Why Do White Beards Turn Yellow? A Hairstylist Answers

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Professional hair stylist and colorist Charlie Adams reveals the factors that can turn a white beard yellow

Co-authored by Charlie Adams and Elaine Heredia, BA

Last Updated: March 18, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Why Beards Turn Yellow
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• How to Reverse Yellowing
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• Prevention Tips
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• Video

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If you have a gray or white beard (or even red or brown), you may notice a brassy tinge to your facial hair. While having a yellowing beard is nothing to be embarrassed about, you may be wondering what causes it and how to get rid of it. wikiHow spoke to professional hair stylists and barbers to learn why beards turn yellow, how to reverse a yellowing beard, and prevention tips so it doesn't happen in the first place (or again). Let's dive in!

Causes of Yellowing Beards

Professional hair stylist and colorist Charlie Adams says that white facial hair can turn yellow from mineral buildup, atmospheric factors like smog or sunlight, and smoking. Other reasons that white, gray, and red beards turn brassy are using too much beard product, and food and drink stains.

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Section 1 of 4:

Why Beards Turn Yellow

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   Mineral buildup Depending on where you live, the water coming out of your shower heads and faucets might be "hard," or full of heavy minerals like calcium and magnesium. These minerals leave white or off-white deposits and stains on your plumbing, shower walls, tubs, tiles, and sinks—and also, says Adams, your beard hair!

   • Hard water could be the culprit if you recently moved somewhere new, and you haven't changed anything else about your routine.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Charlie Adams is a professional hair stylist and board certified hair colorist with over 20 years of experience. She specializes in styling, texturizing, and coloring.

   Timmy Yanchun is a professional barber and the co-founder of a men's grooming company, Svelte Barbershop + Essentials. He's been cutting hair since he was 13.

   Courtney Foster is a professional hair stylist. Her work has been featured on The Wendy Williams Show, Good Morning America, and The Today Show.

   Marlon Rivas is a facial hair specialist and a barber. He has over 15 years of experience in managing and providing barber services.
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   Product buildup Some guys like to use products on their beard, such as beard oil and moisturizer, to make it soft and shiny. But they don't always wash them out, says professional barber Timmy Yanchun. If you don't wash your beard often enough, you may notice it turning yellow and looking more unhealthy as the product builds up, layer by layer.
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   Food and drink stains Everyone knows that coffee (which is highly acidic) can stain your teeth if you drink it every day and don't brush right after. The same thing can happen to your beard if you regularly drip acidic or yellow foods and drinks on it. The main area of concern is your mustache, since it's most likely to come in contact with whatever you put in your mouth.
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   Smoking The nicotine and other chemicals contained in cigarettes and cigars leave yellow and brown stains on everything, including your beard. According to Adams, guys who smoke or live with smokers might notice their beard becoming discolored after a while.
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   Atmospheric factors If you live in an area with "atmospheric debris" outside, like smog or dirt, Adams says this could play a role in the yellowing of your beard. This is especially true if you work in a profession in which you're outside most of the day or night. Your beard might also bleach from exposure to the sun. Unfortunately, there isn't always a way around this cause, since you can't control the weather or the pollution in the air.
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Section 2 of 4:

How to Reverse a Yellowing Beard

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   Use a clarifying shampoo to remove mineral and product buildup. Clarifying shampoo is a great way to deal with a yellowing beard if you have hard water or use a lot of beard products. Its high pH levels help it cut through and remove the buildup and residue clinging to your hair. It also gets rid of grease and dandruff flakes!

   • How to apply it: Lather clarifying shampoo into your wet hair while you're in the shower once every 1-2 weeks. Professional hair stylist Courtney Foster recommends following it up with a moisturizing shampoo, since the clarifying shampoo will strip hydration from your hair and scalp.
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   Apply purple or silver conditioner to the yellow areas of your beard. Purple and silver conditioners cancel out yellow tones. It could work to restore your beard's original color if the yellow patches are due to environmental factors or smoking.

