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Get rid of
flaky skin & dandruff in your beard

Find out how to treat and prevent dry skin under your beard with NIVEA

Read Time

6 min

In short:

Get rid of flaky skin & dandruff in your beard
Red irritated skin
3 things that make beard dandruff worse
How to get rid of beard dandruff
Heal your beard dandruff and skin with NIVEA
2 natural remedies for beard dandruff
How to stop beard dandruff

Get rid of
flaky skin & dandruff in your beard

Your beard is always on show, and it's important to keep it looking and feeling good. However, it may take a little work to keep it in great condition – especially if you're experiencing beard dandruff.

So, how do you stop beard dandruff? And how do you get rid of beard dandruff?

This is our guide on how to recognise, treat, and prevent beard dandruff from the get-go.

What is beard dandruff?

Beard dandruff is incredibly similar to dandruff that occurs on the scalp. It's a common condition, usually characterised by itchy and flaking skin.

If you have beard dandruff, it's likely you have a flaky beard. But there's nothing to worry about – it can be improved with a few simple changes.

What causes beard dandruff?

There's a microbe that lives on the faces of most people, and it's called Malassezia globosa. It's a kind of fungus that grows and thrives in oily skin areas full of sebaceous glands – like your scalp and your face. If you have particularly oily skin, it can lead this fungus to grow even more – and the by-products created by the fungus can cause irritation to some people. And over time, the accumulation of all of this can cause a flaky beard due to the shedding of the skin.

Alternatively, beard dandruff can be caused by dry skin. How do you know what's caused your beard dandruff? If the skin underneath looks fine, it's probably just dry skin.

However, if you have irritated red flaky skin under your beard, it may need a little more care…

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Close-up of a bearded man with blue eyes looking upward against a light blue background

What causes beard dandruff?

Red and irritated skin?

If the skin under your beard is red and irritated, you may need to investigate further as it could be a type of dermatitis.

What causes beard dandruff?

Dandruff in your eyebrows and beard?

A medical professional can be key in helping you discover if your dandruff is down to something like seborrheic dermatitis. Symptoms of this condition include red flaky skin under your beard, but often other areas too, such as your scalp, hair, eyebrows, and beard.

It even extends to flaking and scaling of skin on more oily areas, such as the scalp, face, sides of the nose, eyebrows, and more areas of the body. Your doctor should be able to prescribe a treatment that will help.

3 things that
make beard dandruff worse

Here are a few things to avoid if you're experiencing a flaky beard.

1) Strong cleansers

If your beard dandruff is caused by dry skin, using a strong cleanser can make things worse as it will dry your skin out even more. Instead, choose a gentler cleanser designed to lock in moisture.

2) Not washing your face/ beard

Just like you wash your hair, you need to wash your face and beard regularly. Otherwise dirt and debris from external sources can build up and cause issues. The oily excretions from your face can also build up and make problems even worse.

3) Changes in weather

One skincare regime won't work throughout the entire year, so you may need to experiment to find products that work for you throughout all the different seasons. For example, you may find that cold winter air particularly dries out your skin, meaning you will need moisture rich products. Those same products may be far too hydrating when the summer sun returns, and you might find your skin gets too oily. Adjusting your skin care to suit the seasons is a wonderful idea.

How to get rid of
beard dandruff

There are a lot of ways and a lot of products that can help you get rid of beard dandruff. The important thing is to be consistent with cleaning and caring for your beard and the skin underneath it.

A solid routine would include all of the following:

1) Exfoliating – this removes the dry skin under your beard. If you have beard dandruff, those little skin flakes are made up of dead skin cells. If you don't clean them away, they can clog pores and trap even more dirt. By physically brushing your beard with a brush, you can bring all the dead and flaking skin to the surface and rinse it away. This clears all the visible dirt and debris so the rest of your products can tackle the deeper issues. But because exfoliating can irritate the skin, it's only recommended that you do these 2 or 3 times per week.

2) Cleansing – some people go so far as to use a shampoo for this stage. But It's better to choose a product that's specially designed for your beard hair and skin. Why? Because it will also care properly for the skin underneath your beard too. NIVEA MEN Sensitive Pro Menmalist Face & Beard Wash is an ideal choice to stop your flaky beard in its tracks. Typical dandruff shampoos for your scalp might be too drying for the facial skin under your beard. So opt for something that will cleanse and condition the skin on your face.

