Personal Grooming Frequently Asked Questions
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Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

  • Beard Care? You’re kidding, right?! No, we are not! We take hygiene and grooming seriously! Just as you care for your skin, and the hair on your head, your beard should be properly maintained as well.

 

  • What are the benefits of Beard Care Products? A proper beard care regimen keeps your beard looking full and healthy. Beard care and beard grooming products help to hydrate your skin and hair, which provide a variety of health benefits. Our carefully selected ingredients have been blended in the ratios we feel are best suited, to properly absorb into your hair and nourish your skin. This helps alleviate dry, itchy skin under the beard, and provides beard conditioning - leading to soft and healthy beard hair. Conditioning the hair also coats the hair cuticles, leaving the beard hair smooth. This helps to prevent hair snags and dry, damaged split ends, or breakage.

 

  • Is my beard long enough to use products? You can start using Beard Oil the minute you decide to start growing. Five o'clock shadow? No problem; rub some Beard Oil into that stubble! AJ's Elixirs Beard Oil hydrates the skin and helps prevent new growth itch and ingrown hair by keeping the skin moist and pliable.

 

  • How does Beard Wax differ from Beard Balm? While our Beard Conditioning Balm will help provide minor additional weight and some very light control, its primary purpose is to deeply condition and soften your beard. Our Beard Balm will leave a slight initial sheen until the oils completely absorb, leaving you with healthy looking hair, and depth in your beard's natural coloration. AJ's Elixirs original Beard Shaping Wax, on the other hand, is primarily a smoothing and shaping wax. It will help to volumize your beard and to keep all the loose stray hairs neatly tucked away, giving you a smooth, uniform and well-coifed look when used as a final product application and after initial combing/brushing. Your beard will be left with a soft natural matte finish, a product free feel and soft at day's end.

 

  • Should I apply products to wet, or dry hair? That is really up to you. However, we recommend applying Beard Oil and Beard Balm to freshly washed (shampoo, or just warm water), towel-dried damp hair for maximum benefits. Water is a great moisturizer, and our products will help lock that moisture in.

 

  • When should I apply my beard care products? Any time you like! There is really no right, or wrong way to apply your products. We personally like to conduct our beard care routine in small doses in the morning, but we know plenty who don't. It really depends on your lifestyle and your individual beard's needs. Many like to apply a heavy coating of Beard Oil in the evening, letting it sit, then rinsing out. Some like to apply a heavy coating of Beard Balm in their beard before hitting the pillow at night. This gives them an overnight deep conditioning. 

 

  • What do you have that will make my beard hair grow faster, or fill in patchiness? Nothing. Despite what you may see and read in some very clever marketing, there are absolutely no magical growth products, growth serums, growth potions, growth pills, or growth talismans! Your beard is predetermined by your genetics. Having said that, if you are a young, hang in there, it will grow thicker and fuller as you age. Patchiness is also sometimes a waiting game, as length will often cover thin areas of growth.

 

  • Well then, what can I do to make my beard grow faster, or more full? Eat well, drink a lot of water, and get your beauty sleep! Hair follicles are anchored in your skin by a hair bulb, made up of living cells that divide and grow to build the keratin (a protein) hair shaft. Blood vessels nourish the cells in the hair bulb and deliver hormones that modify hair growth and structure. Like any other living cells in your body, a healthy lifestyle keeps the bulbs operating at peak efficiency. AJ's Elixirs ingredients include carrier oils and essential oils chosen to help maximize your skin's health, by delivering supplemental vitamins and nutrients to assist with productive growth. Each scent blend has an essential oil to help with good circulation. You can always supplement your diet with a great multi-vitamin and Biotin to round out your diet and help your beard grow strong. Consult with a physician prior to making any dietary changes, or taking supplements.

 

  • Will shaving make my hair grow faster? That's an old tale. See the question regarding growth. Shaving shears off the top of the shaft. Growth takes place in the bulb, at the follicle.

 

  • I have a lot of hair loss; is this normal, and how can I prevent this? It is absolutely normal, and you may notice more loss during different times of the year. As long as you see a white follicle (and didn't yank the hair out), the loss was naturally occurring. Hair grows in three phases - Anagen (Growth), Catagen (Transitional), and Telogen (Resting). The Anagen phase typically lasts two to six years and most of your hair is in this phase at any given time. The Catagen phase occurs when the follicle shrinks and draws back from the blood supply. This phase gives everything a chance to rest and rejuvenate to prepare for new hair! You may see a growth spurt here as the follicle pushes up. The Telogen phase happens over the course of a few months as the hair sits dormant. Hair stops growing, then detaches from the follicle, and eventually sheds. A new hair growth phase begins, and everything starts all over. Those who have had beards for several years can part their beard, look closely, and you'll find shorter hairs growing out. Up to 85% of your hair is in the Anagen phase at any given time, and up to 15% is in the Telogen phase at any given time. This is a natural process, and it can't be prevented. 

 

  • Why should I use Pre-Shave Oil? Pre-Shave Oil penetrates the skin and helps it retain moisture and elasticity. This allows the skin to flex under your blade, leaving you with a comfortable close shave. A typical shave is damaging and scrapes the top layer of skin, tearing at it. Dry skin doesn't give way to a razor, it tears easily, while moisturized and supple skin does not. AJ's Elixirs Pre-Shave Oil uses only the best all-natural oils and carefully selected finest herbal extracts to protect, condition, soothe and fight inflammation while helping to prevent irritation and ingrown hairs.

 

  • How do I use Pre-Shave Oil? Ensure your skin is thoroughly wet with warm water - preferably right after a shower, or hot towel wrap, and at least after washing. This will open your pores, soften things up, and allow for absorption. Gently massage your desired amount of oil into wet skin. Let the oil rest on your skin to absorb for a few minutes, while you towel dry, lather your shave brush, or prepare for your shave. Apply your shave lather directly over your prepared skin, then enjoy your shave. 

 

  • I have sensitive skin and acne-prone skin. Won’t using oil clog my pores and make my skin break-out? While we can't determine your skin type, or know how your individual skin will respond, we can tell you we use ingredients determined by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology to be either non-comedogenic (won't clog pores, or cause acne), or very low on the scale. Many skin issues are the result of a lack of hydration. Dry skin contains a build up of dead skin cells which contribute to clogged pores. A few of our main ingredients (such as Jojoba Oil) replicate the skin's natural sebum (the oil your glands produce). Not only does your skin love this and soaks it up, but it also helps stop an excessive production of oils. In an attempt to hydrate itself, dry skin overproduces oil. That captures the dead cells and clogs pores. When you moisturize with a natural moisturizer like AJ's Elixirs products, your skin stops producing excessive amounts of oil, because it is getting it already from you! You may be surprised to find smoother, clearer skin, with less ingrown hair. Everyone is unique, so we again recommend you consult with a Dermatologist, should you have any questions regarding a healthy skin care routine.

  • My Cleansing and Conditioning Bars leave traces of color when rinsed off. Am I that filthy?! You may very well be filthy, but that's not necessarily what you are looking at! Your bar lathers white, but leaves color traces in the rinse water due to the ingredients. The colors in your bar are achieved by the natural herbs and minerals we use. Not only do they provide great benefits to your hair and skin, but they also provide your bars with that amazing appearance. The rinse water contains some of those ingredients, because they aren't water soluble. For example, the black is Activated Charcoal, the Golden Tan is Turmeric, and the Green comes from Avocado, or Neem Oils. No, the coloring will not tint, or stain. When you see that color, revel in the knowledge that nature's finest has done its job on your hair and skin. 

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