The beard has been neglected for the longest time. Your grandpa will be shocked at the mentioned of a beard salve. He will insist that real men do not need products for their facial hair. Well, times have changed, and the pursuit for softer facial hair has led people to seek the best beard balm.
Why Care For Beard Balm?
Well, if she has not told you what your beard is a bit scratchy, then she is being nice to protect your feelings. Either that or you actually inherited a soft beard. Beard balms make your manly mane more manageable and pleasant to touch. It also nourishes it, so that grows healthier and thicker.
When you start growing a beard, you notice the incessant itch. What causes it? Sebum, that’s what. Sebum, the oil naturally produced to nourish the skin is dedicated to your skin until the facial hair starts to grow. Seeing as the dose of sebum produced will not increase, the reserves are divided between your skin and the growing beard.
The skin cannot compete with growing hair, and so it is depleted quite fast, leading to dryness and eventually the itch. See how the beard balm comes into play?
Now Onto The Constituents
For beard balm to sufficiently moisturize facial hair and prevent the skin underneath from flaking, it will contain among other ingredients carrier oil. Carrier oils are derived from nuts or plants; they are organic and have a strong smell (not necessarily a bad one, just a tad strong, such as jojoba and coconut). They nourish and moisturize the skin and hair perfectly.
The balm will contain essential oils too. They are extracts of flowers, which explains their sweet smell. They provide vital nutrients and a sweet scent to tone down the strength of carrier oil flavors. Just a little of it is needed, and so the product will retain a manly scent.
Butter plays complement to the oils and makes the balm spreadable. It plays a significant role in making the beard soft and supple. Some of the butter used prominently include Shea and Cocoa butter.
And finally some bee wax: Wax is essential for the ideal hold. Well, don’t fret about the potential brittleness of your beard. While the pomade will contain just enough wax to keep the beard in place all day, it will not make it stiff. The butter tones it down so that you have the ideal combination that will nourish and moisturize beard.
Using The Beard Balm
Honestly, there is no formula for using beard balm. You simply need to pinch a little of the butter and rub it on your hands to melt it. It certainly becomes easy to spread when it is melted. You want to apply it from your hair follicles to the tip of the beard to ensure proper skin nourishment.
You will not need too much of it as the important thing is to have enough covering the beard. A proper massage will not only help it spread properly, but it will also stimulate hair growth. Will you need a brush to spread the balm? Well, yes, but that will depend on the thickness of your beard. The comb will spread the balm better throughout the beard.
How Often Should You Use A Beard Balm?
Seeing as it works as a moisturizer, make that every day to keep your beard manageable and soft. Most balms do not make the hair shiny, so no one will know you are using any product on your facial hair unless you tell them.
Will It Grow Your Beard?
Well, several companies have come up with balms that they have touted for beard growth. Careful not to fall for a marketing gimmick. The one thing that aids hair growth (other than a careful selection of oils) is stimulation of the skin. That daily massage that you give your beard when applying it on the scalp could be the cause for its growth. That aside, the oil will nourish the follicles and create a proper atmosphere for hair growth. So, yes, beard balm is a catalyst for your beard.
A Preview Of The Best Beard Balms That Made The Top Five On Our List
Honest Amish Beard Balm - The Amish brand is well recognized world over for its quality. The packaging oozes manliness and the content is decent. It contains all the ingredients needed for a brilliant product.
Beard Balm by Liberty Grooming - This balm’s best selling point is the subtle scent as well as its price. It especially works well for those just getting started seeing as nothing about it is intimidating.
Organic Beard Butter Balm - If you are struggling with growth, then this oil promotes it through the choice of oils and butter. The scent is not off putting and it disappears within an hour anyway. The packaging is manly and quantity presents good value for your money.
Beard Balm With Shea Butter & Argan Oil - With its superior hold, this balm will tame a wild growth of beard and leave it soft after consistent use. It contains bee wax, and so you can expect it to style your facial hair and hold it so for the rest of the day.
Badass Beard Care Beard Balm - Badass gives an impression of toughness and masculinity, no? Well, this balm is the original scent that the company came up with before they diversified their product. It is buttery, has a decent hold and a masculine scent that only lasts about an hour.
Ranking | Brands | Scent | Butter Used | Editor's Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 | Subtle. Lasts 30 minutes | Shea | ||
#2 | Masculine | Shea | ||
#3 | Subtle. Lasts an hour | Shea | ||
#4 | Subtle. Lasts all day | Shea | ||
#5 | Sweet-lasts all day | Shea |
Reviews of the Best Beard Balm on the Market
#1. Honest Amish Beard Balm
The first and maybe biggest attraction to this product is its price. A 2oz tub is priced well, and it lasts a good while seeing as it is buttery and so a little will go a long way. The constituents of this balm are choice ones, including avocado oil, grapeseed, avocado, apricot and Aloe Vera among a few others.
