Beard balm is a wax-like product that helps condition, shape, and style your beard, and it can be an important part of a facial grooming regimen. Beard balm provides more hold and thickness than beard oil while also enhancing shine. Beard balms deploy a blend of butters and oils to nourish facial hair and the surrounding skin from the inside out. It usually comes as a waxy paste that melts when rubbed between your palms, but its texture can range from light to thick, depending on your needs.
A non-synthetic beard balm that melts between your fingers to provide shape and a lightly masculine scent containing cedar and eucalyptus.
This natural beard balm is an ideal choice for those who want to go beyond style control and address other issues of beard ownership, such as dry skin, beardruff, rogue hairs, and beard itch.
Users of higher-end beard balms may be pleasantly surprised at this entry-level product’s level of conditioning and hold.
For those beard owners who seek a balm that is closer to an oil, this is definitely one to consider. Also works well as a skin conditioner and regular hair styling product.
Other balms require scraping and warming before use, but this conditioner is much easier to apply. We recommend it to beard wearers who want a lighter weight balm as a supplement to other beard-related products.
Best Beard Balms Reviews & Buying Guide
If you have a long or unruly beard, suffer from facial itchiness, or experience brittle facial hair, you might feel as though your beard grooming routine is lacking. Many elements can cause your facial hair and the surrounding skin to dry out, compromising beard health and appearance.
Beard balm is a wax-like product that helps condition, shape, and style your beard, and it can be an important part of a facial grooming regimen. Beard balm provides more hold and thickness than beard oil while also enhancing shine. Beard balms deploy a blend of butters and oils to nourish facial hair and the surrounding skin from the inside out. It usually comes as a waxy paste that melts when rubbed between your palms, but its texture can range from light to thick, depending on your needs.
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
Natural sealants
Ideally, a beard balm will contain natural sealants such as the following.
- Aloe or mango butter: Aloe is known for hydrating the skin and hair while fighting inflammation. Mango butter has a smoothing quality and contains many antioxidants and nutrients.
- Shea or cocoa butter: These butters make the balm spreadable, are naturally aromatic, and enhance carrier oils.
- Beeswax: Beeswax is a natural option that maintains a beard’s shape with a slight hold, though not as much as a gel.
Moisturizers
Beard balms also contain moisturizers that prevent sealants from locking in dryness that can make hair brittle. Moisturizers are often carrier oils or essential oils such as argan oil, jojoba oil, or coconut oil.
Our skin naturally produces oil called sebum. Sebum nourishes the hair and scalp while providing shine, but an excess of sebum can create oily and irritated skin. When you have a beard, it can soak up too much sebum and dehydrate the surrounding skin, rendering it itchy and flaky. Beard balm helps control this, keeping skin soft and moisturized while providing hydration that mimics the effects of natural sebum.
- Moisturizes and softens the beard and underlying skin
- Enhances thinness or patchiness with a fuller appearance
- Eases dandruff and flakiness
- Provides styling control and smooths stray flyaways
- Helps hair roots produce natural oil in a healthy way
- Makes beard maintenance and care easier
Some think the two are the same, but beard balm and beard oil function differently. While beard balm is made by blending, heating, and cooling a mixture of sealants, waxes, and moisturizers, beard oil is a leave-in conditioner made of a carrier oil and essential oil blend.
Beard balms have a different texture than oils. The presence of butters in beard balm improves spread and promotes a thicker consistency. It’s generally helpful to start with an oil and finish with a balm if your beard is very dry or if you live in especially dry conditions. Using a beard oil in conjunction with your beard balm can provide additional silkiness and promote healthy growth. It can also act as a beard cologne.
In addition to beard oil, there are additional products that can be added to your routine to maximize the effects of beard balm. Opt for a beard-specific shampoo or soap that won’t strip essential oils from your facial hair. You can also add wax or pomade for additional hold, a hot-oil mask to enhance hydration, or a product that integrates a hair-growth supplement.
FEATURES
Scent: Most beard balms aim for a musky scent that is strongest when applied and dissipates throughout the day. Popular scents include sandalwood, pine, cedar, vanilla, tobacco, black pepper, eucalyptus, rosemary, patchouli, and citrus.
Consistency: The consistency of beard balm is usually thick and waxy. Depending on the desired hold level, it can range from viscous to nearly solid.
Different brands offer different levels of thickness and hold, from light to strong. Hold level dictates the performance of a balm for your type of hair. For instance, if your facial hair is prone to get a little wild, medium- to strong-hold balms might be necessary to tame it. For finer hair and shorter beards, light to medium-hold balms should work. Medium- to strong-hold beard balms contain a higher content of wax, which generally means that they have fewer conditioning properties than balms with a more flexible hold.
BEARD BALMS PRICES
Most beard balms come in 2- to 4-ounce metal or plastic tins, with prices ranging from $4 to $15.
Inexpensive: Drugstore options are inexpensive and provide a good value, but be aware that many budget formulas use petroleum jelly-based sealants that can dry the skin and include a greater percentage of low-quality filler ingredients. Drugstore beard balms typically cost $4 to $7.
Mid-range: Well-known commercial brands and some salon brands carry lines that put an emphasis on organic or pure ingredients, which is why they typically cost more than drugstore options. These mid-price beard balms are considered the most popular consumer choice, as they are cost effective but still provide decent results. Mid-range products are priced from $8 to $11.
Expensive: These high-end products generally contain premium ingredients. Beard balms at this price point often target specific issues, such as patchiness or hair loss. Typically offered by respected brands, high-end beard balms are available for $11 to $15.
TIPS
- Don’t use cheap shampoo or bar soap to wash your beard. For best results, invest in a beard soap. Harsher hand soaps and regular shampoos can strip your beard hair of natural oils and dry out your skin.
- After showering, gently pat your beard dry with a towel. This allows your beard to hold on to nutrients and remain frizz-free.
- Work beard balm into your entire beard. Massaging beard balm into your facial hair can stimulate hair follicles, prompting your beard to grow faster.
- Trim your beard to ensure even growth. Trimming your beard regularly as it grows will ensure healthy growth and a well-groomed appearance.
Beard Balms FAQ
A brush traps excess beard balm and evenly distributes it throughout the beard, while a comb is mostly used for shaping and styling.
Yes. It might end up being expensive if you do this regularly, but beard products are suitable for hair on other parts of the body.
No, but it can promote healthier growth. Use beard balm in conjunction with a beard soap or oil for best results.
