How to Grow, Trim, and Take Care of a Curly Beard

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Pro barbers share beard tips to keep your curls healthy and strong

Co-authored by Michael DiGregorio and Marcus Pruitt, BS

Last Updated: May 9, 2026 Fact Checked

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Growth & Maintenance

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DIY Trimming

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Should you straighten it?

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FAQs

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Video

Curly beards are one of the biggest blessings you can ask for as a guy. Although curly beards seem high maintenance, you get an incredibly luxurious, luscious beard that evokes the image of Greek gods in return. If you’re looking to bring your curly beard to that God-tier, read on. In this article, we’ll explain how to maintain your curls and do a DIY trim, all with the help of professional barbers and hair stylists.

What’s the best way to grow and care for a curly beard?

To grow and care for your curly beard, moisturize it with beard oil, co-wash with a cleansing conditioner, and detangle your hair in the shower using your fingers or a wide-toothed comb. Once it grows past your desired look, head to the barber for a professional shape-up or trim the edges with a length guard at home.

Section 1 of 4:

How to Grow & Maintain a Curly Beard

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Co-wash to strengthen your curls and avoid dryness and damage. Also known as conditioner washing, co-washing swaps the shampoo for a cleansing conditioner. Co-washing moisturizes your curly beard much better than standard shampoo. On top of that, you’ll also avoid dryness that leads to split ends and breakage. Just make sure you’re using a water-soluble conditioner that doesn’t contain silicones and sulfates.^{[1]
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- While silicones and sulfates help retain moisture and enhance shine, they’re extremely hard to get out of your hair. This can cause excessive buildup, a need for more washes, and result in drier hair in the long term.^{[2]
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- Cowashing 2-3 times a week with a specialized will keep your beard clean without sacrificing the necessary oils needed to keep your beard moisturized.
- With curly beards, the natural oils needed to keep the hair moisturized take longer to get across the curl, so when you wash too often, you end up depriving your hair of those natural oils.
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Jacob Joseph is a professional barber who owns The Barber Lounge in Turlock, CA. He also creates content aimed at educating men on maintaining their beards at home.

Timmy Yanchun is a professional barber and the co-founder of Svelte Barbershop + Essentials. He’s been featured in GQ, Men’s Fitness, and Hypebeast.

Bianca Cox is a professional hair stylist, the owner of The Hair Throne, and co-owner of Bianchi Salon.

Marlon Rivas is a facial hair specialist with over 15 years of experience in managing and providing barber services.
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Detangle your beard in the shower. On wash day, make sure you detangle your beard, as well. Grab a comb that works well with your curl type, and gently comb your beard out after a wash and rinse. Make sure it’s still wet as you comb it, as curly hair is easier to detangle when it’s wet, but keep a gentle hand, as it’s also more prone to breakage when wet.^{[3]
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- If you’re worried that combing might lead to breakage, gently detangle your curls with your fingers first.
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Pat your beard dry with a microfiber towel after showering. Drying with a regular terry cloth towel may help with absorbing water, but you’ll risk damaging your curls with it since the material can be rough on your delicate curls. Instead, gently pat dry your curly beard with a microfiber towel, scrunching out the water until it’s damp. You can also use a hot towel compress to introduce more moisture, instructs Barber & Men's Grooming Expert Michael DiGregorio.^{[4]
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Michael DiGregorio
Barber & Men's Grooming Expert

Expert Interview}
- Alternatively, dry your hair with a blow dryer and comb it with an attached comb if you want a straighter look, confirms DiGregorio.^{[5]
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- Air drying is also a great way to keep your beard healthy, as you’re not putting pressure on the curls. Instead, you’re letting them do what they naturally do.
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Apply beard oil to your beard from the bottom up. Beard oil is a great moisturizer for curly beards, as it moisturizes the hair and the skin underneath it. Facial hair specialist Marlon Rivas says that adding beard oil to your curly beard gives it a fuller, more uniform look and helps maintain scraggly hairs.^{[6]
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Marlon Rivas
Facial Hair Specialist

