While you can go to a salon to have your beard dyed, many men prefer to dye their beards at home. Luckily, there are a lot of great products out there that make this possible, and after you do it once or twice, the process becomes pretty routine. However, if you are new to dying your own beard, you will likely benefit from following the tips below.
1. Match the color very carefully
This is not quite like dying the hair on your head. Your goal is not to dye your hair a different color for a new look, but rather to cover grays and restore your natural beard color. As such, you need to be very careful to match your color closely. Hold the swatches of different dye colors up to your beard to see what matches the best. Resist the urge to buy a shade darker or a shade lighter because you've always wished your beard was that color; it will show once it grows out even a little.
2. Opt for a brush-in dye
There are a couple of different beard dying systems, but brush-in dye kits tend to give the most consistent, even results at home. These kits have you comb the dye through your beard, so every hair gets coated on all sides. When you use the brush-in dye, make sure you take an organized approach so that you do end up covering all sides evenly. For example, brush every hair up, then down, then left, then right.
3. Take the time to apply petroleum jelly beforehand
Most dye kits will tell you to apply petroleum jelly to the outline of your beard before applying the dye. The kit might even include some jelly for you to use. Don't skip this step! It prevents you from getting a dye shadow all around your beard. A dye shadow affects the look and makes it obvious you dyed your beard. Use the jelly, and use it generously.
4. Don't leave the dye in for too long
Especially if your beard is really gray, you might be tempted to leave the dye in longer than the directions state. For example, you might figure that if the directions say 20 minutes, 30 minutes is even better. Not only will this do nothing for you, since the dye will have been mostly inactivated when the intended application time is over, but it will also dry out your beard. Follow the directions; beard dye is designed for covering grays, so the time indicated on the box is how long that takes.
The first time you dye your beard should go pretty smoothly if you follow the tips above, and you'll just make more progress from there.
To learn more about brush on beard dye kits, visit a hair and skin care professional today.
