The Best Beard Combs

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Most men look better with a beard. Growing out even a small beard can provide a deeper level of sophistication to a man’s overall appearance, but when unkept, the situation can get a little hairy. Having a beard is kind of like taking care of a dog—they require regular grooming or else they’ll end up a knotty, uneven mess. That’s why adding one of the best beard combs to the routine is paramount.

Aside from using a gentle beard wash and some beard oil, regular combing is also part of proper beard maintenance. This can happen either during or after a shower to achieve the best results. But by doing so, you ensure your beard avoids major knots or tangles while simultaneously stimulating the follicles underneath and spreading the natural oils throughout the skin. We found that the Chicago Comb Carbon Fiber Model 7 is the best overall beard comb. Made in the U.S.A. from carbon fiber, this unique pick is a messy beard's worst nightmare with long enough teeth to reach down through the thick of it and unravel with its sturdy handle.

How We Tested

At Men's Journal, we’re constantly testing the latest products, some of our team with more than a decade of grooming coverage under their belt. Whenever something enters the marketplace, it’s also at our desks, and quickly being tested. Think of us as grooming lab rats; we get to enjoy the spoils when something is really great, and endure the agony when a product isn’t up to par.

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How to Comb a Beard

Combing a beard is simple, but the most important thing to remember is when to comb a beard. While it’s perfectly fine to use a detangling beard comb in the shower, a beard should be prepared to comb when beginning with dried facial hair. Here’s how to comb a beard in four simple steps:

• Lubricate the beard with a few drops of beard oil and work it through with your hands. For small beards, 2 to 3 drops will work; for medium beards, 3 to 4 drops, and for long beards, 4 to 5 drops. This will allow the comb to easily pass through the hair and spread the product for better nourishment.
• Beginning at the neckline, comb upward and outward over the jaw, moving up toward the cheeks. This fluffs out the beard and allows you to see the natural shape.
• After it’s fluffed, comb in the exact opposite format. Begin at the cheeks, and comb down evenly and gently over the jaw until you achieve the desired style.
• Note: If you encounter knots, do not pull, as you’ll risk pulling out the hair. Instead, slowly and gently work the beard comb or your fingers through the knot to try to coax it out.

How to Choose a Beard Comb

The main thing to consider when choosing the best beard comb for your beard is the length of its teeth and how much hair can pass through them at once. Shorter teeth around a half-inch or less best serve a short beard—there’s no way to pass the middle of a thicker beard through a comb like that. But longer teeth, something with around an inch of depth, would best serve a longer beard as it has the space for more hair to pass through.

In general, most beard combs will best serve shorter beards due to the shorter teeth. But certain styles, like beard picks, will do a longer beard justice.

Beyond this, material does matter. Static is almost sure to develop with plastic combs. Thankfully, there are a myriad of beard combs made from wood, horn, and even metal, none of which produce static.

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Beard Brush vs. Beard Comb

Beard combs are expert detanglers whereas beard brushes are more skilled in the art of styling and shaping. Having both is not uncommon as detangling, styling, and shaping are the keys to success for having a fabulous beard.

With that said, the commonly found, handheld boar bristle beard brushes, combined with a double-sided wooden comb, are the best match for shorter beards. For longer beards, a nylon and boar bristle round brush combined with a long-toothed comb or pick is a better choice for digging into the thick of longer beards to get the whole thing tamed.

The Best Beard Combs of 2023

Truly a special tool, this Chicago Comb beard pick is made in the U.S. from carbon fiber. It's a great beard comb for a long beard because of the length of the teeth, which are up to 3 inches long and offer plenty of space for the thick of a draping beard to pass through and detangle. But it also works well on medium beards as the sturdy handle allows for fine control of the tines. Naturally anti-static, the carbon fiber material is also heat- and odor-resistant, which makes it a good companion for use with a blow dryer. The brand has also included a high-quality Horween leather sheath for safe storage.

[$35; amazon.com]

The Hunter Jack Sandalwood Beard Comb is a dual-side comb with fine- and wide-tooth options to serve any hair texture and work through knots. It’s the perfect size to store in a back or chest pocket to ensure your beard stays kept throughout the day. Many of the beard combs you’ll find look something like this, and are of similar quality. But Hunter Jack’s comb, which comes with a handy carrying case, might look the coolest—that counts for something. The sandalwood has a beautiful brown-gray grain that will look even better as it encounters beard oil.

[$16; amazon.com]

While many favor beard combs made from wood or metal for their anti-static properties, they’re no match for water. That’s where plastic beard combs thrive, offering a way to detangle a beard while shampooing in the shower without damaging the tool itself. Kent is one of the top names in combs, period, having been making them since 1777. The brand’s 10T Sawcut model is an expert detangler with its generously spaced teeth and offers an ergonomic handle to grip in slippery conditions. This model is available in a handful of colors including the brand’s signature tortoiseshell.

[$15; amazon.com]

Perhaps one of the most attractive beard combs available, Onedor’s combs are anti-static, ergonomic, and non-snagging thanks to the smooth surface of the teeth, which are made from buffalo horn. The all-sandalwood handle and spine, which nicely contrast the black horn teeth, naturally turn green over time, showing a handsome patina the more you use it. This model is available both in wide-tooth and fine-tooth and is also offered in a bundle pack. These types of combs are well-suited for long beards.

[$15; amazon.com]

When shopping for a beard comb, it’s often that you’ll find one offered as part of a set with many combinations of grooming products. The Jack Black Beard Grooming Kit, however, stands out among the rest because of its size. Alongside a micro beard and mustache comb are travel-size tubes of the brand’s popular Beard Wash, Beard Lube, and Beard Oil. Unless you’ve stumbled upon sample packets, you’ll rarely find high-quality travel-size beard products, let alone in a kit with a functional beard comb. The comb itself is best utilized on short beards, but will work in a pinch for anybody.

[$36; amazon.com]

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By: Anthony Mastracci
Title: The Best Beard Combs
Sourced From: www.mensjournal.com/grooming/best-beard-combs
Published Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2023 14:54:29 GMT

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