, beard wash, and beard conditioner followed with beard oil.
Wash your beard twice a week with lukewarm water, and dump dry it with a towel. For the other 5 days, you can just wash your beard with water only, then follow it up with good beard oil.
Moisturize
If not well maintained, this type of beard breaks very easily. Ensuring your beard is well moisturized is key to keeping it strong and growing.
The best time to moisturize your beard is when you have come out of the shower after taking a warm shower since warm or lukewarm water opens up your facial hair follicles and beard cuticles.
When you wash your beard with warm water it will feel soft and will be easy to moisturize.
To keep your beard moisturized throughout the night or day, you will need to use beard oil that has the following oils or even make your own beard oil using these oils.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is possibly one of the best oils for 4 C type of beard or African-Americans beard. The reason coconut oil sits at the top of the list of best natural oils for moisturizing black men’s beards is due to its ability to penetrate the beard and moisturize it from inside out.
Apply coconut oil right from the bathroom when your beard is dumb, it will penetrate your beard and skin beneath leaving both moisturized.
Follow it up with a sealing oil to seal in all the moisture, a good sealing oil that will further moisturize your beard is castor oil, grapeseed oil or shea butter, or olive oil.
Extra virgin Olive oil
As far as keeping your beard moisturized is concerned, you will need oils that can penetrate your beards easily and also oils that can help seal in those penetrating oils.
As already established, coconut oil and avocado oil penetrate the beard hair shaft very easily.
Olive oil comes in after applying these penetrating oils, it will help seal them in and lock that moisture into your beard while also keeping your beard soft and shiny.
Avocado Oil
While not all, some men that have the 4 C beard also suffer from dry skin under the beard.
Avocado oil just like coconut oil will penetrate your beard hairs and also penetrate your skin underneath the beard and leave them both moisturized. Follow it up with a sealing oil such as castor oil, grapeseed oil, or shea butter.
Combing and Brushing
Given the curly nature of the 4 C beard, it requires a specific beard brush and comb. I would recommend you to brush or comb your beard straight from the shower while it’s still dumb after finger combing it.
You can also use your fingers to comb through your beard, if you have to use a comb go for the wide-toothed comb or a beard brush that is not very thin.
Combing and brushing will help to distribute beard oils and conditioners into your beard, it also stimulates sebum oil production and distribution.
Additionally, it will also stimulate blood circulation which will help in beard growth.
Wrap Up
While 4 C beard has several challenges due to its nature and texture. Knowing your beard type will help you know which products are best suited for you.
Follow the care guide and you will be able to combat these challenges and enjoy your beard just like anybody else. Moisturizing type 4 C beard is one of the most factors to always remember.
Having oils such as avocado oil, coconut oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, shea butter in your beard care will help you deal with most of the challenges faced by men who have 4 c beard type.
Since it is hard to find beard oils that have these oils purposely, I would recommend you to make your own beard oil. The first would be a leave-in conditioner that has avocado and coconut oil plus argan or Moroccan oil then follow it up with beard oil that has castor oil and grapeseed oil.
For styling, a 4C beard use shea butter or cocoa butter or even mango butter as these will further help you to seal in the moisture.
