Many men are blessed with a perfectly well-grown beard and it is not an exaggeration that a neatly groomed well-maintained beard adds up to one’s attractiveness. Beard is not for everyone at the same time a clean shaved face isn’t either. Not all faces support the beard but it is proven that those who have shapes like diamond, oval, and round look attractive with a full-grown beard.
If you are someone who loves long full-grown beards then the next thing you should try is braiding them. If this is your first time hearing about braiding or if you wish to try for the first time then remember that braiding the beard has been in trends long since the reign of Vikings.
No matter where you search or whom you ask about braiding a beard, it will lead you to Vikings. Those fearsome warriors gave great prominence to beards and beard braiding. It was proved that they would clean their beards as often as they would clean their hair on the head. Started as a way to keep their faces warm during cold winters, the full-grown beard has become the symbol of their ferocity.
Centuries later, in these modern times, the love for beard braiding is back in full swing. Though a full-grown beard was in practice all the time, braiding like a true Viking wasn’t until recent times. Now anyone with the right facial features and beard length can try out braiding.
Growing The Beard Long Enough For Braiding
Well first of all you need to have at least 3 to 4 inches of beard to braid in an arresting way. Now, maintaining and keeping the beard healthy and clean is very important. If you are used to living without a beard and started growing one for the first time then it might be a test on your patience when thick facial hair blocks every time you try eating or drinking something. You may have to practice living with the beard adjusting to mild discomforts.
Maintaining a full-grown beard is important to have it healthy and ready for proper braiding.
- You have to wash it regularly and keep it clean to protect it from dust and damages due to pollution. Search for nourishing shampoos that suit your skin type and beard.
- Apply the best quality oil to the beard for strengthening the strands from deep within. You need to conduct proper research and find the best-suited beard oil that has all the right ingredients and does not have something that might trigger your allergies (if you have any).
- There are even beard balms available in the market that would keep your beard shiny and strong as it grows.
- Comb it regularly to maintain its growth in the right way. You want to avoid weird shapes and bulging which might irritate you and make you feel like getting rid of the beard. Remember, patience pays!
- Proper grooming is knowing when to trim and when to scissor down the beard. Obviously, a beard tends to grow every which way possible. You should be able to scissor down the areas which might disrupt the shape of your Viking beard.
- Shave off the unwanted beard like the ones that grow on your cheek closer to your eyes and the beard that grows below the neckline.
Simple Way To Braid Your Beard
Now that we have understood the maintenance part, let us be clear that a professional can always do the braiding easily for you. If you find it overwhelming you can go for trusted assistance. If you prefer to do it yourself then let’s look at how to braid your beard in the most common style.
- First, comb your beard free of any entanglements and use beard oil or smoothening cream for easy handling.
- Choose the area you wish to braid. You can choose more than one area if you want but for now, let’s stick to one area for your understanding.
- Separate the beard in that area into three sections. You can use rubber bands at the end of these three sections for better handling of the hair.
- Hold two of the three sections with both your hands, first and the third. You can start with either your left or right hand and pull that section into the middle over the third strand.
- Take the opposite section and pull it over the middle strand again.
- Repeat the above two steps again and again until you have braided the length you are happy with.
- You can add a rubber band or a bead to make it look dashing and attractive.
The above braided style is the most common way of braiding, usually done from the chin down. It is called Viking braiding or the French braiding. There are several other braiding styles out there trending right now. Through this article, you can explore the top hand-picked braiding styles. Choose the one that best suits you and embrace your new look.
10 Most Desirable Beard Braiding Styles
1. The Braided Beard With Beads
Like mentioned earlier, adding beads is a way to make your braided beard even more attractive. You can try on beads in different ways. You can make more braids and as many beads. Or you can pull the whole beard along with the braids and put one single bead. This way you can highlight the braids as well as decorate the whole beard with one captivating bead.
2. Long Braided Beard
This single braid style is more noticeable and highly intriguing due to its super long length. Your beard can be as long as you wish for this style. Longer the better. You start braiding right below the chin and take it to the maximum length of your beard. Combe the rest of your beard neatly for a well-groomed look.
3. Braided Viking Beard
This is one of the many best Viking Beard styles out there. For this style, you need to have a tremendous volume of beard. Make two braids with equal distance between them on either side of your chin. Braid the two sections as long as they can go. Comb down the rest of your beard towards the braids for a highly ferocious look.
4. Whisker Cornrow
You need to grow a great volume of beard for this style. Start braiding right from your sideburns and connect the braiding with the one below your chin. This might look a little shabby but you can cut the excess hair where you feel necessary.
5. Assorted Braiding
This style is to indulge the braids as a part of your beard. Select as many areas you want to braid on the front. Comb the rest of the beard neatly and if you want you can put on some beads to make those braids look even better.
6. Goatee Braid Beard
This stylish braiding is pretty common with the youngsters out there. You grow your goatee to a real long length by trimming the rest of your beard. You can maintain a decent level of beard and mustache around for a more sophisticated look or just the goatee braiding for a complete funky look.
7. Loose French Beard
You need to have a very thick beard to pull this off. First, braid as you do for a long beard then loosen up the strands slowly. Obviously, this is for someone who likes to have a scruffy look. Make sure you mend this properly to avoid unnecessary flaws.
8. Low Braided Beard
This is a very well-defined braiding style you can try out. For this style, you will be braiding the backside area of the beard and covering it with the thick free beard. Make sure you shape the cheek line really well to elevate this style.
9. A la Brad Pitt
Handsome hunk Bradpitt made all his fans swoon over (like always) with this remarkable style. Shave your beard except for a circle goatee beard with a real thick beard on your chin. Braid as many small areas as you want on your goatee and shave off the rest of your beard to elevate this style.
10. Ponytail Beard
For this style, you will be using a rubber band to create a ponytail on your beard just like people do with their hair over the head. You need to have a huge volume of beard or else there you will be missing out on the distinctiveness of this style. Comb down that enormous beard of yours and add a rubber band or some decorative thread to tie a knot.
Conclusion:
Inherit the warrior spirit of old age with fierce-looking braids on your beard. For both long length and short length beards, there are several styles to try on. Embrace the one that suits you the best. Use this article as a reference for different styles that are trending right now but always stay open to try something new.