Facial hair is fashionable, so if you can grow a magnificent beard all on your own, then you may have a superpower that most beard aficionados would dream of. For the rest of us, beard oil is the secret to grooming a beard and getting it to gleam, whether in the sun or not.
Before buying a beard oil that we suggest, we wanted to share what the top beard oils have in common and what you should look for.
How beard oil works
Yes, beard oil does work and helps promote a healthy beard. However, if you’re looking for beard oil to cure all beard problems miraculously, you may be underwhelmed by the results.
When used as directed, it can add a layer of protection from elements, support new growth and provide added luster.
Added protection
When asking this question, it’s important to know what the reasons are for using beard oil. Most of the time, beard oil is purchased for curing beard dandruff and protecting your skin from further irritation.
However, if you have brittle, coarse beard hair, beard oil also provides other benefits. For example, if you want moisturized, gleaming beard hair, then beard oil can work.
However, most guys use beard oil to prevent the dreaded beard itch that occurs when you start growing out your beard. Besides getting more biotin in your diet for beard growth, beard oil acts as a protector against the elements to strengthen and alleviate skin issues.
New Beards
There can be many challenges when grow a new beard, and beard oil prevents that itch by protecting your hair and skin. It also prevents your beard from drying out, which can cause dandruff and dry skin. You won’t have as many brittle beard hairs or split ends after using good beard oil.
What Does Beard Oil do?
Beard oil is a conditioning product for beards that nourishes the hair and skin. It works like a leave-in conditioner and contains oil compounds like argan, jojoba, and castor. Some have a fragrance and combine all-natural fruit extracts, where most just use coconut oil or almond oil.
When applied properly, beard oil will keep the skin hydrated and smooth, preventing dry skin and dandruff. As your beard grows out for the first time and experiencing itch, beard oil can fix it almost overnight.
Check out the Top Benefits in our new Guide: What Does Beard Oil Do?
In this guide, we show you more information about beard oil and what ingredients are most important, as well as the top products on the market today.
Beard Oil Benefits
When beards are well-groomed and shaped to accentuate your facial features, your facial hair can turn heads by how glorious it looks.
This is where beard oil truly shines. Packed with conditioning agents like coconut oil, Jojoba oil, or argan oil, it’s one of the essential components of all great beards.
Some other benefits you’ll enjoy with a decent beard oil include:
1. Hydrate and Moisturize
Beard oil’s main purpose is to moisturize your hair and skin. It can hydrate the skin and soften beard hair, making it easier to shape and style. If you have dry skin causing beard itch, this is the best thing to apply to your beard at night or in the morning.
2. Prevent Beard Itch
The best time to apply your oil is right after cleaning your face with beard wash. It’s important to put on beard oil first thing after you shower or cleanse your face.
Hair follicles need to open up so the oil absorbs quickly, which is essential for skincare. If you live in a cold or dry climate, then applying beard oil will keep your skin moisturized and free of itch.
3. Stop Flaky Beard
Do you have beard dandruff? It’s hard to get rid of a flaky beard without using beard oil. Once moisturized, your skin will feel better than ever and it will remove any flakes.
4. Smell Better
Light and Airy to Dark, Woody Scents If you don’t like traditional cologne or body sprays, beard oil acts just like cologne. With cedarwood, sandalwood, and argan oil, your beard will give off a light, pleasant scent.
Check out: How to Apply Beard Oil for a supreme beard.
Beard Oil Buyers Guide
Beard oil tames your dry skin and facial hair so you can shape and style your beard like a pro. If you have brittle, dry hair, then using a good oil could help repair your facial hair quickly.
There are ingredients that are better than others, and many brands have incredible formulas that do more than add oil and a woody scent to your beard. These products can condition your beard and make it healthier, which could lead to thicker, well-groomed beard hair.
Are All Beard Oils the Same?
The difference in beard oils is found in their ingredients and bottle applicators. You want to find one that has the right ingredients and doesn’t include any alcohol or sulfates. In addition, the bottle should have an applicator to make it easier to apply.
Products reviewed had varying degrees of smell, so it’s best to try a couple before deciding on the one for your beard.
What Ingredients are in Beard Oil?
