How to Use Beard Oil—A Step-by-Step Guide

There are few beard care products that bearded guys love more than beard oil. This revolutionary beard care product is essentially a leave-in conditioner for your beard that doubles as a moisturizer for your skin.

Beard oil may be your secret to a handsome beard, but it’s not as intuitive as you might think. You probably have a few questions, chief among them being how to use beard oil in the first place.

Before we dig in, here are three things you need to know about beard oil:

• Beard oil can help tame your beard and prevent problems such as beard dandruff
• For the best results, apply beard oil after a warm shower
• When applying your beard oil, remember that a little goes a long way

Now we’ll answer all of your burning beard oil questions

Why Do Guys Need Beard Oil?

Why has beard oil gained a reputation for being one of the best beard care products on the market? It’s simple: Beard oil is the key to taming your beard hair and achieving a well-groomed appearance.

Washing your beard can strip the natural oils from the skin underneath your beard, resulting in dry skin and maybe even beard dandruff. Beard oil is formulated to moisturize both the skin underneath your beard and the hair itself for a healthier and neater appearance.

If you want women to find you attractive, this neat and tidy appearance is crucial. According to a now-famous study published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology, beards can make men seem older and more aggressive (see claim: “…beards have consistently been shown to enhance men's apparent age, masculinity, social dominance and aggressiveness intrasexually.”)

Although women generally find beards attractive, this is only true if your beard is well-kept and tidy. So, get your beard oil and apply it daily for a healthy, well-groomed beard.

How to Use Beard Oil

Beard oil isn’t too complicated to figure out. However, you can maximize its moisturizing potential by following these steps:

Step 1:  Choose the Right Beard Oil

Beard oils now come in a variety of scents and oils. While we can’t choose a beard oil for you, we can recommend which ingredients you may want to avoid.

If you struggle with acne-prone skin, be sure to read the ingredients label on your beard oil and avoid comedogenic (pore-clogging) oils such as coconut oil and safflower oil. Regardless of your skin type, you may want to consider staying away from beard oils with parabens and phthalates.

Phthalates in particular are concerning because they have been suspected of being a hormone-disruptor. According to the FDA, phthalates can be listed as “fragrances” for the purpose of protecting trade secrets.

Step 2:  Hop in the Shower

Beard oil works best when your skin and hair are both soft from a warm shower. Turn the temperature to lukewarm, hop in the shower and do your normal skin care routine–using your daily face wash, scrubbing your beard, etc.

If you don’t already use a face scrub for men on your beard, consider incorporating it into your routine. Using a face scrub on your beard twice a week can help remove dead skin cells that build up on the skin and maximize the moisturizing properties of your beard oil.

Once you’re out of the shower, pat your beard dry. If your beard is wet, it can reduce the absorbency of the beard oil.

Step 3:  Determine the Right Amount

When it comes to applying beard oil, a little goes a long way. For heavy stubble, two drops of beard oil should do the trick.

Moderately-sized beards can use three to four drops. For super long and bushy beards, feel free to use upwards of five drops to coat your hair and the skin underneath your beard.

Step 4: Apply the Beard Oil to Your Facial Hair

Be careful when pouring the beard oil into the palm of your hand. Some beard oil products come with a dropper, while others have an orifice that allows you to flip the bottle over and gently tap it to release individual drops.

Rub the beard oil into your palms and fingers. Distribute the beard oil evenly onto your beard by brushing your palms along your facial hair. Use a beard comb to work it into your hair and skin.

If you overestimated how much beard oil you needed, don’t sweat it. You can apply it to your arms or elbows to ensure that nothing goes to waste.

Conclusion

No matter where you are on your beard-growing journey, a quality beard oil can make all the difference. If you care about your appearance, it’s a must-have product to include in your daily skin care routine. Start applying it daily and you’ll be looking super suave for date night, the office and beyond.

References

Dixson, B. J. W., et al. “The Masculinity Paradox: Facial Masculinity and Beardedness Interact to Determine Women’s Ratings of Men’s Facial Attractiveness.” Journal of Evolutionary Biology, vol. 29, no. 11, Nov. 2016, pp. 2311–20. onlinelibrary.wiley.com, doi:10.1111/jeb.12958.

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “Fragrances in Cosmetics.” FDA, Feb. 2019.