So, you’re someone who loves their beard. That, or you're a married person whose spouse loves their beard. Either way, we’re here to talk about the same thing: beard balm.
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Beard balm is like the leave-in conditioner of the facial hair world. This added step to your morning routine can make a massive difference in the texture and appearance of your beard.
Some of us also like to save a little money while looking good, which is why we’re going to give you our best beard balm recipe along with a bit of education on beard maintenance.
What Is Beard Balm?
Beard-balm is a wax-based product that conditions your beard and even helps you style it. It’s most commonly made from beeswax and works best for coarse beard hair.
Does beard balm help growth? Technically, the answer is no. Beard balm alone won’t make your facial hair grow thicker or faster. It can help you keep your facial hair healthy, which will allow you to develop it more.
In short, most beard balm benefits center around moisturizing, styling, and scent. Beard balms can help you tame your wild facial hairs and leave you feeling and smelling great.
What about beard balm vs. wax? Well, they’re the same thing. The real difference you need to look out for is beard balm vs. butter, which we talk about below.
Beard Balm vs. Butter
Beard butter is similar to beard balm, but it’s missing one key ingredient: wax. Unlike beard balm, beard butter does not have beeswax. Instead, it uses a base of shea butter for a lightweight, creamy texture.
Beard balm and beard butter can both moisturize, but butter typically does a better job of doing this. Since it doesn’t have wax, it’s not stiff. Therefore, it’s not the best choice if your goal is to moisturize and style your beard.
It’s always a good idea to check out the ingredients list on different products, especially if you have sensitive skin or allergies.
What Ingredients Should Be in Beard Balm?
When it comes to making your own beard balm recipe, there are a few key ingredients that you should include.
Wax
Wax is the main ingredient when it comes to making beard balm. It is what we call the binding agent and will serve as the base of your balm.
Most traditional beard balms use beeswax. Beeswax is a readily available product that is easy to handle and melts seamlessly.
However, if you prefer to use an all-vegan product, you can choose from plenty of plant-based alternatives such as soy wax and candelilla wax.
Butter
The butter in a beard balm is what makes it a balm. Otherwise, you’d be making beard wax, which is much thicker and only suitable for styling purposes.
Most beard balms on the market today use shea butter or cocoa butter in their mixtures. These kinds of butter are great for adding moisture to both your facial hair and your skin. They absorb well and contain lots of natural vitamins and minerals.
Carrier Oils
Carrier oils are essential for softening your wax and giving the completed product a smooth texture. Carrier oils also help capture and hold any fragrances you might add, making their name highly appropriate.
The most popular and common carrier oils to use are:
- Coconut oil
- Avocado oil
- Jojoba oil
- Sweet almond oil
There are tons of other carrier oils out there to choose from as well.
Essential Oils
Essential oils add the finishing touch to your final product. First and foremost, this ingredient lets you add pretty much any kind of scent that you want.
In addition to that, many different essential oils come with their own set of beneficial properties. For example, lavender is relaxing, while cedarwood is good for your skin.
What Ingredients Will Make a Strong Beard Balm?
The ingredients we mentioned above are pretty standard for any kind of beard balm. You can amp up your product by mixing and matching various types of each product.
Try replacing shea butter with mango butter. It’s 100 percent organic and comes packed with antioxidants. Plus, it smells incredible.
You can also reach for any one of these carrier oils instead of the ones mentioned above:
- Argan oil
- Walnut oil
- Hazelnut oil
- Hemp seed oil
- Emu oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Apricot oil
- Kukui nut oil
Many of these oils come with various beneficial properties along with different scents that you might prefer.
How to Make Beard Balm?
Making beard balm is simple. All you need to do is gather your choice of each of the four ingredients above, melt them down on the stovetop, and store them for later.
Check out these recipes we’re put together for you below.
Cedarwood Beard Balm Recipe
Cedarwood beard balm is one of our favorite recipes because it uses cedarwood essential oil. This oil has been known to prevent hair loss and has some excellent antibacterial properties to help your skin.
To make cedarwood beard balm, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Two tablespoons of beeswax (or vegan wax alternative)
- Two tablespoons shea butter (or butter of choice)
- One tablespoon cocoa butter
- Two tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 to 3 drops of cedarwood essential oil
Combine all of your wax, butter, and coconut oil into a small pot. Using a spoon or a spatula, mix these ingredients evenly.
Place the pot on your stovetop and turn on medium heat. Add about a half-inch of water, stirring and heating the mixture until it’s fully melted.
Remove the pot from the heat and immediately add your cedarwood essential oils.
Pour the mixture into a container with a lid. Let it cool for several hours before using it.
How to Make African American Beard Balm
African American men tend to grow facial hair that is more coarse, curly, and even kinky. Therefore, you might benefit from an alternative beard balm recipe that focuses more on a solid hold and moisture.
Here’s what you need:
- ½ ounce beeswax
- One tablespoon yellow shea butter
- One tablespoon white shea butter
- Four tablespoons jojoba oil
- Two tablespoons coconut oil
- ½ tablespoon black castor oil
- Two tablespoons grapeseed oil
- ½ teaspoon vitamin E oil
- 10 to 20 drops essential oil of choice
Combine all of the ingredients above in a pot, leaving out the essential oil. Heat the mixture until melted and stir until well-combined.
Remove the pot from the heat source and add the essential oil, stirring it to distribute evenly.
Pour the balm into your containers of choice and secure with a lid. Allow it to cool for several hours before use.
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Born and raised in Austin, David is a dedicated writer and avid fragrance lover. When he's not trying out perfumes, he enjoys traveling and exploring new restaurants.