Having a beard for many men is part of who they are and represents their dedication to growing and maintaining a beard. For as great as a beard can look when we are younger and just growing our beards, there are situations in which our beards need some added help to look their best.

This is where beard dye and coloring come in to help you color your beard to make it look great. To have your beard looking its best, you may want to embrace the advancements in beard coloring technology that have created some really impressive beard dye and coloring products.

This guide is here to give you an inside look at the world of beard coloring so you can see what it is all about. When it comes down to it, beard coloring is something many men experiment with for their beards and find their own ways to take advantage of the process. Let us start by first understanding the basics of beard dye and coloring.

What is Beard Dye?

To start out, we will look at what beard dye itself is. In many ways beard dye and beard coloring are very similar, so we can discuss both when figuring out what beard dye is. Just like many people choose to dye their hair for better color and volume, beard dye offers that same option to those men who choose to grow their beards.

Beard dyes are an older technology as they have been around for many years and have helped mean color their beards in the past. Beard coloring alternatives are more modern in their creation as they are more focused on temporary solutions. Traditional beard dye offerings often go deeper into the hair follicles so the coloration can last even longer.

Beard dye is made with multiple formulations suited for different needs and colors so many men can take advantage of the benefits that dyes and coloring offer. It is important to pick any beard coloring product carefully as they are all different and some are going to be much better for your beard than cheaper alternatives.

Why We Use Beard Dye and Coloring

When thinking if you should dye your  beard or not, you need to consider why we use beard dye and coloring in the first place. Depending on who you ask and what products tell you they are for, there are many justifiable reasons that any given many would want to use a beard dye or coloring product.

The most common reason that men will choose to try out a beard dye or coloring solution is to cover up gray hair in their beard. As men get older, their hair cells begin to run out of material to produce the rich and dark hairs present when they were younger. This means newer hair is going to grow in grey and lack that same color that may be seen in other areas of the beard. A grey beard can look great on older men, but it can look strange when there are just a few grey streaks in a regular beard.

Beard dying to color your beard a darker shade is a motivating factor for many men. However, it is far from the only reason men reach for a darker beard color dye. For example, many men will dye their beards because they might not have an even color distribution or patchy areas in their beard.

With discolored hairs, it can be nice to use a beard coloring option to make the entire beard look like one color. For those who have patchier beards, applying some beard coloring can bring the whole beard to life and make it look great.

Before moving on, we want to cover the basic differences between beard dyes and beard coloring. While there are very similar in most ways, there are a few differences between them that may make you want to choose one option over the other.

Beard Dye

Beard dye for men has been around for many years as we mentioned earlier. Beard dyes are considered to be either permanent or semi-permanent meaning that they can last for several weeks until the new hair fully grows back. Beard dyes are designed to be applied to larger areas of hair and come with application brushes for easier dye application.

Where beard dye can become tricky is actually applying it. These formulations are often rather potent and need the applicator to wear gloves and mix ingredients. There is also a longer application time that can take close to 30 minutes whenever you want to apply more dye.

Beard Coloring          

If beard dyes are an invasive and long-lasting option, then beard coloration options are designed to get on fast and lasts for a day or two. Beard coloring options are meant to be temporary and only sit on top of the beard hair instead of actually penetrating the hair.

Temporary beard coloring can be applied with ease, but it also comes off much easier than beard dye. The biggest downside to beard coloring is that it is often hard to keep on and it is not going to stay on your beard for very long. However, it is great for a quick touch up when you have an important day.

To understand if beard coloring options could be right for you, let’s look at some of the most common demographics of who can benefit from beard coloring options.

Older Men

Beard dying has been primarily focused on older men and helping their beards look great. As men get older, their beards will begin to sprout grey hairs every now and then. While a full grey beard can look really great on a man, it doesn’t look great when a few grey hairs stick out in an otherwise colored beard.

Greybeard dye is available for older men looking to embrace the grey, but there are many other alternative colors that older men can choose from. You can embrace dying your beard as you get older and you will be able to look younger than ever before and your beard will continue to look like it did when you were much younger.

Men Looking for a Change

Beard dying may be a long term commitment for men who want to make their beards look cohesive, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun when it comes time to color our beard. The world of temporary beard coloring means you can color your beard for the weekend and having it look back to normal for next week.

While you can experiment with different colors before committing to a longer-term dye, many men like to try unique colors that are available in temporary colors. As long as you buy from a reputable brand, trying a crazy color like blue or red may be fun for a day when you want to let loose and see what you can make your beard look like.

Men Looking for Some Help

If touching up your grey areas or dyeing your beard blue isn’t what you had in mind with coloring, there are still plenty of ways to take advantage of beard coloring options. Since not everyone has great beard genetics, many men may look to beard coloring to help them with beards that are patchy or less full than usual.

In many cases, using a beard coloring product can bring a beard to life in no time at all. If your beard is not as full in certain areas as it is in others, a beard coloring product can bring some needed uniformity to your beard that will make it all look like there aren’t any big patches.

