Like longships and helmets, full, thick, statement beards have become synonymous with Vikings –an image that's only been made more popular with recent TV shows and movies
If you’re a fan of statement facial hair, the Viking beard style could be for you. Here, we explore how to grow a Viking beard, including how long it takes to grow and how you can take your beard to the next level with a braided Viking beard.
But first, let’s take a look at the history of Viking grooming...
A Brief History of Viking Grooming
Vikings weren’t just warriors and seafarers; many of them also farmed and raised livestock, living a simpler existence.
The stereotypical image of the Viking beard most likely stems from the Viking chief Halvar, who is always portrayed with a thick beard dominating his face.
Archaeological digs have discovered Viking combs and what appear to be other hair care tools, indicating that grooming was important to people at the time. It’s also believed that oils and other solutions would have been used for beard care.
What is a Viking beard?
A typical Viking beard is full, thick and accompanied by a similarly bushy moustache. This would have been a factor of spending months at sea with limited facilities for shaving or grooming, while it also would have helped to keep sailors’ faces warm.
During combat, it’s thought that beards would have been braided to keep them out of the way, along with the long hair on a Viking’s head. Outside of battle, beards and hair were most likely combed and worn more neatly.
How to Grow a Viking style beard
Here’s what you need to know about growing, styling and maintaining a Viking beard:
1. Prepare Your Facial Hair
The first thing you need to do to grow your Viking-style beard is trim your facial hair – yes, really... Before you start growing your facial hair into a Viking beard even Halvar would be proud of, you need to make sure your beard hair is all one length.
Use the King C. Gillette Beard Trimmer, powered by Braun beard trimming technology, to provide you with a good base from which to grow out your Viking-style beard.
2. Let it Grow
Of course, if you want the beard of a Viking, you need to grow out your facial hair. When it comes to this beard style, the more hair, the better. However, it’s important to regularly trim the sides and outline of your beard to keep your growth well-defined – you don’t want your Viking beard to take over your entire face.
A thick, long beard needs a lot more care than a shorter facial hair style like a goatee, so you need to make sure you’re washing your beard regularly. When choosing a shampoo, make sure you select one that’s specifically designed for beards, like theKing C. Gillette Beard & Face Wash.
If, as your beard gets longer, you notice you have a patchy beard, continuing growing it out may help to cover up any of those patches, the King C. Gillette Beard Thickener is designed to work with the hair you already have.
3. Care for Your Beard
Just like a Viking’s axe needs to be taken care of to make sure it’s always battle-ready, your Viking beard needs taken care of too. Without the right care, your facial hair can become dull, coarse and brittle.
Alongside a good beard shampoo, we recommend using the King C. Gillette Beard Oil or Beard Balm to help keep your Viking beard looking and feeling healthy, soft and smooth.
From time to time, you should also use an exfoliating scrub to remove dead skin cells and any dirt from the area of skin directly underneath your beard.
How to braid your beard like a Viking
When your beard has reached your desired length, you might want to experiment with braiding or plaiting it. For smaller braids, we recommend a length of between 7cm and 10cm, and at least 15cm for longer braids.
To braid your beard like a Viking, follow these seven steps:
- Use a bear comb to separate the section of your beard you want to braid.
- Divide the section into three strands of the same thickness.
- Take the left strand in your left hand and the right strand in your right hand.
- Place the left strand in between the right and middle strands so the middle strand becomes the new left strand.
- Next, place the right strand between the other two and continue until you have just a few centimetres of hair remaining.
- At this stage, secure your braid with a band to keep it in place.
- To add extra personality to your braided beard, weave in beads or other accessories during the plaiting process.
Now you know how to shape and grow a Viking beard, discover the full King C. Gillette range for all of your beard and grooming needs, including Beard Balm and Beard Thickener.
For all the shaving advice you could ever need, explore the Gillette blog. From treating razor burn to How to Fix a Patchy Beard and Shaving with Acne, the blog features advice on everything a man can need from the best a man can get.
