Top beard moisturizer to keep your scruff soft and smooth
Any man with a great-looking beard knows they don’t just happen by accident. They require more maintenance than simply a periodic trimming, and one of the most important steps in a proper beard care routine is the regular application of a moisturizer.
Beard moisturizers can serve several purposes, including hydrating the follicles and strands, calming irritated or itchy skin, promoting growth and offering hold for styling. Jack Black Beard Oil stands out in many of these regards thanks to its blend of botanicals and essential oils that both soften the strands and nourish the skin underneath.
What to know before you buy a beard moisturizer
What does a beard moisturizer do?
As the name implies, beard moisturizers are designed to hydrate your beard so it’s more manageable and feels softer to the touch. However, many people don’t know that the majority of beard moisturizers also hydrate the skin beneath the beard, which is nearly as important as hydrating the hairs themselves. This is because hair health is determined by how healthy the follicles are. Also, having dry skin beneath your beard can result in dandruff building up in it, which is something most people would prefer to avoid.
Types of beard moisturizers
If you spend any time searching the market for a beard moisturizer, you may notice that very few products are labeled as such. Instead, you’ll see oils, balms, creams, conditioners and waxes. All of these products can be beard moisturizers, depending on their ingredients.
Applying a beard moisturizer
Not all beard moisturizers are applied in the same amounts, so it’s important to read the instructions on the label before getting started. For example, with beard oils, you simply place a few drops in your palm, rub your palms together and then massage it into your beard. With a conditioner, you’ll need to use a nickel-sized amount.
Beard moisturizer features
Ingredients
Beard moisturizers make use of a range of ingredients, only some of which are for hydrating. Other ingredients are often included for antibacterial properties, to calm or soothe inflamed or itchy skin, strengthen strands, promote growth and more. These may include essential oils, carrier oils and lotions, waxes and butters. Common ingredients are shea butter, lavender, jojoba oil, avocado oil, tea tree oil, castor seed oil, aloe vera and oatmeal, just to name a few. If you have known sensitivities or skin allergies, carefully read the label of any moisturizer you’re considering to ensure it doesn’t contain anything that could potentially be irritating.
Scent
Beard moisturizers are available in scented and unscented varieties. The scents are generally woodsy or spicy, such as cedarwood, sandalwood, pine, clove, menthol and tobacco. If you wear a strong cologne generally, it’s best to choose an unscented beard moisturizer or one with a scent that you know will work with your cologne.
Consistency
Each type of beard moisturizer has a different consistency. Balms tend to be thick and almost waxy. Creams have a slightly more runny consistency, akin to lotions, as do most conditioners. Beard oils are even thinner. Even within these individual types, there are differences in consistency. For example, some oils are very thin and runny, while others are much thicker. As a general rule of thumb, the more viscous a moisturizer is, the harder it will be to spread through your beard and the more it usually requires to get full coverage. On the other hand, you don’t want a moisturizer that’s super thin, as it may wind up dripping down your neck during application and make a mess.
Styling
While all beard moisturizers should help tame your beard, certain types are better for styling than others. Balms and waxes are the best for styling because they have the firmest hold, with waxes offering a stronger hold than balms. Creams can also be used for styling but only offer a light hold. Conditioners and oils provide little to no hold, which means they won’t aid much in styling.
Beard moisturizer cost
Most people can find a perfectly suitable and high-quality beard moisturizer for $5-$15. That said, you can easily spend $30 or more for some brands.
Beard moisturizer FAQ
Should I use a beard moisturizer every day?
A. The majority of people don’t need to apply a beard moisturizer every day. Once every other day or even once every three days should suffice. If you live in a very dry climate, tend to have dry skin or have a very long beard, you may need to do it more often. Also, those who use their beard moisturizer for styling will most likely want to apply it every day.
Can I apply moisturizer when my beard is wet?
A. While you can apply moisturizer while your beard is wet, it’s best not to. This is because wet hair doesn’t absorb moisturizers as well. For the best results, towel dry your beard first before applying the moisturizer.
Which beard moisturizer should I get?
Best of the best beard moisturizer
Jack Black Beard Oil: available at Amazon
Our take: With a combination of hydrating essential oils and nourishing extracts, this beard oil leaves your scruff soft and manageable.
What we like: A little bit goes a long way and it comes in an easy-to-dispense bottle so you don’t accidentally wind up wasting any.
What we dislike: It’s more expensive than many other brands.
Best bang for your buck beard moisturizer
Bossman Relaxing Beard Balm: available at Amazon
Our take: If you’re looking for a made-in-America moisturizer that can tame that unruly mane while softening the strands, this reasonably priced beard balm is the way to go.
What we like: It comes in multiple masculine scents, is never tested on animals and doesn’t leave your beard feeling greasy.
What we dislike: Some may find the scents too strong.
Honorable mention beard moisturizer
Honest Amish Beard Balm Leave-in Conditioner: available at Amazon
Our take: Made with only natural and organic materials, this leave-in conditioner is perfect for gentlemen looking to avoid chemicals and other questionable ingredients.
What we like: It has a subtle fragrance that won’t overpower your own manly scent, and it contains both moisturizing and strengthening ingredients.
What we dislike: The product can separate from temperature fluctuations.
Brett Dvoretz is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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