Richer Color

Above all else, beard coloring is best at doing what it says it does: coloring your beard. Unless you have great genetics and all of your beard hairs are the same color, there is a very good chance that your beard has much more potential to tap into.

With beard coloring solutions, your beard can have a deep and rich color throughout every single hair. Beard dying offers a way to get an impressive color in any beard so that men can be confident in their beards at any age.

Unique Looks

For the guys looking to stand out in the crowd, you don’t have to get colors that just touch up your black or brown beard. In some cases, men will color their beards for many months at a time as they prefer the looks of a beard that is different from their natural color.

From a change in beard color from brown to black to turning your entire beard a bright blue, you can make your beard look entirely unique from anyone else’s. The widespread availability of temporary dyes allows you to experiment before committing to longer-term options down the road.

Potential Volume Improvements

A beard that has a great color is one thing, but a beard that looks full and healthy often looks even better. If thinking should dye my beard even if my current color is good, the answer is to definitely give it a shot with a temporary solution.

What you will soon see is that the added color makes previously invisible hairs come to life and add a new dimension to your beard. The uniformity that the coloring offers makes every hair in your beard look healthier which leads to the entire beard looking better than ever before.

Hair Damage

One of the most common drawbacks associated with any form of hair coloring is the potential for hair damage to occur. Depending on the ingredients in the beard coloring itself, you may find certain options that leave your hair feeling scratchy or damage after you wash out the coloring.

While a higher quality offering won’t have any lasting impacts on your hair health, you need to make sure you don’t have any reactions to the product itself. The last thing you want is to realize you are allergic to a certain dye after putting it in your entire beard.

May Not Last Long

Depending on your needs and situation, having a beard dye that doesn’t last long may be an inconvenience or a positive aspect. When looking at how long does beard dye lasts, you may be upset to see that it will only last you a few weeks before if it starts to lose color.

Since the dye is only interacting with the current hair on your face, there is no way for it to actually get attached to the new hair that begins to grow. This is why you won’t find any permanent beard dying solutions as they just don’t exist yet.

Hard to Wash out and Apply

Once your beard dye is actually applied, you will be very happy while it is on your face. However, getting it on there and taking it off can be an annoying process. Applying dye takes a while to set up and do correctly with even the simplest of coloring options taking some time to apply correctly.

When it comes time to wash out the coloring, you could be spending several minutes trying to wash out all the dye that is left in your beard. If you don’t clean it correctly, your beard could look a little strange and discolored.

Pick the Color and Product

Your first task when deciding to color or dye your beard is to find the actual dye and color you want. This part can be fun as you can pick a color that matches your style and will help make your beard look great. You will also want to decide whether you are planning to go for a traditional dye or a color option.

Take into consideration which brand you want to buy from as knowing how long does just for men last compared to the competition may affect your choice. You may be tempted to go for the darkest color possible to make your beard pop, but this is not always recommended as a color too different from your beard may create unwanted differences as the dye fades.

Prepare the Beard

What many men don’t know about hair dye, in general, is that it is not always the friendliest to our skin. The ingredients that can dye hair can also cause some men to have allergic reactions to the product. Test your color on a small patch of beard just to make sure you don’t have any unwanted reactions after the whole bottle is applied.

It is also a good idea to make sure your beard has been recently cleaned so it is not getting color put on top of dirty hair. However, this should be done well in advance of the application itself as you don’t want the soap you just used to prevent the dye from sticking. You will likely want to put on some gloves and get everything ready so you can move on to applying the color.

Apply the Color

Applying the beard dye is the hardest part, so take your time and follow all of the instructions for a smooth application. Most kits come with an included brush to use, so make sure you have a good grip on it as getting all the hair covered without touching the skin is the goal for the procedure. As you start applying the color, don’t be surprised if it initially looks darker than expected.

As you apply the coloring, make sure it gets to every hair and area of your beard. Once you are happy with how the color looks, follow the instructions to wash off the dye itself, and let the beard sit. If you are looking for a darker shade after the first layer, some dyes may advise adding another layer of dye to help you get a darker beard.

Maintain the Beard

With the dye applied and the initial recovery is taken care of, your beard should be looking great. One thing you must be aware of is that you now have to put in some additional work to make sure it stays looking great for a while. Many brands will offer special shampoos to clean your beard without harming the dye used to color it.

In addition to cleaning your beard, you also want to make sure you are using a beard oil that is going to keep your beard healthy as it adjusts to the new dye sitting on it. As time passes and the dye begins to fade, many companies will recommend touching up the beard as necessary to make sure you are getting a good deal of time out of your dye kit.

Temporary

As the name suggests, temporary color solutions are a means to last for a shorter amount of time so you can change your color if you don’t like it. These can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks depending on the brand and intended use of the beard dye. Many of those fun beard colors we mentioned earlier are designed to be temporary for when you want to experiment with some color without having the beard for too long.

For those men who have never tried any beard coloring products before, a temporary solution is usually the best way to start. You can find the shade you want your beard to be and not be stuck with bad color weeks or even months down the line. As a bonus, temporary dye options are usually very easy to apply and maintain as you can just add some more product as it is needed.

