What Does Beard Oil Do?
Maintaining those luscious facial follicles was never meant to be easy.
But for anyone that has spent time watching fantasy drama, then you may well have an unrealistic idea of what an unkempt beard actually looks like.
In part, we blame Jon Snow for setting unrealistic expectations for maintaining a beard. What most of us didn’t see was his full-time beard carers off to the side making sure that his facial hair stayed well hydrated and somehow perfectly faded for each shot (we know, seems unlikely in the throes of brutal winter battle, but let’s not get caught up in details).
Anyway, grievances aside, the point here is that maintaining a beard takes time and the right products. And, if you’ve spent any time maintaining your beard, then there’s a good chance that you’re already using beard oil as part of your care routine.
For those that are just taking their first foray into beard care, it’s time to learn about what beard oil can do for your beard health and why it’s an essential piece of the puzzle when maintaining a strong and healthy beard.
What is beard oil?
Beard oil acts as both a daily moisturiser and a leave-in conditioner that softens your facial hair and reduces any irritating itches you might have on your skin. Beard oils, like ours, are made from lightweight carrier oils like almond, sunflower seed, grape seed, or avocado, hemp seed, and shea oil, and are mixed with one or more essential oils to promote benefits like antibacterial, antifungal, or anti-inflammatory properties.
Every skin type responds to certain essential oils better than others. Some essential oils are better for oily skin, whereas some are better for dry skin. To get the best benefits out of your beard oil, make sure you read the label to determine the right essential oil for your beard and skin.
What exactly does beard oil do?
Beard oil leaves your beard looking fuller, keeps it tame, and even promotes healthy hair growth. In short, beard oil will take your beard from unruly, to tame, lucious, and the kind of masterpiece that would make Vikings proud.
A beard that is regularly nourished will appear thicker, fuller, shiny and smooth, even for those with thinner beard hair. Not only will beard oil leave your beard looking better than ever, but beard oil also moisturises and hydrates the skin underneath to avoid the unbearable itchiness and dandruff common with facial hair growth.
Bear oil also does its part in taming the scraggly hairs. Often more textured and rougher than the hair on your head, applying beard oil on your facial hair will make it softer and shinier, making it easier to style.
How often should you use beard oil?
How often you should use beard oil will depend on your hair type and climate that you live in.
Using beard oil every other day, or after washing should give you the benefits mentioned above. However, if you live in a particularly dry climate or have a longer beard, use beard oil daily.
If you’re new to beard oil and beard products, start off by applying beard oil once every second day, and if you’re not noticing a difference, increase it to every day. Generally, you shouldn’t need to use beard oil more than twice a day. On the other hand, if your beard is feeling too greasy, cut back as needed.
When to use beard oil and how to apply
To optimise the benefits from beard oil, it’s important to know when and how to apply it.
The best time to use beard oil is after a shower or after you wash your face and beard area. Washing your beard before applying beard oil will remove dirt, sweat, and product buildup, as well as open up your pores – allowing your skin to absorb all the goodness from the oils efficiently.
Keep your beard damp: Dry your beard with a towel so it’s still slightly damp, but not wet. The moisture from keeping your beard damp will help the oils penetrate into the hair follicles and skin – optimising hydration benefits from the oil.
Determine how much oil you need: For a shorter beard, you might not need as much beard oil someone with a longer beard will. If you’re unsure at first, use a small amount and increase as needed. \
Apply oil into beard: Rub the oil between your hands and start to massage it into your beard in a downward motion. Working through your entire beard, make sure to distribute the oil evenly – if your beard is long and thick, you might need a comb for this.
How beard oil helps your beard health
Beard oil helps maintain a healthy environment for hair growth. Beard oil moisturises and nourishes the skin and hair follicles, promoting healthier, stronger hair, and even preventing hair loss.
Beard oil does more than just make your beard look good, it’s an essential part of keeping your beard and the skin underneath it happy. Alleviating discomfort commonly associated with beards, like dry skin and dandruff, beard oil also compliments other beard care products. By using beard oil in addition to products like beard brushes and shampoos, nothing will stop you from having the best beard in town.
It’s a misconception that you need to have a long beard to use beard oil - this isn’t the case. In fact, using beard oil as soon as you begin growing your beard will benefit its overall health.
How is beard oil different from beard balm?
Beard balm and beard oil not only have different consistencies, but they serve different purposes as well.
Beard balms: Thicker and more dense texture-wise, beard balms are made for styling your beard as well as conditioning the hair. Beard balms are ideal for holding your facial hair in place and provide styling options.
Beard oils: The light, moisturising consistency of beard oils hydrates your beard and skin simultaneously. Beard oil gives your skin the nutrients needed to grow long, luscious, and strong facial hair, while protecting it from damaging external factors, like different climates.
The main difference between beard balms and beard oils is that balms have more styling power and oils promote more hydration. Both are effective and beneficial in beard health and can be used to compliment each other’s properties.