Rainfall can be either great or bad, depending on how you look at it.
It’s great for rehydrating the natural flora, refilling our aquifers and even powering our hydroelectric facilities. On the other hand, rain also means mudslides, flooding and traffic accidents.
When it comes to your beard, rainwater can be as harmful as jumping into a pool with chlorine. Depending on where you are when it’s raining, the rain can be acidic and possibly contain bacteria, heavy metals and other nasty stuff.
On top of that, if your beard is soaked and you can’t immediately dry it, the hairs will swell with water, causing them to become more brittle and more likely to break. This is especially true if you haven’t been oiling and conditioning your beard like your should.
Shame on you if you haven't been hydrating your beard. But I digress.
If you’re caught in the rain and your beard is soaked, here’s what you need to do to make sure your mane doesn’t turn into tumbleweed.
What to Do When Your Beard Gets Wet from the Rain
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Pat dry your beard with a towel
- Do not rub dry your beard as any weakened hairs will break. Also, do not comb your beard while it is wet as it can lead to breakage, too.
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Give your beard a quick wash with beard shampoo. Then hydrate your facial hair with beard conditioner
- Shampooing will remove any contaminants the rainwater might have while retaining your beard’s natural oils. The conditioner will soften and restore moisture to your facial hair.
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Thoroughly apply beard oil to your mane
- This will further hydrate your beard while strengthening the hairs.
If you want to learn more about the difference between beard oil and beard conditioner, check out this post.
Now that your beard is clean and hydrated, here are a few ways you can protect your facial hair when it’s raining.
How to Protect Your Beard When It Rains
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Use an umbrella
- It’s a bit of a no-brainer. Using an umbrella will provide you with a great deal of protection from the rain. Sure, you have lug it around wherever you go, but it’ll keep your beard from getting wet.
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Wear a raincoat/hoodie with a big hood
- If you want to keep both hands free, then wearing a raincoat or a hoodie with a big hood is the option for you. If you have a longer beard, make sure to zip your jacket all the way up and tuck in your facial hair. If you don’t care what you look like, you can go the Kenny from “South Park” route and cinch the drawstrings of the hood so that only your eyes are visible.
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Wear a scarf
- You can support your favorite team or be trendy by wearing a scarf. It’s not the most waterproof option, but it will provide you with protection from the rain and wind.
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Wear a hat
- If there isn’t a strong wind or you don’t mind getting your beard wet, then wearing a hat, preferably one with a wide brim, can offer you some protection from the rain.
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Apply beard oil and beard balm before stepping outside
- Doing this will provide your beard will layers of protection from the rain. The beard oil will keep your facial hair hydrated and soft, while the beard balm locks in the good moisture from the oil.
