Beards look set to stay. They are a mainstay of fashion, pop and hipster culture, with a nouveaux masculinity, updated for the twenty-first century, underpinning some of the greatest facial hair stylings going. Men often feel more comfortable and confident with a good bit of chin whisker work going on, and generally believe themselves to be more attractive to women (obviously, this depends on the woman in question, but there is actually some evidence to back this up).
So, we are all growing beards.
But what happens if yours isn’t the colour you want? Perhaps it is grey, perhaps prematurely so; perhaps it doesn’t match up with the colour of your head hair; perhaps it simply doesn’t look good as it is (we’ve all seen pale blonde whiskers that hardly look like they’re there at all, after all).
This is where beard dye comes in. It can be as useful in setting you on the right course as more traditional hair dye.
Beard dye can be an issue for some people, however. If you have sensitive skin, not all beard dyes will be great for you – they can trigger or worsen already uncomfortable, delicate skin – this is especially true for those who have to use electric shavers made for sensitive skin.
If this is you, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. We have rounded up some of the best beard dyes for sensitive skin, so that you can rest assured you can make your beard the magnificent centrepiece you want it to be without suffering any side effects.
Should I Dye My Beard?
You absolutely should, if you want to. These days, it’s hardly any stranger or harder than dying your head hair, which is pretty ubiquitous and very straightforward to do. There should be no stigma attached, and there should be no inconvenience involved.
If you want to change the colour of your beard, go for it. There are some great benefits to be found from doing so. If however you happen to have skin that is sensitive then choosing a beard dye that is kind to sensitive skin is a must.
The Benefits of Using Beard Dye
1. It can wind back the clock
Facial hair already makes most people look older. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – in fact, it can be a plus. It can make you look more masculine, more authoritative and more in control. When I’m clean shaven, I get ID’d trying to buy beer (which is ridiculous – I’m 30). When I’m bearded, I don’t, and I generally find that people treat me a lot more deferentially.
However, this can go too far. If you have greying whiskers, going bearded can put decades on you. Dying it can halt this, making you look distinguished yet youthful.
2. It can help you to become who you are
We all have our own internal perceptions of ourselves – how we think we should look, and how we would be most comfortable, most ourselves, looking. The key to any fashion choice – be it clothing, accessories, or indeed how we style and colour our hair – is to match up to that picture.
This internal image can change at a moment’s notice. You are not the same person day to day. If, one day, you wake up feeling that your look isn’t you and that you need to dress and present yourself as a new you, you owe it to yourself to make it happen.
Sometimes this means a complete overhaul. Sometimes it means recolouring your beard. If it does, don’t hesitate. Become who you are.
And then, if you decide you need or want to change back anytime soon, you can. Simply re-dye your beard or trim off the coloured bits as it grows out and go back to natural. It’s your beard – you’re in control.
3. It can help you to stand out
We live in a bearded world where ubiquitous whiskers make it hard to make a statement. But what if your beard was bubble gum pink or bright, sky blue? What if you went all-out badger with black and white stripes? I think you would stand out, then.
If you’ve got a music festival coming up, a promo event at which you need to make an impression, or if you simply like popping in a crowd, beard dye might be for you. It’s not all about making it look natural and blended. Go nuts.
As above: It’s your beard – you’re in control. If you want to use it to make yourself stand out, do it.
4. It can help you to blend in
Dying isn’t a one-way street. You can always re-dye to a more natural colour if you’ve gone all out, or if, for any reason, your current beard colour is too distinctive.
After the above music festival, for instance, you might have to go back to the day job. Your boss might not want you to meet and greet clients with a bright blue beard.
If you want to look the part for work – or for any other walk of life – and feel that your beard, for whatever reason, is making this hard, it might be time to change. Reach for the beard dye.
Our Top 7 Beard Dyes For Sensitive Skin
Having given you plenty of pre-amble it’s time to take a look at our 7 best beard dyes for sensitive skin.
Grizzly Mountain Beard Dye
Grizzly Mountain Beard Dye is one of my favourite beard products, period. It is natural, organic, incredibly good on sensitive skin, and gives a very nice finish.
The dye itself is mixed from a selection of different herbs, including traditional ingredients like neem, henna, indigo, false daisy, and emblic, and it is sold with an organic dye base. You can get it in black, natural dark brown, natural brown, and natural light brown, all of which give a clear, even and natural looking covering.
