Beard oils account for over a third of revenue share among other grooming products, according to a 2023 survey from Grandview Research. This highlights their growing adoption and role in achieving healthy beard growth.
However, a mismatch between your beard and oil of choice can result in a rough, seemingly unkempt, greasy, limp, or insufficiently moisturized outlook.
To help you avoid that, we’ve broken down the different beard types that exist and how to choose the perfect beard oil for your grooming routine.
Why Beard Oil Matters for Beard Health
Beard oil is important for beard health for these reasons:
- Moisturization: Beard oil prevents flakiness and dryness. Plus, it keeps the beard looking plump and fresh.
- Nourishment: Beard oils contain vitamins, antioxidants, and the nutrients your beard needs to grow.
- Protection: They protect against free radicals and a harsh, humid environment that might cause a dry-out. It also prevents itchiness and beardruff.
- Manageable beard: Essential oils soften your beard and make it easy to style. Carrier oils, on the other hand, tame your beard’s flyaways and add a natural shine to it.
8 Steps to Choose the Right Beard Oil
To choose the appropriate oil for your beard, you need to consider the following:
1. Consider Your Beard Type
Dry, coarse, long, thick beards and wavy styles benefit mostly from heavier oils like avocado or castor oil because they offer deep hydration. You’d need a good combing routine after each application to keep your curls in line if you have a wavy beard.
You might also need to combine your oil of choice with other products like balms or butter for fullness and to prevent flyaways.
If you have a thin, patchy, or short beard, you’ll do better with beard oil containing lightweight oils, such as sunflower and jojoba oil. You can also use a product containing both light and heavy-weight oil ingredients to add surface volume.
2. Match it to Your Skin
If you have oily skin, go for beard oils with lightweight carrier oils, such as jojoba and grapeseed oil, that won’t clog your pores. And if you have dry or sensitive skin, look into beard oils with moisturizing oils like coconut, argan, and sweet almond oil.
Your skin might be in between oily and dry—a perfect skin for beard grooming. In this case, any beard oil should work well for you. Of course, avoid using too much oil per application to prevent clogging.
3. Match it to Your Skin
A good beard oil should have a balanced mix of carrier oils and essential oils. Carrier oils are known for their hydrating benefits. Popular carrier oils include jojoba, argan, coconut, and almond.
On the other hand, essential oils are great for their added benefits like preventing itchiness, irritation, inflammation, acne, and beardruff. Popular examples include tea tree, peppermint, and cedarwood oils.
Vitamins, stimulants, and plant extracts are also a good addition to the mix as they can boost hair growth and soothe the skin. Popular examples include vitamin E, biotin, caffeine, and aloe vera.
It’s also important to stay away from beard oils with parabens, fillers, synthetic materials, and fragrances as they can irritate the skin.
4. Consider Your Beard Goals
Softness and shine are important for a healthy-looking beard. If that’s your goal, look for beard oil with ingredients like jojoba, argan, coconut oil, and shea butter-infused oils.
But if you’d like to grow your beard, invest in a beard oil with Castor oil, vitamin E, and biotin-infused oils.
Some beard oils can also be used to tame flyaways and style the beard. If you’re looking for a beard oil that will offer some hold, look for beard oils that include Beeswax, Shea butter, Castor oil, or Candelilla wax.
5. Go for Your Favourite Fragrance
If you prefer your beard oil to have a sweet-smelling aroma, go for essential oil-infused scent options that contain citrus, sandalwood, and cedarwood.
But if you have sensitive skin, we would advise you to pick the unscented or mild-scented option of your favorite beard oil, as some fragrances can irritate your skin.
Also, choose beard oils with carrier oils like argan and olive oil or even shea-infused blends. These ingredients are proven to lock in moisture and offer deep hydration, which is important for preventing dryness and beardruff.
6. Check the Absorption Rate
If you’re not a fan of having a greasy feeling on your beard or having oil stuck on too long, you might consider a beard oil with a fast absorption rate.
Your best pick should contain jojoba or grapeseed oil, as they are lightweight and quickly seep into the hair follicles.