The company is not clear on the essential oils used, but it incorporates Shea butter, cocoa butter, and kokum. The scent may entice you or put you off, depending on your preference. However, it is neither sharp nor too bland.
The ingredient list does not include bee wax, and you can tell this from the lack of hold. While the butter will moisturize your beard and nourish the hair follicles for healthy growth, this balm will not hold any style.
Reviews show that the scent dissipates after about an hour of application, and so it will not bother you for the rest of the day.
What We Like
- Great price and value for money.
- The different kinds of butter moisturize the beard.
- It is not shiny and so not noticeable.
- The scent goes off after some time.
What We Don't Like
- The ingredient list is not conclusive.
- It has no hold.
The price of this balm makes it an enticing product especially for those afraid of investing in something that may not work. The ingredient list is quiet on the essential oils, but its subtle smell means that not too much of it is used. That being said, those allergic to one essential oil or another may be cautious before using it.
The ingredient list includes argan, coconut and eucalyptus oils among other carriers. These oils are known for their growth stimulation as well as moisture retention. Shea butter is the prominent butter used in this case to make it spreadable and even more moisturizing. The scent will go away after about an hour of application, and so it should not bother you.
This balm contains no bee wax, and so you should not expect any hold. However, it leaves the beard feeling soft all day so that you do not have to apply it again. The only downside to this product according to some reviewers is its inability to wash off fast.
What We Like
- The price is the real catch.
- A subtle, masculine smell.
- A good choice of ingredients.
- It moisturizes and lasts all day.
What We Don't Like
- The hold is not ideal for styling.
- It builds up in the beard.
This balm comes with a soft brush for application and massage. The company markets this product as a growth catalyst, thanks to the ingredients in it. Naturally, their choice of essential oil is a secret, but they are open on kinds of butter and carrier oils.
Willies Beard balm contains bee wax, and so it holds a styled beard. Those with long manes that need taming will find the hold excellent. The Shea butter nourishes and softens your beard all day, so that continued use will give you a perennially soft beard.
Some of the carrier oils in this product include jojoba, sweet almond, almond, tea tree, and castor oil. These oils are touted to be growth stimulants even as they moisturize. It also contains vitamin E. Most reviewers attest to the balm’s moisturizing and softening ability.
The main downside of this product is how it melts. Most reviewers say it would have been perfect if it were easier to spread.
What We Like
- The scent dissipates an hour from application.
- It softens and moisturizes the beard.
- The butter handles dandruff and itchiness expertly.
- It has a strong hold.
What We Don't Like
- It contains emu oil, and this may not go down well with vegans.
- It takes a bit of time to melt.
If you have a long and untamable beard, it may have found its match with this balm. This pomade-like balm is formulated with ingredients meant to grow including avocado, argan, and pumpkin seed oils that hydrate the hair from the roots. In the end, what comes out of using this product daily is a soft, easy to manage beard.
Like most balms, the natural butter used is Shea, which increases its ability to spread and melt in your hand. Some reviewers complain that it takes a bit of time to melt, and it could build up when it is cold outside.
The oils penetrate to the scalp quickly, nourishing the beard from the root and hence making it manageable. The company insists that all the ingredients used are organic and so they will not harm anyone. It has a pleasant scent that only lasts a few hours. The wax gives it medium hold, but it is best for short beards.
What We Like
- The scent is subtle.
- It is reasonably priced.
- Nourishes the beard from the root.
- Moisturizes and softens new growth.
What We Don't Like
- It melts slowly.
- It could build up on the beard.
This balm not only softens a beard, but it also leaves it quite nourished and healthy thanks to its ingredients. It is not the cheapest, especially seeing that it comes in a small 2oz package, but a little goes a long way, and the results are worth the price.
Its light vanilla/sandalwood scent lasts long after application. It has a medium hold and may not be the best for those wishing to keep a long beard in place all day (unless you don’t mind reapplying it).
The ingredients in this product include coconut oil, jojoba, argan, pure vitamin E oil, and tea tree among others. Shea butter is the butter of choice while the company includes patchouli, rosemary, sandalwood, and peppermint.
It may not control flyaway hairs, as well as some reviewers, may wish, but the subtle smell that will stay all day will have you buying it over again.
What We Like
- Subtle sweet scent that lasts all day
- Ingredients nourish hair.
- Makes hair soft and stimulates growth.
What We Don't Like
- Medium hold
- A bit pricey.
Choose One And Keep It
If your beard balm serves you right, the stick with it and be consistent to see the results. Continued use helps with growth and makes the beard softer.
The best beard balm in our view is Badass Beard Care Beard Balm. We like its medium hold, subtle scent, and the ingredients that make it a keeper. It nourishes and hydrates the hair follicles, ensuring healthy growth and a softer beard. Although it is pricier, you only need a little of it per day.