Certain ingredients are better than others, and there are also some oils and moisturizing agents that can affect sensitive skin and cause acne.
What ingredients are best?
In these cases, your hair follicles are suffering from lack of hydration. We recommend going with a simple beard oil that doesn’t have too many ingredients.
You should look for jojoba oil, argan oil, and shea butter combinations to hydrate your hair and skin fully. Also, products with avocado oil have the natural fatty acid – Oleic Acid to produce a full-looking beard. You may need to apply beard oil for a few days to see a difference.
Quick List of Typical Beard Oil Ingredients
- Jojoba oil
- Argan oil
- Castor oil
- Coconut oil
- Avocado oil
- Pomegranate
- Vitamin E
- Shea Butter
- Pumpkin
- Grape Seed
- Tea Tree Oil
Many beard oils have similar ingredients, and they have a similar fragrance, too – unless they are beard growth oils. However, with fewer ingredients and less chemicals, the beard oil will be a higher quality and lead to less bad interactions between oil and the skin.
Dry Skin
Certain oils work better for different skin types and beard hair. For example, some oils work best for dry skin under your beard, but these won’t work well for beards that are greasy and oily.
Sensitive Skin
When you research beard oils, ingredients matter most, but there are a few other factors to think about, especially if you have sensitive skin.
Here are some tips on what ingredients work best for sensitive skin:
- Argan oil is best for those with dry skin and brittle hair. This is because argan oil will add much-needed moisture.
- Jojoba and grapeseed oils work best for sensitive skin prone to developing acne.
- Avoid alcohol-based products because these will dry out your skin more and cause your hair to break more.
Carrier Oils and Essential Oils
The ingredients typically include a mixture of carrier oils and essential oils. Carrier oils can be directly applied to the skin, which is why you can find them with pain relief and massage oils as well.
These oils come from the fatty component of plants and nuts. Carrier oils typically included argan, sweet almond, coconut, and jojoba.
Carrier oils can dilute essential oils to make them more suitable for skin application. Some common essential oils include peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, and lavender.
Product Manufacturing and Safety
If you’re concerned about animal testing, unsafe ingredients, or allergic reactions, then it’s best to check the company’s standards, ingredients list, and customer reviews. Most companies have a quality control department that checks the oil before it goes out to the market. To ensure this, you can check a company for its ISO certificates.
ISO stands for International Organization of Standardization, and it makes sure that businesses meet minimal international standards for safety. Other products from Europe should be approved by the database of the European Commission.
You should always check the label and look for chemical ingredients, such as:
- Sulfates
- Polyethylene glycol
- Mineral oil
- Chlorine
- Isopropyl alcohol
Why is Beard Oil So Expensive?
While you should always look for bargain buys, the best products will likely cost more than $10. We also know that price doesn’t always guarantee high-quality standards.
That’s why you should check that it contains preferable ingredients (listed above) and the applicator type to make sure it has the best chance of working.
Have you ever tried homemade Beard Oil? Check out our DIY Beard Oil Recipes.
Product Bottle Size
Most bottles contain 1 to 2 ounces of product. Men who haven’t tried beard oil may want to start with a smaller size to see how it works, what it smells like, and whether it helps your condition, such as dry hair or dandruff.
If you favor a particular beard oil, then consider upgrading to a 3-oz bottle. Shelf life is a consideration, so you don’t want to buy anything that you can’t use every day.
Best Beard Oils for Men Reviewed
We’ve tested the top oils for beard and found that these offer the best benefits based on treating beard hair conditions, dry skin, and sensitive skin issues.
1. Honest Amish – Classic Beard Oil
It really doesn’t get any better than Honest Amish Premium Beard Oil. This oil has been highly rated for years, and it helps with all kinds of beard problems. With uncompromising ingredients, your beard will always feel smooth and healthy.
Customers love the easy applicator and incredible smell. The natural ingredients really come together to create the ultimate moisturizer for your skin and beard. With its spicy, slightly exotic scent, Honest Amish is different from the woody scents of other beard oils. Best of all, it doesn’t cost as much as some other premium beard oils.
