Do you have a beard? Have you ever used beard oil? Do you know what it is and the best way to use it?
In this article we are going to talk about:
What Does Beard Oil Do?
What Makes The Best Beard Oils?
How To Apply Beard Oil Correctly
Final Thoughts
What Does Beard Oil Do?
Your Natural Beard
The hairs of your beard grow from cells called a 'sebaceous gland'. Each individual beard hair grows from a single sebaceous gland. These are responsible for making the hair follicle longer and stronger but they also has another function.
These cells naturally secrete 'sebum oil' which is responsible for protecting the hair. Ideally the oil will coat the length of the hair and keep it healthy and looking its best.
However, due to 21st century living this doesn't always happen. Some people may naturally produce too little oil, especially if their beard is rather long.
Condition of the environment you live in also mean that the hairs of your beard need more oil than the sebaceous gland cells can produce.
This can result in some unwanted side effects.
Combats Side Effects
If this is your first time growing a beard then you may not be sure what to expect in terms of side effects. The longer your beard is then the more likely it is that you'll experience some of these side effects.
These side effects are usually some of the following:
An itchy face - Caused by the beard hairs becoming dry and rough. They start rubbing against your face and aggravating and inflaming the skin, which then leads to itching.
It can be especially bad when you're trying to sleep since your face is in constant contact with your pillow during the course of the night.
Flaky skin - Caused by the beard hairs making the skin underneath to dry out.
When the beard hairs become dry, they can suck the moisture away from the skin next to them, causing the whole area to dry out and begin to flake off.
This can result in further itching and beard dandruff. Your clothes (especially dark ones) will show these white specks very obviously.
A short-term solution is to simply to wash your beard with shampoo to clean the dandruff out.
Shedding excess beard hair - This can be incredibly frustrating. You spend months growing your beard only to find that the hairs are starting to fall out sooner than they should.
Just like the hairs on your head, the hairs of your beard have a certain lifespan and after a certain length of time they will reach the end of their life and simply fall out.
However, if your beard has become exceptionally dry then you will find that the hairs start to become brittle, now, instead of bending and flexing they will snap and break off.
This can be while you are brushing or simply during the course of the day.
Some of these symptoms are a natural part of growing out your beard and you'll have to find a way to deal with them, others are caused by too much heat, pollution, lack of beard grooming etc.
Dealing with these symptoms can make growing your beard out feel like a chore, and can even be enough to make you consider shaving it off!
The good news is that with know-how, a bit of time and some tools you can actively make a difference to reduce these symptoms.
The solution is a daily beard care routine. Keeping your beard and skin well cared for requires grooming daily and will mean that your beard and skin are always healthy and will only require minimal maintenance.
It is far easier to maintain a semi-healthy beard than it is to take a dry and damaged beard back to its full glory.
Protects Your Beard
Once you've avoided all the nasty side effects that can come with a neglected beard you will start to feel the benefits of using beard oil.
You will be able to keep your beard hydrated which will protect it from drying out when it comes into contact with too much heat.
The oil coating the hairs of your beard will act as a barrier and ensure the hair has enough moisture to prevent it from becoming brittle.
Because your beard hairs will be hydrated, they will be far less likely to become brittle and therefore far less likely to break.
This mean you will be able to comb your beard without fear of any excess shedding.
Promotes Healthy Beard Growth
Beard oil contains various ingredients and therefore there will be a wide range of vitamins, minerals and other compounds present.
Some of these compounds are essential for growth and so there will be a benefit in using them on your beard.
Although you won’t be directly ingesting the oils (not a good idea...) the various nutrients in the oil can be absorbed. Not by the hairs themselves but by the skin.
The beard oil will coat the hairs of the beard and come into contact with the skin at the bottom of the hair's root (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absorption_(skin))
Although only trace amounts of these compounds can be absorbed, they help to supplement any deficiencies that you may have in your diet.
This in turn will help to speed up the growth of your beard which may have otherwise been slowed down due to a lack of these compounds in your bloodstream.
Keeps Your Beard Looking Its Best
Apart from helping your beard stay healthy, beard oil will also help your beard look healthier.
Due to the hairs being more resilient and less likely to break and shed, your beard will look fuller and it will have fewer split ends. Meaning you are now maximising the volume and length of your beard.
The hairs will also become softer to the touch, and this will become apparent when looking at the overall shine of your beard.
Using the oil on a daily basis will also mean that you are combing, detangling and grooming your beard regularly, so it will look far less scruffy!
Adds Some Scent To Your Beard
One of the biggest reasons why men use beard oil is the scent. There is a wide variety of different beard oil scents available from suppliers, and Well Groomed Wizard is no exception so take a look at some of the oils in our ever expanding range!
| Our Current Oils | Basil, Clementine & Lime |
| Bergamot & Mandarin | Cedarwood, Bay leaf & Lime |
| Grapefruit & Spearmint | Oud, Bergamot & Spearmint |
| Peppermint & Lemon | Sage & Lemon Myrtle |
| Tobacco & Oud | Bay Rum |
Applying your beard with your favourite beard oil fragrance can add the finishing touch to a healthy and well groomed beard.
Just apply the oil in the morning and the scent will linger for the majority of the day (without overpowering the sense like a strong cologne).
Toothpaste gives your mouth and your breath a minty fresh smell, so why not start your day with an invigorated and zesty scented beard (like our Cedarwood, Bay Leaf & Lime Beard Oil)
What Makes Up The Best Beard Oils
Ingredients
Beard oils are a blend of 2 main different ingredients: carrier oils and fragrance or essential oils.
