Top 6 Beard Oils for Men - Get Rid of an Itchy Beard and Smell Great!
Probably the most desirable accessory for young men is not an accessory at all; the beard! Today’s modern workplace has overcome the ancient clean-shaven requirement for its male members and guys are rocking the beard game harder than ever before. Young guys want a beard and are doing everything they can to increase beard growth and accelerate their path to a full-beard. Unfortunately, getting a full beard is often up to genetics, but there are things you can do to keep your skin and hair follicles healthy which will make your beard and skin look healthier, fuller, and likely speed up the growth process.
Atop that list is using beard oils! Beard oils consist of pretty basic and reliable ingredients like argan oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, and more that have been proven to improve skin and hair health for thousands of years. Since most beard oil brands use similar blends of oil, what differentiates one from another is the fragrance. I would advise men to skip the cologne when using a pleasantly scented beard oil so as not to clash aromas. Although a lot of oils market themselves as tools to style your beard and keep it being overly straggly, from my experience, oil does not really accomplish this unless your beard is extremely long and in that case you’re better off using a waxy balm that will help hold the shape of your mane.
2 tips before using: I would highly recommend applying the oil after a shower, or after wetting your beard, to help keep the water from evaporating (science!) from your hairs. Also try not to wear beard oil with a dress shirt so as not to ruin the collar!
So here are my top 6 beard oils for guys who are looking to improve their facial hair from dry, itchy, and straggly, to nourished, healthy, and sexy aromatic.
1. Duke Cannon: Redwood, $30, 3oz (or $38 with the balm)
Hands down my favorite grooming brand right now, Duke Cannon’s beard products are on par with their marketing, which is hard to beat. This beard oil scent is fresh, powdery, and woodsy which for me is a bomb combination (no pun intended). The balm is also excellent and has a very unique texture that makes it apt for styling as well.
2. Caswell-Massey: Yellowstone Nat. Park Limited Edition, $42, 1oz
This brand’s American heritage goes back over - I'm not kidding - 250 years and make some of the most luxurious and classic/traditional scented products I have ever used! They’ve appropriately paired with Yellowstone National Park for a delightful smelling oil that is floral, but has very masculine and musky notes. They know what they’re doing. Its not cheap by any means but you get what you pay for - this is just as much a distinguished cologne as it is a beard oil. You won’t be dissapointed. (Try some soaps while you’re at it - I recommend the sandalwood!)
3. Cremo: Forest Blend, $7, 10z
A modern king of a men’s grooming brand, they are popping up everywhere from Instagram to your local CVS. They have done their homework and produce some incredible scents. Although I am a fan of their reserve blend, it is a bit too noticable for me as a beard oil. I prefer this forest blend that has very a subtle smokey scent combined with pleasant woodsy notes.
4. Aleph Male: Sukkot Blend $20, 2oz
A personal favorite of mine, the Aleph Male brand produces all of their ingredients in the holy land of Israel! Aside from hearing daily bits of inspiring mantras from its founder on Instagram (definitely worth a follow!), the contents are extremely fresh which makes this balm smell incredible, resembling the 4 species of fruits/vegetation blessed on the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. It smells citrusy (thanks to the citron), and fresh and comes in a very generous 2 oz bottle.
5. Clubman Pinaud $6.50, 1oz
The most inexpensive on this list, and quite the surprise for me, I picked this one up at a local Walgreen’s as my first beard oil almost 3 years ago. It has held up though and I find myself returning to this one so often due to its subtle after-shave like scent and its thick texture that excels at softening up my coarse beard bristles. I was surprised to see some shoddy reviews on Amazon, yet I’d still recommend this one despite people complaining about its gooey texture.
6. Brothers Artisan Oil: Rosewood and Cedarwood , $22, 1oz
Another affordable oil, this one goes on very light and has a really mild but pleasant smell; and I am a sucker for anything Cedar-scented. Brothers Artisan Oil is making a name for themselves quickly in the men’s grooming community and I love their old school branding on this one. I’d recommend this one to someone with more oily skin who wants something light.