In fact, unlike many chemical dyes, Grizzly Mountain Beard Dye does not colour your beard into a solid shade. Rather, it incorporates different shades, giving dimension, volume and a natural look.
The natural ingredients are soft on the skin, with no apparent harshness at all, making it perfect for men with sensitive skin. You should note that some people will react to henna, though this is very far from common.
Application is pretty easy and straightforward, too. You will only need a little bit, with short beards achieving full coverage at around a single teaspoon of dye; you will be able to get a good few uses out of each purchase, lasting you a few months.
It can be a little time-consuming, however. Each application takes an hour or so, unlike some of the other products on this list. The colour also doesn’t last the longest; it starts to fade after a week to ten days. However, given the amount of uses you can get, this won’t hit you in your wallet too badly.
Make sure, when using Grizzly Mountain Beard Dye, that you get a good conditioner or beard oil. It can be a little drying if you don’t look after your beard properly.
Though there are limited shades available – you won’t get that bright blue beard using Grizzly Mountain Beard Dye – it is perfect for a natural look, from natural ingredients, for those who can’t or won’t use harsher chemicals.
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back to menu ↑The Henna Guys’ Henna Hair and Beard Colour
Here’s another all-natural product for you. The Henna Guys’ Henna Hair and Beard Colour includes pure henna powder and indigo powder, alongside various natural herbs including amla powder, false daisy, neem powder, red clay, hibiscus and powder. There is nothing else in there – no fillers or parabens, no fake fragrances, no additives. It is vegan friendly, triple cloth sifted powder for the smoothest of pastes, with quality assurance in every packet.
It really is a high-grade list of ingredients, incredibly well-prepared (without costing much at all – a packet will set you back just over a tenner!)
This packet, which comes as a large, aluminium foil, airtight bag for longevity and freshness, contains 100 grams of product. You also get a shower cap and gloves for application, though there is no application brush, so you will definitely need to be careful as you use it!
There is a limit to what The Henna Guys’ Henna Hair and Beard Colour will do for you, however. Specifically, it has been designed to cover grey hair with the colour you purchase. It hasn’t been designed to lighten your hair, and it won’t work very well at all on black hair. It isn’t a cover-all for the experimenters out there, but rather a good way to turn back the clock on your whiskers.
If this is what you’re after, and you want high-quality, natural products, this is the one for you.
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back to menu ↑Blackbeard For Men
Let’s move onto a good quality temporary dye – Blackbeard For Men’s temporary brush on colour. It’s easy to apply and contains no harsh chemicals, making it perfect for those with sensitive skin. It can be put on daily, at home, with no help at all – it goes on simply in the morning and will come out with your evening shower.
It comes with a handy applicator to facilitate this easy use. You will just have to brush it through your beard for an even coverage that will do you for the whole day. Its temporary nature – whilst perhaps not a long-term fix – means that you can experiment with a few different colours, try out the idea of dyeing for a month or two, or simply go smart for the day job and keep it more chilled in the evenings and weekends.
Blackbeard For Men’s temporary brush on colour will neither irritate nor stain your skin – which is always a risk with permanent dyes when you apply them yourself (things can get messy, quickly). It also won’t damage your beard or dry it out, meaning that there really are no effects from using it after you’ve washed it away. It really is temporary.
Do note that Blackbeard For Men’s temporary dye is quite hard to use on longer beards.
As with Grizzly Mountain Beard Dye, there is a limited palette to choose from, with just a few standard shades going. This is perhaps a little foolish on Blackbeard For Men’s part – funky colour schemes become a whole lot more workable when they’re temporary! However, this isn’t their market. Their market is busy professionals who want to look smart when they head into the office, without having to commit to long-term dyes and permanent applications.
If this sounds like you, give them a go.
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back to menu ↑Just for Men Moustache and Beard Colouring
Just for Men are a stalwart of the male hair dye market. Their mass market appeal and cost-effective pricing structure has seen them stocked in every chemist and cosmetic shop in the country. They are not the best, nor are they the cheapest; however, they generally represent a good balance between the two, giving you a low-cost, reliable way to get the colour you want.
Their Moustache & Beard Colouring comes in a range of natural looking colours and shades, and it is designed to penetrate coarse facial hair and blend nicely. They all have equivalents in Just for Men’s Hair Colour products, so you be sure of achieving consistency for your full head and face if needed.
It also comes with a specially designed brush which makes application simple and easy, allowing you to approximate a professional job from the comfort of your own bathroom.
