If you’re an aspiring beard grower, there’s nothing worse than having to shave your beard off because it isn’t growing fast enough to reach the length you want. But with the right products and tools, it can grow much faster, making each passing day more exciting as you see the progress that you’ve made. These 10 products will help your beard grow faster, stronger, and healthier so that you can show everyone what you’re capable of at this early stage in your beard journey.

1) Shampoo

Shampoos with ketoconazole, pyrithione zinc or selenium sulfide can help reduce itchy beards by killing off fungal infections that are known irritants of hair follicles. Shampooing regularly will also help clean your beard of food particles, oils and anything else that may be making your beard feel a bit greasy.

2) Conditioner

Treat your beard hair like you would your normal hair. Most beardsmen will agree that conditioner is a staple for keeping a healthy beard; one way to ensure good beard growth is by applying conditioner after shampooing. If you don’t have a special beard conditioner, any regular moisturizing conditioner will do. Just make sure it contains no mineral oil or lanolin, which are both bad news for beards.

3) Do’s (helpful tips)

Do’s (things you should do): Even if your beard grows at a healthy pace, many men want to speed up their bearding process. This can be achieved by using some of these helpful tips: Ensure your diet is adequate in protein. If you’re trying to grow out a big beard, you need enough nutrients. Include foods that are rich in zinc and vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, and E.

4) Don’ts (unhelpful actions you should avoid)

Wash your beard too often. Washing your beard every day is a terrible idea because it’s hard on your skin, which can lead to dryness, itching and flaking. Also, washing will make your hair follicles brittle and weak, which means they won’t be able to absorb nutrients that help promote healthy growth. In fact, washing too often can actually make it even harder for your hair to grow! It’s better if you only wash once or twice a week at most.

5) Vitamins / supplements

There are a lot of products on the market that promise fast, significant results when it comes to beard growth. It’s not uncommon for these products to cost $20+ per bottle either. With so many items popping up left and right, how can you be sure what product is best? Let’s break it down by category.

6) Comb

While a beard does make you look manlier, it’s also a lot of work. To keep your beard looking sharp, you’ll want to keep it in good shape. There are lots of hair care products out there, but one tool you should always have on hand is a comb. Be sure to choose a high-quality one that won’t snag your hair or make it feel stiff.

7) Trimmers

Keeping your facial hair trimmed is vital for good beard growth, so make sure you invest in a high-quality trimmer. One of our favorites is Norelco’s Multigroom 7100 ( $44.99, Amazon ). This versatile tool has 19 different attachments that give you all sorts of options for trimming your beard at home or on-the-go, including a high-performance vacuum system that will catch loose hairs as you cut them down.

8) Leave-in conditioners

The best leave-in conditioners contain ingredients like aloe vera, sunflower seed oil, and jojoba oil. These ingredients help hydrate your skin and soften your beard. You can also use a leave-in conditioner after you wash your face in order to add some moisture back into your beard. Conditioning your beard helps encourage healthy hair growth while preventing dandruff and split ends.

9) Creams and oils

The best way to use beard oils is right after you’ve washed your face. This helps keep hair moisturized throughout the day, preventing any dryness that may affect growth. There are a number of beard oil brands that offer samples, so be sure to stock up if you find one you like.

10) Brushes

Of all of your beard-grooming tools, brushes are one of your most important weapons in fighting coarse, unruly hair. The right brush will help soften your beard while separating strands and distributing natural oils. There are a lot of different brushes available on Amazon , but we like (and use) both Kent’s brush and Grooming Lounge’s brush . Both are reasonably priced, easy to use, easy to clean—and great for any kind of facial hair.