Best Beard Balms

When it comes to men’s grooming, facial hair is often overlooked beyond trimming and shaving.

However, your beard also needs constant maintenance in order for it to remain as soft and shiny as possible. 

One product that can help with that is a beard balm - but what are they and where can you find a great beard balm to try out for yourself? 

Here we are going to be looking at the best beard balms out there, along with answering a few questions you may have about this handy hair care product.

So, check out the guide below to find everything you need to know about the best beard balms! 

What Are Beard Balms? 

First up, let’s talk about what beard balms are. 

Beard balms are kind of like a conditioner for your beard. While you may put on your usual shampoo and conditioner while in the shower, you can also add a beard balm to your beard and then wash it out just like a conditioner. 

The whole point of a beard balm is to help moisturize your facial hair.

Beards can grow tough, brittle and coarse if not properly cared for and this can result in a wild, rough beard.

Using a beard balm helps make facial hairs soft and gentle, plus they are given all the nutrients and moisture needed to stay hydrated and strong. 

So, it's definitely recommended that you use a beard balm if you have a lot of facial hair.

They can also be left in and used to help style your beard while locking in moisture to prevent your facial hair from drying out. 

Beard balms also help hydrate and take good care of the skin beneath your beard.

This skin is usually left to dry out because water struggles to penetrate longer facial hair, so using a beard balm also doubles as a kind of moisturizer for your skin doo (just don’t use it on skin that has no hair at all, there’s no point in that). 

All of these benefits make beard balms a great addition to a man’s daily routine.

Whether it’s conditioning or styling, beard balms are multipurpose and definitely something you should invest in.

If you want a beard balm to try out for yourself, then check out these amazing options below! 

Buyer’s Guide 

So, those were our top picks for the best beard balms - but if you would rather have a look around by yourself, then here is a handy buyer’s guide to help you find the best one!

Check out the advice below and keep it in mind when looking for your own beard balm! 

Tin Size/ Amount Of Balm

When looking for your ideal beard balm, you first need to think about how much balm you will need. 

Thos with long, dry beards will need more balm than those who are just starting to grow their beards.

Alternatively, your beard may not need a lot of balm to help keep it tame and hydrated, or perhaps you need to apply your beard balm daily to keep it manageable.

Ultimately, every guy’s beard is unique and so your beard may need more or less than the average beard.

Think about how much beard balm you expect to use and how frequently. This will help you choose the right tin size. 

Most beard balms are available in tin cans that weigh around two ounces, but you can get smaller one ounce tins that are easier for travel and ideal for those with smaller beards.

So, think about how much balm you need to avoid constantly restocking. 

The Hold Of The Balm

There are different kinds of beard balms that come with different holds.

This is because some are made using more solid ingredients, such as fats or waxes, while others are more liquid and use more oils in their formula. 

While all of these ingredients are great for hydrating and softening your beard, they do have different kinds of holds.

This means that some are better when it comes to styling your beard.

For example, a wax-based beard balm will help you style your beard and hold it into place while a liquid balm will only work at moisturizing your skin, hydrating your hair and softening your beard. 

So, think about how you want to use your beard balm and if you plan on using it to help you style your facial hair. If so, then a balm with more hold will be better for you. 

Base And Additional Ingredients

There are a range of ingredients used in beard balms, and each has its own purpose.

Therefore, you can get different balms which aim to do different jobs or are designed to tackle certain issues.

This means that if you have a particular issue with your beard, you can find a beard balm that is best suited to tackling that issue depending on its additional ingredients. 

The base ingredients of the balm help give it its texture and consistency, but also have additional effects.

Coconut oil and shea butter are incredibly hydrating as well as soothing, while beeswax is not suitable for vegans but helps make your beard feel luxuriously smooth. 

There are also carrier oils included in each balms formula. Some popular ones include jojoba oil, argan oil, peppermint oil, and tea tree oil.

While most of these are added to help give the balm a strong scent, they also have additional properties to help your skin and facial hair’s quality. 

Argan oil is especially gentle which makes it a great choice for those with sensitive skin or brittle hair, while jojoba oil is the closest ingredient to our natural sebum, making it the best choice for those who tend to have reactions to beauty products.

Peppermint oil stimulates hair growth while tea tree oil features antibacterial properties which helps fight acne. 

Then, there are the oils added to help give your beard a great smell.

This includes lavender oil which is said to help against anxiety, cedarwood which is a traditionally ‘manly’ smell that most guys love to use in their products, and eucalyptus oil which is another popular smell for men. 

Overall, you need to think about what kind of beard you want and find the best ingredients to help you achieve that goal. 

Price

Finally, we have come to one of the most important factors you should consider before purchasing your beard balm - the price. 

Most beard balms range between the $20 to $30 price range but a lot can go beyond this. It’s important to set yourself a budget so you only pay what you are comfortable with paying.

So, think carefully about how much you want to spend on your beard balm.

You will also need to take into account how often you may need to restock and the annual cost this will have on your expenses. 

Set yourself a maximum price and stay within your limits.

There’s no point in spending money on a beard balm you can’t afford when there could always be more affordable options out there that work just as great! 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Beard Balms Good? 

Beard balms have a lot of benefits, including making beards tamer and easier to style, while also providing great nutrition and hydration to both your beard and the skin beneath.

For a full, in-depth look at why you should use a beard balm, just check out the guide above! 

Should I Use A Beard Balm Everyday? 

How often you should use your beard balm depends on your beard itself.

The longer it is, the more frequent you should use your beard balm to help keep them in great condition. 

However, shorter beards tend to need less hydration because of how close they are to your skin and this makes it easier for water to penetrate the hairs. 

Despite this, those with beards longer than five inches should apply a balm every day. 

But, you know your beard best. If your beard is already soft and easy to style, then perhaps you don’t need to use your beard balm everyday. Instead, use it whenever you feel it needs a boost of hydration! 

Do You Rinse Off Beard Balm? 

You should wash out your beard balm after every use because leaving it stuck to your skin can cause a build up of oils, sebum and bacteria - and this in turn can lead to acne breakouts, itchiness and irritation! 

Beard balms are used for styling so they can be left in your beard for hours. Just remember to rinse the balm off once you are done for the day! 

Should You Comb Beard Balm?

Combing your beard balm into your beard is not a necessary step but it can help you with styling your beard.

Usually, you just run the balm through your beard using your fingers but a comb can help - it’s just not necessary.