The perfect beard is strong, soft, lustrous, and perfectly styled. You can achieve this mythical beard with a kick-ass care regimen that incorporates quality products specifically designed for facial hair. And one of the best care products out there is beard balm.
Beard balms are multi-purpose products that act as a conditioner, moisturizer and styling agent. When applied correctly and regularly, beard balms can help keep your beard hairs strong, shiny, and healthy and can even help you grow a long and full beard.
Read on to explore the best beard balms out there and our guide to help you find the perfect product for your needs.
The Best Beard Balms For Men In 2023
1. Warrior's Beard Balm
Best Beard Balm On Our List
TBS beard balm checks all our requirements for the making of a fantastic product. It has an excellent quality-price balance and it’s crafted using all natural ingredients like Cera alba, avocado oil, sweet almond oil and macadamia oil that have scientifically-backed effects. The Warrior beard balm is suitable for all beard types and can be successfully used as a moisturizing conditioner and styling product. It has a non-greasy consistency that soothes your skin while protecting your beard hairs.
Key Features:
- Medium-strength hold
- Multiple cologne-grade fragrances to choose from
- Cruelty-free
- Paraben-free
- Comes in a 50g or 1.76 US oz patented warrior-glass jar
2. Scotch Porter Beard Balm
Best Beard Balm for Dense & Curly Beards
This is a good product for thick beards with curly tendencies. It has great moisturizing qualities and acts as a conditioning agent. It also incorporates good ingredients such as biotin liposomes, nettle leaf and white willow bark.
Key Features:
- Paraben-free
- Cruelty-free and vegan-friendly
- A floral but masculine scent of sandalwood, carnation and spicy undertones
- Comes in a 88 mL or 3 oz jar
3. Billy Jealousy Beard Balm
Best Smelling Balm for Your Facial Hair
This beard balm offers a light hold with a matte finish while providing soothing hydration for your skin and facial hair. It combines some good ingredients like coconut, sunflower and castor seed oil that have a softening and protective effect. Best of all, it smells really darn good.
Key Features:
- Comes in a 57g or 2 oz container
- Incorporates natural ingredients
- Black pepper and sandalwood scent
4. Smooth Viking Beard Balm
Recommended for Strong Hold
A good product choice if you're looking for a moisturizing beard conditioner with good styling properties. This beard balm was designed to create a strong hold that helps contain those pesky stray hairs throughout your day. Its natural ingredients include beeswax, jojoba oils and avocado oil which will provide a soothing, softening effect.
Key Features:
- Vegan-friendly
- Strong hold
- Comes in a 2 oz container
5. Cremo Styling Beard Balm
Non-Greasy Beard Balm
If you're past the scruff stage and you’re looking for a way to tame and style your beard while keeping it looking shiny and healthy, then you can check out this non-greasy, nourishing beard balm. This product combines beeswax, shea butter and essential oils to create a good care and styling product that gives off a high gloss finish.
Key Features:
- Contains natural ingredients
- 3 scent choices
- Comes in a 56g or 2 oz jar
6. Uppercut Beard Balm
Top Balm for Long Beards
This non-oily balm is actually a styling cream gel. It was designed for medium and long beards and it offers a light hold while providing hydration and just the right amount of shine. The product is lightweight which helps achieve an even distribution along your hair fibres.
Key Features:
- Subtle coconut fragrance
- Comes in a 100 mL or 3.3 fl oz pump bottle
- Water-based
7. Grave Before Shave Beard Balm
Light Hold Beard Balm
Besides the creative brand name, this product impresses with its use of natural ingredients. It offers a light hold that helps tame your hair fibres and ease the process of styling. It also serves as a deep conditioner while helping protect your whiskers from daily stressors.
Key Features:
- Incorporates natural ingredients
- Bourbon and sandalwood scent
- Comes in a 4 oz container
8. Honest Amish Beard Balm
All-Natural Beard Balm
This beard balm was created using all-natural organic ingredients. It contains a good blend of oils and butters that can help soften and condition your beard. Its nourishing properties also extend toward the skin underneath your beard, so it can also help prevent the dryness and itchiness associated with beard growth.
