After 34 hours of research evaluating 96 products, we picked The Gentlemen’s Beard Bay Rum Beard Oil as our top choice.
Did you know that beards are more appealing to women? One apparel company conducted a test and found that women found men with whiskers more attractive than men without, and a study out of Australia backed up that claim. Men with facial hair appear more masculine and healthy.
Of course, if you grow a beard, you’re going to have to take care of it. If you don’t, your face can look scruffy if not kept neat, clean, and trimmed. So whether you have the full ZZ Top or little more than stubble, you need beard grooming products like beard conditioners and oils.
Sound silly? It’s not!
Beard oil is like a cologne, anti-dandruff shampoo, and conditioner in one. It will help keep the oils in your facial hair balanced, promoting good skin and hair health.
There are MANY beard grooming products out there, too many for the choice to be easy. But if you’re overwhelmed, don’t sweat it! We’ve done the work for you–combing through hundreds of brands, reading thousands of reviews, and even testing a few select products.
Here is our list of the best beard care oils for you to use:
Before we go on, be sure to complete your beard grooming kit with the best beard comb, best beard brush, and the best beard shampoo!
#1 Best Beard Oil Overall
The Gentlemen’s Beard Bay Rum Beard Oil
- Manages hair and reduces itching
- Doesn’t leave greasy film
- Warm, manly scent; great for use without cologne
Pros
No overpowering essential oil scent, easily applied without leaving a greasy film, excellent mixture of oils, and great for your hair and skin. Softens hair and makes it easier to groom.
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#2 Best Hair Thickening Beard Oil
Bossman Beard Oil
- Unique jelly consistency that hydrates well
- Helps beard to grow fuller and thicker
- Contains twice as much product
Pros
This unique jelly beard oil acts like a hair and skin butter that helps the beard to grow fuller and more luscious.
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#3 Best Luxury Beard Oil
Jack Black Beard Oil
- Contains potent antioxidants
- A little goes a long way
- Softens brittle facial hair
Pros
This prime choice of beard oil can soften brittle hair, provide shine, and eliminate itchiness with just 2 to 3 drops of product.
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#4 Best Organic Beard Grooming Oil For Fast Growth
The Gentlemen’s Beard Oil and Conditioner Softener
- Minimal scent ideal for using with body spray/cologne
- Makes managing frizzy beards easier
- Softens skin and brings out hair color
Pros
This oil is 100% organic and free of fillers, parabens, additives, and GMOs. Additionally, it has a minimal scent, is an effective conditioner, and helps to manage frizzy and curly beards.
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#5 Best Natural Nourishing Beard Oil
Cremo Revitalizing Beard Oil
- Suitable for all beard lengths
- Rich blend of moisturizing oils
- Keeps beard smelling fresh and clean
Pros
The rich blend of moisturizing oils in this beard oil helps soften hair, soothe skin, and relieve itch for all beard lengths.
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#6 Best Beard Grower
Pop Modern-C Beard Oil
- Effective hair grower
- Makes beard silky soft and manageable
- Repairs damaged hair follicles
Pros
If you’re looking for a fast beard grower that would keep your beard nourish and moisturized, the Pop Modern-C Beard Oil is your best choice.
Product Ratings
Features
9.4/10
If you’re looking to grow your hair thicker and faster, this beard oil is made for just that. Apart from nourishing oils, this formula contains:
- Biotin to strengthen the root of the hair and improve beard health
- Caffeine and polygonum multiflorum to promote faster beard growth
- Ginger root to stimulate hair follicles for new growth
You’ll be able to see the difference week by week with daily use of 3 to 4 drops.
Value
9.2/10
It’s more expensive than other beard oils but the results are worth it if you’re looking to grow hair fast.
Overall Editor Score
9.3/10
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#7 Best Quick Absorb Beard Oil
Crafted Beard Oil
- Fast-absorbing beard oil
- No oily residue
- Excellent scent selection
Pros
This fast-absorbing beard oil conditions and moisturizes the hair without leaving it greasy or oily.
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#8 Best Skin Caring Beard Oil
Oars and Alps Beard Oil
- Achieves a smooth, healthy-looking beard
- Protects skin from damage-causing pollution
- Has a nice refreshing scent
Pros
For a healthy-looking beard that has great shine, this beard oil helps to nourish both skin and hair with a nice refreshing scent to boot.
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#9 Best Lightweight Beard Oil
Baxter of California Beard Grooming Oil
- Lightweight oil
- Quick-absorb formula
- Tames beard while soothing skin
Pros
This beard oil has a thin, quick-absorb formula that is able to effectively tame frizzy hair while soothing skin and promoting healthy hair growth.
