Every boy’s dream? A big, wavy, luxurious beard. What’s that? You already have a glorious beard (or long-ish stubble)? Great, me too! But here’s an important question: Are you taking care of your beard?
The answer to that question is likely ‘no.’ Sure, you wash your beard. You might even comb it. That’s all great—definitely keep doing that. But there’s more that you should be doing to care for your beard. Which is why I’m here today to talk to you about an often-neglected topic amongst men: beard oil.
Why Use Beard Oil
Oftentimes due to years of daily shaving, different environmental factors and use of commercial cleansers (detergents) containing harsh-chemicals, your face won’t naturally produce the amount of oil that it really needs to keep your face and beard healthy. Enter beard oil. Natural beard oil mimics the natural oils produced by your face, which helps keep your beard, and the skin under it, moisturized and clean. If you’re a man with any amount of facial hair (from 1-day stubble to an epic belt-touching face rug), you should be using beard oil. Here’s what using beard oil can do for you:
- Hydrates your facial skin and beard hair
- Can eliminate beard itch
- Can reduce facial acne
- Helps your beard and skin stay clean and smell great
- Tame the unruliness, and make you look like an absolute boss
How to Apply Beard Oil
Now that you know why you should be using it, you need to know how to apply beard oil. The best time to use beard oil is right after you get out of the shower, and it won’t cost you much extra time:
- Put a few drops of the oil into your palms and rub them together, distributing the oil evenly in your hands.
- Rub your hands into your beard, working your fingers first into the skin underneath your beard. Approach it from all directions—up and down, side to side, with and against the grain—to make sure the oil reaches every aspect of your skin.
- Then move on to the beard itself- a little oil goes a long way, but you may need another drop or two, depending on what type of beard you’re working with. Work your hands through the hair from the top down. This will also help with smoothing and styling your beard, turning an unruly tangle into an orderly flow.
- If you have a mustache, don’t neglect it! Use two fingers to work the oil into the mustache hair. Brush it a few times, style it if that’s your mojo.
- Boom—you’re good to go.
What's in Beard Oil?
Essential Oils for Beard Care
Natural beard oils are made from a mixture of essential oils and carrier oils designed to hydrate your beard and the skin underneath. Essential oils are extracted from plants and carry the characteristic ‘essence’ of that plant (like the scent, flavor, and/or health properties). Essential oils are highly concentrated and can sometimes be too strong to use directly on your skin, which is why they’re combined with carrier oils, used to dilute the potency of essential oils and help ‘carry’ them in a safe, effective way to your skin and facial mane. Different beard oils contain different combinations of these oils and other ingredients, each with their own unique beneficial properties, scent, and potency.
I like to think of these differences like I think of cocktails (which I do often). And just like how cocktails made with the good stuff taste better than drinks made with drug store liquor, beard oil made with all natural, high-quality essential oils will be more effective than a cheap knockoff.
Dr. Squatch Beard Oil: What We Use
Dr. Squatch Beard Oils are made of all natural essential oils designed to hydrate and nourish your impressive face forest. Some things just never go out of style: a sturdy flannel and a well-groomed beard.
Essential Oils of Australian Sandalwood
Used in our Lakeside Bourbon Beard Oil, Australian Sandalwood essential oil is known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties, so may help with skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, rashes or other inflammation.
Also found in our Beechwood Bourbon Cologne.
Essential Oils of Cedarwood
Used in our Fresh Fir Beard Oil, this essential oil does much more than just smell great – it has astringent properties so it works as a toner and is a great ingredient for those with oily or acne-prone skin.
Want more cedarwood? Try this Cedar Citrus soap or Crushed Pine Cologne.
It’s chemically similar to the oil naturally occurring in your skin, making it a great natural, gentle moisturizer. Unlike many other oils, it’s a non-comedogenic ingredient meaning that it won’t clog your pores. And even better, it’s known for being well-tolerated for those with sensitive skin or conditions like psoriasis.
Full of Vitamins E and A, this gentle carrier oil is great for your skin and hair. It can help to treat dandruff (yes, beard dandruff is a thing too), dry skin and skin problems like eczema. Almond oil is full of polyphenols, an antioxidant that fights free radicals contributing to early signs of aging, like wrinkles and sun spots.
And that’s it, my fellow beardlings. Not much to it, eh? If you’re into it (and I guarantee your face and beard will be), give our beard oils a try and let us know what you think!
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