From Balms to Oils: Here Are the Best Beard Products Out There

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From Balms to Oils: Here Are the Best Beard Products Out There

Byrdie / Lecia Landis

People often assume that growing a beard is as simple as putting down the razor for an extended period of time. Sounds ideal, but unfortunately, it doesn't quite work that way. You wouldn't let the hair on your head go untamed, and the hair on your face is no different (in fact, it often requires an even more specific routine). So, chances are you won't be able to let your facial hair grow out without tending to it in some capacity. Whether that be a simple cleanup here and there, or full beard maintenance and grooming, there is typically some routine needed to keep your facial hair in check.

If you're looking to skip the barbershop and set yourself up with a home regimen, look no further. We've rounded up the best beard products and tools on the market to help you achieve the ultimate beard-care routine from the comfort of your own bathroom. Hint: it resembles your skincare routine more than you'd think.

Read on to learn about our favorite beard products.

Best Beard Wash

Proraso Beard Wash

Proraso Refresh Beard Wash

 Courtesy of Amazon

Proraso has long been known for their shaving products, so it's no surprise that they shine in the beard-product department as well. Loaded with gentle, low foaming cleaners that clean both the beard and the face from which it grows, this wash helps strip dirt, debris, and lingering beard odors and leaves skin feeling fresh. That’s thanks to eucalyptus, bergamot, and rosemary essential oils.

Best Beard Conditioner

Scotch Porter Leave-in Beard Conditioner

Scotch Porter Leave-in Beard Conditioner

Amazon

A beard conditioner may not be the first item on your list of grooming essentials, but it's a great product to follow up with after cleansing. Scotch Porter makes it super easy with a formula that you don’t have to wash out.

Thanks to ingredients such as Abyssinian oil, biotin, and white willow bark, even the driest, coarsest beards are assisted in feeling moisturized and manageable. It’s also free from sulfates, silicones, petrolatum, parabens, and mineral oil, making this conditioner one you’ll feel good about leaving in day after day.

Best Beard Moisturizer

Murdock London Beard Moisturizer

Murdock Beard Moisturizer

 Courtesy of Nordstrom

From one of the top barbershops in London comes one of our favorite beard brands in the world. With a range of products that include hair, skincare, and fragrance we have to give it to them for keeping the art of beard maintenance alive. That’s why if we had to pick one thing from Murdock that no bearded man should be without, it's this lightweight, luxe moisturizer.

With the right ingredients, including aloe vera and sunflower seed oil meant to soothe, eucalyptus and menthol meant to stimulate, and cinnamon, cedarwood, balsam, and patchouli to smell good—no, great—this moisturizer is top shelf.

Best Beard Balm

Beardbrand Utility Balm

Beardbrand Utility Balm

 Courtesy of Beardbrand

This all-in-one product has the moisturizing qualities of an oil with the control of a moisturizer, allowing for it to be the go-to product for guys who are no muss, no fuss. Use it to tame pesky beard flyaways and hydrate the dry skin underneath. Bonus? It’s available in six different scents.

Best Beard Oil

Maapilim Beard Oil

Maapilim Beard Oil

 Courtesy of Maapilim

Composed of gentle, skin-friendly oils including jojoba oil meant to clean and hydrate the hair and skin and help balance sebum production and sweet almond oil meant to provide essential nutrients to help keep hair and skin moisturized without feeling heavy. From the four only-aromatic-enough fragrances, our favorite happens to be the marriage of pine and cedarwood.

Best Beard Trimmer

Braun Beard Trimmer

Braun Beard Trimmer BT5065

Courtesy of Amazon

Even the best-kept beards need a good takedown every now and then, and Braun is one of the most trusted brands in the world to tackle such a feat. The latest iteration from the brand doesn’t disappoint. The BT5065 is sharp, fast, and features a precision dial for a whopping 39 length settings. (If you’re new to beard trimmers, that’s about double what even the best trimmers typically offer.)

The Li-ion battery allows for over an hour and a half of cordless trimming time, while the precise German technology actually reads your beard 13 times per second, adjusting the power of the trimmer motor to its thickness. Not enough? It comes with a Gillette razor, and you can do it all in the shower since the entire trimmer unit is waterproof.

Best Beard Scissors

Equinox International Professional Razor Edge Series Hair Cutting Scissors

Equinox Professional Razor Edge Hair Cutting Scissors

You can wash, condition, moisturize, and oil all you want—sometimes you are going to have those couple of hairs that just need to get out of here. That’s why you need a trusty set of sharp beard scissors. No, not the pair on your desk for paper, but scissors like these from Equinox International that are designed to trim the delicate frizzies near your face. If you don’t think you need them now, once you have them, you’ll wonder why you ever thought you could trim without them.

