Ask the bearded among us what really makes the difference when it comes to keeping a mane in tip-top shape, and it really all comes down to beard conditioner and an entire set of the best best beard care products. Think of your beard as an extension of your face, with different lotions, eye creams and more designed to work on your mug, and different options for taking care of your facial hair, too. There are different approaches for every type of beard style, from long and luxurious to short, neat and trimmed.
The great news is, the best beard conditioner (usually a balm or an oil) can help you kill two birds with one stone, as it were. Beard conditioner is designed to soften and smooth out coarse hair, and the best beard conditioners often target the skin underneath, too. It’s a complete approach in one handy product, although longer beards might require slightly more care and multiple products. Take it from this bearded writer: I use a traditional beard oil to target the follicles deep, and a balm as a styling and softening aid.
And there’s another thing that comes along with beard care: No matter how long you’ve had your beard, you’ve still got to take care of it the right way.
Want to make it easy on yourself when looking to amp up your beard care while toning down red, itchy skin that can sometimes accompany a fast-growing beard? The best beard conditioners are here to save the day. And like we said, a great beard conditioner can be multi-purpose, targeting multiple facets in terms of both beard and skin care. Call it a sort of magical science that’s been developed over the years, but there are plenty of companies who’ve made it their sole mission to give you a full, lustrous beard.
And there’s another thing that comes along with beard care: No matter how long you’ve had your beard, you’ve still got to take care of it the right way. This is especially true even if you think you figured out the best beard-growing and beard care tips during the long, long months of the pandemic. Even experts need a refresher when it comes to caring for those whiskers.
Before you add another critical step to your grooming routine, there are a few even more critical tips to keep in mind as you shop and prepare for bearded greatness. Here’s what you need to keep an eye on.
What to Know Before Buying a Beard Conditioner
- Pick your poison: Alright, let’s be honest: Poison isn’t the right word here. But you should know what type of beard conditioner you think you need before you dive on into the market. A beard that’s shorter will respond nicely to both beard oil and beard balm, although you could make use of a one-two punch to offer both a soft feel (with beard oil) and controlled style (with beard balm). Beard balm is great for taming flyaway hairs and styling your beard, and it can penetrate deep through your hair follicles, but it’s not as targeted when it comes to soothing the skin beneath your beard as a traditional beard oil might be. Again, both can be helpful, but especially if your beard needs a bit of extra TLC, consider getting beard oil to target the skin beneath your mane, too. One quick note: Some of the best beard conditioners are made to do both, like Duke Cannon’s Best Damn Beard Balm.
- Trust the process: Yes, folks: Trust the process. What do we mean by that, exactly? Well, it’s simple. It might take a few days for your beard to truly start showing the best results after you start using a beard conditioner for the first time. In some cases, your beard will feel softer and more luxurious right away. And in other instances, especially if you’re new to the beard-growing game, true results might take just a bit of time (but not too much — these the best beard care products we’re talking about, after all). These are brands you can trust, and they’ll deliver accordingly.
- Search high and low: Brands big and small are fully enveloped in the beard care market these days. We appreciate companies that use small-batch methods, like Duke Cannon, the most though. You’ll find many small-scale beard care companies are making beard care that can compete with the best of the best. In fact, take a look through your favorite local boutique or menswear store the next time you pass by. Look carefully, at that. You’re very likely going to find local or regional brands making great beard care products. You might bump into a brand or two from this list of the best beard conditioners, as well. If the ingredients are natural and recognizable (like shea butter. for instance), we’d say you’ve got the green light.
The best beards don’t come easy, and the best beard conditioners are sometimes tricky to find, too. Put the above tips together with your collective know-how, and you’re well on the road to refreshing your beard in ways you never thought possible.
The Best Beard Conditioners for Guys to Buy Now
Duke Cannon Best Damn Beard Balm
We told you about this standout beard balm briefly above, so let’s dive right on into what makes this one such a crucial purchase as far as the best beard conditioner is concerned. Some beard balms, while diving into the roots of your beard itself, are a bit more difficult when it comes to moisturizing the skin underneath. Duke Cannon’s aptly named Beard Balm, however, does it all. It’s a very pleasant, masculine-smelling beard balm that moisturizes and soothes both skin and beard, and for our money’s worth, it does one heck of a job at it. Plus, it’s available in handy bundles from the Minnesota-based retailer, so you can get all kinds of excellent beard care with just a few clicks. Did we mention the company works with and supports veterans all the while? It’s an approach one can’t help but love. Oh, and your beard? You’re going to love the way it looks, too.
American Provenance Natural Beard Oil
Buy American, buy natural and feel great about doing so. This beard oil is truly a winner as far as we’re concerned, with an all-natural approach that’ll heal and help your skin, rather than inflame it. It’s truly a miracle worker if you want relief throughout the beard-growing process, and even if you’ve had a beard for nearly as long as Gandalf, you’ll still feel its impact nearly right away (remember: Trust the process!). It also comes in a range of seriously cool scents, the likes of which you won’t find anywhere else. Add in the fact that you can subscribe to American Provenance to get beard care essentials delivered to your door, and it’s clear that this brand is a force to be reckoned with. Soon enough, you’ll start feeling the same way about your beard.
Oars + Alps Hydrating Beard Oil
Oars + Alps, based out of Chicago, was founded by two women who wanted to come up with a solution to skincare for their husbands (no more need to swipe that moisturizer of your girlfriend’s, the one that really does the trick). They’ve since expanded over time into a full line of facial care and skin care for men, including a stellar beard oil. Consider making them your one-stop shop for grooming essentials, and rest assured that the brand’s full line of products has never failed to impress us. This all-natural beard oil is also made with next-level jojoba oil, which is moisturizing and anti-bacterial (among an entire laundry list of benefits). And like American Provenance above, you can subscribe to the brand to get the best beard care products — and plenty more — sent your way with remarkable and much-needed frequency. Sounds like one heck of a deal to us.
Beardoholic Premium Beard Oil
Are you new to the bearded game and want to keep the fun rolling? Or perhaps you want to tame that facial hair you grew out for the first time during the pandemic? A bearded veteran or not, Beardoholic’s Premium Beard Oil is as well-considered and carefully made as any beard oil on the market. It’s a beard softener made from natural ingredients and designed to eliminate beard itchiness and dandruff (hey, we’ve all dealt with those). Made with essential oil, pine fragrance oil and plenty of other natural oils (including the aforementioned wonder oil known as jojoba oil), it’s got just about everything you should look for in a beard conditioner. By our standards, that’s a high bar to clear. And yet, Beardoholic delivers — you’ll find out yourself soon enough.
Scotch Porter Beard Balm
Last but not least, here’s a brand you absolutely need to know when it comes to giving your beard a fighting chance at greatness. As dramatic as that might seem, Scotch Porter steps into the ring and declares your beard victorious every single time. The specs on Scotch Porter Beard Balm are downright legendary. To hear it from the brand itself is to get but a preview of what you can expect: The Scotch Porter Beard Balm “immediately conditions, promotes a soft, thick growing beard and moisturizes and maintains the skin under the beard.” As far as trusting the process is concerned, consider us big fans of what this beard balm can bring to your grooming routine.
