Beard Oil vs Beard Balm

Both beard oils and beard balms can help condition your beard, however there are a few key differences between these products:

1. Some men claim to use a combination of both, applying beard oil before going to bed at night and using beard balm during the day before styling their beard with a comb or brush. The theory behind this approach is that you want to have well-conditioned facial hair when you sleep so that your beard will continue to be soft as it grows. Alternatively, beard balm provides a stronger hold that beard oil doesn't have for styling purposes.

2. Beard oils are generally made from lighter carrier oils and contain nourishing essential fatty acids (like jojoba oil) as well as vitamins and minerals (like vitamin E). The idea is to soften the beard hair because facial hair has a harder time staying hydrated than the hair on your head because it's coarser. In contrast, beard balms often use heavier butters – like shea – that moisturize your beard without penetrating too deeply into the whiskers where they might weigh down your beard or cause knots and split ends.

3. Most beard oils will spread more easily than beard balms and require less work to distribute evenly, which is why beard oils generally have a light consistency. Beard balms often provide a thicker barrier between your beard and the elements – i.e., wind, moisture – that can cause dryness and damage to beard hairs.

Essential beard oil ingredients

1. Argan Oil

Argan oil is an excellent beard oil ingredient because it helps keep beards healthy and hydrated without weighing them down or making them look greasy. In fact, argan oil contains essential fatty acids as well as vitamin E to nourish facial hair from the root all the way to the tip of each hair strand . Argan oil also has anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce redness in acne , for example, not to mention it smells fantastic .

2. Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil – also known as a liquid wax – is another beard oil base for beard care that's packed with nourishing fatty acids and vitamin E to hydrate your beard from the root all the way to each individual beard hair. Just keep in mind that jojoba oil is heavier than argan , so if you have a shorter beard or more of a peach fuzz -style beard, then you might want to try something more lightweight like castor or grapeseed oils instead . One note: jojoba has a stronger scent than argan and is often described as musky and earthy , which may or may not work for you depending on what type of beard oil scent you like and what beard oil ingredients your beard prefers.

3. Grapeseed Oil

Grapeseed oil is another beard oil base that's especially lightweight and packed with vitamin E, which means it helps repair damaged beard hairs . It also penetrates the beard quickly and easily without clogging pores or giving off a greasy feel. Many beardsmen prefer using grapeseed oil as an aftershave because of its skin healing properties. If you're unsure about whether or not beard balm vs beard oil are right for your beard, give grapeseed oil a shot before purchasing additional products.

4. Virgin Coconut Oil

Like jojoba , coconut oil has moisturizing properties but it penetrates the beard more deeply to help beard hairs become stronger and more resilient. Coconut oil also has a subtle , sweet scent that's not overwhelming so it works well with other beard oil ingredients to create beard oils with unique scents (which is why you often see coconut oil paired with essential oils like vanilla, for example). Just keep in mind that virgin coconut oil may be comedogenic – i.e., clog pores – if you have very sensitive skin .

5. Shea Butter

Shea butter is an excellent beard care ingredient because it contains high levels of vitamin E and fatty acids as well as several antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. It provides a lot of hydrating benefits like jojoba but without leaving beard hair feeling or looking greasy. Shea beard oil also has a thick consistency but absorbs nicely due to its light, non-greasy beard oil base.

6. Essential Oils

Essential oils are added to beard oils not just for their beard hair benefits, but because they smell great too . Many beard oils use essential oils that are masculine in scent – like cedarwood, sandalwood , or vanilla – however beardsmen with sensitive skin may want to avoid beard oil scents with synthetic fragrances because these can irritate your beard and cause discomfort.

7. Argan Oil vs Jojoba Oil vs Grapeseed Oil: Which is Best? And What Are the Differences?

Argan oil beard oil is often described as lightweight with a non - greasy feel that penetrates quickly and easily . It can be comedogenic , which means it may clog pores on beard hair follicles, so beardsmen with sensitive skin should avoid using argan oil beard oil if they experience beard acne . Argan oil beard oil is also slightly more expensive than other beard oils.