Beard oil is science’s gift to beards.
Not only can it soothe irritation, stop inflammation and kill beard itch and flaking in its tracks, beard oil gives your beard everything it needs to grow its thickest and strongest.
However, use too much beard oil - or use it too often - and you could undo all of your hard work.
So, can you use beard oil every day, and how much is too much? We’ve been making and testing beard oils for years, and we’ve found out the answer. Join us as we share everything you need to know on this topic.
Daily Use of Beard Oil: Beard oil can be used daily if it's from a reputable brand, but overuse can cause irritation, clogged pores, or allergic reactions.
Proper Amounts: The amount of beard oil depends on beard length; start with 2-3 drops for stubble and increase as your beard grows, adjusting based on dryness or greasiness.
Application Times: Apply beard oil in the morning after a shower and in the evening before bed, ensuring your beard is dry to allow proper absorption.
Absorption and Porosity: Beard oil should absorb within 20-30 minutes. If oil remains on your beard, you might be using too much or need a higher quality product.
Table of Contents
Should You Use Beard Oil Every Day?
Yes, if your beard oil is from a reputable company it will have passed cosmetic testing, making it safe for everyday use. To get the full growth, beard hair and skin care benefits out of it, you should try to use it at least once a day. However, be careful if you go beyond this. Here’s why.
Can beard oil cause side effects?
Yes, beard oil can cause side effects and it’s important you’re aware of the causes before you start applying it.
Side effects from beard oil can crop up from 3 key things:
Low-quality ingredients: like cheap fragrance oils can cause itching and discomfort.
Unknown allergies: caused by the allergens in essential oils, which are found in most natural beard oils.
Using too much: which can cause allergens to build up on your face beyond safe levels.
While any reputable beard care company will fully test their products to make sure they’re safe for use, using too much can push those boundaries. If you’re lathering your face with beard oil multiple times a day, you run the risk of causing inflammation, irritation and itching, both from allergens and also clogged pores.
How Much Beard Oil Should You Use?
The answer to this question depends on the length of your beard. The shorter your beard, the less beard oil you need to use. And the longer your beard - you guessed it.
We recommend starting with 2-3 drops and working up from there as your beard gets longer. If your beard is still feeling dry during the day, try a few more drops. If it’s feeling greasy and you’re finding beard oil everywhere (hands, keyboard, phone screen) then use a little less beard oil. Or try touching your beard less. A tough challenge, we know.
>>> Looking to give your beard a boost with supplements, but not sure which are best for beards - or whether they work at all? Our no-nonsense guide tells you everything you need to know to make your mind up.
When should you use beard oil?
We recommend using beard oil both in the morning after your shower and in the evening before you go to bed.
Make sure your beard is dry before applying beard oil, because water and oil don’t mix well. You can accomplish this either by towel-drying, or using a blow-dryer on a low-heat setting. Stay away from the heated settings, as this can cause damage, undoing all of the hard work your beard oil is putting in.
If you’re starting out using beard oil, here’s what we recommend as a good jumping-off point:
Beard Length: |
Morning: |
Evening: |
Stubble: |
2-3 drops |
1-2 drops |
1-inch beard: |
4-6 drops |
2-4 drops |
3-inch beard: |
7-9 drops |
5-7 drops |
5-inch beard: |
10-12 drops |
9-10 drops |
We suggest using a little less in the evening to give the beard oil a chance to fully absorb before your head hits the pillow. Although it’ll make your pillow smell great, the excess will otherwise be wasted. On top of that, you run the risk of smudging it into your eyes while you sleep. Depending on how concentrated the fragrance is, this can be uncomfortable.
How long do I leave beard oil in?
Good question. Beard oil is classified as a leave-in cosmetic, meaning the ingredients are safe to be left on your face. As a result, you don’t need to wash off beard oil shortly after use like you would with shampoo, which contains harsher ingredients that would otherwise dry skin out.
When you apply beard oil, your beard hairs and the pores of the skin underneath rapidly absorb it, soaking in the nutrients and putting them to work. Because of this, you shouldn’t notice too much leftover oil sitting on your face.
My friend and I have the same length beards, but he uses less oil. Is this normal?
It could be, because there’s one more factor that influences how much oil your beard needs beyond beard length - porosity.
Different people have different types of skin - and with those different types of skin come different pores. As a result, some people’s pores will absorb beard oil at a faster and more efficient rate than others.
While the majority of people can go by the recommended usages listed on their products and in the table above, some people might find they need more - or less - beard oil to get the job done.
How to know if you’re using too much beard oil
A good quality beard oil shouldn’t take any longer than 20 to 30 minutes to absorb. If you’re concerned you’re using too much beard oil, make a mental note next time you apply it. Then come back 30 minutes after you applied it and run your hands through your beard. If you look at your hands and notice that they’re oily and greasy, you’ve used too much.
If this is the case, it’s easy to fix. The next time you use beard oil, simply apply a few drops less and repeat the above process until you find the sweet spot where the oil absorbs fully.
If you do notice excess oil on your beard, it could be a sign that:
Your oil is low quality, and your skin and hair are having a tough time absorbing it.
You’re using too much, and you should use less.
If you’re not sure how much you should be using, there should be instructions on the box or bottle. Failing that, use our guide in the table above.
