Introduction and history
Beard balm is a kind of conditioner for your beard. It has a double function: It provides hydration while also keeping your beard in shape, so it’s a styling product as well.
Beard balm moisturizes the skin under your beard throughout the day and always keeps the beard in perfect condition.
The volume in the beard comes naturally, but achieving a beautiful beard style does not. Once you let your beard grow, it will come.
This is called “sprawl,” when the beard grows in all directions. If you just let the beard hair grow, you will also have to deal with dry skin and perhaps even dandruff.
To prevent this, beard balm is the best solution. Not to mention you can also style the beard with the balm.
Check out the best beard balm here.
The beard has long had socio-cultural significance.
Styling or shaving your beard used to be something you didn’t just do, although some people did as far back as the first Egyptian dynasties.
The beard had a strong socio-cultural significance for a long time. This is still true in some circles, where shaving or grooming the beard is considered sacrilege.
Romans saw it differently: They saw shaving one’s beard as showing youthfulness, while people in the Macedonian era believed that a beard indicated wisdom.
Things are pretty different these days. The beard is back in all its guises.
→ Read more: The best beard styles of this year
The full beard, goatee and ring beard have all made a big comeback. The biggest difference with earlier times is that we now care for our beards.
The beard is modernized and groomed. In contrast to earlier eras, the beard and the skin underneath are always kept in good condition.
The Egyptians and the Romans weren’t equipped to do that (although it is likely that olive oil was used to keep the skin healthy. Olive oil is often used as a carrier oil and ingredient in skin care because of its nourishing properties).
Which carrier oils contain beard balm?
Carrier oil is also referred to as carrier oil or vegetable oil. The oil is used, among other things, to make essential oils and other substances thinner so that they can be applied to the skin.
The oil then doesn’t contain a concentrated scent, unlike essential oils. Carrier oils don’t evaporate, whereas essential oil does. Another characteristic of carrier oils is that they are as natural as possible.
Cold pressing is often used in the production of the oil. Within the carrier oil category, there are oils with different properties.
For example, grapeseed oil is very thin while an oil such as olive oil is thicker. The advantage of carrier oil is that you can mix different ones.
That way, you can reap all of their different benefits at the same time. Think of sweet almond oil, avocado oil, apricot oil, sunflower oil, jojoba oil, sesame oil, rapeseed oil and rosehip oil.
Beard balm often has at least jojoba and argan oil. These are two natural ingredients and are super nourishing, making them good for both the skin and the hair.
Shea butter is also often used in a beard balm.
You’ll also often find shea butter listed as an ingredient in beard balm.
That’s the ingredient that helps to style the hair.
The more shea butter there is in the balm, the firmer your style and the longer your beard will stay in shape.
For many people, the choice between beard balm and oil is and remains a difficult one. One thing to keep in mind is that the texture of balm is much stronger than that of beard oil.
Why use beard balm?
Beard balm is used to tame a wild beard and to condition the skin underneath.
- Styling your beard. Beard balm gives you a certain amount of hold, which makes it easier to style rebellious beard hair. Due to its natural ingredients, balm washes out easily as well.
- Moisturizing your skin. During the growth process, the beard hairs absorb the body’s natural oils from the sebaceous glands, causing the skin underneath to dry out, resulting in itching and dandruff.
When using balm, your skin won’t dry out and you won’t get dandruff in your beard.
Each hair starts in a hair follicle under the skin. This is also where the sebaceous glands are located. These glands produce oils that ensure everything stays in good condition and your skin doesn’t dry out.
Obviously, when the hair follicles start to work harder — when the beard starts to grow — they also need more nourishment and hydration.
The moment you start to grow your beard, the beard hairs absorb all the naturally produced oil, meaning it no longer ends up on your skin. The skin underneath your beard will therefore dry out, which results in an itchy beard and dandruff.
When using beard balm, you prevent this from happening. You won’t have to deal with itching or beard dandruff.
With balm, the skin under your beard remains in perfect condition.
Beard balm always ensures that the skin under the beard is kept in good health, which helps you control your beard growth better.
Beard balm is also seen as a kind of supplement for keeping the skin in perfect condition.
Top 5 Beard Balms to Try!
