I myself have never grown a beard, but many men in my life have. Whether it’s your husband, father, or brother, here are some great options for the best beard oil. These nourish the skin, help soothe irritation and inflammation, and smell nice at the same time.
Perfect for stocking stuffers and gifts. If you’d like to make your own, here’s my DIY beard oil recipe.
What is beard oil and how to use it
A healthy beard starts with proper care. And if you (or your loved one) went no-shave this November, you’re probably looking for ways to maintain that beard. More and more men are using beard oil for stronger hair, healthier skin, and better-looking beards.
Regular soaps are not made for facial hair and can cause dry skin. Moisturizing your skin is important, but applying toner to your beard area can be tricky. So how do you care for your beard and the skin underneath?
After washing your face with beard cleanser or soap, rehydrate with beard oil. These feature specific carrier oils (and often essential oils) to maintain both the beard and the skin underneath. Usually all you need is a few drops massaged into your skin and beard. If you have a long beard, you’ll need a little more product.
Best ingredients for beard oil
Recently, the popularity of beard oil has exploded, so there are many beard oils available on the market. However, some of them contain synthetic ingredients that can irritate the skin, cause beard itch, or have unknown long-term health effects. Other brands use artificial fragrances that are known to cause problems such as hormonal imbalance, cancer, headaches, and skin irritation.
The best beard oils are blended with natural carrier oils (and sometimes essential oils). Ingredients like shea butter and coconut oil are great for the skin, but are too solid as liquid beard oils. Although unscented versions are available, essential oils also offer several benefits for your hair and skin. Here are some good options and their features to be aware of.
Jojoba Oil – Similar to your skin’s natural oils and absorbs quickly. Jojoba has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and is rich in vitamins and minerals that help maintain healthy skin. It also contains antioxidants that fight against skin aging and damage. Vitamin E Oil – A natural antioxidant that fights free radical damage. It also helps extend the shelf life of oil-based products. Argan Oil – Rich in linoleic acid and vitamins A and E. Linoleic acid reduces inflammation and acne while protecting the skin’s moisture barrier. Castor oil – promotes hair growth (a lot!), reduces inflammation, and soothes damaged skin. Contains fatty acids that help prevent hair loss. Moisturizes the skin and inhibits the growth of unhealthy bacteria that cause breakouts. It increases the shine of your hair and helps prevent split ends. Meadowfoam Seed Oil – This luxuriously scented oil has a unique fatty acid profile with an extremely long shelf life. An emollient that softens and smooths the skin, prevents water loss, balances oil production and minimizes age spots. Essential oils – Popular beard oil options include sandalwood, peppermint, tea tree, cedarwood, rosemary, and lavender. They have a variety of benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It also promotes hair growth and keeps skin healthy. If your skin is very sensitive or damaged, essential oils can further irritate your skin.
Why use natural beard oil?
Here are some ways a good beard growth oil can help improve beard and skin health.
Improves patchy beard by improving hair growth. It works on beards and bare skin, promoting healthy growth. Keeps long beards tangled. For best results, follow up with a beard comb after application. Gives a soft finish to rough beards. It nourishes the skin under your beard and prevents dryness, itching, dandruff and breakouts. Strengthens hair follicles and reduces hair loss and breakage.
best beard oil
The best beard oil for men depends on what you’re looking for. Of course, you need something that will give you a healthy beard, but natural ingredients are also important. While some beard oils are effective, they contain harsh ingredients that can irritate your skin and expose you to toxins and endocrine disruptors.
The beard care options below contain nourishing ingredients and are effective. So men can grow better beards, have healthier skin, and skin that’s kissable and soft.
Toops & Company | Beard Oil
I’ve been using Toups & Co for years and have always been impressed with their products. More importantly, it is non-toxic and contains ingredients that are good for your skin.
Their beard oil helps hydrate and nourish the beard area. Contains ingredients such as castor oil and argan oil that can promote hair growth and fill in patchy areas. It also smells like a Douglas fir forest.
Click here for Toups & Co Beard Oil
Ingredients: Jojoba oil, olive oil, castor oil, argan oil, orange fruit extract essential oil, copaiba resin, pink grapefruit peel oil, amyris bark oil, Douglas fir foliage oil, horwood oil, key lime peel oil.
