How to Grow a Full Beard

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Growing facial hair for the first time can feel cool, exciting and strange all at once. But when some of it’s like fluff, while other parts are much rougher, it can be tricky to know what to do with it or who to ask for advice.

Gillette has been helping guys to shave for over a century, so we know all about how a beard grows, why it grows the way it does, and how you can disguise any patchy growth. So for any full beard styles you might want to try, we’ve got the lowdown on how to master a thicker facial hair look.

How Long Does It Take to Grow a Full Beard?

Unfortunately, the answer is that it can take a long time. It might not be until your late twenties that you have a full beard, and the speed of your growth is all down to genetics. If your dad, uncles or older brother had a full beard by their late teens, chances are you will too. This means it’s worth sticking it out with a short full beard to see how it might fill in.

Facial hair tends to grow in the following order:

Upper lip
Sideburns
Chin
Cheeks
Neck

So, if you don’t notice any hair growing on your upper lip until your mid-teens, it could take a good few years for it to fill out on your neck. But the good news is that as you get older, your beard will carry on filling out, and your beard can get fuller and thicker even decades after your teens. So if you don’t immediately get both a full beard and moustache look that you’re dreaming of, patience could be the key.

Can You Make a Beard Grow Faster?

For those of you wondering how can I grow a full beard fast, we spoke to Dr Kristina Vanoosthuyze, Gillette’s senior manager of scientific communications, to find out if there is actually a way to make a beard grow more quickly.

Growing a Full Beard May Require You to Wait a Few Years | Gillette UK

Sadly, the answer is no. Kristina says that patience is key when it comes to growing a beard and that you shouldn’t worry. If you’re constantly wondering how long it will take to grow a full beard – you should know that you will grow full facial hair eventually.

Most men prefer not to have a beard than to have a bad quality beard, which means it’s definitely worth learning how to shave properly as soon as you can as a well-groomed full beard look takes practice.

How to Shave Properly

If you remember to follow these five key steps every time, you’ll be fine:

Wash your face before you start with a face wash such as the King C. Gillette Beard and Face Wash.

Work up a lather with shaving cream all over the area you want to shave

Start shaving in the same direction that your hair grows in, then shave in the opposite direction (against the grain) for a seriously smooth finish on any full beard style you’re considering
Rinse your blade gently after every few strokes, taking care not to bang it against the sink
Apply aftershave to hydrate and soothe your skin

Of course, the right razor is essential too, and we recommend using one of the below if you’re new to shaving:

Gillette ProGlide guarantees a precise shave and the handle has what we call FlexBall technology to make it easier to get around every curve of your full-bearded look.

If you have sensitive skin or are worried about shaving with acne, Gillette SkinGuard Sensitive is the razor for you. It’s got extra protection in between the blade and your skin to make shaving as comfortable as possible.

How Can I Style a Patchy Beard?

If you want to keep the facial hair you’ve got, there are a few ways to fix a patchy beard. Styles like the goatee and chin strap beard are great if you don’t have much facial hair, but you’ll need a good beard trimmer like the Gillette All Purpose Styler to keep yourself looking sharp.

The Gillette Styler and Beard Trimmer lets you trim, shave and edge your facial hair – it comes with three different comb lengths to suit everyone, as well as a ProGlide Razor Blade so you can be sure of a smooth, precise shave.

It’s waterproof too, so you can even use it in the shower when you’re pushed for time but still want to look and feel your best while trimming any full beard styles you might fancy.

Whether you’re looking for advice on how to shave different parts of your body or want to know how to get a particular style of beard, you’ll find all the shaving tips you’ll ever need on the Gillette blog.