Best Essential Oils for Beard Growth: An Honest Guide

There’s a reason they’re called essential oils and not somewhat important oils.

It’s because they’re essential.

But what are these oils exactly essential for?

Well, we’re glad you asked… In a beard oil, they’re mostly there for the scent. Some have properties that can help the skin under your beard. What none of them will do is change how much beard you can grow.

But with so many different types of essential oils, it’s hard to know which ones are actually impactful.

That’s why we put together this guide. You’ll learn what the popular essential oils and carrier oils can and can’t do, how our founder, Alex, uses them, and how to dilute them safely.

Now, let’s get to learning.

No. How much beard you can grow is decided by your genetics, and no natural oil will change that. Anyone who tells you theirs will is selling you a lie.

What a good oil can do is give the hair you can grow what it needs to grow healthier and stronger, and keep the skin underneath comfortable. Most of that work is done by the carrier oils, not the essential oils.

Alex has experimented with more essential oils than he can name, always diluted in a carrier oil. Some of the early ones were tea tree, peppermint, lavender and cedarwood. Back then, he’d use just one or two in a beard oil. None of them made a noticeable difference to his growth (though, in fairness, he has a thick beard anyway).

As he got more confident formulating, he started building more layered scents. The fragrance blends in our beard oils today contain at least 11 individual components, which gives each scent more depth and makes it feel distinctly Mission Beard.

Rosemary is the one you’ll hear most about for growth. The research behind it is thin and hard to apply to beards, and we dig into it in our rosemary oil guide.

As we said, there are a wide range of essential oils on the market.

However, they’re not all beneficial for your beard.

Below you’ll find the popular ones, what they’re actually good for, and what to watch out for.

If you’re like us, the first thing that reminds you of lavender oil is a trip to the spa.

It’s soothing and relaxing, and it’s a popular choice in beard oils.

Lavender oil has anti-inflammatory properties, which is why it’s often used in products meant to calm the skin.

One catch: it’s also one of the essential oils most likely to cause an allergic reaction, so patch test it first.

Lavender was one of the first essential oils Alex used in a beard oil. Great scent; no growth miracle.

Peppermint oil is the one you’ll see pushed hardest for hair growth.

The evidence people point to is a 2014 study in which diluted peppermint oil sped up hair regrowth on the shaved backs of mice. Interesting, but it’s a long way from proof that it will grow a man’s beard.

What peppermint definitely does is feel cool. It contains menthol, which creates a cooling or tingling sensation, and plenty of people like that on an itchy beard.

Alex has never had a problem with it, but skin reactions are individual. Peppermint and menthol can trigger contact allergies in some people. If it burns rather than tingles, wash it off rather than assume that’s normal.

You probably know rosemary from cooking.

It’s also one of the most talked-about essential oils for hair growth.

The research behind that is limited, and none of it is about beards. Alex has tried it on his beard and his shaved head, always diluted. He liked the scent, but didn’t notice any other difference. Our rosemary oil guide goes through what the studies do and don’t show.

Cedarwood oil is a popular ingredient in colognes.

After using it, you’ll understand why. Seriously, it smells fantastic.

It was one of Alex’s early favourites for beard oil, for exactly that reason.

It isn’t a growth oil, and we won’t pretend it is.

But it’s popular in aromatherapy for its calming, woody scent.

That makes a cedarwood beard oil a good one for your evening routine.

No, it’s not for a hot cup of tea… It’s for your beard.

Tea tree oil may just be one of the most popular essential oils.

That’s thanks to its antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties, which make it a common choice for itchy, flaky beards.

It can also cause irritation or allergic contact dermatitis, particularly once the oil has aged and oxidised. So keep it tightly sealed, don’t use an old bottle, and never put it on your skin neat.

Thanks to those properties, it’s used in a wide variety of skin care products, shampoos, and beard oils.

Tea tree was one of the first essential oils Alex worked with. Today, the fragrance blends in our beard oils, like Underdog, contain at least 11 individual components.

You’ll recognise sandalwood from its scent.

It’s another popular ingredient used to give skincare products a woodsy, masculine scent.

But that’s not all it does!

It’s often described as calming on the skin, too.

Like lavender, though, it’s one of the essential oils most likely to cause a reaction if a product uses too much, so dilution matters.

Choose it for the scent, not for growth.

Sage is another popular herb for cooking.

Clary sage oil, however, is ideal for aromatherapy, beard care, and skin care.

It’s rich in linalyl acetate, a compound also found in lavender oil, which gives it a sweet, herby scent.

You’ll see claims online that it grows and thickens beards. We haven’t seen good evidence for that.

When it comes to aromatherapy, clary sage oil is a perfect pick.

Plenty of people find its scent relaxing.

We’ve covered essential oils, but what about carrier oils?

Before we get ahead of ourselves, what is carrier oil?

We’re glad you asked.

A carrier oil is exactly what it sounds like: an oil that carries essential oils to your skin. When used alone, essential oils can be too strong for your skin and cause irritation or redness.

Diluted in a carrier oil, the risk of a reaction drops a lot. And the carrier oils do most of the moisturising, softening work in a beard oil.

Now, let’s cover some of the most common carrier oils.

Coconut oil is easily one of the most versatile oils around.

You can use it in cooking, baking, skin care, and hair care. But as a carrier oil, coconut oil is a lot more than just a delivery vehicle.

In fact, it comes with its own set of benefits.

