What you need to know about beard oil for men

Beard oil.

It’s nothing new.

If you have a beard, then there’s a good chance social media algorithms have made sure you’ve seen that beard oil exists, whether that’s our own ads or somebody else's.

The continuous popularity of it amongst the beardiest of men proves it’s certainly not the fad many negative nancies originally tried to portray it as.

Not only that, but the ingredients included in the latest formulations and the many wonderful fragrances that have been designed by the companies that produce them have evolved to a point of quintessential luxury.

That certainly doesn’t mean you have to fork out for premium pricetags, though. There are beard oils out there to suit a variety of preferences, requirements and budgets.

In this article, we’re going to cover everything there is to know about beard oil, what to look for in your choice of beard oil, whether it's worth buying, why you should be using it, and how to use it, amongst other things.

If you do happen to be new to the beardy world and have yet to discover the wonders of beard oil, allow us to explain.

Beard oil, in its most basic definition, is a particular combination of oils that is designed to soften and condition facial hair, which is often more coarse than the hair anywhere else on your body.

This renders the beard softer and may help mould any frizz into a form that is more sleek and rounded.

The use of the appropriate components may also help to avoid split ends, which is of critical importance if you have a beard that is a longer style.

Additionally, it often has a pleasant aroma, unless you don't want it to, which is always a plus, however the advantages of using a beard oil go much farther than that, too.

The best beard oils of the bunch will likely include vitamin E, which is  proven to assist hair growth , as well as some of those fancy oils that you’ve been reading on your wife’s shampoo bottles and make up most of your supermarket shopping bill.

These oils include argan and jojoba oils, sweet almond oil, Inca inchi oil and more, each of which provide its own beautiful benefits for your burly beard.

This being said, some beard oils have been known to contain some harsh chemicals and various ingredients that should probably be avoided, especially by those of you that have sensitive skin.

Ingredients to look out for and avoid include silicones, sulfates, siloxanes, parabens, Propylene glycol, urea, aluminium and synthetic fragrances.

Some of these aren’t as bad as they sound, but they may still wreak havoc by depriving your beard of elements that would be much more useful to your facial hair.

Time to talk about the benefits of beard oil - something we find ourselves doing more than anything else outside actually making beard oil and asking to try new craft beers.

Beard oil can and is used for a number of reasons.

Whether you’re simply trying to groom your beard and have it look tidier, or you’re trying to fix an issue that you know is caused by your beard growth, there’s a good chance a beard oil - containing only natural oils of course - is the solution you’ve been searching for.

Those rambunctious stragglers will no longer be in charge. Beard oil unifies all of your facial hair and allows you to achieve the beard style of your dreams.

Your beard will also look shinier after it has been treated with beard oil, but if this is not the beard style you want and you prefer a matte look, try beard balm instead.

Beard oil, when made with the appropriate components, may help your beard grow stronger, thicker, and quicker.

Oils that include some of the more premium components, such as argan and Inca inchi, as well as vitamins that are important for hair development and Vitamin E for natural antioxidant properties.

Beard oil is an excellent conditioner that works by softening facial hair to revitalise drab, lifeless beards. You'll be amazed at just how soft your beard can really be - but try not to touch it too often!

The greatest beard oils, like our very own, include ingredients like almond oil, jojoba oil, and vitamin E to keep the skin underneath your beard in tip-top shape.

Got the dreaded beard dandruff? By combining a number of high-quality oils, beard oil can fix this by moisturising and hydrating the dry skin on your face.

If you suffer from beard dandruff, the use of beard oil should certainly not be overlooked - even the most budget beard oil will do a good job of hydrating your skin.

Having any kind of beard product in your hair, whether that be beard oil or beard balm, will make your facial hair appear as if it grows out fuller.

If you’re after a genuinely fuller beard, it may be worth giving beard growth serum a try instead, which can wake up dormant hair follicles and fill in those patches within months.

Beard oils with fragrances don't go unnoticed. Some beard oils nowadays smell wonderful and may even double as a cologne, saving you money. Beard oil is also available sans parfum - that’s fragrance-free - so you won't have to choose between your cologne and your beard.

Taking all of the above benefits into account, there could be anywhere between one and six reasons why you personally could make the most of beard oil.

We’re all different and so are our beards.

If only it was that simple.

Spent much time on Twitter? There are some serious opinions out there.