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#10 Best All Around Budget Beard Oil
Spartans Den Premium Beard Oil
- Promotes healthy hair growth
- Stops itch and beardruff
- Improves hair softness
Pros
This beard oil does it all and at a budget – promoting healthy hair growth, nourishing and softening the hair, and stopping itch and dandruff.
Product Ratings
Features
9/10
If you’re looking for something that does it all without breaking the bank, this beard oil is for you. This blend contains a nice blend of oils that promote growth, amplifies shine, nourishes skin, and stops itchy, flaky skin.
- Pure vitamin E oil to nourish your skin and hair and reduce dandruff
- Jojoba oil to help repair skin and help control oil and manage acne
- Apricot oil to infuse your skin with antioxidants and vitamins, and soften your hair
Value
9/10
At less than $7 per ounce, this beard oil is bang for your buck.
Overall Editor Score
9.0/10
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#11 Best Beard Oil For New Hair Growth
The Beard Club Beard Growth Oil
- Wakes dormant beard follicles
- Helps hair grow thicker and longer
- Minimizes beard itch
Pros
If you have bald patches, this beard oil helps wake dormant beard follicles so you can grow new hair that’s thicker, longer, and healthier.
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#12 Best Beard Softener
Leven Rose Beard Oil and Leave-in Conditioner
- Minimal scent; great for use with any cologne
- Enhances beard volume and leaves it looking good
- Great for softening hair; makes it easier to groom
Pros
The leave-in conditioner does a great job of softening your facial hair and men love the manly scent. This brand is also created using vegan-friendly, all natural and non-GMO products, absorbs quickly to reduce greasiness, and has a long shelf life.
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#13 Best Beard Moisturizer for Grooming
Smooth Viking Beard Balm
- Great for softening coarse, thick hair
- Leaves your facial hair looking neat and professional
- Nice and thick; tames even wild beards
Pros
Highly effective moisturizer and conditioner, great for taming unruly growths of any length, 100% natural, tin is easy to open but securely sealed, and features a neutral smell.
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#14 Best Hydrating Beard Oil
Rich Beard Oil
- Hydrating, non-greasy formula
- Great scent
- Eliminates itch and dandruff
Pros
This hydrating, non-greasy formula is a prime choice for those with dry hair to increase moisture and shine while keeping itchy, flaky skin at bay.
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#15 Best Beard Care Product for Manly Men
Wisdom Beard Oil
- Strong cedar smell with pleasantly light lemon after-scent
- Good thickness/consistency, easy to apply
- Leaves your hair glossy and rich
Pros
Woodsy scent that makes you feel like a proper man, easy application and grooming, reduces itching, moisturizes and conditions hair and skin, and doesn’t leave an oily look.
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#16 Best Affordable Beard Oil
Mountaineer Brand Beard Oil
- Amazing value for money
- Reduces itchiness and flakiness
- Available in a variety of scents
Pros
This affordable beard oil addresses dry skin issues to reduce itchiness and flakiness and is available in both scentless and scented options.
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#17 Best Beard Oil And Balm Kit
Rapid Beard Oil and Balm Kit
- Conditions and shines the beard
- Makes styling and beard care easy
- Fragrance-free, all-natural formula
Pros
This two-in-one kit contains a beard oil and balm to groom, shape, and tame your beard with an all-natural, fragrance-free formula.
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#18 Best Scented Beard Oil
Badass Beard Oil
- Sophisticated manly smells
- All-natural, 100% food-grade ingredients
- Promote faster and thicker hair growth
Pros
The main selling point of this beard oil is its sophisticated scent profile and its hair-growing formula.
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#19 Best Beard Oil For Shine
Wild Willies Hemp Beard Oil
- Softens and conditions beard while amplifying shine
- Promotes strong and healthy hair
- Made from all-natural ingredients
Pros
This beard tames frizzy, wiry hair and makes it smooth, healthy, and shiny.
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#20 Best Beard Oil For Itchy, Flaky Skin
Billy Jealousy Devil’s Delight Beard Oil
- Effectively eliminates itch and flakes
- Moisturizes and strengthens beard shaft
- Great scent
Pros
For itchy and flaky skin, this beard oil helps address the root cause of dryness to help nourish the hair and skin while eliminating itch and flakes.
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Beard Oil Buyer’s Guide
Features To Consider When Buying A Beard Oil
So you’ve decided to start using beard oil. There are several things that you need to know when shopping for your first beard oil product.
Ingredients
The ingredients are of course the most important aspect of your decision. When looking for a beard oil for men, consider your needs and what you want out of your beard oil. Are you looking for a conditioner, a beard grower, a hair thickener, something lightweight, or perhaps all of the above? Different ingredients do different things so you have to know what does what.