   • How to apply it: Adams says to put purple and silver conditioner before your regular shampoo, but only on the yellow areas of your beard. Let it sit "for 10 or 15 minutes," then wash it out with your normal shampoo. Follow it up with normal conditioner.
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   Dye your beard to cover up large sections of yellow. If most or all of your beard turned yellow, and the clarifying shampoo or purple conditioner isn't touching it, try dyeing your beard. Choose a color that matches your original beard color for the most seamless results. If you want to shake things up, opt for a dye that complements your skin tone, eye color, and the hair on top of your head.

   • Keep in mind that if you have dry facial hair and skin, dyeing (and especially bleaching) your beard will probably make it worse.
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Section 3 of 4:

Preventing a Yellowing Beard

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   Shampoo your beard at least once a week or whenever it's dirty. Licensed cosmetologist Mark LoBiondo says to wash your beard with shampoo and conditioner at least once a week. You may need to wash it more frequently if you use a lot of product throughout the week, or if it gets dirty. This tip is important for keeping your facial hair clean and healthy, and less prone to yellowing!
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   Apply beard oil whenever your beard feels dry. Beard oil helps your facial hair and skin stay soft and moisturized. Yanchun suggests applying this product whenever your beard feels dry. It's also a good idea to put some on after you get out of the shower, especially if you used a clarifying shampoo!

   • How to apply it: Facial hair specialist Marlon Rivas says to pour 1-2 drops of beard oil onto your palms, rub your hands together, then massage it into your beard. Run a beard comb or brush through it afterward to smooth the hairs and distribute the oil more evenly.
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   Brush your beard to remove tangles and debris. You may not think about brushing your beard, but it's just as important as brushing the hair on top of your head! Not only does it remove dirt and food that could cause yellowing, but professional barber Woody Lovell says it also trains your facial hair to lie down properly. As for what type of brush to use, LoBiondo recommends a detangler brush or a boar bristle brush.

   • Tip: Lovell tells his clients to keep a beard brush in their vehicle's console. That way, they can brush and maintain their beard while they're commuting to and from work.
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   Avoid beard and skin products containing harsh chemicals. Ironically, some beard products contain harsh chemicals that are hard on your hair. They can make your beard feel dry and brittle to the touch, as well as discolor it. Avoid shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers, and oils that have these items on the ingredients list:

   • Sulfates
   • Parabens
   • Fragrances
   • Formaldehyde
   • Paraffin
   • Mineral oil
   • Isopropyl alcohol
   • Propylene glycol:
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   Give up or reduce smoking. If you're a smoker, it might be hard to prevent your beard from staining, especially if it's a light color like white or gray. Consider giving up smoking or at least reducing the amount that you smoke. If you must smoke, try e-cigarettes and vape pens, which leave more of a clear residue instead of a yellow stain.
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   Install a water softener. If your beard is yellowing because of mineral buildup, consider treating the problem at the source by installing a water softener for your home. This system removes "hard" minerals like calcium and magnesium from the water that comes into your pipes. A water softener might be particularly helpful if you get water from a private underground well instead of a municipal water supply. Well water is more likely to have a lot of minerals in it.

   • "Hard" water doesn't just affect your hair and skin. It can also build up and cause damage to your dishwasher and washing machine, your plumbing, your dishes, and even your clothes. A water softener can help your possessions last longer!
   • The average cost of a water softener system is $200-$6000. The final price depends on the type of filtration system, the area of your home, how much space you have for the system, and other factors.
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Section 4 of 4:

Why does hair turn gray?

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1. 
   Hair follicles produce less pigment with age, making the hair appear gray. After you turn 35 years old, you might start to notice at least some of your hair turning gray. This happens because hair follicles produce less melanin, or pigment, as they age. For most people about 35 years of age and older, their new hairs grow in with gradually less color, until there's no melanin left. If any of your hair grows out white, those hair follicles have run out of melanin completely.

   • Aging isn't the only reason hair turns gray or white. For example, your hair might turn gray or white if you have a vitamin B12 deficiency or suffer from thyroid disease.

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