- Hand Crafted in the USA
- Organic Virgin Argan, Golden Jojoba and 6 More Premium Hydrating Oils
- All Natural and Organic Ingredients
- Softens Beard and Conditions Skin
- The Most Trusted Brand for Beards in the World
Ingredients
- avocado oil
- virgin pumpkin seed oil
- moringa oil
- sweet almond oil
- apricot kernel oil
- golden jojoba oil
- virgin argan oil
- kukui oil
We think the best beard oil is Honest Amish Premium because of its excellent formula, natural ingredients, and budget-friendly price. However, you may find a better fit. Scroll down to see all of our top picks after researching hundreds of beard oil products.
Where to Buy
2. Viking Revolution – Beard Oil Conditioner
This is a highly reviewed product. Viking Revolution beard oil uses an oil and conditioner combination to soften, smooth, and strengthen your beard. It works well in colder, dryer months when dry skin tends to cause itch and irritation.
- Tame Your Beard: Even the burliest of beards can be controlled with our beard oil conditioner. Restore softness and shine for a smooth and frizz-free beard or mustache in seconds.
- No Itching or Scratching: Get rid of the dreaded beardruff! Add a few drops of beard oil treatment and your beard will feel excellent as well as look great all day long!
- No Scent Clash: We've made our beard grooming oil scent-free to avoid overwhelming fragrance mixes with cologne or face washes, and it's non-greasy too.
- 100% Natural: We've put together the perfect beard conditioner blend of Argan Oil and Jojoba Oil to give you the badass beard you deserve.
- The Viking Promise: If for any reason, you're not completely satisfied, simply contact us and we'll take care of it.
Ingredients
- Organic Argan Oil
- Organic Jojoba Oil
The only issue we had was the scent is slightly stronger than other beard oils. You should use this lightly on your beard for an overnight moisture soak. We found that it instantly resolves any irritation and makes your hair extremely soft and pliable for shaping.
Where to Buy
3. Jack Black – Beard Oil with Kalahari Melon & Vitamin E
While this company is just getting started, the brand has already made an impression on customers with their potent beard oil. Jack Black beard oil uses different ingredients that are guaranteed to moisturize any hair and skin type.
It’s made with essential oils, beard growth vitamins, and botanicals, and it doesn’t include any parabens, chemicals, alcohol, or synthetic colorants. While we love the smell and feel of this oil, we found the spray nozzle to be a little wasteful. We prefer the drop applicators.
- Plum Oil softens brittle dry facial hair for added control healthy shine
- Free of synthetic fragrance parabens or colorants
- Dermatologist tested
Ingredients
- Grape Seed Oil
- Jojoba Seed Oil
- Shea Butter
- Watermelon Seed Oil
- Carrot Root Extract
- Rosemary Leaf Oil, Moringa Seed Oil
- Beta-Carotene
- * see the full list
Where to Buy
4. Cremo Beard Oil – Revitalizing (Bourbon)
A super-soft, well-shaped beard style requires a good conditioning product. We found Cremo Revitalizing Beard Oil to have a supremely airy scent when applied, and it only took one application to relieve dry skin.
- Moisturizes and conditions your beard and the skin underneath to reduce beard itch.
- Keeps your beard and face smelling fresh and clean with aromatic wild mint scent.
- Designed for beards of all lengths.
- For shorter beards, it helps soothe the skin and soften sharp hairs that curve back into your skin.
- For longer beards, it replaces lost moisture to nourish dry hair and skin.
Ingredients
- Sunflower oil
- avocado oil
- jojoba
- coconut oil
- argan oil
- cedarwood
- spruce
- rosemary
- vitamin E
- eucalyptus
Cremo’s fast relief beard oil also helps to restore the natural shine to your beard. You’ll feel as if you just went to a professional barber with its smooth texture and refreshing scent. We highly recommend Cremo beard oil for those who like minty, woody aromas and need a moisturizing beard conditioning oil.
Where to Buy
5. Ranger Grooming Beard Oil by Leven Rose
With 100% pure ingredients of natural oils and a slick applicator, Leven Rose Beard Oil is one of the most popular products. One of the unique features is that it has no smell, which is preferable when you simply want to moisturize and avoid any scent.
It eliminates dandruff and itch immediately, and their formula doesn’t include any additives, fragrances, alcohol, or other irritants.
