Tanning well with a beard is totally possible. Here’s how.

When the desire to tan comes up against the need to protect your skin from UV rays, the beard often remains a big question. What should you do? Start the summer with a clean shave for an optimal tan? Or should we go the opposite direction and ditch the shavers during the holidays? We break it down.

Guaranteed tan lines

According to a study by the Australian University of Southern Queensland, beards act as a natural barrier against UV rays. Research has shown that an area of ​​hairless skin would be three times more exposed to ultraviolet rays than a bearded area. For these reasons, it’s tough to tan where your hair covers the face. What a dilemna for those who only wanted to opt for a full beard only in the summer. When it’s time to find your razor, there’s a good chance of ending up with two skin tones. So if that’s the route you want to take, it’s better for you to either hold onto your beard for at least a few weeks after your vacation is over, or just skip having one entirely.

Sunscreen is always necessary

Be careful! Just because your beard acts as sun protection, that doens’t mean you can do without sunscreen. According to the study, the longer your beard hairs are, the more they protect your skin. But at most, your beard could only have an SPF of 21. Plus, this effect would decrease depending on the zenith angle (aka depending on the height of the sun in the sky). That’s why it’s difficult to imagine a beard being the only protection you have against the harmful effects of UV rays. Responsible for sunburns but also for skin ageing and even cancer, using an SPF lotion is necessary for the entire face, beard included. If the latter is too long, applying may be obviously be a little trickier. Deciding to shorten your beard for the season might be a good solution. But if you’re keeping your beard thick, we respect that. And the following rule applies to everyone: wear a hat and avoid direct exposure, especially between noon and 4 p.m.

Shaving won’t alter your tan

Regardless of what you heard, shaving and tanning are by no means incompatible. So despite popular belief, using a razor isn’t likely to remove your tan, so you can go ahead and shave without worrying. You just need to check that your aftershave products don’t contain alcohol (at Horace, we make sure to formulate all our shaving products without alcohol), which could not go well with the sun. In the case of a fuller beard, it’s important to continue to cleanse it scrupulously. Between all the sweat, dust, and sea salt, it deserves TLC throughout the summer so as not to dry out. We recommend using our beard shampoo. As for the skin, a good hydration and exfoliation routine remain the best way to ensure a tan that lasts.