Beard Balm Review

Best Damn Beard Balm Review – Leaves Some To Be Desired

Last Updated on March 2, 2024

The last product in our “Flight” of Duke Cannon products, is a beard balm — Best Damn Beard Balm — for those guys who really want some long-lasting protection for their beards and moustaches. It is a thick and greasy balm that doesn’t dry out (for better or worse). 

Personally, I did not find this balm very appealing, to say the least. However, I understand that some like it a lot and other future users will too. After all, that is why Duke Cannon is still in business and is highly rated among many. 

About the Brand: After several outings with their product, I feel like I have said enough about this brand. It does bear repeating I really do not have a high opinion of their “Best Damn” line, and the branding as a really MANLY MAN type of product. It seems to appeal to those who are really insecure about what being a man really is. On a positive note Duke Cannon state they contribute a portion of their earnings in supporting US veteran causes.

Best Damn Beard Balm Product Description

Scent

This beard balm has the same scent as the Best Damn Beard Oil, which we reviewed, some time ago.

The scent in question is called “Redwood” and is more than a little interesting.

While I can see where the perfumer is attempting to go with this scent, I just have to reiterate that it smells like a dentist’s office. It has the aroma of an artificial cleaner, meant to make you feel like the office is well-maintained and clean. 

It starts with a slight musky base scent, then immediately moves to a pungent citrus aroma, that finishes with a sickly sweet scent. It’s like eating a lemon cake while sitting in a forest.

It is so artificial that I feel like this is the aroma the Androids will give off after they have finally enslaved mankind.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but honestly, that is the exact opposite of the scent I want to be smelling all day from my beard. 

Ingredients

Like with their beard oil, Duke Cannon’s Best Damn Beard Balm gives us an all-natural and organic list of ingredients.

Shea Butter, Lanolin Oil, Beeswax, Apricot Kernel Oil, Argan Oil, Cocoa Butter, Jojoba Oil, Orange Essential Oil, Fragrance, Clove Essential Oil, Vitamin E, Rosemary Extract, Calendula Extract.

Included in this is: Shea Butter, Lanolin Oil, Beeswax, Argan oil, and Jojoba Oil.

Those who have read my reviews before know how important these ingredients are, especially Jojoba Oil.

Jojoba is principally an all-in-one treatment for skin irritation, including acne, sunburn, and the dreaded enemy “RAZOR BURN!” If you say it in the right voice it sounds like a Marvel villain.

Argan Oil rejuvenates the skin and can repair damage and encourage growth.

So the Balm has all the ingredients we could want, right?

That Beeswax is a stumbling block for me though. It leads almost directly to the problems I had with the texture. See below…

How is the User Experience?

My experience with this product was…rough to say the least.

Full disclosure: Part of the reason I took so long with this review is I honestly hated using this product. I would much rather use the Duke Cannon Beard Oil, and I really didn’t like that product either.

The texture and aroma were bad enough, but it also did nothing for my skin. I deal with beard-druff at the drop of a hat, and this product did nothing to help that. If anything it made my chin feel more itchy and irritated than before!

How is the Texture?

In short: Bad.

In long: Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.

Yes, I have used that joke before, and I will continue to do so because it is funny.

This beard balm is, in a word, icky. I dislike using it. 

When you get it on your hands it takes wiping with a towel or rag to get it off. You can’t just rinse it off under water. 

The oily residue makes my skin feel gross and dirty. Having worked for several years as a Heating and Air Conditioning Tech, I know the feeling of old and sticky grease getting all over your hands and the dirty feeling it brings. 

That feeling doesn’t really go away quickly at all. I’m currently writing this review having used the product about 8 hours before and I STILL feel like I need to go wash my face. I don’t get that feeling from beard oils or beard washes. 

As a smoker of pipes and cigars, it feels like my beard is going to catch fire if I am not careful.

I tend to avoid that feeling whenever possible, so why put up with it in my morning routine?

How Easy is it to Use?

I will not lie to you, but it is not complicated to apply this stuff. Just scoop a dollop about the size of a dime, and then work it into the beard. You want to make sure you get it onto the bristles of your beard and work it into the skin beneath.

The experience does change based on your amount of facial hair though.

Use on Beard

Longer beards are (obviously) slightly more difficult to work the balm into.

As demonstrated in the pictures, this process needs more balm and takes a few moments longer to make sure you massage it into every pore and hair follicle. It takes some practice to make sure it gets everywhere it needs to go.

Afterward, it is very important to brush out your beard with a nice beard brush and/or beard comb. Many times I tried to apply this balm, I found globs of it sticking up under my chin or in my sideburns. With that look, you will definitely look like an unwashed mountain man (in an unattractive way).

Use on Stubble

On stubble or short beards, one would think this beard balm would excel. You need to use less, and it is easier to rub it into your skin.

That is true, but the texture problems honestly feel worse on a short beard than on something longer. It is very easy to feel that sticky and greasy feeling on your skin. Especially if you accidentally use too much of it.

Over time and use it did help to soothe my skin and remove the flaky skin problem. Though I really could get that from a less uncomfortable product.

Value for Money

Most beard products seem to have a standard price, usually in increments of $15 USD up to around $50 USD. 

Duke Cannon’s Beard Balm is about $15 USD on the Duke Cannon website, though apparently, you can get it for $13 USD if you subscribe to the product.

Honestly, if you are using it every day or every other day, you probably have enough product to last you about a month. That isn’t a terrible investment, especially if you enjoy the product. So the value is really going to depend on your own pocket money.

It isn’t great, but it isn’t bad at all.

Consumer Complaints, Issues, and Positive Reviews

Let’s start off with the good parts that users are commenting on. That might alleviate some of the negativity I am pouring into this review.

Unlike me, there are consumers out there who just rave about the scent. Some compare it to the holidays or camping. I suppose I can see that, but that is really more subjective than anything else.

Others rave about the price point, which is also pretty understandable. If they were charging more for this, I could see issues. However, right at $15 USD seems to be the sweet spot for most people. It’s readily accessible to most guys who want to spend money on extra beard care products.

Many consumers also talk about using it to “tame” their beards leading me to believe they are using it like a beard wax. That isn’t a bad plan as the thick beeswax is great for making sure your beard looks more constrained and less chaotic.

The few negative reviews for this product note first the texture. For some who have ordered it from Amazon or other clearing houses, it seems to have dried out and become gritty. I didn’t have that issue, but I have had that issue with other beard balms in the past. Typically once the balm gets to that point it is very hard to melt it back together or rehydrate it.

Tying in with that, it seems the shipping process isn’t kind on this balm at all. Some who have ordered it commented that it came in curdled or completely melted. The beeswax is again the culprit because anything more than room temperature can cause the wax to melt and turn into soap.

Other than that, I typically read repeats of my own opinion on scent and texture. So, out of the risk of repeating myself, let’s move on.

Final Thoughts – Who is Duke’s Cannon Best Damn Beard Balm Really For?

Final thoughts….Yeah, I guess it is an okay product. I don’t like it, but most of my major dislikes are on the subjective side. My reviews are honest but not objective.

Who would like this product?

If you have a very thick and tangled beard, something like a Viking or Lumberjack or Dwarf King style, I would definitely see the appeal for this. I would recommend it as an inexpensive way to keep that beard contained and looking nice.

If you aren’t rocking a massive beard, then I would recommend going with a Beard Oil rather than this Beard Balm. You might like the smell, but it’s going to make you feel like you have grease all over your face for the whole day.