Scroll on down to check out the Top 5 Beard Balms we recommend! Yet if you’re looking for specific cases, here’s a quick introduction to some products:
Content:- Best Smelling Beard Balm
- Best Easy-to-Use Beard Balm
- Best Beard Balm for All Types
- Best Conditioning Beard Balm
- Best Hydrating Beard Balm
There are three types of beard balms: Light, Medium, and Strong Hold balms. These are some of the most important things when it comes to choosing your next beard balm.
Light Hold Balms are for those that sport a thinner mane and might only keep their hold for about an hour or less.
Medium Hold Balms are for those with a slightly thicker mane and are looking to keep their beard in shape for a few hours.
If you noticed that your beard still seems to have strays after using a light or medium-hold balm, then maybe you should try a Strong Hold Balm.
Strong Hold Balms are for those with thick-haired beards and find it difficult to keep their beard in shape. A strong-hold balm might just be able to tame your mane and you might be able to keep that look for several or maybe even throughout the day.
You should also consider how long you’re looking to keep your beard in shape when choosing the type of hold your beard balm could give. The longer you want to keep the style, the stronger your hold should be.
Honest Amish Beard Balm
Light hold balm
Hold Strength
Moisturizing
Scent
Good for Beard Growth
Price
Honest Amish Beard Balm is hand-crafted in the USA. There are reviews that say that upon first application, it might be heavy, but once it dries, it’s very lightweight.
The Honest Amish Beard Balm is best for coarse hair types. It comes with several scents, and even though it is a light hold balm, some reviews say that it lasted a whole day.
You might need to re-apply somewhere throughout the day, but you’d only be needing a smaller amount than what you originally put. This product can be used daily.
Pros & Cons
- Mild and Citrusy scent
- Almost immediate results
- Good for daily use
- Product is a bit thicker than one would expect
Wild Willie's Beard Balm
Strong hold
Hold Strength
Moisturizing
Scent
Good for beard growth
Price
Using all natural ingredients such as Shea Butter, Argan Oil, Beeswax, Jojoba Oil, and 9 other organic ingredients.
Wild Willies Beard Co.’s Premium Beard Balm is most suitable for those with damaged/coarse hair types. It is mostly made with organic ingredients and reduces irritation and prevents beard dandruff. A lot of reviews also mentioned that the product gives off a strong scent at first, but eventually fades throughout the day.
It does a great job of moisturizing both the beard itself and the skin underneath it. This product can be used daily.
Pros & Cons
- Made with organic ingredients
- Heavily moisturizes and promotes beard growth
- Reduces irritation and prevents beard dandruff
- Might have to reapply somewhere throughout the day
Cremo Mind Blend Styling Beard Balm
Strong hold
Hold Strength
Moisturizing
Scent
Good for beard growth
Price
Cremo’s Styling Beard Balm in Mint Blend is premium barber grade quality. Meaning that this stuff is often used in the professional world.
Due to the various essential oils that were used for this product, it was basically designed to soothe, soften, and relieve beard itch.
Pros & Cons
- Suitable for all beard types
- Not tested on animals
- Not greasy or sticky
- Consistency is more wax-like
Smooth Viking's Beard Balm
Strong Hold
Hold Strength
Moisturizing
Scent
Good for beard growth
Price
The Smooth Viking Beard Balm can also be used as a leave-in beard conditioner that can also boost healthy beard growth.
It uses all vegan ingredients, which is a big plus for many. It also does its job in softening and moisturizing your beard! This beard balm is made with ingredients that give your beard a great shine whilst taming and retaining moisture.
Pros & Cons
- Suitable for any hair length
- Deeply moisturizing
- Fast drying
- Easily absorbed by your hair
- Scent may not be appealing to a lot of people
- Prone to product clumping after a few weeks of use
Gladiator Beard Company's Gladiator Beard Balm
Medium Hold
Hold Strength
Moisturizing
Scent
Good for Beard Growth
Price
One of the most amazing things about the Gladiator Beard Company is that 5% of their annual profits are given to real-life gladiators; military veterans.
The Gladiator Beard Balm comes in two scents, Vanilla and Patchouli.
This product uses a smaller amount of atomized beeswax than normal, which is enough to lock in the moisture while giving you a more natural look.