Beard oils are made with two types of oils: carrier oils and essential oils
Carrier Oils – Carrier oils are similar in chemical structure to your skin oil, which means they are absorbed easily into the skin without increasing sebum production. They are used to “carry” the essential oils, diluting them and preventing them from damaging your skin. Some of the most popular carrier oils include:
- Jojoba oil, which is a potent conditioner, thanks to its high vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant content. It’s also a strong antibacterial agent that can reduce acne and dandruff.
- Grape seed oil, which is loaded with protective Vitamin E and antioxidants to prevent oxidative stress from damaging your skin and hair.
- Argan oil, which also contains a lot of Vitamin E, along with Vitamin A and other potent antioxidants.
- Castor oil, which is rich in Vitamin E and fatty acids that are easily absorbed into the skin, protecting it from damage.
- Almond oil, which is lighter than other carrier oils and provides A LOT of nutrients: Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, D, and E.
- Sunflower seed oil, which is rich in vitamin E and oleic acid, neutralizes free radicals to protect the hair and skin and stops hair breakage for healthier hair growth
- Rice bran oil, which is rich in fatty acids helps to tame frizzy hair and make it more manageable
- Safflower seed oil, which is used to treat hair loss can stimulate new hair growth and fight off hair loss
- Macadamia seed oil, which is rich in antioxidants and emollients, nourishes the hair and gives it a glossy, shiny appearance
- Kukui oil, which moisturizes both beard and skin can repair damaged hair strands and soothe, itchy dry skin
Without these carrier oils, you’d be applying hyper-potent essential oils directly to your skin—NOT a good thing! These oils are mostly used for protecting your hair and skin, both from environmental toxins and the potent ingredients in essential oils.
Essential Oils – Essential oils are natural compounds found in plants, seeds, flowers, stems, and herbs. For example, when you squeeze a lemon peel, you get a naturally oily substance—lemon essential oil. Same as when you crush roses or extract the oil from peppermint.
Essential oils are potent, both in their antibacterial properties and their fragrance. It’s these essential oils that give beard oil their rich smell. They also contain medicinal and antiseptic properties, which is what makes them so useful.
A few examples of essential oils include:
- Lemongrass oil, which invigorates and refreshes your skin, providing Vitamin C required to produce collagen.
- Cedarwood oil, which provides a musky, manly scent and antibacterial properties to kill off acne bacteria.
- Amla oil, which is highly effective at repairing damaged hairs.
- Eucalyptus oil, which can reduce skin irritation and kill off bacteria that cause beardruff.
- Peppermint oil, which can refresh the skin and infuse it with moisture, helping to restore dry or damaged skin.
- Rosemary leaf oil, which is said to improve cellular regeneration helps both grow and thicken facial hair
- Bergamot oils, which softens and tames hair, is a good hair conditioner for all hair types
Beard Oil Packaging
Does packaging matter? The answer is yes. There are many different types of packaging for beard oils, but we recommend ones that are in an amber-colored glass bottle. This would help ensure that UV lights don’t penetrate through and won’t break down important ingredients in your product. If you really must go with the clear bottle, make sure to store it away from sunlight.
A beard oil with a dropper cap or pump dispenser is also ideal as compared to one with a twist cap so you can avoid spillage and easily control the amount per use.
Scent
You can either go for scented or unscented beard oils, it depends on your personal preference. The benefit of good scented beard oil is that you may choose to skip your perfume and save some money, especially for just day-to-day activities. However, if you have sensitive skin that reacts to fragrance, you’re best suited for the unscented option.
Price and Value for Money
Of course, your budget should be a consideration. A 1-oz bottle of beard oil should last you about a month or two of daily use depending on how thick or long your beard is. That’s 12 bottles total max for the whole year so it should be a budgeted expense. Consider how much you want to spend on your beard oil and stick to the options within that range.
Most of the time, you can save when buying in bulk. If you’ve found a beard oil that you like, try and see whether they have a bigger bottle that you can go for to save some cash.
How to Apply Beard Oil
Using beard oil is easy. After washing your face, put a drop of oil or two into your palm and rub your hands together. Apply the oil onto your face and brush your palms from the sides of your jaw and move along towards the center. Make sure to apply enough on the skin underneath. Run your fingers through the underside of your beard until all the hair is soaked with oil.
After the first pass, assess whether your hair needs more oil. Feel free to apply more drops and repeat the steps. Once you feel like you’ve coated all of your hair enough, get your beard comb and comb and style your beard as you want. You know you’ve done a good job when both the beard and skin feels moisturized and softened.
How Often to Apply Beard Oil
Applying beard oil first thing in the morning is the most common way to use beard oil. A good beard oil should last all day long, nourishing and conditioning the hair to stay nicely in place.