Permanent

Even though they are labeled as permanent options, permanent beard dyes are not actually going to last you forever. The reason they are called permanent is that they will last as long as the shaft of your hair does before it grows out. Depending on how fast your hair grows, you can expect permanent beard coloring options to last anywhere from a few weeks to even a few months for some men.

Since these dyes are actually attaching to the hair deeply, they are going to be easier for long-term maintenance as the color doesn’t go anywhere. Many men also prefer this method once they have the right color because they can apply the color once and not have to worry about replacing it for many weeks.

Be warned however that once you apply a permanent option, you can either wait out for the new hair to grow or shave your beard if you don’t like the color anymore.

Depending on the natural color of your hair, picking the right color may be a super easy choice or one you need to sit on for a few days. Many men will default to getting a darker color as they think that will look better, but you will actually get better results when you opt for a color that is lighter than what your beard already has. This just prevents any issues as your hair grows and shows how drastic the coloration actually is.

Most brands will offer an array of different color options to choose from, so try and find one that best matches your natural or desired color. It is much better to be patient and think about your options than apply a dye that you end up hating down the road. A great piece of advice many men with beards recommend is to try a temporary dye in a certain color just to make sure it fits your needs before moving onto a more permanent solution.

A very common question first time beard dyers have to ask is whether they want to dye their beard at home or go to a professional studio to get it done. You may have already made up your mind, but let’s look at both options to see what each situation could offer to you and your beard.

At Home

There’s no place like home and the wide array of beard coloring options on the market make it tempting to dye your bead at home. Most men could go to the local store, pick up a dye, and have a new colored beard all within 30 minutes if they felt so inclined. However, you have to be ready to overcome some hurdles if you want to dye your hair at home.

Unless you are experienced with dying your hair, doing it alone at your home may be somewhat daunting. There is a level of perfusion and technicality associated with dying your own beard that requires patience and steady hands to make sure you don’t make a mess with the dye or your beard.

For a temporary coloration, dying at home may not be the worst idea. However, permanent dye jobs may be best left to the professionals.

Professional

As you would expect, getting professional help for dying your beard is often worth the extra money. Professional beard stylists are like great barbers who always seem to know what haircut makes you look best. These workers can give you a recommended color and dye to suit your needs and help to give your beard the color that will suit it best.

Considering just how strong the dye is for coloring your hair, having a professional apply it for you will save you time and prevent your bathroom from getting covered. It may cost a little more than buying and applying your own dye, but ask as many questions as you can to learn how best to dye your beard so you can try it at home with an idea of what the end result should look like and what kind of products best suit your beard.

We have talked about picking the right color for your beard, but that is only part of the equation. Many men will ask if I can use beard dye on my head and wonder what the best beard dye for them is without realizing just how special beard dye is. Every company makes its own formulation of dye that is ideal for certain beards and may not work at all for others if used incorrectly.

In general, you want to find formulations that use ingredients that are natural and friendly on your hair and skin. Certain products may cause a bad reaction or rash on your face without you knowing it, so make sure you are only testing a small amount at first to make sure the dye you choose won’t irritate you over the long term.

The last major consideration you want to think about before getting any beard coloring done is to figure out how easy it will be to apply the dye itself. Some products can be applied in about 5 minutes with no issues while others could take upwards of 30 minutes to apply alone. Each option should give a rough estimate of application time if you are trying to find a faster option.

Where things get interesting is when you look at beard dyes in a longer sense. It may take you longer to apply a dye today, but you may not need to reapply the dye for another few months. Alternatively, the dye that takes you a few minutes to apply may need to be reapplied every other day. Consider how easy it is to apply the dye itself and the time commitment associated with it when finding your beard treatment.

Know Your Coloring

Maintaining your beard after the dye has been set and treated comes down to knowing what your coloring needs from you to stay looking great. Every dye and color type needs different levels of care to maintain itself and could require additional coloration if the dye is designed to fade after a shorter period.

Before you buy or apply any beard coloring, read the instructions, and see what the product is designed to do. The last thing you want is to get a hassle-free beard for the weekend and realize you are stuck with a very dark beard for the next few weeks. Respect the products you use and they will work to make your beard look amazing.

Use recommended Cleaners

Certain dyes are particularly sensitive and need special cleaning to make sure that they are being maintained properly. If a product states it needs more or less cleaning than your beard normally does, listen to the product and do what it needs. Most cleaners designed for beards with color in them are made so that they don’t interfere with the chemicals in a way that causes the color to fade or the beard to get damaged.

Top Up Color as Needed

The last piece of maintenance once your dye has been set is to top up the color as it is needed. It would be great if our beards looked as great as the first application day forever but that is unfortunately not the reality we live in.

A little extra color in areas where the dye is fading faster is often recommended to help your whole beard continue to look great.

Our beards are part of who we are, so we want them to look as good as possible. Despite many beard dye and beard coloring products being outside of many people’s comfort zones, trying them out is well worth the time and energy. The right beard coloring product can bring your beard to a level you didn’t even think possible.