It feels like beard oils are everywhere. From trendy pop-up to standard shops to online, what was once a product of a bygone era became a ubiquitous must-have for the past 20 years. Their popularity is largely due to facial hair becoming a male beauty standard in no small part thanks to hipsters and now the manosphere. They’re often promoted as miracle fixes for patchiness, slow growth and thin beards. However, how much is this marketing and what can beard oils actually do? In this article, we explore the actual benefits of beard oil, what it cannot do and how to use it properly.
What is Beard Oil?
Beard oil is a lightweight blend of emollients designed to soften facial hair and moisturise the skin beneath it. There are tonnes of different varieties but most formulas include a mixture of plant oils alongside skin smoothing agents. Their main purpose is to reduce dryness, calm irritation and improve the appearance of the beard. Unlike prescription treatments or targeted hair growth therapies, beard oil is strictly a grooming product. It is widely available in pharmacies, beauty stores and online.
What Does Beard Oil Actually Do?
This is the million dollar question! So beard oil can actually help make facial hair look and feel healthier. It does so by hydrating, nourishing and conditioning the skin, follicles and hair strands. The main benefits of beard oil include:
- Softens: Helps smooth coarse fibres so the beard feels more comfortable and less prickly.
- Hydrates: Moisturises the skin under the beard to reduce dryness, flaking or tightness.
- Reduces itch: Helps soothe irritation that often appears in the early stages of beard growth.
- Improves appearance: Adds light shine and definition so the beard looks neater and better groomed.
- Supports routine: Helps reduce snagging and makes combing or trimming easier.
These benefits of course depend on the type of oils in the formula. However, in general a good quality beard oil can make a noticeable difference to beard comfort and appearance. This is especially the case in colder weather or if the hair is naturally coarse or dehydrated.
Who Benefits Most From Using Beard Oil?
It is best to think of beard oil as essentially a grooming or hair care product. It improves how the beard looks and feels rather than altering how it grows. Beard oil can be helpful for a variety of concerns, but it is by no means not essential or appropriate for everyone. The main people that might benefit from beard oil are those with:
- Dry or coarse beards: Facial hair is thicker and drier than scalp hair. As such emollients can help soften and smooth it.
- Itchy or flaky skin: Useful if you experience beard itch or flaking especially in early growth stages.
- Longer beards: The longer the hair, the more prone it is to dryness and tangling.
- Curly or textured hair: Helps reduce frizz and makes styling easier.
- Sensitive skin: Oils with calming ingredients can help reduce irritation from shaving or grooming.
That being said, people with acne or inflammatory skin conditions like rosacea or eczema should be cautious with beard oils. Whilst you can still use them, it is best to carefully insect the formula. Look for oils that are anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and with low comedogenicity.
What Beard Oil Cannot Do
Despite the marketing hype, beard oil has limits. Its main value lies mainly in conditioning the hair and supporting the skin underneath, particularly if your beard feels dry, itchy or unruly. However, beard oil cannot create new follicles or increase beard density. If the goal is genuine beard growth then beard oil is not the solution. Beard oil cannot:
- Stimulate growth: It does not create new follicles or increase density. Treatments such as minoxidil are far more relevant for hair loss and slow beard growth.
- Treat hormonal causes: Genetic or hormonal thinning requires targeted medical treatment.
- Fix patchiness: Beard density is mainly determined by genetics. Conditioning with beard oil can improve appearance of a thin or patchy beard but it cannot increase coverage.
- Treat inflammation: Conditions like folliculitis, alopecia or seborrhoeic dermatitis cause beard hair loss and cannot be treated with beard oil. They need proper diagnosis and treatment.
Which Ingredients to Look for in a Beard Oil?
The usefulness of a beard oil depends entirely on the formulation. A well-formulated beard oil should focus on hydration, softening and skin comfort rather than fragrance or marketing-heavy botanicals. Unfortunately too many products rely on heavy fragrances or unnecessary botanicals which can irritate the skin, especially if you are prone to sensitivity, dermatitis or ingrown hairs. In general lighter oils tend to work best for shorter or fine beards, whereas denser blends suit longer or textured hair. When choosing a beard oil, look for the following ingredients:
- Lightweight emollients: Squalane, jojoba, argan and grapeseed oils mimic the skin’s natural lipids. They soften coarse hair without feeling greasy and help reduce friction that contributes to breakage and knotting.
