Beard Balm Vs. Oil: The Basics and Comparison

Is your beard hair growth scanty or does it look rough and is difficult to groom? If yes, you might be trying hair oils or Vaseline to improve the texture and growth rate of your beard, right? But let me tell you that you need more than that.

Products specifically manufactured for grooming the beard are gaining popularity for their targetted use and exceptional results. Two of the most commonly used products by beard care enthusiasts are beard balm and oil.

So, you are in the right place if you are wondering which of the two is more suitable for your facial hair and what is the difference between beard balm and beard oil. Let us know more about beard balm vs. oil below.

Table of Contents:

• Part 1: What is Beard Balm?
• Part 2: What is Beard Oil?
• Part 3: Comparison: Beard Balm Vs. Oil
• Part 4: Is Beard Balm or Oil Better?
• Part 5: When to Use Beard Oil Vs. Balm?

Part 1: What is Beard Balm?

A beard balm is a lip balm-like product with a soft consistency, vaseline-like appearance, and hair conditioner-like properties. It is a leave-in conditioner for beard hair that is mainly used to nourish the beard, soften rough hair, and style it.

Key Ingredients:

Beard balm is mainly a product manufactured for nourishing the hair along with styling it. So, it has ingredients of oil, a healthy beard oil, and a functional hairstyling wax. These ingredients include.

• Butter: Mango butter, cocoa butter, or shea butter.
• Carrier oils: Jojoba oil, sunflower oil, argan oil, and castor oil
• Hair-holding wax: Beeswax

Advantages:

Here are some top advantages of beard balms.

• Tackle stubborn beard hair: Because of the thick consistency and soft texture of beard balms, it allows you to groom disorderly beard hair strands that do not seem to stay in place.
• Adds fresh fragrance to the beard: The natural butter and essential oils in a beard balm add a nice and attractive fragrance to it helping you smell nice all day.
• Slow-release long-lasting effects: Beard balm works as a leave-in conditioner that takes time to fully absorb into the beard. So, it stays on for a few hours which helps you keep the beard soft and manageable.
• Perfect for men with thick or long beards: As beard balms hold hair and shape it well, it works well for men with thick hair.

Instruction for Using It:

Here are the easy steps for using a beard balm.

• First of all, wash your face and beard as needed and let the beard dry completely.
• Scoop out a little amount of beard balm which is enough for your beard and rub it in between your palms to melt it.
• Start applying the balm and moving your finger through the beard hair. Work from hair roots downwards
• Once you are all done, take a beard comb and comb the beard to distribute it evenly.
• Now style your beard as you like and let it be until the next day.

Part 2: What is Beard Oil?

Beard oil is a serum-like lightweight product consisting of several or a single type of oil. The purpose of beard oil is mainly to hydrate and nourish your skin and beard hair. Additionally, it can be used before shaving to lubricate the hair.

Key Ingredients:

A beard oil is mainly a combination of two types of ingredients given below.

• Essential oils: Lavender oil, tea tree oil, sandalwood oil, cedarwood oil, and rosemary oil.
• Carrier oils: Jojoba oil, argan oil, coconut oil, castor oil, grapeseed oil, and hemp seed oil.

Advantages:

• Helps in the growth of a beard: A beard oil contains ingredients like rosemary which helps in making a beard longer, thicker, and stronger. Also, you can follow the tips mentioned on how to promote beard growth faster and naturally.
• Nourishes the skin and hair roots: As beard oil is easy to apply to the hair roots, it stimulates follicles and nourishes the skin as well.
• Anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial: Beard oil contains essential oils that help in calming itching and swelling. Moreover, it keeps bacteria at bay.
• Restore and repair beard: Just like a beard balm helps in managing rough stubborn hair, beard oil works well for repairing the hair and restoring its soft texture from within.
• Helps in Lubrication: A beard oil can be used for preparing your skin for shaving.

Instruction for Using It:

Here is your step-by-step guide for using beard oil.

• Wash your beard and let it dry
• Once dry, take a dime-sized amount of beard oil in your palm and rub it into your fingers.
• Move your finger into your beard so that it touches the chin. In this way, oil will be applied to the hair roots and the skin.
• Massage the oil into the skin for 2 to 4 minutes.
• Comb the hair and leave the oil on until your next shower. You can also use a beard balm afterward to style the beard.

Part 3: Comparison: Beard Balm Vs. Oil

Let us now see what is beard balm vs. oil in the form of a comparison table that throws light on all the basic features of the body.

Part 4: Is Beard Balm or Oil Better?

There is not one answer to which of the two is better. It all comes down to how you want to use these products, what benefits you expect, and what are your ultimate goals for using these. Let us see which beard balm or oil is better for certain conditions.

• For growing a beard for beginners: If you have a patchy beard and a teenager who wants to grow the beard to the full, a beard oil is the way to go. This is because beard oils have a well-balanced proportion of hair-nourishing and growth-promoting oils in them. However, if you want to make the beard appear thick instantly, beard balm can be more helpful.
• For dealing with beard dandruff and itching: While both beard balms and oils are great for itching as they soften the rough hair that is causing the skin to itch, beard oil is a better option if you have dandruff. Furthermore, check how you can avoid it at how to get rid of beard dandruff.
• For conditioning and styling the beard: If you want to condition your long or medium and thick beard, a beard balm is a better option. Additionally, beard balms weigh down the disheveled hair and help in styling the beard. You can also check some beard styles for you by giving how to shave and trim goatee beard a read.

Part 5: When to Use Beard Oil Vs. Balm?

Beard oils and beard balms work best when they are used together as both complement each other. However, if you feel like choosing a single product, here is a guide for you to follow.

Below are the factors you should keep in mind while buying beard balm or oil.

Factors to Consider While Buying a Product

Here are the factors to consider before buying beard balm vs. oil.

Beard length:

If you have a short, straight, and thin beard, beard oil is enough and will work better for you. This is because such hair is mostly easy to manage. However, if your beard is thick and long or your hair is curly and textured, a beard balm will be more suitable.

Personal grooming needs:

While buying a beard grooming product, you need to be clear about what you want the product to do for you. If you only want to nourish the hair or get rid of dandruff and itching, go for beard oil.

On the other hand, if you plan to keep your beard tidy and condition it regularly, choose a beard balm.

Beard style preference:

Lastly, a beard balm is the way to go if you want to style the beard and have no trouble with its growth rate or hydration as it helps in softening and keeping the beard in place.

Factors to Consider While Using It

If you have both products and cannot decide when to use them, here is your answer.

Desired Level of Hold:

A beard oil will soften and hydrate the hair while it won’t do much for holding them as it absorbs super fast into the skin. Beard balms offer a greater level of hold and release slowly. So, they work better for managing the beard in daily routine.

Beard Nourishment:

Both products are good for nourishment of the beard but a beard oil has more benefits when it comes to hair moisturization and hydration. It is because beard oil works on hair roots and the skin.

Beard Conditioning:

A beard balm is literally a leave-in conditioner for the beard hair. So, if you want to soften the rough hair and make it appear smooth, a beard balm is your answer.

Conclusion

A beard balm and oil are both important products that can be used by men to manage, nourish, condition, hydrate, and style the beard. Although both have some similar ingredients, their overall manufacturing is different. This is exactly why both have unique texture, consistency, and ultimately functionality.

Moreover, the combination of both works for almost every beard concern whether it is growing the beard or styling it. So, we encourage you to follow the information provided above to use these products individually or in combination.