Key Features:
- Vegan-friendly
- Organic
- No artificial fragrances and colourants
- Comes in a 2 oz container
9. Wild Willies Beard Butter
Best Moisturizing Beard Balm
This leave-in conditioner uses an interesting blend of organic, natural ingredients to provide your beard with hydration and nutrients. This moisturizing beard balm can also be used as a styling product that helps soften and tames your wild stray hairs.
Key Features:
- Vegan-friendly
- Natural and organic ingredients
- No artificial fragrances and colourants
- Comes in a 2 oz container
10. Detroit Grooming Co. Beard Balm
Longest-Lasting Beard Balm
This is a product that’s rich in vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants. It has great moisturizing properties and targets coarse or dry beard hair. A cool thing about the Detroit Grooming balm comes in a large container. Like with most beard balms, you’ll be using a very small amount of product for each application. This means that your beard balm will last longer.
Key Features:
- Natural ingredients
- Vanilla and cedarwood scent
- Comes in a 114 g or 4 oz jar
What to Look For When Choosing a Beard Balm?
1. Ingredients
The list of ingredients will make or break a product. Try searching for products that use natural ingredients like oils - tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, coconut oil, and jojoba oil are great options - and butters - cocoa butter, mango butter, and shea butter are ideal. One thing you should be wary of is alcohol, as it can dry out your skin and hair and act as an irritant.
Keep in mind that finding the best beard balm also means finding something that matches your tastes in terms of smell and consistency.
If you have skin reactions when you apply beard balm or other beard care products, we recommend using an unscented beard balm or beard oils that are rich in aloe vera juice.
2. Holding Strength
If you struggle with coarse beard hairs and your beard is always unruly, then you should opt for a beard balm that offers a medium to high hold. This will ensure an optimal blend between your beard balm’s styling and hydrating properties. High quality beard balm can help men with unruly beards maintain their beard style for up to eight hours or more.
3. Beard Growth & Vitamins
Having a good beard care regimen by keeping your whiskers and skin clean and moisturized can go a long way towards maintaining healthy beard growth. The extra benefits of adding vitamins and other nutrients can only serve to improve the quality and health of your hair fibres and skin, helping you overcome beard itch and making your beard soft.
4. Price
Weigh your options and consider investing in a product with a good price vs quality balance. Remember that the best beard balms will be a bit more expensive, but will have more benefits in the long run, such as promoting hair growth, making your beard feel softer, and helping you maintain a tamed beard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Beard Balm Actually Work?
Beard balm is a type of beard care product that serves multiple purposes and delivers on all accounts. Good beard balms are efficient styling products, conditioners, and moisturizers, all at the same time.
Whats Better Beard Balm or Beard Wax?
It all depends on your particular needs. If you’re looking for a styling product that provides a very strong hold, then you’ll be better served by a beard wax. Beard balm can also be used as a styling product, but although it has a lighter hold than beard wax, it compensates for it by providing hydration and nutrients to help soften and strengthen your beard hair. In addition, the best beard balm products can help you style your beard and maintain that look for hours.
What Goes on First Beard Balm or Oil?
You should apply your beard oil first. The reasoning behind this is that beard balm usually contains a styling agent like beeswax that coats your hair, traps moisture inside the hair fibre and helps keep your whiskers in place. But this same wax can act as a barrier and slow down the absorption of all those amazing nutrients inside your beard oil.
When Is the Best Time to Put on a Beard Balm?
You can apply your beard balm as part of your beard care routine. After washing your beard with your favourite beard shampoo, apply your beard oil, then apply your beard balm for that extra boost of hydration. You can also use your beard balm as a styling product to help protect your facial hair and get rid of those pesky flyaway hairs.
Style, Condition And Hydrate Your Viking Beard With The Ultimate Beard Care Product
Check out The Beard Struggle’s collection of products & guides to help you get an amazing Viking beard.
