So, your chin has betrayed you and is peppered with salty hairs. What now? The Silver Fox look is great for some, there’s no denying it. But perhaps you’re not quite ready to relinquish your glorious, lustrous, colourful beard to the land of the wise just yet. Fair enough. Here, we will reveal to you the secrets of how to dye your beard back to its youthful originality with the subtlety and skill of a puma.

As for those who simply fancy a bit of extra colour on their face for a day, we’ll be covering how to dye your beard temporarily and in extravagant colours as well, fear not.

How to dye your beard

It can be tempting to go to a fancy salon to get your beard dyed by a professional-looking person with amazing locks, but at the rate your beard grows, it will need to be touched up once every 2 weeks. So it’s best to figure out how to dye your beard at home and gain a new skill in favour of spending loads of cash.

There are essentially 2 options for dyeing your beard hair. You can go all-in forever (well, until it grows out), or just fancifully dip your beard into the pool of colour when it suits you…

Temporary dye

This lasts for about a day, washes off whenever you want and will stain your pillows and sheets if left on overnight. This is ideal for special occasions, trying out a new hair colour, or maybe just touching up your more permanent dye for the day.

Method:

• Give your beard a bit of love and treat it to a wash and comb.
• Use the brush applicator to apply the colour as you prefer. Maybe you want to slip some patterns in there? Your beard is your oyster.
• The colouring will dry and then you’re free for the day
• Don’t forget to wash the dye out before bed. Getting those stains off your pillow will be a lot more work than re-applying tomorrow.

Permanent Dye

These types of dye will grow out and fade slightly over time, but if you’re looking for a long-term grey-combatter, then this is your option.

Tools Required:

• Gloves (No one wants dyed hands)
• Vaseline (To create a protective barrier between face and dye)
• Applicator brush (There may be one included with the dye, but if not a toothbrush is often a sufficient replacement)
• Towels (That you don’t mind getting stained)
• Tint Remover (If required. Remember to test for sensitivity first)
• Beard Dye (Don’t forget your oxidant if needed)

Method:

Choose your colour

Remember that your beard is so much more than just one colour, it’s a team effort, made of individual strands of many different shades. With this in mind, It’s often best to choose a colour a couple of shades lighter than your own, as darker colours can look a little fake. You can always apply more if you feel it is too light. 

24 hour sensitivity test

Put a little of the dye on a patch of inconspicuous skin, perhaps just on the inside of your elbow and leave it on for 24 hours. If you notice any inflammation or redness, don’t use the dye (maybe switch to a hypoallergenic dye instead). After 24 hours (or straight away if you notice inflammation) wash the patch off with water and soap.

Wash your beard

Whip out your beard wash and make sure your face is fresh. Do not use conditioner as this will prevent the dye from taking hold.

Trim/shave as needed 

It’s best to touch up your beard, not only so you can focus on the task at hand instead of any stray hairs, but also it’ll be easier to keep the dye off the skin around your beard with a clear outline.

Apply protective barrier

Apply a thin layer of vaseline around the beard. This will prevent the dye from staining your skin.

Put on gloves

Latex or rubber, just to protect yourself from any further staining.

Prepare the dye

Depending on your chosen dye this process can differ quite dramatically. You may need to mix the dye with an oxidant or water, or simply just take the cap off a tube. Always follow the instructions provided, and mix just enough to cover your beard. Often you will find that there is enough for multiple applications.

Apply the dye

Use your brush to spread the dye evenly throughout your beard, covering all hairs and avoiding the skin.

Wait a while

The packaging will suggest the amount of time to leave your dye on. This could be anywhere from 5 minutes to a few hours or even, with some henna dyes, overnight.

Patch test

After the minimum suggested amount of time, take a cotton bud or a corner of your towel and wipe away a small patch of your dye. If it isn’t a dark enough shade, re-apply the dye to the patch and wait for another few minutes before testing again. Remember – the dye will fade a little after the first couple of washes, so it’s ok to have it a little darker at first.

Rinse

Unsurprisingly, it’s time to rinse your beard. Do this by pouring water over your beard until the water runs clear and then dry with your sacrificial towels.

Check your new colour

If the finished article is too dark, wash a few times with a beard shampoo. If it is too light, simply re-apply the dye and wait a little longer.

Stain removal

You mind find some sneaky stains that have somehow gotten past the vaseline barrier, you can get rid of them with some tint remover.

Rejoice!! Your grey hairs are no more!

Beard Maintenance

So, after all that, you’ve finally got your desired chin look. But what now? It’s only a couple of weeks til those pesky grey roots make an unwanted appearance. Fear not! Beard maintenance doesn’t actually require that much effort.

The more often you wash your beard, the quicker it will fade. So it’s best to simply rinse your beard with water. If you feel like you need a good scrub though, you can use a gentle beard wash, which will gently freshen you up without stripping away your shiny new colour.

If you feel like the chemicals in your chosen beard dye have made your beard hair a bit rougher, try using some beard oil. Other than that, simply trim and comb your beard as usual.

When the roots start creeping in, all you have to do is re-apply the dye to the grey area. If you want to refresh the colour of your whole beard, you can – but that’s entirely up to you. After a while, this will just slip in as a part of your normal routine.

Congratulations – you now know how to dye your beard. Go forth with pride.