There is no natural product guarantee here – Just for Men’s formulae are very much lab-built. However, they are still pretty skin friendly. Though you might want to try a small amount first to check for reactions, most people, even with sensitive skin, will be able to use their Moustache & Beard Colouring without fear.
The Moustache & Beard Colouring will give you a fuller, more vibrant look (though not necessarily the best blended – it can look a little obvious that you’ve dyed your beard if you don’t get the colour just right), taking years off your appearance and making your facial hair really pop.
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back to menu ↑Bigen Beard Natural Colour
There’s no messing about with Bigen Men’s Beard Colour. They offer three colours – Natural Black, Brown Black, and Dark Brown. All variations on a very similar theme.
This is good if you know what you want, and what you want is a dark beard… it’s not great for much else.
However, the formula itself seems to give good coverage, compounded by a specially designed comb that comes with every pack. This is to help apply the colourant and give an even colour to your beard, moustache and sideburns. The comb is cleanable and reusable, should you need to touch the colour up afterwards.
The formula also shouldn’t stain the skin, especially when used with the comb, and is great for those with sensitive skin (though they recommend taking an allergy test 48 hours before use, and always wearing gloves). The colouring is in the form of a non-drip cream, so that it is easy to apply and get where it needs to go, with little mess, fuss or bother.
The end results are… a little flat. The coverage is even; it’s actually a little too even. You will look like every whisker on your face is an exact replica of every other one, which leaves little room for the natural shading and variation found in most beards. This alone will make the beard look a little fake and a little two-dimensional.
It’s not all bad – far from it. As above, Bigen Men’s Beard Colour is very easy to use and apply. It also contains taurine and olive oil. Taurine has shown signs of improving hair follicles due to its anti-fibrotic properties which could help to keep the hair follicles hydrated. It is also known to strengthen hair and give it give a healthier all-round appearance. Olive oil is a natural moisturiser. It contains natural monounsaturated fatty acids which encourage the strengthening of the roots and ends of the hair and is believed to mitigate dandruff.
Nevertheless, this is a mixed product. It is clever and well-designed in most respects. The end result (and lack of variety in colouring) will mean you will get the same look time and time again – flat, uninspired, and overly saturated.
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back to menu ↑Crème of Nature Hair Dye for Hair and Beard
I’ll not beat around the bush: Crème of Nature offer an incredibly easy, shampoo-in hair colour that I really like. It gives a rich, natural looking colouring, full bodied, well shined and nicely toned, whilst conditioning the hair and skin. All this, and you can simply lather up and rub it in in the shower.
The colour is uniform, though variegated naturally – it will give even coverage without making your hair look two dimensional, so that your beard looks natural. You get two bottles in each pack, which should last you quite some time, and it’s one of the easiest products on this list to use by far.
There is a chance that you will dye your skin, though this is slim and won’t look too bad. The dye itself doesn’t last too long, so you will need to reapply every week or so. The main negative for Crème of Nature is the smell. On a list packed with products using natural ingredients like henna and indigo, this one really clangs. The stench of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia is excruciating.
It’s easy, it looks good, but you will have to learn to live with the smell come dyeing night (which will be quite regular).
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back to menu ↑Sevich Beard Blackening Shampoo
This is perhaps a better long-term product if you’re looking for a shampoo dye – Sevich’s Beard Blackening Shampoo. It helps to strengthen and nourish your beard, as you would expect of a good shampoo/conditioner, alongside soothing even the most sensitive skin. It also helps to prevent your beard from knotting or splitting, making it a handy tool in those who prefer their face-fur on the long side.
Sevich’s Beard Blackening Shampoo also gives a natural darkening that looks incredibly even and well-balanced. It is easy and convenient to use, giving you a darker, natural looking colour with a simple shampoo application, in just five minutes.
The best part is that it uses all-natural ingredients – safe, natural and petroleum free. It is gentle on the skin and whiskers and doesn’t leave you smelling like a bottle of bleach after every use.
Do, however, make sure that you do an allergy test a couple of days in advance. Sevich’s claim that they use all natural ingredients doesn’t mean that their formula is gentle on everyone, and some users have reported having to have medical attention after use.
It is better than Crème of Nature, Sevich’s immediate competitor on this list, in most regards. However, the risks are there. The bottle itself is kind of hard to open and the process can be a little messy. The gloves provided aren’t fantastic, though they just about do the job (without confidence – you will need to watch out to make sure you don’t end up with black hands). There is also no beard applicator brush, which would make things a lot easier (and a lot less messy).