- Nourishing, Softening Beard Oil for Men - This natural beard oil keeps your beard healthy, moisturized, and well-groomed. It helps leave you with a kissable and softer beard. Our beard softener also may support growth with daily application.
- Simple, Unscented, Natural Ingredients - Our beard oil contains only two ingredients: Jojoba oil and Moroccan Argan Oil. It is free of fillers, fragrances, additives, parabens, and GMOs. This product is also vegan-friendly, and we do not test on animals.
- Easy to Use - Apply our beard oil after showering, while the beard is slightly damp. Shampoo only a few times a week for extra nourishing effects.
- Dark Amber Glass Bottle - Our beard oil is packaged in a dark amber glass bottle with a glass stopper to help protect the oil from UV light rays and oxidation, extending its shelf life.
Ingredients
- Jojoba oil
- Moroccan Argan Oil
Best of all, Leven Rose was featured in GQ as one of the top beard oil conditioners and if it doesn’t work for you, the company provides a 100% money-back guarantee.
Where to Buy
6. Bossman Beard Oil
Soybean oil, beeswax, castor seed oil, sunflower seed oil, avocado oil, shea butter, cocoa seed butter
Bossman beard oil has done something completely different with its formula. The brand created a non-greasy, jelly beard oil that stands out amongst the competition.
- A First of its Kind Beard "Jelly": More effective than traditional beard oil for men. Our Beard Jelly features an increased viscosity to form stronger, more robust bonds with facial hair follicles and pores for a thicker, faster growing beard
- All in One: Beard growth oil acts as a beard softener, thickener, tamer, and moisturizer. The carefully chosen natural oils for beard care moisturize and stimulate hair follicles and pores to improve beard health so you can rock a polished, yet seductive look
- Natural Ingredients that Last Longer: Our beard gel for men uses organic ingredients like beeswax, avocado oil, and soybean oil that hydrates at the roots and locks in moisture to keep your beard looking and feeling as legendary as you are
- Made In the USA, Double the Quantity: We think big...like a Boss. Our beard moisturizer comes in a 4 ounce bottle, double the amount and lasting twice as long as other beard oil growth products
- Magic Scent: It's the original Bossman scent for a reason. Beard lotion features a warm and redolent blend of rich sandalwood and vanilla oils that create a clean base intended to highlight the bergamont, patchouli, and frankincense accents.
Ingredients
- Soybean Oil
- Beeswax
- Castor Seed Oil
- Sunflower Seed Oil
- Avocado Oil
- Shea Butter
- Cocoa Seed Butter
- Tocopherol
- Essential Oil Scent
If you have a dry beard with brittle hair, Bossman has been proven to be a long-lasting solution for moisturizing your beard. In addition, this oil has a great texture, which makes it easy to tame stray hairs and soak down into your roots. So it’s very effective for strengthening and thickening beard growth.
Where to Buy
7. Mountaineer Brand Beard Oil
Ingredients: Grapeseed oil, almond oil, castor oil, cedarwood, fir needle, eucalyptus
Mountaineer beard oil and conditioning products consistently receive the best reviews, and they offer a variety of products to help with common beard issues, such as dandruff and itching.
Ingredients
- Grapeseed Oil
- Almond Oil
- Castor Oil
- Cedarwood Oil
- Fir Needle Oil
- Eucalyptus Leaf Oil
Mountaineer’s beard oil does have a strong woodsy scent, but it’s pleasant and calming thanks to eucalyptus and fir needle oil. You’llB00H5UGUTS love the way that your beard feels after applying this oil.
Where to Buy
Beard Oil FAQs
How to use beard oil?
It’s so easy-to-use beard oil products. While you may have your own routine, it takes less than 60 seconds to apply. Here are some tips from the experts:
How to Apply Beard Oil
It’s easy to apply beard oil with a smooth consistency. It should have a rich texture that’s evenly applied to the entire beard. So you have to check the cap and directions, as bottles with droppers are best for application. You’ll get the exact amount that you need with each application.
- Clean your beard with warm water and a good beard shampoo first.
- Dry your beard completely before applying any product.
- Use only a pea size amount and massage into your beard with your hands.