It’s a rich moisturiser that can help reduce hair breakage, and it has some antimicrobial properties. It can feel heavy, though, and it’s solid below about 24°C.

You can learn more about coconut oil, its benefits, and how to properly use it right here.

We love a beard oil that contains jojoba oil (all of ours do, like True North).

Jojoba is technically a liquid wax rather than an oil, and it’s very similar to the oil your skin makes. That gives a beard oil a different, lighter feel from a blend made entirely of conventional oils.

It keeps your facial hair moisturised, which makes it less prone to breakage.

Seriously, you can’t go wrong here.

Castor oil used to be thought of as one of the best oils for hair growth.

However, there’s little evidence to actually prove that.

That being said, castor oil is a fantastic carrier oil. It has rich moisturising benefits as well as the ability to reduce irritation.

That makes it the perfect carrier oil when you’re first using an essential oil.

But what else is it perfect for?

Argan oil is a favourite in beard oils, ours included.

You’ll see it described as a growth oil. It isn’t, but it’s a very good carrier.

It moisturises the beard, softening, smoothing, and reducing frizz, and it adds a richness to a blend.

It isn’t magic, but it’s a lovely oil to have in a beard oil. Learn what else it does here.

Who doesn’t love avocados?

They’re great on toast, a burrito, and even your beard (and no, not after you spill it into your beard)...

Avocado oil is a rich emollient, meaning it softens and smooths, and it helps seal moisture into your beard. That gives you a smoother, well-hydrated, less frizzy beard.

And we didn’t even mention that it will also be prickle-free.

So if you’re using avocado oil, say goodbye to that cactus-textured beard and hello to a softer, healthier one.

Almond oil, also called sweet almond oil, is popular in beard oils (you’ll find it in every one of our beard oils).

It’s an emollient – meaning it softens and helps your skin and hair hold on to moisture.

Over time that makes your beard softer to the touch and tangle free.

Almond oil is also rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps protect skin and hair.

One note: sweet almond comes from a tree nut. If you’re allergic to almonds, avoid it.

So, if you’re looking for a true multitasker, use almond oil as your carrier oil.

We’ll be honest, pumpkin seed oil is one of the less common carrier oils on this list.

It gets a lot of attention because of one study.

That study found that men with thinning hair on their heads grew more scalp hair over 24 weeks than those taking a placebo. But they swallowed pumpkin seed oil capsules. It tells you nothing about rubbing the oil into your beard.

As a carrier oil, it’s a moisturiser that can leave your beard feeling softer.

Now that you’re familiar with the most common carrier and essential oils, you need to know how to use them.

Because let’s face it, what’s the point of knowing which oils to use if you don’t know how to apply them safely?

Before applying any essential oils to your beard or skin, it’s paramount to dilute them.

That is, of course, what the carrier oils are used for.

Alex’s rule of thumb: start with about four or five drops of essential oil in total per 30ml of carrier oil. That’s roughly a 0.5% dilution.

It sounds like hardly anything, but the oil reaches the skin under your beard, which can be sensitive. If you’re mixing several essential oils, the drop count is for the whole blend, not each one. And check the guidance for the specific oils you’re using, as some have lower skin limits.

Here’s an easy three-step process:

Step 1: Add 30ml of the carrier oil of your choice (about six teaspoons) to a clean, dark glass bottle.

Step 2: Add four or five drops of essential oil in total.

Step 3:  Put the lid on and gently mix the two until they’re well combined.

Now, it’s time to apply it.

You’re all ready to go.

You’ve picked out which essential oil you’re using, which carrier oil, but now comes the question: how much do I need?

Well, it all depends on the length of your beard.

Here’s a table to help answer that question.

Now, all you need to do is apply it. You’ll find some instructions below.

Step 1: Gently wash your beard using beard soap and water.

Step 2: Towel-dry your beard. For bigger beards, you can use a hairdryer on the lowest setting.

Step 3: Drop the recommended amount of oil into the palms of your hands.

Step 4: Rub the oil between your hands.

Step 5: Gently massage the oil into your beard (just like how you would apply beard oil). Start at the top and slowly work your way to the tip of your beard – ensuring you’ve covered it entirely.

If you don’t want to use your hands to apply oil to your beard, you can also use a beard brush. Luckily, we’ve got just what you need.

Peppermint’s menthol can create a cooling or tingling sensation, and that can be normal. Burning isn’t. If an oil burns, wash it off rather than assume that’s how it’s supposed to feel.

Tea tree oil can cause irritation or allergic contact dermatitis, particularly when it has aged and oxidised. Peppermint and menthol can trigger contact allergies in some people too.

That’s why Alex has only ever used essential oils diluted, and why he’d stop using any product that caused persistent stinging, redness or itching. For more on reactions and how to patch test, see our guide to beard oil side effects.

Well, there you have it.

Essential oils can make your beard smell great, and some can help the skin underneath. They won’t change how much beard you grow.

If you want to mix your own, here are a few simple combinations to start with (diluted as above):

• Tea tree oil and jojoba oil

• Peppermint oil and argan oil

• Lavender oil and almond oil

However, essential oils aren’t the only product you should be using in your beard.

If you want more shape and control, add a beard balm.

Or skip the mixing altogether: our beard oils come with the blending done for you. Our Underdog beard balm, scented to match our best-selling beard oil, is great for taming flyaways and softening your beard. Check it out here.