Editor’s note
This article was originally written on Beard Profile, which is merging with the Beard Wiki. It is written by the same author and founder of both websites, but uses a different voice from what the Beard Wiki traditionally uses. Some of these transferred articles may or may not have sources included.
I’m putting this one in the health category, although food grade Diatomaceous earth is great for beards and we’ll touch on that in this article. Overall, DE deserves its own article because of all of the great health benefits it provides when consumed on a daily basis.
One thing to clear up: the difference between Diatomaceous earth and Beard Powder is zilch. Beard Powder is actually a marketed version of DE targeted directly toward bearded men. Keep in mind that Beard Powder is marketed in such a way that misinformation crops up from time to time — such as hair being made of silica (it’s not).
You can get the stuff for much cheaper if you pick it up locally or order it from Amazon.
What is Diatomaceous Earth?
As you may have guessed by now, for short we like to call it DE. DE, is a ground up fossil of diatoms (particularly their cell walls, which crumble to powder). Diatoms are over 30 million years old. As it’s siliceous, DE is made up of 85%+ silica. Silica helps with collagen production, which keeps our skin looking young and healthy, while also being the foundation of hair follicles. Think beards too.
Food grade Diatomaceous earth is used for consumption in humans and pets, and provides a number of health benefits if taken over time.
What are the Health Benefits of DE?
Glad I asked! Ahem.
With DE being so extensively explored, a number of health benefits have been found, but here are a few that I like the most.
- Diatomaceous earth is a natural source of silica, which is vital to major parts of our bodies, including bones, tendons, and cartilage.
- DE exfoliates your insides as it’s a mild abrasive. It kills harmful organisms in our bodies and helps with the digestive tract.
- DE Promotes healthy hair, as it contains not only silica, but other minerals such as calcium and iron.
Does Beard Powder Actually Help with Beard Growth?
This one is hard to give a definitive answer to. It’s being marketed as such, that much I can say. At the end of the day, I would not take DE in the hopes of improving your beard, but simply your overall health, similar to ingesting biotin to improve your beard. For instance, if you were to solely take DE and observe your beard’s results, I believe it would be a negligible difference.
How to use Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth
It’s really, really simple. Take a teaspoon of the stuff and add it to any beverage of your choice. Water, juice, a protein shake; as long as you’re able to mix it occasionally, as DE doesn’t dissolve. I put it in my morning coffee and keep a spoon in it to stir.
Diatomaceous earth doesn’t have a taste, but it has a chalky texture.
For the first week, take just a teaspoon a day. After that, feel free to add a second serving; one for the morning, one at night. You can also work your way up to two tablespoons per day, depending on your tolerance. We’re talking about bowel tolerance.
Drink plenty of water as you always should, and there it is!
The Truth Behind Beard Powder (Is it a Scam?)
An informative yet funny video showcasing why beard powder isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The claim made by certain people as to how much diatomaceous earth helps vellus hair transition to terminal (among other highly suspect claims) is essentially quashed.
Products Linked in This Article
For quicker reference back to the products we’ve listed in this article, you can find them easily below.