This is why it’s hard to give a definitive best beard oil, even though there are dozens of great options.

We could quite easily just push our own beard oils here as everybody else does, but we like to play it fair.

And while our own beard oils do contain some of the most premium ingredients out there, they may exclude a particular ingredient that better meets your requirements, or you simply may not like our scents (how dare you).

But what we’re getting at is the best beard oils for you are the ones that best suit your needs and requirements.

If you’re after a particular scent, then as long as the oil is of decent quality and does not contain any sulfates, parabens and the like, then it will be your best beard oil.

You may have heard there are other beard grooming products on the market as well as beard oil.

Hopefully, this is joyous news and you are not overwhelmed, as there’s plenty more to get through yet.

So, how do beard oil and beard wash differ?

Your beard hair, like the hair on your head, is prone to becoming dry and fragile. As a result, you must feed it on a regular basis to maintain it looking healthy and happy.

Beard oil can alternatively be seen as a beard hair moisturiser or leave-in conditioner that will make your beard smoother, shinier, and more manageable to comb.

Beard Wash, on the other hand, which can also be called beard shampoo, is for, well, it’s in the name, really.

Beards can be a magnet for the filth that plagues this earth, and they require cleaning at least twice a week.

Beard Wash should be used in place of regular soaps and shower gels as it is much kinder on your facial skin, which isn’t as tough as the scalp, and treats your facial hair appropriately.

Gents, instructions are okay sometimes - especially when they’re helping you get the best out of your pride and joy.

Applying beard oil is of course easy, however we often see it done wrong.

This can mostly be blamed on the ridiculous pictures that are often pasted alongside articles like this. You know, the ones with a bloke pipetting oil directly onto his beard at an awkward angle?

So, here’s  how to apply beard oil in 5 absolutely necessary steps:

1. Brush and comb your beard. This will clear your pores for easier absorption and remove any loose hairs that don’t deserve beard oil anymore. This step is of course optional if you’re in a rush but it is highly recommended for achieving optimal groomth.

2. Start using the word “groomth”.

3. Depending on your beard length, pipette the appropriate number of drops of beard oil to your hand. Shorter beards will only need 2-3 - longer beards will require 3-5. For most beards, a few drops will be enough. You’ll soon get a feel for how much beard oil is too much.

4. Rub hands together to get an even spread, then massage it into your facial hair and moustache.

5. When each and every one of your facial follicles has had their thirst quenched, comb the oil through and wash your hands.

If you were overwhelmed to discover the existence of beard wash earlier, we’ve got more bad news.

Those of you that instantaneously grabbed your wallet and typed “Amazon” into your search bar… well… we like you more.

The truth is, there is quite a number of products that you’ll find can be added to your beard grooming kit, from the beard brush to the razor.

Some of these products seem quite similar or promise to do the same job as one another, however, there is always a reason why you would definitely want one of each in your beard kit.

Beard balm provides all of the same benefits as beard oil but features ingredients like shea butter, beeswax and aloe vera alongside essential oils, avocado oil and coconut oil to allow for slower absorption while still treating the skin beneath.

This slower absorption means your beard balm will sit on your beard for longer and it will allow you to  shape your beard  into slightly more gravity-defying styles.

So when it comes to the difference between beard oil and beard balm, we’re talking about the viscosity of the ingredients included and the overall appearance of your beard post-grooming.

We’ve already covered what beard wash is in this article, but it’s always good to clarify.

Beard Wash can be seen as a shampoo for your face, which, in comparison to standard head hair shampoo, is much gentler on your facial hair as well as the skin beneath your beard.

Beard wash can soften coarse hair and allow for softer skin through hydration and lack of harsh chemicals, clean out all of the accumulated dirt that has made its way in since the last wash and leave your beard looking shinier.

Beard growth serum is also quite similar to beard oil in that it can contain a lot of the same ingredients and do a similar job, but you’ll find an additional ingredient in there that will not be found in your beard oil called minoxidil.

Minoxidil is a topical treatment that promotes hair growth and slows balding. It works best as a proactive treatment in earlier years but can still help in a reactive sense when you begin to notice some changes.

And just like the best beard oils, beard growth serum can contain argan oil as well as various other nourishing oils that can treat coarse beards and the skin underneath.

Beard growth serum is typically more expensive than beard oil, though, so if you’re not experiencing any of the dreaded hair loss symptoms, regular beard oil will be all you need.