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Even when you are using products on your beard to get it to grow out, you don’t get instant results. Therefore, you may have an awkward stage where your beard is getting better but still looks patchy. This is where beard fillers come in at, but you may not be convinced yet.
What Are Beard Fillers?
Beard fillers, much like hair fillers that you use on your scalp, are designed to make your beard look thicker. Fillers don’t help your hair grow any faster, and bad ones can actually prohibit your hair growth a little. But a filler is just that, something that fills in the thin areas and nothing more.
Depending on the type of beard filler used, the filler can do more than just fill in thin spots, though. For example, filler pencils can add shape to your beard or define the edges for a sharper contrast. There are three main types of beard fillers.
These three are: pencil fillers, pen fillers, and powder fillers. Each type of beard filler has its own advantages and disadvantages, so any one might work best for you. All types of beard fillers come in different colors so that you can get a filler the color you need.
If in doubt, fillers tend to work best when they are a shade too dark rather than a shade too light. The darker color makes a shadow effect giving the illusion of depth. Though not a dye, some beard fillers can be used to hide grey hair.
Light blonde hair is slightly harder to find fillers for, but there are options out there. There are even white or grey fillers if you happen to have one of those solid white beards or are grey. Good reddish beard fillers are also a little less common to see.
Since you can get beard filler in any color you might need it, the real question is what type of beard filler to get. So, let’s see each filler individually, how they are used, and a little more about them. When we’re done, you just might know which filler you want to try.
Beard Filler Pencils
Beard filler pencils are one of the best ways to help make your beard look thicker, in my opinion. Because they are not powdery, like some of the other filler options are, there is no risk of getting any stray powder on your clothes when applying it or on your hands just by rubbing your beard.
Filler pencils are, instead, more waxy. They are made from a mixture of wax, oils, and the pigment needed to let it match your hair color. As such, filler pencils easily come in a wide range of colors so that you can get the right shade.
These pencils are actually very popular with makeup artists, even if there is no hair loss. As mentioned, they are perfect for adding shape and defining the edges of your beard. They also work for mustaches, sidelines, and the edges of your hairline as well.
The waxiness comes from the beeswax, which is what almost all of the best pencil fillers use as their base. This wax sort of coats the skin a little where you apply it, sticking to it lightly much the same way that crayons coat paper.
This added a little texture too, as well as color, and it is as simple as using a regular pencil. With practice, filler pencils can be used in different shades for extra accuracy add gradual edges. Simply use a lighter pencil at the edges of your beard and a darker one further in to make your beard look deeper and thicker.
Despite being extremely popular and very versatile, not everyone likes pencil fillers as they can make your beard feel waxy. However, they are best for areas where next to no hairs are growing, and they can last for more than one day.
A Couple Of Beard Pencil Options
Pencils are my favorite beard filler. Unfortunately, pencil fillers are also harder to find in a variety of colors. However, there are still pencil options for everyone, you simply may have to dig a bit deeper. If you lack time to do this digging, here are a couple of good options that might have the color you need.
VOID Homme Beard Precision Pen
Though it is called a pen in its title, the VOID precision filler actually qualifies as a pencil. VOID actually has more than one option for filler pencils, but I think that their precision one is the best. The fine tip of the filler pencil allows you to color in your beard extra precisely, hence the name.
This pencil also gives the appearance of single hairs better, which looks even more natural. This filler only comes in a few colors, but one of these is grey, which is a color very hard to find in filler pencils. It is also made to be smudge, sweat, and waterproof, and all for a reasonable price.
MISICH Beard Pencil Filler
Unfortunately, the MISICCH filler only comes in two colors, so that is not very helpful. What is helpful is the two tips that this pencil filler has, one on each end. The one pencil side has a single precision tip, while the other has a 4-tip side to cover larger areas.
This filler is waterproof and sweat-resistant, so no need to worry about either of those. So, while there is a definite learning curve to using pencil fillers, this pencil is another good option if you fit in one of the two colors it is found in.
Beard Filler Pens
Though a pen might sound like the same thing as a pencil, these two are very different when it comes to beard fillers. Whereas the filler pencils look and work similar to an actual pencil, the filler pens are more similar to mascara.
Beard filer pens come in small containers and have the brush with a pipe cleaner design like mascara. You use this tip to brush the waxy filler onto the areas of your beard that need it. It clings to your hairs, adding to them, again like mascara.
This really helps your vellus hairs, which are normally too small to see properly. To use the filler pens, you open it up, take the small brush out, and apply it with downward strokes. The downward stroking is important, as you want to brush it along in the same direction your hairs are growing.
However, since the waxy part that you are applying sticks to your hair, you have to actually have hair there. If there is not even vellus hairs for the filler to stick to, then pens won’t really work for you. On the other hand, pen fillers do great at covering up stray gray hairs.
As a tip, many pen fillers come with small brushes. These brushes are meant to take care of any clumps and help give your hairs a more even coating. Don’t press the pen too hard or use too much of it, or it will be more likely to smudge.
A Couple Of Beard Pen Options
Beard pens tend to have more color options than pencils do, which is good. However, there are also more options for filler pens in general than there are for pencils. More pen options can make it slightly harder to choose one, but here are a couple of good picks.
Blackbeard for Men Pen Filler
This brand is all about beards, so it seems natural that they should have a good product. Their pen filler has a good range of colors too. Though there is no white or grey option, there are two different shades of black, which can be very helpful. Besides those, two shades of brown and an auburn are the only other colors.
