Beard Oil vs Beard Butter: When To Use Each

Beard oil and beard butter are two beard care products that provide different benefits — and while many beard veterans are clear on the differences and application of each, the same can’t be said for those new to beard care. 

What is Beard Oil?

Beard oil is made from essential oils that are formulated to promote a healthy and moisturised beard. For easy application, beard oil comes in a small dropper bottle to help you distribute the liquid easily. 

Dryness in beard hair and skin is one of the most common problems faced by beard owners. 

Most use a facial wash as part of their grooming routine to get rid of the excess oils produced by the skin that can get trapped in beard hair. However, this often takes the natural moisture out of their beard hair and skin, leaving it dry and prone to itchiness and skin flaking. 

Beard oil helps to restore moisture to the beard hair and surrounding skin, softening coarse hairs and helping to promote the growth of healthy beard hair. Beard oil products include carrier oils like argan oil, jojoba oil, castor oil, and grapeseed oil, which provide hydrating and nourishing effects, as well as essential oils like cedarwood oil and tea tree oil which offer a pleasant, gentle scent. 

What is Beard Butter?

True to its name, beard butter has a soft and creamy consistency that is applied onto a beard. Like beard oil, beard butter also works to keep a beard moisturised and conditioned, preventing dryness and beard dandruff from developing. 

Beard butter is often made with almond or shea butter — these natural butter creams contain lots of nutrients that nourish beard hair, much like how leave-in hair conditioners work. In addition to being used for hydration, the thicker consistency of beard butter gives it a gentle holding ability, allowing beards to be shaped and styled for a well-groomed appearance. 

When to Use Beard Oil vs Beard Butter

Despite both beard oil and beard butter having moisturising properties, the recommended usage for them is quite different — beard oil is best applied after showers or washing (usually as part of a morning routine), while beard butter is usually applied and left on after beard oil as a moisturising conditioner that can also provide a bit of style help. 

Using Beard Oil

Beard oil is a much lighter product compared to beard butter in terms of consistency, making it ideal for immediate application after washing up. Once your beard has been washed and rinsed, pat it dry, then apply a few drops of beard oil onto your hands before working it onto the skin your beard sits on. Pay special attention to make sure that any excess beard oil lingering on the beard is wiped off with a towel. 

Using Beard Butter

Beard butter provides considerable moisturisation over a long period, which is why it is can be used in the day, as well as nighttime use after a shower. Scoop out a considerable amount of beard butter with your fingers and spread it between your hands. Apply the butter onto the outer part of your beard and gradually work your way into the inner and underside of the beard. Smoothen our any excess butter from the beard with the help of a comb, then gently blow dry it.

Choosing Between Beard Oil and Butter

Beard oil and butter have their own use cases, and it’s not really a case of “which is better” for your beard. Both beard oil and butter products are often used together by beard owners to achieve a healthy, flowing beard. 

That being said, there are some things that beard oil is better suited for compared to beard butter, and vice versa.

• Beard oil works for all types of beards, regardless of length, but its effects are best seen when applied to short beards due to how quickly they can be absorbed. Beard butter is generally better used in medium to long beards as it provides some ability to style and control flyaway or frizzy beard hair. 
• Beard butter usually has a stronger and long-lasting fragrance compared to beard oils. 
• Beard oil is much better at addressing dry skin around the beard, while beard butter is better at providing hydration to dry or damaged beard hair. 

Incorporating beard oil, beard butter, or both in your beard care routine also comes down to knowing what works and what doesn’t for your beard — as with other personal care products, you may have to do some experimenting to figure out an approach that best fits the needs and condition of your beard. 

At Jericho, we stock a wide selection of high-quality beard oils and beard butter products in Australia that are made with specially developed formulas that ensure optimal moisturisation and nourishment for a full and healthy beard.