However, if you’re a gent with extra thick hair, you might find that reapplying midday is necessary. As there’s more hair to absorb the beard oil throughout the day, you might find that your beard isn’t as soft and moisturized as when you’ve applied the product.
Another factor to consider is your hair exposure. If you work outdoors and are constantly exposed to vehicle exhaust, dust, debris, wind, and sunlight, you might also need to apply twice. Applying beard oil in the morning will help to protect the hair, and applying it after work will nourish the beard and repair the damage done.
Day vs. Night Treatment
The best time to apply beard oil is first thing in the morning, as that will help to keep your beard looking good all day long and protect it from the dryness, environmental toxins, wind, and UV rays it will be exposed to throughout the day.
However, some men find that applying the oil once a day isn’t enough to protect or condition their beard, especially if they have a very long beard. Sometimes, a night treatment with beard oil can help you to keep it neat and healthy for easy grooming in the morning.
The problem with night treatments is that a lot of the oil will be absorbed into your pillowcase. This increases the chance of acne, thanks to the clumps of oil, dead skin cells, and dirt.
If you’re going to treat your beard at night, make sure to do so at least 2-3 hours before going to sleep. Take a hot shower or apply a hot towel to your face to soften the hairs, and apply half as many drops of beard oil as you would during the day. The heat will help your skin and hair follicles absorb more oil, leaving less on your beard to be absorbed into your pillowcase.
Beard Oil Tips
Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your beard oil:
- Keep it in a cool, dry place. Heat and direct sunlight can break down the nutrients in the essential oils and degrade the carrier oils.
- Be gentle. The last thing you want is to attack your beard with the oil. Rub the oil gently between your hands, and apply it gently to your beard.
- Wash your beard regularly. Beard oil can attract dust, debris, food particles, and dead skin cells, increasing your risk of acne and skin irritation and infections. Wash your beard regularly (no less than thrice weekly) with soap and/or shampoo and conditioner.
- Get the right tools for the job. You need an eyedropper to apply the right amount of oil to your beard, a comb to help you style it, and a pair of shears or scissors to trim up runaway hairs.
- Try before you buy. Never buy a beard oil sight unseen. You need to find one that feels good on your skin, smells nice, and offers the consistency and ingredients you want for your hair and skin. Once you’ve found a couple of beard oils you like, stick with them—your hair and skin will acclimate to the ingredients, and you’ll have an easier time layer on the smells (cologne and deodorants).
Make Your Own Beard Oil
That’s right, you can make your own beard oil fairly easily!
Basically, you need anywhere from one to three carrier oils. Both Dr. Axe and Art of Manliness recommend a mixture of coconut oil, sweet almond oil, and jojoba oil. You will need roughly 1 ounce of mixed carrier oils, which you will pour into a glass jar (which comes with an eyedropper).
Next, you need essential oils. This is where you need to get creative and experiment with different smells. A few of the more best essential oils include:
- Cedarwood
- Sandalwood
- Orange
- Eucalyptus
- Peppermint
- Amla
Each essential oil has its own benefits, but you need to focus on making the right combination according to their scent as well as their properties.
You really only need about 10 drops of essential oil per 1 ounce of carrier oils. If you’re going to use very powerful scents, use less—say 3 to 5 drops.
Once you’ve added the essential oils, all you need to do is mix the ingredients together and test them out. Adapt your formula as desired, and have fun experimenting with a broad selection of carrier and essential oils to make the perfect beard oil!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best beard oil to grow facial hair?
If your issue is beard hair growth, we highly recommend The Gentlemen’s Beard Bay Rum Beard Oil. Its main ingredients include extra virgin coconut oil which stimulates healthy hair growth so your beard can appear fuller and thicker. This is also a beard softening oil so it would make your hair feel softer and less abrasive. It’s a real treat for both the beard and skin.
Another runner-up is the Bossman Beard Oil. It has a nice jelly consistency that is unlike traditional beard oil for men. This unique texture is supposed to help penetrate hair follicle better so the conditioning and softening effects can last longer. Made with castor seed oil and sunflower seed oil, it stimulates your beard to grow quicker while moisturizing skin underneath.
What is the best beard oil for a patchy beard?
A patchy beard is caused by dormant beard follicles. Our top recommendation for growing out bald patches is The Beard Club Beard Growth Oil. Its use of castor oil and coconut oil as main ingredients allow you to kick-start sleeping follicles so you can grow new beard hairs. It also promotes faster hair growth, and improves skin hydration to reduce itchiness.
Another great pick is the Pop Modern-C Beard Oil. Enhanced with biotin, caffeine, ginger root, and polygonum multiflorum, this blend strengthens hair roots and counteracts testosterone inhibition to activate inactive follicles.