They even show a picture of people using each color so that you can get a better idea of which filler is right for you. This pen filler is hypoallergenic, water-resistant, and lacking in the chemical odor that some pen fillers have.
All in all, the Blackbeard for Men filler has been around for a while, and for good reason. Though it could have more color options, it is perfect for those who do fit the ones they have.
Follicle Booster Beard Pen Filler
Follicle Booster has a variety of products for your beard, and not just this nice pen filler. Though this filler only comes in two colors, it has a nice double-sided feature. One side of the pen has the mascara-brush tip, while the other has the pencil tip for your beard edges.
This gives you a pen and a pencil filler for the price of one. Follicle Booster even lets you put their filler in with a kit of hair growth items. The full kit allows you to have the pen to cover your thin areas while using the other products to grow out your beard there.
Beard Filler Powders
Beard filler powders are sometimes called beard corrector powders as they correct the look of your beard. They are also called building fibers because they build up around the fibers of your hair. Where pencil and pen fillers mostly just add color to hide the thin areas, powder filler does a little more.
The powder sticks to your hairs, however thin, by a light electric charge, which makes the hairs thicker. Specifically, filler powders have keratin fibers in them, making them technically natural. As keratin is a main building block of your hair, it attaches easily and looks like it belongs.
This gives your beard a fuller look without a fake appearance. Applying the beard powder is almost as simple as using the other options. Most filler powders come in a spray that you simply spray on the area. A few require you to dab a sponge or brush into the powder and then dab the powder onto your beard.
Also, you may use a product to help the filler powder stick to your hairs for longer. This is called fiber hold spray, and it helps the keratin fibers hold onto your hair longer and better. The hold spray is done just like the fiber spray, which is to say about 6”-10” away from your beard in long, even sprays.
Since the powder makes thin hair thicker, it can also be used for more volume to your beard. Unfortunately, with filler powders, like with the pens, you actually need some hair for the keratin fibers to cling to. Powder doesn’t really work for areas that don’t have hair.
To get a fine edge with a powder spray, you can use a piece of paper. Simply hold the paper over the skin you don’t want sprayed with the fibers.
A Couple Of Beard Powder Options
There are many beard filler powders out there, but a couple of them stand out for different reasons. Though you don’t have to use either on your beard, either one is a good place to start.
Toppik Hair Building Fibers
Toppik is a very popular beard filler powder, and for very good reason. Though this filler is slightly more expensive than others, it is one of the most effective at doing its job. It also comes in almost any color, from black to auburn, two shades of blonde, three of brown, and the more elusive grey or white options as well.
This filler even has a hold spray by the same company, so you know it will work well with this powder. Even without that, the Toppik spray is meant to be wind, rain, and perspiration resistant. So, though it is made for your scalp, it is great for your beard too.
Finally Hair Beard Filler
Unlike the Toppik filler, this one is a dab-on option. It comes in a small compact that looks like foundation or blush. In addition to being cheaper than many other beard fillers of this type, it is also one of the only ones that specifically lists beards as one of the things it is meant to help with.
The Finally Hair filler comes in a wide variety of colors too. There is white and two shades of grey this time, as well as three blondes, three browns, black, and auburn. So, basically any filler color you need. It is only mildly waterproof, but it can be used on eyebrows, mustaches, and your scalp as well.
What To Look For In Beard Fillers
The first beard filler thing you want to note is what type of beard filler it is. If you have an area without hairs on your beard, you should probably stick with pencil fillers, for example. Both pencil and pen fillers are smaller and may be easier to take places with you as well.
No matter which type of filler you choose, keep in mind that there will be a learning curve. Since each one is going to cost you money, you should stick with one at a time.
Next, the ingredients of the fillers are worth looking at. Some fillers can make your skin red and itchy, especially if your skin doesn’t like something in them. Try to avoid parabens in your fillers, and stick with more natural things.
Obviously, beard fillers are not made to stay in your beard permanently, but you want the right amount of staying. You want a filler that isn’t going to be impossible to get out of your beard. If you can’t get it out, it will just build up there and make your beard look filthy or knotted.
At the same time, a filler shouldn’t just come right out either. A filler that gets on your fingers a little every time you touch your beard will be a nightmare. Look for beard fillers that are waterproof, and a filler that is sweat-proof is absolutely needed for humid climates. Smudge-proof is also a good thing to look for.
Along with this, some fillers are made to last for two to three days instead of several hours to a day. The longer lasting fillers do tend to be more expensive, but you may think the cost worth it. Finally, some fillers come in sets, giving you a few grooming tools that you may want.
Final Thoughts
Patchy beards that you are trying to grow fuller are not the only reason for beard fillers. Your beard can also become patchy even after you have grown it out due to things like stress, a growing deficiency in something, or a change in your medications.
Beard fillers definitely work, and they can make your beard look absolutely amazing. While you still want to grow your beard out, a filler can help you out in the meantime. In fact, using more than one filler can give you even better results than just using one type.
The pen and pencil fillers are one of the more common pairings. The pen will add thickness to your hairs, while the pencil will go on your skin for added definition. This double layer of fillers can look much more natural than using either type alone.
Though you can use all three types together, it is not recommended that you try this, at least not without becoming an expert at it. It is better to use the fillers too lightly than too thickly. Either way, your beard filler will only take a few minutes of your time for some great results.
