Choosing The Right Beard Balm – A Practical Guide
Moving on from the last article about choosing the right beard oil for you, we are coming back with the next step in the beard care routine, i.e., Beard Balm.
Beard Balm is somewhat of a touchy subject for me. Beard balm is not my favorite product, mostly because I have an issue with the feeling of the thick texture on my skin.
That is not to say it is a bad product though, and it has plenty of upsides. There are things Beard Balms can do that beard oils couldn’t even dream of doing. For one thing, it is great for styling beards and helping to medicate irritated skin.
However, there are some steps to go through if you want to make sure you choose the right Beard Balm.
The market is flooded with so many brands that it’s hard to identify the hucksters from the people who have a great product.
Let’s go through it step by step to see how you can get the best balm for your buck.
What to Look For
Before you open the tub, take it off the shelf, or even click the “add to cart” button online, there are a few things you should be looking for on the label or the website.
How’s your Skin?
Once again, like before with beard oil, you need to know what kind of skin you have and all its quirks.
If you have oily skin, then maybe go for a product that doesn’t have a heavy texture. Something like the King C Gillette Beard Balm or Scotch Porter Conditioning Beard Balm.
If you have issues with Acne and ingrown hairs, then I would highly recommend something with some serious anti-inflammatory properties. Look for Lanolin Wax or fresh Beeswax.
Healthy skin grows a healthy beard.
What’s Your Beard Style?
If there is one big difference between your beard oil and your beard balm, is that beard balm is best for beards with great length and great volume.
That isn’t to say that shorter beards won’t benefit from beard balm, but it’s the same idea of using mousse or hair spray on hair that is less than an inch long.
The second part of this is knowing if you want to style your beard in any specific way. Beard Balm is right up there with beard wax in keeping your beard locked into a specific style. If you want to have that Hercule Poirot mustache or the mountain man beard, look toward the more heavy and waxy beard balms. Something like Honest Amish Beard Balm or the Beard Guyz Beard Balm.
What’s In it?
Recently, we looked at Beard Oils in Choosing Beard Oil That Is Right For You -A Guide, and a great deal of the information in that article also applies here, especially when it comes to ingredients.
Now, that isn’t to say there is nothing unique to look for regarding beard balms. It is quite the opposite.
Below are a few examples of unique ingredients for beard balms that are things to look for.
- Beeswax – Bees, Honey, and Wax have always been present in cosmetics and health products. In the case of Beard Balm, the wax from the honeycomb works to cover your skin and hair in a protective layer that will keep moisture in to make your hair and skin soft and hydrated. It also has properties that promote good skin health and soothe irritation.
- Carnauba Wax – Carnauba Wax is commonly used in cosmetics as a binding agent to get other ingredients to “play nice with each other” otherwise known as keeping other ingredients in emulsion with all the others. For hair and skin, it is known for keeping hair strong and holding its style. It also reduces the frizz in hair and protects against heat, and it is hypoallergenic, which is always a plus.
- Lanolin Wax – The wax from the wool of sheep that is present in so many different products. Part of the reasoning for that is that it is incredibly useful. When it comes to its use in beard care, it seals in moisture and is anti-inflammatory.
- Shea Butter – Thick and luxurious, you would be hard-pressed to find a skin care product that doesn’t have shea butter as a component. It moisturizes skin and protects your hair from the elements. It is great if you have a natural curl in your beard because it will soften it into some truly luscious locks.
- Abyssinian Oil – One of the many ingredients that you can find in both beard oil and beard balm, Abyssinian Oil mimics your skin oils closely. It adds body to your hair and strengthens against split ends and breaking. It is also great at protecting your hair and skin from UV rays.
- Babassu Oil – Coming from a palm tree in the northern parts of Brazil, Babassu oil has been a staple of hair care and skin care since before the Europeans arrived in the New World. It repairs damaged hair and continues to protect it throughout the day.
How Does it Feel?
Texture is a super important aspect of anything you put on your face.
I am not a fan of oily or waxy textures on my skin, so it takes a great deal to impress me to the point of recommending a beard balm.
This is probably the most subjective aspect of any kind of recommendation I make. If you like something more light, then a balm like the King C Gillette would be perfect for you. However, if you want something heavier, I would point you toward Honest Amish with its beeswax base.