On the other hand, if you prefer having your beard feeling moisturized all day, then look into beard oil with thicker carrier oils. Some popular thick carrier oils are coconut and castor oil.
They have a slow absorption rate and will give you the extra hydration that you deserve.
7. Look out for Allergic Ingredients
Check the ingredients of any beard oil carefully if you have allergic reactions to certain ingredients. Most people with sensitive skin or who have allergies might react to strong essential oils like eucalyptus and nut-based oils like almond oil.
Make sure to swap out a beard oil with any ingredient you suspect you might react to for a beard oil with a safe list of ingredients.
8. Weigh the Price and Availability
At the end of the day, you’d want to stick to the beard oil you can afford to keep repurchasing. Remember, quality beard oil doesn’t always have to be expensive.
For instance, That Urban Edge beard oil only costs about $12.99 per 2 Oz whereas similar brands charge the same cost per 1 Oz.
Top Recommended Beard Oils for Different Needs
There are lots of beard oils to choose from, but here are the selected few we recommend, by category:
3 Best Beard Oil: Best All-Rounder
1. That Urban Edge Beard Oil
That Urban Beard Oil offers you a unique blend of high-quality natural ingredients, including jojoba oil, coconut oil, almond oil, and grapeseed oil.
This makes it great for any beard and skin type craving balanced hydration and nourishment without the heavy or greasy feel.
That Urban Edge beard oil is also rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and essential oils. This powerful combination prevents itchiness, dryness, and beardruff, in addition to boosting healthy hair growth and leaving the beard shiny.
If you have acne or sensitive skin, That Urban Edge beard oil caters to you, too. There are no fillers, harsh chemicals, or preservatives in the formula—totally gentle on the skin and does not clog the pores.
Price: $12.99 per 2 oz.
2. Beardbrand Utility Beard Oil
The Beardbrand Utility beard oil contains natural abyssinian, jojoba, castor, and babassu oils. This mix is lightweight and penetrates quickly without making the hair or skin feel heavy.
It also offers deep hydration and comes in a range of scented options.
Price: $36 per 4 oz.
3. Honest Amish Classic Beard Oil
The Honest Amish Classic beard oil is formulated with Pumpkin Seed Oil, Avocado Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Kukui Nut Oil, Argan Nut Oil, Peppermint oil, and more.
With this blend, Honest Amish offers deep nourishment to the beard and skin, leaving them feeling supple, hydrated, and shiny.
Price: $12.22 per 2 oz.
How to Apply Beard Oil Correctly
- Wash using a beard shampoo like That Urban Edge beard shampoo, and thoroughly towel-dry your beard.
- Dispense the right amount of oil based on beard length. About 3 – 5 drops for short to medium beard length and 5 – 7 drops for long beard.
- Rub the oil between your palms and massage it into your skin and beard using your fingers.
- Use a beard comb, such as That Urban Edge beard comb, to distribute the oil evenly.
- Apply daily for best results.
Final Thoughts: Make the Right Choice for a Healthy Beard
Choosing the right beard oil for you doesn’t have to feel like finding a needle in a haystack. Start with knowing your beard and beard type. This will help you figure out what ingredients work best for your beard.
Next, ensure your selection is made with natural ingredients that are best for your beard type. Be mindful of some ingredients like almond oil and eucalyptus if you have an allergy or sensitive skin.
In all, we recommend That Urban Edge beard oil because it checks all the boxes. Plus, it is budget-friendly and you can also combine it with other That Urban Edge products for maximum benefits.
FAQs
1. How do I know which beard oil is right for me?
Consider your beard type, skin type, and grooming goals.
2. Can I use beard oil every day?
Yes! Daily use helps keep your beard hydrated, soft, and itch-free.
3. Will beard oil help my beard grow?
While beard oil won’t grow new hair, it nourishes follicles for fuller, healthier growth.
4. What ingredients should I avoid in beard oil?
Avoid synthetic fragrances, alcohol, and parabens, as they can dry out the skin.