- Alternatively, with a dropper applicator, you can apply oil drops to your jawline and chin, then massage into your skin and hair.
I personally like to use a great beard comb to get good distribution and even out the oil.
Beard balm vs Oil?
When looking for the difference between beard balm vs beard oil – it’s all in the texture and ingredients with these products. Beard oil uses natural, essential oils to create a light moisturizer that can easily be massaged into your skin and hair.
Beard balms are thicker, waxier texture that can be rubbed into your palms and applied to hair and skin. However, most formulas include shea butter and beeswax. This can cause some problems for oily, sensitive skin.
Some beard oils may include conditioning agents that can make your hair softer.
How much beard oil do you need?
Beard oil bottles come in a variety of sizes. A 1-ounce bottle will last you forever, though.
After looking at a variety of different beard oils, we realized that you only need a pea-sized amount at most to cover most of your beard. This is about 3 to 4 drops depending on the brand. If you have a thicker, fuller, longer beard, then you may need twice that amount or 5 to 6 drops.
However, your beard should never look wet or glossy. You may want to slather on beard oil due to beard itch and dryness, which is fine for 15 minutes during your night routine. However, you should thoroughly wash and dry your beard after that intense hydration, otherwise it could lead to more oil production.
Will beard oil cause Acne?
There are some ingredients in beard oil that are comedogenic, which means they can clog pores and hair follicles.
Dermatologists recommend those dealing with beard acne should avoid coconut oil, coconut butter, almond oil, soybean oil, and safflower oil. If you have issues with oily skin and beard acne, it’s best to avoid certain products.
The best ingredients for those with beard acne will be:
- Argan oil
- Evening primrose oil
- Jojoba oil
- Tea tree oil
Does beard oil help growth?
There’s some evidence that a moisturized, healthy beard leads to stronger, thicker beards. However, beard oil has not been studied long enough to know if it’s the main contributing factor in growing beard hair.
One thing is certain: beard oil moisturizes and hydrates dry skin. If you constantly itch and have flakes in your beard, then you could be stifling beard hair growth because of irritation. Hair follicles may be too stressed to produce strong, thick hairs, and instead you’ll find your hair is brittle and easily breaks.
In these cases, beard oil can help you condition your skin and make your beard hair glow with hydration. You may notice when you follow the routine described above that your beard hair feels softer and stronger too.
What beard length is best?
If you’re just starting to grow a beard and have slight stubble, you may not want a thick oil unless you’re experiencing beard itch and dry skin. So, your beard length and thickness will determine how much oil to use.
For shorter beards, a half pea-size amount is best, which is about 2 to 3 drops. If you have long beard hair after a month or two, then you may want to upgrade to 4 to 6 drops and so forth.
How long does beard oil last?
If the packaging is tight and kept in a cool place, your oil product should last up to four years. However, you may want to check customer reviews and look at labeling before settling on a large bottle of beard oil.
There are some ingredients that diminish the life of beard oil, bringing it down to 6 months or less. At a certain point, ingredients may expire and become too thick to apply to your beard smoothly.
beard oil for beard dandruff?
Beard oil is the first step to getting rid of dry skin and flakes in your beard. However, if you have a chronic condition that doesn’t go away, then it could be something in your diet that causes your skin to dry out. We recommend eliminating certain food and drinks prone to dehydrating your body and focus on drinking more water.
For the great diet tips see Top 10 Best Foods for Insane Beard Growth
With that said, there are other products that help with dandruff, such as cleansing beard washes. For more tips and steps, you can read our full guide on curing beard dandruff and itch once and for all.
Best Beard Oil for Growth and Thickness?
After carefully reviewing hundreds of different beard oils, we think the right beard oil isn’t necessarily up to us. Since beard hair and sensitive skin issues are so particular, it may take you a while to pick the one that will help you grow your beard best. Of all the ones we reviewed, the above are our top picks for most skin combinations.
Beard Growth Oils use potent ingredients over regular oils. If you want to grow a better beard naturally, checkout the Best Beard Growth Oils now.
To get started with beard oil, you may want to try Honest Amish beard oil first. These brands are highly rated and consistently deliver results for different hair and skin types.
