What is beard oil? Does it work? What does it do for your beard? Well, beard oil uses are numerous and can be very beneficial for your beard. But it’s important to understand the pros and cons of using it.
So let me share 7 surprising beard oil benefits and side effects before you add it to your beard care routine. Sounds great? Let’s start!
What is Beard Oil: Why Use It?
Beard oil is a leave-in conditioner that makes your beard healthy, shiny, and soft. You should use beard oil because it hydrates your facial hair and bearded skin.
Beard oil is a combination of carrier oils and essential oils.
Carrier oils typically help dilute essential oils before the usage. The most common carrier oils are jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, eucalyptus oil, avocado oil, argan oil, grapeseed oil, and olive oil.
On the other hand, essential oils are volatile compounds extracted from plants. They provide beard oil with its distinctive scent and therapeutic benefits.
Cedarwood, tea tree, lemon, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, and rosemary oil are the most popular essential oils for beard oil.
What Does Beard Oil Do for Your Beard?
It’s important to know that beard oil does work for you. It softens and conditions your beard, making it manageable and less likely to break. It also moisturizes your skin and prevents dandruff or other skin conditions.
Beard oil can do a lot more than just styling your beard. It’s not just a styling beard product and can do many things.
7 Beard Oil Benefits and 4 Side Effects
Let me jump into the advantages and disadvantages of using beard oils now.
7 Amazing Beard Oil Benefits & Uses (2022)
There are many advantages of using beard oil on your facial fuzz; let me share 7 of them.
1/ Moisturize and Nourish Your Beard
Beard oil is essentially a moisturizing product for your beard. It restores hydration and nourishment to your beard locks after you have cleaned them.
It also acts as a protective agent for your beard. By applying beard oil, you create a layer on your cuticles and protect them from direct exposure to dirt and heat. But ensure to use beard oils that are non-greasy.
2/ Take Care of Your Beard Scalp
Good beard oil moisturizes not only your beard but also your skin underneath. A healthy scalp is essential for strong and thick beard growth. Otherwise, you may suffer from beard dandruff or other skin conditions.
3/ Keep Your Beard Groomed and Tamed
Beard oil keeps your beard looking groomed and tamed. It makes styling easier and gives you the power to shape your beard the way you want.
And it holds the shape of your beard for a long time, keeping you in style all day. If you have a coarse beard, it will become more manageable if you use beard oil regularly. And you can also get rid of flyaway hairs!
4/ Prevent Beard Itch and Irritation
An itchy beard is a common problem that most men face at some point in their beard-growing journey. It’s caused by dryness and lack of hydration. And beard oil helps you eliminate beard itch and irritation by moisturizing your skin and facial hair.
However, oily beards should not be left dry after washing. The skin produces further sebum and oil to cope with the dryness if left untended.
5/ Stimulate Beard Growth
Beard oil doesn’t directly impact beard growth. But it can help and stimulate it. The nutrients in beard oil can nourish your hair follicles and skin, making them healthy. And a healthy environment is essential for beard growth.
6/ Make your beard softer and shinier
Beard oil can make your beard softer and shinier. The right combination of carrier and essential oils can do wonders for your beard. It can make it look healthier and more attractive.
Beard oil does for a beard what a mother would do for her child. It promotes facial hair health by strengthening roots, providing nutrition and protection, and keeping it looking nice and healthy.
7/ Soothe your senses
The essential oils in beard oil can have a calming and soothing effect on your senses. They can help you relax and reduce stress. And that’s always a good thing!
Many beard oils include natural ingredients such as tea tree and lavender oil, which help your beard smell fresh all day. Oils naturally have a potent smell, so you don’t need to use much to get the desired effect.
For some, this must be one of the best beard oil uses.
However, you want to choose a scented beard oil free from artificial fragrance to avoid allergic reactions.
4 Beard Oil Side Effects
Now that you know the benefits of using beard oil, let’s take a look at some side effects.
1/ Face Allergic Reactions
Allergic reactions are one of beard oil’s most common side effects. And they can range from mild to severe.
If you have sensitive skin, you may face the irritation caused by essential oils in the beard. The solution? Choose a beard oil free from synthetic fragrances and other harsh chemicals.
And do a patch test before using any new beard oil on your face. Apply a small amount of the oil to your forearm and wait for 24 hours.
It should be safe to use if you don’t experience any reaction.
2/ Cause Clogged Pores & Acne Breakouts
Another common side effect of using beard oil is clogged pores. If you have oily skin, you’re more likely to experience this problem.
If a beard oil or beard balm causes acne and clogs pores, switch it to the non-comedogenic one that suits your beard.
And visit a dermatologist for expert advice if needed.
Having acne breakouts on your facial fuzz is also one of the cons of using beard oil. This usually happens when the oil gets into your pores and causes inflammation. Ensure to wash the oil off before going to bed.
3/ Grow Ingrown Hairs
Beard oil can be bad if it helps grow the ingrown hairs on your facial skin. This usually happens when the oil traps dirt and bacteria near the hair follicle. The ingrown hairs can cause bumps, posing a threat to your health.
To avoid this, clean your beard regularly. And choose a beard oil that is free from Silicon-based and comedogenic oils.
4/ Cause Dry or Oily Skin
Beard oil can make your skin a little too oily when the skin produces more sebum than usual. The solution? Choose a non-greasy and light beard oil that won’t clog your pores. Apply it sparingly.