Pros & Cons
- Protects your beard against any condition
- Extremely rich in Vitamin E
- Won't give you a waxy or sticky beard
- Might need to reapply somewhere throughout the day
Best Smelling Beard Balm
American Crew Beard Balm
Strong Hold
Hold Strength
Moisturizing
Scent
Good for Beard Growth
Price
One of the many benefits of this product is the fact that it uses Sweet Almond Oil as an ingredient, which is not normally found on beard balms. This helps keep your beard moisturized.
Aside from moisturizing your beard, American Crew also takes pride in how soft their product is allowing an easy application for styling.
Pros & Cons
- Heavily moisturizes
- Does well in reducing irritation and beard dandruff
- Not recommended for thick and curly beards
- Unsure for what type of hair it's best for
- Might need to reapply somewhere throughout the day
Best Easy-to-Use Beard Balm
King C. Gillete's Soft Beard balm
Low Hold
Hold Strength
Moisturizing
Scent
Good for Beard Growth
Price
King C. Gillette’s soft beard balm really lives up to its name. It is incredibly lightweight and is so easy to use.
Because of the fact that this product uses cocoa butter, it does a great job of deep conditioning one’s beard. To do so, apply the product on a clean and wet beard then leave it to sit for 3 minutes. After that, rinse the product off.
But you can also use it as a leave-in conditioner! Talk about versatility!
Pros & Cons
- Can be used as leave in conditioner or can be rinsed off
- Extremely easy to spread
- Lightweight
- Moisturizes beard well
- Scent is kinda strong for many customers
- A bit expensive for the amount of product you'll get
Best Beard Balm for All Beard Types
BULLDOG: skincare for men, Original Beard Balm
Medium to Strong Hold
Hold Strength
Moisturizing
Scent
Good for Beard Growth
Price
While it is suitable for all hair types, this product is most effective for thick hair. It is also incredibly fast-absorbing, so you don’t have to worry about looking oily!
Also because of the ingredients used, it is incredibly soothing and nourishing that is sure to help reduce any itchiness under the beard.
Pros & Cons
- Non-greasy and fast absorbing
- Results seen almost instantly
- Suitable for all hair types
- Brand does not do animal testing
- Might have to reapply throughout the day if needed
Best Beard Balm for Conditioning
Grave Before Shave's Beard Balm
Light Hold
Hold Strength
Moisturizing
Scent
Good for beard growth
Price
When you buy this off Amazon, you immediately get a Beard Oil and a Beard Balm in one package. Talk about practicality!
It deeply conditions whilst protecting your mane. It uses various of types oils that nourish your mane, keeping it as healthy as it can be.
Pros & Cons
- Suitable for all beard types
- Gives off an attractive scent
- Results seen almost immediately
- For maximum effect, must use both beard oil and beard balm
- Weak packaging
Best Beard Balm for Hydration
Scotch Porter Conditioning Beard Balm
Light Hold
Hold Strength
Moisturizing
Scent
Good for beard Growth
Price
With a new formula that was made especially for hydration, Scotch Porter’s Beard Balm will keep your beard looking full and as healthy as it can be.
It lets your beard shine, tames, smoothens, and moisturizes not only your beard but your skin as well, what more do you need?
Pros & Cons
- Softens while also thickens beards
- Tames fly-aways extremely well
- Suitable for dry and coarse beards
- Uses all natural ingredients and no animal testing
- the scent isn't as attractive to some people
- Might have to reapply somewhere throughout the day
How do you use beard balm?
Now that you have an idea of what product to get, what beard balm is, and why you should use it, it’s important to apply the balm correctly, otherwise, it won’t be of much use.
For one thing, you should use it consistently.
Combine it with daily activities such as showering and brushing your teeth. Ideally, you should apply it after showering. That’s because the pores are still open at that stage.
Make sure the beard is properly dry before applying the balm. From the jar of balm, take a piece the size of your nail.
Rub it into your hands so that you can feel balm all over them. Then rub it into your beard. Make sure to get it all over and rub it into the beard right up to the root.
Check out the freshest beard balm here.
What is the difference between beard balm and beard oil?
Although many people easily switch between beard oil and balm on a (beard comb), they are two pretty different products.
Beard oil is liquid and is a more intense way to care for the beard hair and the skin underneath. However, beard oil doesn’t provide hold, so you can’t style rebellious hair with it.
Beard oil consists mainly of nourishing ingredients and is created by mixing base oil, essential oil blends and in some cases also scented oils.