The carrier oils serve as the base of the oil and do the bulk of the work, such as hydrating, soothing irritated skin and providing your beard with nutrients.
The essential oils and fragrance oils also add their own unique array of nutrients and will also give the added benefit of scent to the oil.
Some of Well Groomed Wizard's favourite carrier oils include:
Castor Oil - Made by extracting the oil from the seeds of the Ricinus Communis plant. The oil then goes through a heating process which then enables it to be used.
Castor oil is used in the food, pharmaceutical and general industry. Due to its moisturising properties it is well used in the beauty industry.
The moisturising properties comes from the ricinoleic acid found within the oil, which is a monounsaturated fatty acid. It prevents water loss by creating a barrier.
Argan Oil - Argan oil has been used in Moroccan cooking for centuries, mainly due to its excellent health benefits.
It is rich in Vitamin E which is incredibly good for hair skin and eyes. By using it as an ingredient in beard oil you will be able to absorb this extra vitamin E to give your beard and the skin underneath a boost.
Jojoba Oil - Jojoba oil comes from (you guessed it) the Jojoba plant. The waxy excretion known as jojoba oil is also used in cooking.
Jojoba oil is abundant in vitamins C, B & E and is also full of copper and zinc. Due to its nutrient density it is an excellent addition to any beard oil.
The Bottle
Believe it or not but the bottle is also an important factor when it comes to choosing a beard oil.
Most bottles will have a dark glass, either amber, black, dark blue etc. this is because if the bottle is left in direct sunlight it can react with the UV rays of the sun.
Since we don't want this to happen, a bottle that blocks these harmful rays is required so that it works a bit like sunglasses.
Overall Quality
Another important factor when it comes to choosing beard oil is to check to see where the oil has been produced.
It's always best to buy from locally produced beard oil suppliers so you can be more confident in the quality of the oil.
Some beard companies buy their oil from overseas, which runs the risk of the oils being watered down or simply made to a lower standard. The result is something that may not be so desirable to use on your face.
The best beard oils are usually sold by companies that have already proven to be reliable. Check to see the quality and quantity of reviews for the company you're thinking of buying from.
How To Apply Beard Oil Correctly
How Much Should I Use?
This is going to vary from person to person. Some people have very dry skin and hair and so will need more oil, others skin types will need less.
The climate of the place you are living in is also something to consider. If you live in a dry and hot climate then this will take its toll on your beard and you will need more oil than if the opposite were true.
Below is a guide on exactly how much beard oil you should use:
| How Long is Your Beard | How Much Oil Do You Need |
| Less Than 1 Month of Growth | 1-3 Drops |
| 1-3 Months of Growth | 3-6 Drops |
| 3-6 Months of Growth | 6-10 Drops |
| 6-12 Months of Growth | 10-15 Drops |
| 12+ Months of Growth | As many as needed |
How Often Should I Use?
This will also vary but less so. It is easier to use less oil on a more frequent basis, think of it as topping up of your beards hydration.
We recommend you apply beard oil on a daily basis, even if it is just a few drops of oil.
How To Use Beard Oil For Beginners
Let’s talk about how to apply beard oil on your face with a brush or a comb.
1. The best time to apply beard oil is after you’ve had a shower as the beard hairs are soft and the pores of the skin are open.
This will mean your skin will be at its most ready to absorb the oil and hydrate itself.
You don't want your beard too wet, so gently pat it dry with a towel.
2. See the guide above to work out how much beard oil you need and grab your favourite bottle.
Start by applying the correct amount of beard oil into the palm of your hand (make sure it's dry) and rub your hands together and thoroughly coat your hands in the oil.
Make sure you spread the oil up to the tips of your fingers as you will need to work the oil into your beard during the next step.
3. Begin by using the palm of your hands and fingers to coat your beard with the oil. The idea here is to make sure that you wipe off as much beard oil as you can into the various parts of your beard.
It doesn't matter too much if your beard isn't evenly coated since we'll worry about that in the next step.
4. Now that your beard is coated with oil it’s time to spread it about.
Use your fingers to work the oil through to the different parts of your beard. Don't neglect areas like under your chin, or your moustache or sideburns.
5. Ideally you need a beard comb or beard brush for this next step. Although your beard is evenly coated in oil , in order to get the full benefit you'll want to use a comb to work the oil through the LENGTH of your beard.
The idea here is to make sure all the hairs of your beard are coated from root to tip in beard oil, it isn't something that can be easily done with your fingers alone.
6. Once you’re done each of the hairs of your beard should have a nice coating of oil. The oil will help to nourish the hair follicle and skin and it will also seep down to your skin to soothe and help to repair it and keep it healthy.
Now you just want to make sure your beard is lying flat or styled in whatever way you like to wear it. Ideally you should repeat this routine on a daily basis to keep your beard at its best.
Final Thoughts
Beard Balm
Beard balm is a blend of beard oil & beeswax and can be used in much the same way as beard oil but with the added benefit that it can style your beard (due to the beeswax), much like the way you use hair products for the hair on your head.
The downside is that the benefits you get from beard oil are somewhat less when you use beard balm as a substitute.
And that's it! Keep in mind that the longer your beard the more time and effort you will need to spend keeping it healthy. Make it a daily practice to apply your beard oil and it will look great in no time!
If you're interested in getting the complete grooming set then simply check out our Gift Boxes & Bundles.