Surprisingly, some beard oils available on the market can make your skin dry. They strip away your skin’s natural oils. The solution is to start using beard oils made of natural oils.
Beard Oil Benefits and Side Effects (Bottom Line)
Beard oil can have some amazing benefits for your beard. But it also has some potential side effects that you should be aware of. So, ensure to choose the right beard oil, and don’t forget to run a patch test 🙂
Natural Alternatives to Beard Oil
Don’t want to risk getting side effects? Then go for natural beard oil substitutes and alternatives:
1/ Argan Oil
Argan oil is rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, making it an ideal choice for those with dry or damaged hair.
2/ Almond Oil
Almond oil is a light oil that is rich in vitamin E. It can be used as a daily conditioner to keep your beard soft and hydrated.
3/ Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil is similar to the natural sebum produced by your skin. It can help control excess oil production, making it ideal for those with oily skin.
4/ Grapeseed Oil
Grapeseed oil is light and non-greasy. It is rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, making it an excellent choice for keeping your beard healthy.
5/ Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a popular choice for beard oil as it is light and non-greasy. It can help to soften your beard and prevent dandruff.
6/ Shea Butter
Shea butter is a thick, creamy butter rich in vitamins and minerals. You can use it to condition your beard and keep it looking healthy.
7/ Beeswax
Beeswax is a natural wax that you can use to style your beard. It can help to hold your beard in place and prevent flyaways.
So, these are some of the best natural substitutes for beard oil. You can try any of them according to your needs, of course.
Many commercial beard oils have all-natural ingredients; so don’t hesitate to try them.
FAQs for Beard Oil Benefits and side effects
There must be a lot of questions running in your mind about beard oil. Let me answer some of the most commonly asked questions now.
How Long Does It Take For Beard Oil To Work?
In a nutshell, most beard oils should begin showing results after 2-6 weeks. However, it depends on the amount and frequency of use. How much and how often? Applying 6-10 drops of oil twice a day should show noticeable results within weeks.
Can Beard Oil Stimulate Hair Growth?
Yes, some beard oils can stimulate hair growth by increasing the circulation to your hair follicles. The increased blood flow provides essential nutrients to your hair, promoting growth. But it has not been scientifically proven that beard oils directly promote beard growth.
Is Beard Oil Only For Long Beards?
No! This is honestly such a major misconception among men. Beard oil is for long and short beards, and you can even use it on stubble. Beard hairs of all lengths and stripes need moisture and hydration.
Can Beard Oil Cause Acne?
If it is not suited to your skin type, then, yes, it certainly can. Take the advice of an expert if you have to. Avoid beard oils based on almond, soybean, and coconut oils. And go for the ones based on jojoba oil that resembles the natural oils in your skin.
Can You Be Allergic To Beard Oil?
Yes, you can be allergic to any of the ingredients used in beard oil. Tons of essential and carrier oils formulate a beard oil that may or may not suit your skin type. So, ensure you do a patch test before using it on your face.
What Is Beard Oil Used For?
Your beard needs moisture, and its absence can leave it looking dry and brittle. And it can create issues on your scalp. Beard oil helps avoid these problems. It keeps your beard and scalp healthy.
Does Beard Oil Help In Beard Growth?
Beard oil helps nourish and moisturize your beard locks rather than help you sprout new ones. Some beard oils aim specifically for beard growth and contain ingredients such as castor oil and various proteins. However, no oil or beard balm help grow a beard directly.
Is Beard Oil Good Or Bad For Growing A Beard?
Your beard requires nourishment and moisture for it to grow properly. Though it hasn’t been proven, beard oil can stimulate the growth rate of facial hair for many men. Is a beard oil worth it? Yes, it is because it helps shine, grow and straighten beard hair like a pro.
How To Use Beard Oil?
The answer to this question largely depends on your beard type. If you have a shorter beard, then a few drops of oil is all you need. For longer beards, you might need to use more.
Here’s how to use beard oil properly:
1/ Put 5 to 10 drops on your palm.
2/ Massage it evenly into your facial hair.
3/ Comb it through to evenly distribute the oil.
4/ Use a boar bristle brush to style your beard as usual.
And stylize your beard as you wish. You can apply beard oil once or twice a day, depending on how dry your beard is.
How To Grow Your Beard?
Beard growth depends on various factors such as age, genetics, hormones, and health. You can’t do much about the first three. But you can take steps to improve your health and encourage beard growth.
Here are some tips to help your beard grow fast naturally:
1/ Have a healthy diet: Include proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and more.
2/ Exercise regularly: It helps improve blood circulation.
3/ Get enough sleep: It is when your body heals and repairs itself.
4/ Reduce stress: Stress can adversely affect your hormones and health.
5/ Quit smoking: It constricts blood vessels and reduces blood flow.
Beard growth depends on various factors such as age, genetics, hormones, and health. You can’t do much about the first three. But you can take steps to improve your health and encourage beard growth.
How to choose the best beard oil?
You can choose a beard oil based on its scent, efficacy, budget, and the type of beard you have.
The best beard oil is the one that is:
1/ Light-textured so that your facial hair quickly absorbs it.
2/ Helpful in softening your beard and taming flyaways.
3/ Easy to spread and wash off.
4/ Made of all-natural ingredients.
5/ Having a subtle scent.
Beard Oil Pros and Cons
Beard oil is a great way to take care of your beard. But like everything else, it has certain pros and cons. Choose the right type of beard oil based on your skin type and preferences to enjoy its benefits without any side effects.