- Humectants: Ingredients like glycerin or low-weight hyaluronic acid draw water into the upper layers of the skin. These help improve dryness under the beard and reduce flaking. It is especially useful in winter or low-humidity environments.
- Barrier lipids: Ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids are not common in beard oils but are reliably beneficial if included. They support the skin barrier which is often compromised by shaving, harsh cleansers or friction from longer beards.
- Anti-inflammatory agents: Allantoin, bisabolol, beta-glucan and centella extracts can help ease itch, irritation or mild redness. These are particularly useful in the early beard growth phase.
- Antioxidants: Vitamin E or niacinamide can help stabilise the formula and may support the skin by reducing oxidative damage due to the environment.
- Fragrance-free or low-fragrance formulas: Essential oils are common in beard oils but can trigger dermatitis, itching or sensitivity. Fragrance-free options are generally safer, particularly for reactive or eczema-prone skin.
How to Use Beard Oil Properly
Beard oil works best when used sparingly and consistently. Too much oil can weigh the hair down or feel greasy and too little won’t do much. The goal is to reach the skin beneath the hair while coating the hair fibres lightly. Here are our top tips for how to use beard oil properly:
- Clean base: Apply beard oil after washing or showering. Damp skin increases absorption and reduces the amount of product needed.
- Small amount: Two to six drops is usually enough. Short or fine beards need much less whilst longer or coarse beards can tolerate more. However, too much can leave the beard limp or greasy.
- Apply to the skin first: Warm the oil between the hands and massage it into the skin under the beard first. This step helps reduce dryness, itch and flaking.
- Distribute through the hair: Pull the remaining oil through the beard, focusing on the mid-lengths and ends where dryness is most common.
- Comb or brush: A soft beard brush or wide-tooth comb helps distribute the oil evenly and encourages a neater, more defined appearance.
- Frequency: Daily use suits dry or coarse beards. Two to three times a week is often enough for shorter or oilier beards.
It is best to adjust your technique based on how your skin responds. If the beard feels coated, sticky or overly glossy, reduce the amount or frequency. If it feels dry or looks frizzy, then increase teh amount or frequency.
When Beard Oil Isn’t Enough
If you are dealing with patchiness, reduced density or slow beard growth, conditioning products will not fix the underlying cause. Beard oil is helpful for conditioning, but it has very clear limitations including:
- Patchiness or reduced density: These concerns relate to follicle activity, hormones or genetics and do not respond to conditioning oils. They require diagnosis and treatments such as minoxidil, caffeine, melatonin or prescription hormonal treatments may be more appropriate depending on the cause.
- Ingrown hairs and bumps: Persistent bumps may suggest ingrown hairs, folliculitis or irritation from shaving or trimming. Beard oil may reduce friction but will not treat infection or inflammation. Antibacterial washes, proper shaving technique or medical treatment may be needed.
- Flaking or redness beneath the beard: This can indicate seborrhoeic dermatitis rather than dryness alone. Oils may temporarily soften flakes but will not treat the underlying inflammation. Antifungal shampoos or targeted therapies are often required.
- Rapid hair shedding: Noticeable thinning or shedding is rarely caused by dryness. Nutritional deficiencies, hormonal triggers or inflammatory conditions may be to blame and should be assessed properly.
- Persistent discomfort: Stinging, burning or ongoing sensitivity under the beard suggests the need to remove irritants and support the barrier rather than adding more oil.
Beard oil can make facial hair softer, smoother and more comfortable. However, it cannot stimulate beard growth or fix patchiness. It works best as a grooming tool that supports hydration and reduces irritation, particularly if you have coarse, curly or dry facial hair. If your main concern is slow growth or reduced density, it is important to get a proper diagnosis as you may require a targeted treatment depending on the underlying cause.
At City Skin Clinic, we offer personalised beard growth treatments. Our online skin clinic offers safe and effective treatments using prescription-strength ingredients like Tretinoin, Minoxidil, Caffeine and Melatonin where appropriate. To start your personalised treatment plan, book a virtual video consultation or use our online consultation form. The journey towards great skin (and hair) starts here.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified medical professional with any concerns about your skin or treatment options.