Expert Interview} Apply 3-4 drops to your fingers and work it into the hair, going from the bottom of your curls up towards the root.
- Since the root has more of your body’s natural oils, it won’t need as much assistance as the longer end of your hair.
- Professional hair stylist Bianca Cox says that “curls have a tendency to get dry and frizzy, which creates more of a poof rather than a curl.” To keep those curls intact, keep your hair moisturized.^{[7]
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  Professional Hair Stylist
  
  Expert Interview}
- Professional barber Jacob Joseph says you can also use a leave-in conditioner or a curling gel that will keep your curly beard hydrated throughout the day and maintain the curl pattern.^{[8]
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  Professional Barber
  
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- Apply your moisturizer to your beard 2 to 4 times a week. If your hair is prone to dryness, apply it daily.
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Use a wide-toothed comb to distribute the oil and detangle stragglers. While a majority of your detangling should be done in the shower, combing is essential for detangling any stragglers, evenly distributing the oil into your beard, and ensuring that your curls aren’t broken up or split where they shouldn’t be. So, grab a wide-toothed comb and comb your beard from the root down for 1-2 minutes to make sure your curls can freely grow.^{[9]
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- Some curls may be looser or denser than others, so try different combs to see which works best for your beard.
Joseph says that beard balm is a styling product, similar to a pomade, that helps seal beard oil and hold the shape of your beard once you style it. So if you’re trying to shape your curly beard and finish that style off the right way, use beard balm.^{[10]
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Jacob Joseph
Professional Barber

Expert Interview}
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Once your beard grows past the desired length, head to a barber for a shape-up. It’s tempting to cut your beard at home, but a professional cut ensures that all of your curls are the optimal length. Professional barber Timmy Yanchun says to head to the barber, get it trimmed, and ask them what style works best for you and your face shape.^{[11]
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Timmy Yanchun
Professional Barber

Expert Interview} Just make sure you go in with more hair than you need so they have something to work with.
- Let your hair grow for 4-6 weeks for a full, dense look.
- Although you’re getting your beard cut, a proper shape-up can help promote growth more than an at-home cut, as you may accidentally cut curls that need more time to develop and end up with an uneven beard.

Section 2 of 4:

How to Trim a Curly Beard

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Trim only the edges of your beard after combing it out. Comb your curly beard after showering to detangle it. Then, once it’s dry, grab a beard trimmer, a few guide combs, and trim the edges. For a less rounded look, use a short guide comb for the sideburns and cheeks, then a longer one around the chin. For a tidier, all-around look, keep the short guide on throughout.^{[12]
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- Softly trim the edges, starting from your sideburns and working your way down to the edge of your beard. Take extra care when shaping your beard, too, making sure it’s even on all sides.
- Depending on how often your beard hair grows, you may want to trim it 1-2 times a week.
- It’s best to go to a professional when you need to get your curly beard trimmed, as they’ll know exactly which curls to cut and where.

Section 3 of 4:

Should you straighten a curly beard?

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It’s best to let the curls grow instead of trying to straighten them. While the curly beard may feel hard to deal with, that’s just how your hair grows. Instead of fighting your curls and trying to straighten them (which can lead to long-term damage), let them grow and focus on the best ways to keep your beard moisturized and healthy. By working with your hair rather than against it, you’ll be able to have a strong, luscious, curly beard.^{[13]
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- If you’re adamant about straightening your curly beard, avoid using heat, as it will damage the hair. Instead, comb your beard out, then brush it in place after applying beard oil or balm for a looser, more relaxed look.

Section 4 of 4:

Frequently Asked Questions

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How can you embrace your curly beard? Remind yourself that this is just how your hair grows—it’s uniquely you! There are plenty of people who love the look and are happy to see you with it. Care does play a factor in how well your beard looks, though, so it’ll be easier to embrace if you keep it washed, moisturized, and well-groomed.
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Is a curly beard attractive? Yes, there are many people who find curly beards attractive, especially when they’re full, groomed, and taken care of. There’s a reason why the Greeks and Romans erected statues of men with curly beards; they’re a timeless style that’s been attractive to ancient and modern humans alike.
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How common are curly beards? Curly beards are extremely common. While we can’t provide specific numbers, we can tell you that many straight and curly-haired folks sport them due to their genetics. While they aren’t as common as straight beards, you’ll still find plenty of men sporting them, both throughout history and in the modern day.