Beard Oil Benefits - the Pros And Cons of Using Beard Oil

Some people love beard oil. Some people don’t. Others? Well, they just aren’t aware it’s a thing.

We may have covered this before but we want to be absolutely clear:

Beard oil? You need it.

“Why?”, you ask impatiently. Well, we completely understand your eagerness so let’s dive right in.

Beard oil huh? What is it good for? Well, more than you might think. Beard oil is packed full of benefits for both beard hair and underlying skin that will leave you looking, feeling and smelling great. Let's dive in and take a look at them:

The best beard oils (like ours, cough cough) are packed full of ingredients that are proven to nourish beard hairs and skin underneath, repair damage to existing hair, and protect against damage from the elements (and constant stroking).

When buying your beard oil, look for carrier oils like Argan Oil and Jojoba Oil. These contain high quantities of key nutrients and Vitamins like Vitamin E which hydrate and heal both facial hair and skin beneath.

Argan Oil and Jojoba Oil can be a little on the thick side which can leave some people with overly-oily beards, which is why many modern beard care companies combine them with thinner, silkier carrier oils like Sweet Almond Oil and Rice Bran Oil.

Beard itch sucks. Before we started Mission Beard it was the bane of our lives, and it's been the death of many a beard over the years.

But that's where beard oil comes in. With its line-up of nourishing, soothing and anti-inflammatory ingredients, high-quality beard oil will relieve beard itch instantly and eradicate it fully within a matter of days.

Your hair follicles produce a natural oil called sebum which keeps hair hydrated and the skin underneath happy. As your beard grows longer, your hair follicles don't have enough sebum to go around. When it runs out, dryness and itching occur.

Beard oil is the closest thing you'll get to bottled sebum. Pick some up and start using it - trust us, your grizzly grill will be grateful

Fake it ‘til you make it. The natural oils help add volume to your beard,  making it appear thicker and fuller whilst it grows out.

This happens in 2 distinct ways:

Volume:  using oil naturally adds more volume to your beard, helping to hold it in shape, which makes it appear thicker.

Hair loss:  by keeping your beard healthy, beard oil will help you hold onto your hard-earned hair. More hairs = a thicker beard.

This is particularly useful if you're trying to grow a beard style like a goatee or a full viking beard where density is important.

The natural ingredients found in beard oil penetrate your facial hair, making it softer. Although you'll notice your beard feeling softer almost immediately, the effects will really kick in after several days of continuous use.

Incorporate beard oil into your daily routine and you'll bring life back to that dull, dry beard. Touch it. Touch it again. It really can be that soft.

While beard oil alone can't physically make hair grow faster, it will give your facial follicles everything they need to work at full speed to grow your beard as fast as possible.

Genetics play a role here, but combined with a healthy, nutrient-rich diet and regular exercise, you'll see a noticeable difference in your beard growth.

Beard tip: Our oils contain Inca Inchi oil; widely considered the richest plant-based source of fatty acids and vitamins essential to hair growth. They're also packed with Vitamin E for natural antioxidant effects.

Tired of flyaways and stragglers making your beard look more like a bird's nest? In combination with a beard brush and comb, beard oil can help you bring order to even the most unruly of beards.

Don't let annoying hairs run the show and ruin your confidence. Grab some beard oil, put it to work and bring your facial fur together.

The benefits of beard oil go beyond standard facial hair health. Fragranced beard oils don’t go unnoticed. While this can come down to personal preference, there are some incredible smelling beard oils out there which can both complement colognes and work as standalone fragrances as well.

Beard oils are fragranced one of two ways - essential oils or synthetic fragrances. These rarely occupy more than 2% of the overall bottle, with carrier oils making up the bulk of the product.

Knowing your look and smell great will be gold dust for your confidence. And when confidence is the key to success, beard oil is well worth the investment.

Nothing is perfect.

That’s right –we hate to admit it, but even beard oil can have its downsides.

Here are a few minor flaws to the nectar of the bearded Gods:

Beard oil is, well, oil. Whilst many high-quality beard oils will absorb into your skin quickly, use a low-quality one - or use too much - and you'll end up with oily skin.

This can cause a whole host of problems. Beyond looking and feeling a little bit gross, excess beard oil can clog up your pores. Leave this unchecked for too long, and the very product you've used to cure beard itch can actually cause it. Not fun.

If you're concerned about oily skin and the problems that come with it, look for beard oils with ingredients like Rice Bran Oil and Sweet Almond Oil. Not only are these packed with nutrients, they also absorb quickly and easily to help you avoid any unnecessary greasiness.

Beard oil can help tame the occasional flyaway hair and will definitely help you grow a healthy beard which is naturally less unruly.

However, like some other beard care products, beard oil doesn't add any extra hold. So, if you're looking for something to keep your face mane under control during the windier months, it's well worth looking at a product like beard balm in addition to your oil.

Beard balms are popular products made with similar ingredients to beard oil, but also commonly contain shea butter for extra nourishing benefits, as well as beeswax for a natural hold.

Want to learn more? Explore the full differences between beard oil and beard balm here.

Once you realise what you’ve been missing out on, you’ll find yourself trapped in a beard care routine that can be as addictive as it is beneficial.

You might be able to pick up beard oils online for $7/£5, but trust us when we say these aren't worth your money. The ingredients that benefit your beard don't come cheap, and companies selling oils at rock-bottom prices are known to cut corners. So, while a high-quality beard oil can set you back $15/£12, it's well worth the investment.

Take it from me - that blog post you're supposed to be writing for your small beard care business will take at least 20% longer when you factor in regular breaks to stroke that silky-soft face mane of yours. We'll be damned if it isn't worth it though.

Ok, you got us - we snuck a benefit into the cons section. While your beard hairs won't become soft like your head hairs (because that would be weird, imagine them swaying in a breeze), they will become noticeably softer.

Not only is this kinder on your partner, who will no longer have to contend with scratchy upper lip syndrome®, it's also kinder on the skin beneath. Coarse hairs cause irritation, which cause itching, which causes dry skin and beard dandruff.

Introvert? Germaphobe? A head-turning, well-groomed, shiny beard just might not be for you. They WILL want to touch it.

Friends, family and members of the public will see the difference beard oil has made, and you'll get potentially unwanted attention. If you like attention, though, this is definitely a benefit. Because let's be honest, us men don't get enough of it sometimes. Who doesn't like free compliments?

Ultimately, that's for you to decide. Take a look at our range of natural, UK-made beard oils, or check out our curated list of the best beard care products from across the web.

You can use beard oil for well-nourished, itch-free skin sprouting a soft, tidy facial fleece… Or you can use beard balm.