Billy Jealousy Beard Wash Review – A Slippery Mess That Does The Job
Billy Jealousy Beard Wash
Billy Jealousy brings us a Beard Wash that cleans and hydrates the beard. However, the Texture and Scent of the product leaves a great deal to be desired. At least it does the job.
Pros
Keeps the Beard and Skin hydrated
Creates a rich lather
Promotes strong and fast beard growth
Very easy to use
Cons
The fragrance isn’t great. Not bad, but certainly not good.
The texture feels like cold snot
The shampoo leaks all over your hands
Established in 2004, Billy Jealousy is an award-winning brand for beard care, shaving, and hair care products.
Located in Dallas, Texas, Billy Jealousy bills itself as “an everyman brand for extraordinary individuals.” To me, it sounds like a meaningless word salad, but we are here to judge their Billy Jealousy Beard Wash and not the brand as a whole.
That is unless my editor decides to assign me their whole product line, in which case they should be prepared for a tongue-lashing.
The previous beard washes I reviewed were the Grave Before Shave, Scotch Porter Moisturizing Beard Wash, and Best Damn Beard Wash, so I was looking forward to seeing what the beard shampoo from Billy Jealousy was like.
For now, let us take a closer look at the Billy Jealousy Beard Wash itself and see if it lives up to the hype.
Description and Features
Starting off, I actually really like the label. While I am not a fan of minimalist design, I like the look of the long hair and ZZ Top Beard on the bottle. It has kind of a playful attitude I vibe with.
The bottle itself makes me think of a Heinz plastic ketchup bottle, specifically the ones designed to sit on the cap and make sure you get all the product on the business end.
While I am a fan of this design in both food and hygiene products, I will note there is an issue. Put a pin in that because it will come up when we discuss the texture of the beard wash.
The larger 16 oz version of the product comes with a pump, and that might work better than this squeeze version. Though I have not had the chance to try it.
Ingredients and directions are written clearly, and easy to see even when you are in the shower and have soap in your eyes, so that is a huge plus.
Scent
On the product page, Billy Jealousy describes the scent as Lavender, Sandalwood, and Oak Moss. All things I should like in theory.
In a few words, I am not a fan.
There are some pleasant aromas to the scent. It contains some hits of a floral note and a small bit of musk. Mostly, though it is very muted until it hits the skin on your face. Then, the beard wash hits you with a musky scent that fills your nostrils.
The aroma dies away very fast. If you are using any other products in your beard, you will notice the other products overpowering the aroma quickly.
Partner Judgment
A new section I am toying around with for these reviews is the Partner Judgment. Seeing as how others have to live with me, they should get an opinion on how exactly I smell.
For the most part, my partner couldn’t really smell the scent when I let him try it. It is so muted that his nose couldn’t really pick it up.
Ingredients
Like 99 percent of all beard washes and shampoos, we’ve got a laundry list of weird and ungainly words in the ingredient list that are complete turn-offs.
Like, what the heck is Methylchloroisothiazolinone or Methylisothiazolinone? Specifically, they are preservatives you can find in paper products as well as a great deal of cosmetics. The former is an anti-bacterial and anti-fungi additive, while the latter is a preservative to maintain shelf life.
Unfortunately, both have been linked to skin irritation and allergic reactions, but only in excessive use. For most people, you are going to be safe as houses, but if you have sensitive skin this product might be a pass for you.
Not that there isn’t anything good in the Beard Wash. It has Aloe, Soy, and Green Tea Extract. All of the above items do a great job of hydrating your skin and strengthening your hair follicles.
User Experience
For the purposes of this article, I have been washing with this beard wash every other day for about a week and a half.
I added it to my normal shower routine like any other normal shampoo, just on my face rather than the top of my head.
How is the Texture?
Here is the big sticking point for me.
Y’all know me, and y’all know that texture is second only to scent. I want to like the texture of what I am putting on my face. If I don’t like it, then it is going to make me feel seriously off for the rest of the day.
That’s a part of my ‘Tism, as the kids say.
Honestly, this stuff feels like cold and wet snot. I do not like it at all.
It feels nasty and is very slimy on the fingers. It is also so runny that when you open the bottle, it actually spills out all over your fingers.
As you can see from the pictures, it is just oozing out without any squeezing on my part. This makes it pretty hard to gauge how much you need or what to use.
However, it lathers really well on the beard. It becomes a nice thin lather that gets into all the crevices of your facial hair. Nothing I would want to shave with, but enough to keep your skin and beard hair clean.
How Easy is it to Use?
Like most other Beard Washes or Beard Shampoos, it is pretty easy to just add this Beard Wash to your normal shower routine.
It works just like any other cleaning/hygiene product, so it should be simple to add to your normal ablutions.
The one big issue is the runny texture, which can cause you to use much more than you really need to.
This might work much better with the pump bottle that the 16 oz version has.
Value for Money
At the time of writing, you can get the Billy Jealousy Beard Wash in the 8 oz version for $20 USD and the 16 oz version for $36 USD. It is available both on their website and on Amazon.
So the big question is whether or not that is a good price.
All things considered, I would rather spend my money on a better beard wash. I can get the same amount of Scotch Porter Beard Wash for a few dollars less, and it both smells better and works better for me.
It also has some better ingredients, so for me, it is a no-brainer.
Common Consumer Complaints, Issues, and Positive Reviews
Like the other products we have looked at, there are plenty of reviews. Billy Jealousy itself as a brand has apparently won awards from Forbes, GQ, and Men’s Health. People apparently really like this product, so let’s see what they are saying.
Positive Reviews
The number one positive review I see about Billy Jealousy Beard Wash is how refreshing it feels on the skin. They talk about how the beard wash makes their face feel fresh and clean. Honestly, yeah, that is a great feeling. Beards can get pretty nasty, and getting them clean without irritating the skin is a really great feeling.
Others have noted that the hydrating feature of the beard wash has almost completely cleared up the dreaded beard-druff that most guys have to deal with. Getting rid of the itchy and flaky skin in your beard is always good.
Finally, plenty of consumers are big fans of the scent. I’m not a fan myself, but I can see how some people would like the more masculine and yet clean-smelling aroma. Personally, I prefer something more.
Consumer Complaints
The few complaints about this Beard Wash typically highlight only a few points.
Plenty of consumers point out the price. Many reviews comment that the price is really too high for how much actual product you get. They also talk about how there are some better options out there. I’ve even brought up one in this article itself.
Others have commented that they enjoy the aroma of the beard wash, but when it rinses out the aroma is gone completely and they want something a bit more robust.
At least a handful have brought up the watery texture and how it seems to just run all over the place. It also doesn’t go far, meaning before you know it you seem to be out of beard wash and need to buy another bottle. This might not be an issue with the larger pump bottle, but I have seen a few reviewers comment that even the pump dispenses too much beard wash.
Final Thoughts – Who is Billy Jealousy Beard Wash really for?
This is a hard question to answer. While the Billy Jealousy Beard Wash does its job, it doesn’t go above and beyond in any way.
It also seems somewhat overpriced for what you are getting.
I would only recommend this beard wash if you are looking for new options and really tried everything else first. There are better options out there. Worse options too.
I would also NOT recommend this beard wash if you have sensitive skin, or break out into allergic rashes easily. Go with something that has more natural ingredients.
