The same way a woman’s hair needs conditioner and shampoo to grow healthy, long and silky, men’s beard needs a specific product to maintain the astounding glamour of facial hair.
In this guide, we’ll be discussing what you need to know about beard oils and the things to consider before making the purchase.
Beard Oil: What is It?
As the name implies, beard oil is a particular type of oil that is applied to a man’s beard. It is made with unique formulation and ingredients because the hair on a men’s beard is much different than a man’s head hair.
According to Beardoholic, beard oil makes sure that your facial hair is more manageable for styling purposes, softens it (because facial hair tends to be rougher than head hair), eliminates the itchiness that tends to happen when your beard is not thoroughly cleaned, minimizes the occurrence of beard dandruff and makes it fragrantly-appealing.
Choosing Your Beard Oil
You may look at various beard oils and say, ‘They all look and feel the same, how can I know which one is the best for me?’ Although most beard oils have the same ingredients, their purpose and scents come in different variants. When looking for the best beard oil, here are some factors to take into consideration:
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Ingredients
In a nutshell, beard oils that contain more natural and organic ingredients are preferred because they won’t react in contact with your skin. More often, they come in either essential oils or carrier oils. Unlike essential oils, carrier oils are directly applied to the skin. They are commonly found in products that are intended for pain relief and body massages.
When it comes to consistency, essential oils are generally thicker and more concentrated like lavender oil, peppermint and eucalyptus. Carrier oils dilute essential oils and this makes them skin-friendly.
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Hair and Skin Type
It is crucial to know your hair and skin type as some products are more effective when used for their specific formulation. For example, beard oils intended for standard hair types won’t be beneficial for dry ones.
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Level of Absorbency
A beard oil needs to be absorbed by the skin so that it can work rather than being idle on the skin’s surface. Oils that are idle on your skin tend to gather dirt, bodily oils and dust.
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Beard’s Thickness
A reliable conditioner tends to work better on men with thicker beards. More so, a conditioner with softening ingredients would work best on coarse beards.
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Scent
Beard oil comes in various scent and, more often than not, the process of you picking your cologne is similar to choosing your preferred beard oil scent.
Getting Acquainted with Beard Oil Ingredients
The most common ingredients found in commercial beard oil products are listed below:
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Argan Oil
Nourished with loads of Vitamin E, Argan oil is an ingredient that can do three primary functions for your beard. It aids in managing and softening your beard and is perfect in hydrating your skin.
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Jojoba Oil
This ingredient has moisturizing properties for your beard’s hair follicles. Filled with numerous vitamins and minerals, jojoba oils can be compared to how milk works on the body’s bones. Although jojoba oil may appear beneficial for your beard, it also has its disadvantages.
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Almond Oil
Experiencing tangled beard hair? Worry no more. Almond oil works on both fine and coarse hair. It also strengthens, straightens and softens facial hair for a manageable beard. What’s more is that it helps in growing your facial hair longer, every day.
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Castor Oil
Referred to as one of the best ingredients a beard oil could have, it is the most absorbent component that helps in reducing dry, coarse and wild facial hair. In addition, it resolves problems such as beard dandruff, itchiness and helps with growth stimulation.
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Grape Seed
This ingredient is most commonly found in premium beard oil products (note that these premium items cost more). It promotes a healthy and brighter skin tone and contains antioxidants that mitigate the effects of free radicals on your facial skin.
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Vitamin E
Vitamin E, also known as tocopherol, is a fat-soluble antioxidant that works effectively for your beard when applied topically. Ideal for dry and chapped skin, Vitamin E works by keeping your face nourished, hydrated and glowing.
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Fir Needle
Oozing with masculine fragrance, fir needle oil is commonly added for facial hair care products because of its immune-stimulant and astringent properties. More so, it moisturizes your beard making it more manageable for styling.
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Eucalyptus
The most versatile ingredient for beard oils, it works because of its anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. In addition, it keeps your skin tight and elastic.
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Pine Wood
Pinewood contains the pinnacle of the moisturizing and nourishing benefits from all the ingredients mentioned. It contains natural healing properties and a unique yet not overpowering scent.
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Tea Tree
When it comes to healing and moisturizing, you’ll need to look for a tea tree in your beard oil. It repairs damaged facial hair, removes dandruff, redness, itching and keeps your beard smooth and shiny.
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Cedarwood
Ideal for men that are fond of an earthy smell, cedarwood stimulates facial hair follicles for growth. In addition, it is also used for its anti-inflammation and as a beard itchiness reliever.
It is important to note that whether you’re an aspirant to beard-growing or is donning one already, there’s more to maintaining and cleaning your facial hair’s glory. Although your beard looks okay even when there’s nothing applied to it, you’ll notice a significant difference once you try lathering a nourishing beard oil.