Best Shave Gel

King C. Gillette Shave Gel

King C. Gillette Shave Gel

 Courtesy of Gillette

Not your ordinary Gillette, but this shave gel from King C. Gillette made especially for bearded blokes. The crystal clear shave gel is formulated with plant-based ingredients including argan oil, avocado oil, coconut water, aloe vera, white tea extract, cocoa butter, and more. It promises to provide a protective anti-friction layer allowing your best blade to cut close while helping to minimize the risk of skin irritation, keeping edges nice and tight.

Best Ingrown Treatment

Jack Black Bump Fix Razor Bump & Ingrown Hair Solution

Jack Black Bump Fix™ Razor Bump & Ingrown Hair Solution

Sephora

There are a lot of razor bump remedies out there and while some are great, Jack Black’s formula of salicylic acid, aloe, and calming chamomile is a fan-favorite. Salicylic acid dissolves pore-clogging dirt and oil while lactic acid exfoliates, moisturizes, and softens skin. Add to that the unsurpassed hydrating power of hyaluronic acid and superior antioxidant capabilities of green tea and willowherb, and you have yourself an ingrown fighting force to be reckoned with.

Best Beard Comb

Kent Handmade Combs

Kent Handmade Combs

Courtesy of Amazon

Not only handy but handsome to boot, these beard combs are great for fast first impression fixing or last call cleanups, thanks to their pocket-friendly size. Take your pick from the five-inch fine and coarse toothed combo comb, the four-inch fine tooth pocket comb, or the extra small three-inch pocket comb—just kidding, you get all three with this convenient pack. Keep one in your pocket, one in the Dopp kit, and one… well, wherever you need it.

Best Beard Brush

ZilberHaar Vegan Regular Beard Brush

ZilberHaar Vegan Regular Beard Brush

Courtesy of ZilberHaar

Not into using real boar head brushes? Try this vegan-friendly option from one of the biggest beard brush brands out there: ZilberHaar. Tampico fiber stands in for boar bristles—the stiff cactus plant fiber extracted from the agave plant leaves is a great vegan alternative. Paired with walnut wood—a hard, dense, and tight-grained wood prized by woodworkers for its strength—we would go as far as to guess that if we didn’t tell you this was cruelty-free and Earth-friendly, you might have never known.

Best Beard Dye

Just for Men Mustache & Beard Coloring Light-Medium Brown

Just for Men Mustache & Beard Coloring Light-Medium Brown

Courtesy of Amazon

Listen, some folks like to let the gray shine through, and others like to keep it at bay. We’re not here to judge—we can’t all gray like George Clooney—we’re just here to offer some great options for all types of bearded gents. If you find yourself in the latter category, Just For Men is the tried and true brand for a reason. It’s easy and has proven successful.

What to Look For in Beard Products

Carrier Oils

Just like skincare, when choosing the best beard care products, look for the right ingredients. Carrier oils including argan and jojoba oil are great for beard washes, conditioners, and moisturizers. These oils help keep both the hair and skin below it moisturized and also help keep TWEL (transepidermal water loss) in check.

Suitability

Again, just like skincare, beard care is not one size fits all. In fact, you need to focus on what products work best with the skin under the beard to maximize success in your routine. For oily skin types, finding a product that suits you typically starts with ingredients like salicylic acid meant to balance your skin. On the contrary, when looking for a product that suits dry skin, you'll want to seek moisturizing agents in the ingredient list. Happy skin = happy beard.

Hair Type

Different people have different types of hair, and therefore require different tools and different remedies. Fine or thin hair may only take a scissor trim and thin beard oil, whereas thicker or coarser hair can often require different tools and more product. Understanding your hair and what it requires is the first step in beard care. Don't need anything beyond a moisturizer? Good for you. Need all the oil, balm, and solution in the world? We've still got you covered.

FAQ
  • How do I take care of my beard daily?

    Following a routine is important, as discussed above. While the specifics of each routine vary, there are five easy go-to steps to keep your beard in check. Brush your beard daily, trim your beard on a regular basis (how often is up to your discretion), wash your beard daily, use beard moisturizers and oils when doing your daily skincare routine, and finally, style your beard to upkeep appearance and health.

  • Does trimming increase beard growth?

    Similar to haircuts, trimming helps with the appearance of a fuller beard. Dead, loose, or split ends might keep you from reaching your growth goals, and getting rid of pesky ends may help the healthy portion of the hair thrive. It also keeps the hair looking visibly healthier.

  • How can I expedite the growth of my beard?

    Growing a thicker, fuller beard naturally requires proper skin care. Taking care of your face is step one. Exfoliating the skin and keeping it clean and moisturized are basic first steps. You'll also want to observe more in-depth and check for ingrown hairs or knots (which can be treated and prevented with solutions and brushing daily).

Article Sources
Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
  1. Ogunbiyi A. Pseudofolliculitis barbae; current treatment optionsClin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2019;12:241-247. doi:10.2147/CCID.S149250

  2. Lin TK, Zhong L, Santiago JL. Anti-inflammatory and skin barrier repair effects of topical application of some plant oilsInt J Mol Sci. 2017;19(1):70. doi:10.3390/ijms19010070

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