→ Read more: The best beard oils of the moment + all important ingredients
As we mentioned, beard balm also contains nourishing oil. After all, beard balm takes care of the beard and the skin under it as well.
A big difference, however, is that a product such as butter, wax or beeswax is always added to the balm.
Thanks to this wax, beard balm also has the styling qualities we mentioned earlier. It also keeps your beard in shape.
What is the difference between beard balm and beard wax?
There is also a difference between beard balm and beard wax, something many people don’t realize.
Balm is always softer than beard wax and doesn’t contain water, though it can contain oils. Just like beard wax, beard balm also contains some wax.
However, it only contains a tiny bit, much less than beard wax does — which is why beard wax gives you so much control over your beard style.
It is a styling product, like wax and gel are for the hair on our head.
Beard wax is so strong that even wind and rain don’t disrupt the shape of the beard, and it also provides nourishment.
For which lengths is beard balm suitable?
You can use beard balm even if you have a smaller beard. The amount of product you should use depends on the length and thickness of the beard.
If you’ve just outgrown your stubble, an amount of balm the size of half of your nail will be plenty.
If your beard is already more voluminous, then use a nail-sized amount of balm. You can apply balm two or three times a day if you want.
In theory, you can use beard balm for any beard.
For a fuller beard, you would use a little more balm than for a goatee or the famous ring beard.
There is of course also a difference in the amount to be applied if you are talking about a full beard versus a stubble beard or a gnome beard.
In time, you will get a good feel for how much balm your beard needs.
With beard balm, your beard stays healthy and in shape.
These days you can easily maintain your beard and ensure that it doesn’t have any unpleasant consequences for the skin.
When you use beard balm (or oil or wax), your skin won’t dry out because of the extra nourishment from the product.
What was not possible in the past can be done with beard balm: shaping the beard and ensuring that the style lasts all day long.
How people reacted to styled beards in the past is the real question, though.
That said, there is nothing wrong with that for the modern man. On the contrary. Because every man who has or has had a beard knows that if you let the beard do what it wants, the hair on your face will really grow in every direction.
And not automatically to the side you want either, as most men know.
Subtlety and grooming are a hallmark of the modern man, and a beard is the perfect feature for that. Beard balm helps with grooming better than any other product.
Summary
The beard is back in full force. We’re seeing more and more men with beards and it’s great, as long as the beard is well cared for.
That is so important. If you do nothing about it, the beard will grow in every direction, there are no two ways about it. If you let the beard do its work, your skin will also have to endure a lot.
The skin will dry out, which causes itching as well as dandruff.
To prevent this, use beard balm. Beard balm is more versatile than beard oil and beard wax.
In fact, it’s pretty safe to say beard balm is the best product on the market. Balm keeps the beard in shape and provides much-needed nourishment that prevents the skin underneath from drying out.
Yes, beard oil is more nourishing and wax keeps the beard in better shape, but balm is the best of both worlds. This is how you use it.
Take out a nail-sized amount of balm from the jar. Rub this out until it is all over your hands.
Then massage and rub it into your beard thoroughly and everywhere, right up to the root.
Make sure you haven’t forgotten a spot once the balm is rubbed off your hands into your beard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is beard balm in short?
You could say that beard balm is both beard wax and beard oil. Or better: a great combination of the two. Similar to wax, it is great for shaping and styling your beard and it also ensures healthier skin by providing much-needed nourishment. As a result, the skin dries out less quickly and you’ll avoid dandruff.
Why should I use beard balm?
You can use beard balm for many different reasons. First, it nourishes your skin. When your beard starts to grow, the body will eventually not be able to produce enough natural oil to nourish itself. This will then cause your skin to become dehydrated and your beard to itch. In turn, this can result in beard dandruff. Thankfully, you can prevent this with beard balm. Second, you can use it to style the beard, thanks to its pretty good hold.
How do I use beard balm?
Beard balm usually comes in a jar. Make sure you use an amount of balm about the size of your nail, then rub this in your hands so that it is distributed all over them. Then rub and massage it into your beard. Do this thoroughly and make sure not to miss any of the beard. Rub it in all the way to the roots.
What is the difference between balm and oil?
Oil is liquid and its main function is to provide nourishment to the beard. However, you can’t style your beard with oil. Beard balm, on the other hand, both nourishes the skin underneath and has properties that help keep the beard in shape. Balm has a very nice hold.
