You likely know that Beard Oil is important for the health of your beard. But how can you find the best Beard Oil, and what sets it apart from the rest?
Beard Oil is so essential because it supplements your skin’s natural oil production. By applying it often you reduce itchiness and beardruff. Both of these usually stem from dried-out skin.
That's right. Beard Oil is as much for your skin as it is your beard and you should first apply it there.
Massage Beard Oil through your hair into your skin and you'll enjoy a better beard experience.
But with sheer endless options for Beard Oil out there, how do you pick the right one? There are a ton of companies selling similar products and the analysis paralysis is real.
In this article we’ll show you exactly what to look for when searching for an exceptional Beard Oil.
Luckily, there are a few critical variables that will help to pick a winner and prevent ending up with snake oil. Let's get started.
1. They Contain All-Natural Ingredients.
This one is big. If you can only check for one thing, make it this.
Only buy a Beard Oil that is 100% made from all-natural ingredients. Check the label before buying. If the label does not say, check the manufacturer’s website.
Chances are you've heard of some of the popular ingredients like Argan or Jojoba Oil.
Beyond that, do a quick reference check if you stumble across something you’ve never heard of.
If it sounds wrong for your skin, chances are it is.
Stay away from ingredients like Urea, Phthalates, Propylene Glycol, or Parabens.
At Black Comb Beards, we're proud of our beard product recipes.
If you're interested to learn not only about the ingredients we use but why we use them, click here to read Our Story.
2. They Are NOT Marketed As A ‘Growth Oil’
Sorry. There is no such thing as a Beard Growth Oil.
There is not any evidence that any Beard Oil marketed as a Growth Oil increases beard growth.
No science has ever been able to find an ingredient that sprouts new hair follicles. If a product you're looking at says it'll do that, you should keep that stuff as far away from your beard as you can.
Does that mean Beard Oil does not encourage and support growth? Well here's where it gets tricky.
Beard Oil is essential for growing a healthy beard.
But that is because of the many carrier oils used in most Beard Oils. These nourish the underlying skin and supplement the natural production of sebum.
As an example, Black Comb Beard Oil includes Argan, Jojoba and Avocado Oil. These three ingredients are all said to encourage growth. But they do so by nourishing the skin.
Does that mean our Beard Oil is a growth oil too? We could claim that. But it would be misleading.
Don’t fall for the marketing trap.
Stick to a clean product and regular application, and be patient.
3. They Will Benefit ALL Beard Types
Beards vary in shape, length, thickness, curliness, patchiness, and many other things.
We often see websites who are trying to capture the market for a particular type of beard.
The truth is, the purpose of any oil is to nourish the skin below the beard. We can't see any reason why certain ingredients would be best for "longer beards" or "thicker beards".
Yes - there are studies that show evidence of the effect of certain carrier oils on the skin. It's said that jojoba oil helps mild acne. Apricot kernel oil has antiseptic and pain-relieving properties. And, that's why we include them in our own Skin Support™ Beard Oil.
Those oils and others like them will help your skin if your skin is in need of those things. But they will help regardless of what beard type you rock. Healthy skin is essential for any type of beard.
A well-rounded Beard Oil will benefit your beard, no matter its growth rate or style.
4. They Come With a Measurement Dropper or Release Valve
You only ever need a few drops of Beard Oil.
Not only is there no added benefit to using more than that, but it also begins to get expensive.
The best kind of Beard Oils come with an easy to use dropper or valve. This allows you to squeeze the exact dosage you want.
At Black Comb, we listen to our customers, and they have spoken.
By far the most popular release mechanism is a simple dropper. It’s foolproof to handle and allows the exactly what its name says: Squeezing out oil drop by drop.
If a Beard Oil supplier does not include a proper dosage mechanism then you're going to waste product. Of course, that means you'd need to buy more. Hmmmm. Walk away, fast.
It's also worth mentioning that Beard Oils should always come in an amber bottle. This protects the formulation from UV light rays and oxidation. Keep an eye out for this one, as it’ll save you from having to discard your oil because it’s gone bad.
5. They Don't Contain Complicated Fragrances
There's nothing like rocking a mighty beard that feels, looks and smells awesome. We love that.
But like Beard Oils themselves, there's a mind-boggling variety of fragrances out there. Cue our favorite: analysis paralysis.
Fragrances come from essential oils, and they’re usually strong and undiluted. In fact, you need carrier oils to dilute essential oils and apply them to your skin.
If you have regular skin, most essential oils won’t harm you. But, every skin is unique, and yours may not react well to certain exotic oils.
At Black Comb, we like to keep things simple.
Our woodsy Northwest fragrance remains our customer top choice. Fancy a crisp cologne? Try The District. Our scented lineup completes with the zesty basil citrus tones of Grove Street. You can find these great smells across our entire product range.
If you have sensitive skin, or prefer a neutral smell to not mix with other colognes then go for an unscented oil. At Black Comb, that's the theme of our foundational Baseline formula. No essential oils, no fragrance, no fuss.
6. They're Made In An Ethical, American Workshop
The best ingredients don't matter if there is no quality control.
It’s cheaper, easier and way more efficient to outsource production overseas. This in theory leads to a more profitable business. Yet, we at Black Comb have decided against it.
We produce our Beard Oil in small batches, by hand, in Utah. All our ingredients are American sourced.
By doing so, we maintain the highest possible command over our products. We know what’s in it, we know who bottled it, and we can guarantee the quality.
We make a product we’re proud of, and support local community by creating local jobs.
If you buy a cheap Beard Oil manufactured overseas, the real price is usually paid somewhere else. That could be the person bottling it under bad conditions on substandard wages. Or your skin, by not getting the product it deserves.
7. They Sell For A Reasonable Price
This may sound like a contradiction to the last list item but hear us out. The middle ground is a good indicator of a good Beard Oil.
Making a great Beard Oil is not cheap (see 6 above).
The oils used as ingredients can be expensive. And if done right, process and labour cost are not cheap either. That all adds up and justifies a certain price point for a quality Beard Oil.
There is a limit though. It's hard to justify any mixture of ingredients for a $30+ price point on a standard quantity bottle (1 fl. Oz / 30ml). For that kind of price tag you've gotta be paying for a fancy ingredient you don't need or for the brand name.
Mind you, there’s nothing wrong with brand loyalty. Heck, we love the affection our customers show for our brand. But keep in mind that Beard Oil is a recurring cost.
If you can afford a single bottle of ultra-expensive oil then that's all good. Just remember you'll have to keep buying it to reap the long-term benefits.
At Black Comb, we like to stay below the $20 mark for all our beard care products. We call that Affordable Luxury. Why? Because you’re getting all the good stuff without a massive mark-up.
Value Tip: If you're after an even bigger bargain you should check out our Beard Care Bundle Kits.
Conclusion
Your beard deserves the best product.
You’ll want to find a Beard Oil that works for you, and not change brand every month. So, invest some time and do your research. Your beard will thank you for it.
Looking for the ultimate shortcut?
Well of course we're biased. But try our Black Comb Beard Oil.
It comes in three killer fragrances as well as an unscented Baseline product.
We make it. We wear it . We love it. And we’re willing to bet that you’ll love it too.
If you use it and are not happy with it, shoot us an email and we’ll make it right. That’s a promise backed by our ironclad guarantee.
Beard on brother.
