For the true beard lover, your beard is like a baby.
Think about it – you take daily care of it, buy special products for it, and, if you're anything like us, maybe even talk to it.
But that’s not the reason we decided to cover baby oil.
We’re talking about baby oil because it’s packed with hair-healthy ingredients that will leave your beard shinier, stronger, and softer.
So, if you’re looking for absolutely any of these benefits, then you’ve come to the right place. Today we’ll be looking at what baby oil is, what it’s made out of, how it works, and how to use it.
What is Baby Oil?
If you’re a parent, you’ll definitely know what baby oil is. If not, you might be less familiar.
There are two main types of baby oil. Find out more below:
1. Plant-based Baby Oil
The first type of baby oil is plant-based baby oil.
It’s a highly moisturizing oil that’s made with plant-based ingredients like coconut oil, sunflower oil, and jojoba oil. For babies, these natural oils double as a moisturizer and calming ointment.
2. Mineral Oil-based Baby Oil
Our second option is mineral oil-based baby oil.
While we prefer (and suggest) plant-based baby oil before mineral oil-based baby oil, this is still a primo option for beard care.
The major difference in mineral oil-based baby oil is the ingredients. Instead of natural oils, it uses mineral oil – which is just a petroleum-based lubricant (like Vaseline).
Plant-Based Baby Oil Ingredients
As we mentioned, we recommend choosing a plant-based baby oil.
That’s because they’re filled with high-powered ingredients that know how to pack a punch. Some of these include:
- Coconut oil is one of the most popular all-natural oils for increasing hydration, stopping beard itch, and encouraging new growth. It’s just hard to go wrong with it.
- Jojoba oil is another heavy hitter. We also use it in our own beard oils – which are equally as heavy hitting.
- Grapeseed oil is rich in vitamin E – which has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties.
- Sunflower oil: Sunflower oil is a killer moisturizer for you or your baby’s skin. When it comes to your beard, it’s got all the hydration for shinier and stronger hair.
A lot of these ingredients are popular in beard oil as well (no wonder baby oil is such a great alternative). Speaking of beard oil, if you’re interested in it, you can learn the pros and cons of using it here.
How Does Baby Oil Work For Beards?
You’ll be happy to hear that baby oil works a whole lot like beard oil.
No, the two aren’t identical, and beard oil has its own set of upsides and downsides. With that being said, baby oil still packs a punch.
That’s thanks to the plant-based ingredients that we’ve mentioned above. Many of these (like coconut and jojoba oil) can penetrate into your beard hair fibers – giving your hair all of those benefits you’re looking for.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’re talking about the benefits of baby oil for your beard next.
3 Major Benefits of Using Baby Oil for Beards
Now let’s cover one of the most interesting parts of this topic – the benefits of baby oil.
Here are the top three:
1. Softens and Conditions Hair
The biggest benefit of baby oil is that it moisturizes your hair all the way down to the hair follicles.
Just think about it – parents use baby oil to moisturize their kids. In fact, one of the most popular mineral oil-based baby oils (Johnson’s Baby Oil ASIN: B00WEBVM5U) says that it retains 10 times the moisture of traditional lotions. That means your beard will have up to 10 times the moisture.
And a well-moisturized beard is both a soft and smooth beard.
2. Helps Prevent Irritation and Itchiness
For some beard growers, irritation and itchiness can put a stop to that sweet, sweet beard growth.
Lucky for you, baby oil can help prevent it.
That’s because irritation and itchiness are often caused by dry skin. While that’s not always the case, a boost of hydration can help keep any flaking and itching to a minimum. And that gives you the maximum growth possible.
3. Enhances Your Beard Shine
What do all bearded men in magazines, TV, and social media have in common?
The shine.
And guess what? That’s exactly what using baby oil will do for you. Yet again, the increased moisture provides your hair with a silky smooth surface – allowing your facial hair to have that reflective shimmer.
Drawbacks of Using Baby Oil for Beards
Along with benefits come drawbacks – and even baby oil isn’t free from these.
Below you’ll find two downsides to using baby oil on your beard:
1. Doesn’t Help Much With Growth
If you’re looking for beard gains, you might want to skip the baby oil.
While it’s highly moisturizing, it doesn’t encourage growth the way beard oil or other natural oils may.
So, if you’re looking to add inches to your beard, we’d recommend making your own beard oil. That way, you can add all the ingredients you want to help stimulate growth.
2. Can Be Too Oily
If your beard hair is already well moisturized, adding more oil will just cause it to look greasy.
And – let’s face it – nobody wants that.
For those with high levels of sebum – which are the natural oils that moisturize your beard – you may want to lay off the baby oil. Instead, you might be better suited with a product that you wash out after applying – like beard conditioner.
How to Use Baby Oil for Beards
1. Cleanse and Rinse Beard
The last thing you want to do when applying baby oil (or any beard oil, for that matter) is put it on a dirty beard.
So, you’ll start by cleaning it. We recommend using beard wash – as it’s the best option to get rid of any grime, dirt, and dead skin build-up. However, if you don’t have beard wash, you can always use warm water.
After washing your beard, it’s time to get it dry. If you have a long beard, it’s easiest to use a blow dryer on its lowest heat setting. If you have a shorter beard, it’s easier to gently pat it dry with a towel.
2. Apply a Few Drops of Baby Oil
Now it’s time to directly apply baby oil.
We recommend using 2-3 drops of baby oil for shorter beards and 6+ for longer beards. Rub it into your hands before taking the next step.
3. Massage into Beard
Finally, you can now massage the baby oil into your beard. Start at the top of the beard and slowly work your way to the bottom – ensuring every beard hair is covered.
As an optional but effective last step – you can comb through your beard using a beard brush. This will maximize oil coverage and remove any excess oil. For a beard brush, we recommend a high-quality boar bristle brush.
Best Practices for Using Baby Oil for Beards
Avoid Overuse
While baby oil gives your beard the nourishment and moisture that it needs, there can be too much of a good thing.
When it comes to baby oil, overuse means your beard can become greasy and oily – which may lead to further skin troubles.
To steer clear of possible overuse, start by using less baby oil than you think you need (we suggest 2-3 drops). Once you know your beard can handle it, slowly increase the amount.
Use a High-Quality Baby Oil
You’ll also want to use a top-of-the-line baby oil.
While it seems like there are a million options out there, we recommend using The Honest Company’s Organic Baby Oil. It’s made with high-quality and organic ingredients like coconut oil, jojoba oil, and avocado oil. Furthermore, it’s completely vegan and hypoallergenic – which is ideal for people with sensitive skin.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for an alternative to using beard oils, you may have just found it.
While it certainly doesn’t have as many benefits as beard oil, baby oil has all the hydration you could need.
Of course, there’s always something you can do to treat your beard better. While baby oil is a great first step, it’s just that – a first step.
For fuller beard care and increased health, check out some of our other products at Mission Beard – like beard balm, beard oil, and beard brushes. It’ll help keep your beard looking full and fresh.