3) Moisturising – dry skin can be behind a lot of beard dandruff cases, so it's a good idea to choose skincare ingredients that cater to your skin. So after a moisturiser, you might also want to try a beard oil. And if you have acne-prone skin, it would be good to opt for a beard oil that doesn't clog your pores, like Argan Oil or Jojoba Oil.

4) Grooming – this includes using appropriate shaving techniques and keeping your beard trimmed so you feel properly presentable in your day-to-day life.

Close-up portrait of a curly-haired man resting his chin on his hand against a blue background

Heal your
beard dandruff and skin with NIVEA

Treat your beard with a bottle of NIVEA MEN Sensitive Pro Menmalist Face & Beard Wash. It's made up of 10 essential ingredients which work together to gently remove dirt and oil without drying out the skin. It's a mild, yet effective cleanser, which is just what you need when beard dandruff takes over.

And remember to dry your beard thoroughly after washing to make that fresh feeling last.

NIVEA caters to a number of different skin types too, from ultra-sensitive skin to skin that's on the oily side; it's worth reading up on some men's skincare to find out what suits you.

You'll want to follow that with a great moisturiser. NIVEA MEN Sensitive Pro Menmalist Face Cream adds moisture to the facial skin and beard to keep you looking well-groomed and feeling good.

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2 natural remedies for
beard dandruff

Here are two simple and natural remedies you can try.

1. Aloe vera gel

Aloe is known for its healing attributes as it is naturally antiseptic and antioxidant. In order to use this method, you'll need a tube of aloe vera gel. You can find this easily at a pharmacy or healthcare shop. Squeeze some from the tube and coat your beard. Rub the gel in and let it sit for 5 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. This should help your flaky beard, and soften the skin too.

2. Lemon juice

Thanks to the acidic properties of lemon juice, it can help slough away dead skin – much like an exfoliant – and clear dandruff away.
All you need is 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1 cup of warm water. Mix them together well, and then rub the mixture gently into your beard. Leave it on for 5 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. It's a good idea to do this daily until the dandruff has disappeared.

Be sure to patch test lemon juice before applying as it is not suitable for all skin types. If it causes any irritation, do not use it.

How to stop beard dandruff
and keep it from coming back

It's a good idea to do all the things listed above to prevent beard dandruff. By creating a great routine when you first start growing out you beard, you can prevent uncomfortable, itchy skin, and hopefully achieve the look you want. Once you've gotten rid of beard dandruff, it's important to continue your daily washing and moisturising routine, and to monitor your skin. If it feels dry or itchy, add a few more drops of moisturiser or beard oil.

Remember that one moisturiser doesn't suit all – it may take trial and error to find what works for you. Plus, weather can have a huge impact on your skin and beard, so you may want to boost hydration by introducing moisture-rich cleansers, treatments, and oils to your routine.

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Keeping your beard healthy

There's more to beard maintenance than regular washing and moisturising. Your lifestyle has a huge impact on your beard too.

Here are a few ways you can keep things looking good.
1. Keep it trimmed
Put the razor and clippers away! Let your beard grow in properly and give it time to look good. However, you might want to trim it every now and then for a more tamed, groomed look.

2. Get your 8 hours
A lack of sleep shows up on your face – and in your beard. Your body functions better when you get plenty of rest, and the benefit of those extra few hours of sleep will show up in the condition of your beard.
3. Eat healthy
Get your vitamins and minerals with a balanced diet. Like sleep, fuelling your body with healthy and nutritious foods is a recipe for success and will have an impact on the appearance of your hair and skin – and a great diet can even help your hair grow faster.

3 big beard benefits

Did you know that growing a beard can be good for you? It's a great look, and has an impact on other aspects of your life.

Beards help to:
1. Keep you warm in the winter
2. Block the sun in the summer (which in turn can protect that part of your face from UV rays)
3. Reduce the risk of asthma and allergies by trapping particles – kind of like a filter

Three cheers for beards!

Summary

The long and the short of it

Beard dandruff is a common problem, but consistency is key. Just remember to care for your facial skin and your beard hair – they both require moisture to look and feel good.

If you've tried the above recommendations but still find yourself with beard dandruff, you might need to speak to a skincare professional as there could be an underlying health problem. In most cases, a prescription strength treatment can work wonders.