Crunchy Betty |Shaving Days Argan Beard Oil
I’m a huge fan of Crunchy Betty’s Kokomo deodorant and everything she makes. This beard oil is formulated to soften and nourish your beard while hydrating the skin underneath. It also helps stimulate hair growth without leaving any greasiness on the skin. Argan Beard Oil has a cedarwood-like scent with floral and citrus notes.
Get Crunchy Betty Shaving Days Argan Beard Oil here
Ingredients: Argan oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, hexane-free castor oil, cedarwood essential oil, bergamot (bergapten-free) essential oil, rosemary essential oil, lavender essential oil, ylang-ylang essential oil
Monster & Sun | Beard Oil
This beard oil comes in two different scents: lemongrass and cedarwood, or frankincense and sandalwood. Made with essential oils, both versions have benefits for hair and skin. Monster & Son uses cold-pressed organic oils for maximum potency. It also contains meadowfoam seed oil, which is great for your skin but is hard to find in beard oil.
Click here for Monster & Sun Beard Oil
Ingredients: Argan Seed Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Olive Seed Oil, Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Vitamin E Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Frankincense (Cedarwood Oil, Lemongrass Oil).
Honest Amish | Classic Beard Oil
Handcrafted in the USA, Honest Amish uses a blend of 14 natural and organic oils. Designed to strengthen your beard and maintain healthy hair follicles for better growth. Honest Amish also nourishes the skin underneath, preventing “shave” while giving it a nice glow. The classic version has a sweet and woody aroma.
Get Honest Amish Classic Beard Oil here
Ingredients: Extra Virgin Organic Pumpkin Seed Oil, Refined Organic Avocado Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Virgin Organic Apricot Kernel Oil, Kukui Nut Oil, Virgin Organic Argan Oil, Golden Organic Jojoba Oil, Cedarwood Essential Oil, Clove Bud Essential Oil, Star Anise Essential Oil, Grapefruit ( Pink) essential oil, lavender (Bulgarian) essential oil, organic cinnamon leaf essential oil, organic peppermint (arvensis) essential oil *Certified organic essential oil
Prador | Beard Oil for Real Men
This beard oil is simple yet effective. The main ingredients are hair-friendly argan oil and jojoba oil, with essential oils added to further enhance the effect on the skin. Naturally occurring vitamin E reduces itching. Pura D’or’s combination of oils helps keep pores clear and removes dead skin cells to minimize acne and ingrown hairs.
Get Pura D’or Real Men’s Beard Oil here
Ingredients: Argan kernel oil, jojoba seed oil, sandalwood oil, grapefruit peel oil, bergamot fruit oil. *All certified organic
Badger | Bergamot and Vanilla Beard Oil
Badger is my go-to for most skin care products because of its clean ingredients. Their blends not only have a lovely earthy, citrus aroma, but they’re also packed with nutritious ingredients. Formulated to soften, moisturize, protect and condition your beard. Plus, the oils and natural extracts are lightweight and non-greasy.
Most beard oils come in dropper bottles, but I also like Badger’s unique wide pump-top bottle.
Badger Bergamot and Vanilla Beard Oil available here
Ingredients: Organic jojoba oil, organic babassu oil, organic sunflower oil, organic bergamot oil, organic pomegranate extract, sunflower vitamin E, organic vetiverto extract, organic sandalwood oil, organic cardamom oil, organic black pepper oil, organic vanilla extract, organic myrrh extract.
Other beard products to try
Don’t stop at just beard oil. Beard cleansers formulated specifically for the beard area can help prevent dryness and irritation caused by regular soaps. You can make your own natural moisturizing shampoo bar or get it here from Moroccan Method.
Beard balm or beard butter nourishes in much the same way, but these products are more concentrated. It may also contain moisturizing ingredients such as cocoa butter, mango butter, or shea butter, but these are too concentrated to be used as a beard oil. Badger Balm sells a great beard balm conditioner here.
What products do you like to use on your beard? Mom, what is your favorite way to keep your loved one’s beard soft and healthy? Let us know by leaving a comment.