One of the things you can do to help with texture is to make sure you emulsify your beard balm before putting it on your face. When you get some on your fingers, make sure you rub it on your hands to turn it from wax into a warm oil before applying it to your face.
What’s it Smell Like?
Aroma is the second most subjective aspect of any kind of cosmetic or beard product, right behind the texture.
If you have been following my reviews here on Shaving Advisor for any amount of time, you will know that I am a huge fan of different scents and aromas in my beard products. I mean, I spend over an hour just smelling different candles in the store before I make a decision.
Beard Balm scents are very much more intense than something like beard oil or beard wash. So keep that in mind when you are attempting to decide just what to put on your face.
How much are you willing to Spend?
And yet again, it always comes down to the money.
Beard products are cosmetics, there are no two words about it. So, when looking into what you are willing to spend when it comes to a good beard balm.
No beard product is worth skipping out on your favorite food or stretching your gas tank longer than you should.
If I can tell you anything, I would say never spend more than $25 USD for a beard balm. Even 20 is a red flag in my book.
Always look for sales or markdowns. They will help your bottom line every time.
How to Evaluate a Beard Balm Thoroughly
Alright, you’ve got your little tin or tub of beard balm that you paid way too much money for. Now, how to gauge if you’ve got a product that you want to keep ordering again or again?
Many of these points are the same as Beard Oil, but there are some subtle differences in how you judge them.
Time Used
With beard oil, I counseled maybe give it a week. When it comes to Beard Balm, I would recommend more time. Something like two weeks or a week and a half.
Why? Well, you need to give yourself time to get used to the texture and feel. Honestly, when I wear beard balm, I have the constant urge to wash it off. Therefore, you have to give it some more time to get used to it.
Like beard oil, the beard balm takes time to get into your skin and hair to work its magic. Give your beard some time to accept the natural chemicals in your skin and hair to show the growth and change from putting on a new product.
Find a Good Beard Brush
A good beard balm needs a good beard brush to go with it.
A nice stiff boar hair brush will help to detangle any knots, and make sure to spread the beard balm all over your beard hair.
If you want your beard balm to rock your face and beard, then you need to have a nice gentle brush to cap off any good grooming session.
Vary the Amount
When it comes to beard balm, always remember that less is more. You don’t need gobs and gobs of the stuff to make sure your face and beard are covered.
Remember to spread it out thin, let it leach into your hair and skin, and leave it to do the magic it is destined to do.
If it isn’t quite working, maybe think of adding slightly more to the mix next time you use it. However, always remember to stay patient.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your beard is the same. A good beard balm will also help to make sure that the beard grows healthy, and quicker than you think.
Take Breaks
Just like with beard oil, you should take days off when you aren’t using the beard balm. Give your skin some time to rest and replenish itself.
Applying a product like Beard Balm, especially when it has a base like Beeswax or Carnauba Wax, is just asking for an acne breakout as well. That wax and oil will build up in your pores and cause all kinds of pimples, blackheads, and ingrown hairs.
As someone who has struggled with severe acne since puberty, your skin will thank you if you let it have a good break from covering it in balm every day.
You would be surprised how often I see guys who just constantly use a product every day or sometimes multiple times a day, and their beard issues just get worse.
Look at Multiple Sources
There is something to be said for doing your research. You don’t have to push yourself to get a degree in dermatology, but at least googling options is elementary.
However, the internet is full of grifters from the people “just trying to educate” to the individuals who are nakedly attempting to siphon every dollar out of your bank account. 99.9 percent of every article is attempting to get you to buy their products.
I am not. I don’t make a commission on these reviews or articles. However, I would like it if you did share it with your friends.
All that is to say, take everyone’s opinion with a grain of salt and make sure to double-check. Also, if anyone links to their online shop from their article, then double that grain of salt.
Altogether Now
Taking everything together, a beard balm is a marvelous way to medicate your skin and your beard to make sure you get the most luxurious facial hair possible.
Choosing the right one though, could be a herculean effort. You are going to probably have to keep working at finding the best one. However, if you follow this guide above, that process is going to be a great deal cheaper and quicker.
We’ve got some great reviews on our website, which should also help you choose the best option.
Once you have found your forever balm, I can almost guarantee you that you will always ask yourself how you were even growing a beard before you found it.
