Beard Conditioner Review

Grave Before Shave Beard Conditioner Review – A Halloween Special pt 2

Last Updated on December 15, 2023

On the other side of the Grave Before Shave Beard Wash –I used and reviewed, we have its companion product, the Grave Before Shave Beard Conditioner.

I have also used, tested, and reviewed the popular Grave Before Shave Beard Oil.

Now, most guys have issues just using conditioner on the hair on their head, much less having to use it on their face as well. They figure “The hair is clean, what else do I need to do?”

Well, just like the hair on your head, your beard hair needs to be medicated and maintained to keep it soft and healthy. Beard conditioner is the best thing to use for that, but how well does this Grave Before Shave Conditioner work to keep a beard looking good?

–Not sure you need a dedicated beard conditioner? You might find this useful —Beard Conditioner vs Hair Conditioner – Differences & Similarities.

Description and Features

GBS Beard Conditioner comes in a squeeze bottle with a flip-top cap. Think of something like a ketchup bottle or a travel-size shampoo bottle. It contains about 6 oz of conditioner, and judging how much is left in the bottle after two weeks of reviewing the product, I would be willing to say it will probably last me at least a month.

The design on the bottle is also really striking. The Viking Biker design is definitely eye-catching and works really well for this time of year i.e. the Halloween Spooky Season. 

It’s also very easy to tell it apart from the Grave Before Shave Shampoo because the colors are the exact opposite. That way, you won’t mess them up when reaching for them in the shower.

Scent

Pungent and musky are the best words I can use to describe this scent.

It has a citrus-floral scent very similar to the aroma of the GBS Beard Shampoo. However, unlike the Beard Shampoo, this scent doesn’t finish as cleanly as the shampoo.

It has a musky after-scent that hangs in the air and sticks in the nose. The aroma hangs on just slightly too long for comfort, and when you have it coating your beard hair and skin, you can’t really get away from it.

It still has that artificial feel, like I am smelling it from a cleaning solution or maybe from a novelty candle.

Ingredients

Unlike the GBS Shampoo, the Grave Before Shave Conditioner actually has a collection of ingredients that are good for your beard and face. 

—Argan Oil: Strengthens the beard hair by making the follicles more healthy. Also improves the elasticity of the skin.

—Jojoba Oil: Seems we can’t go a single article without talking about Jojoba Oil. That isn’t a bad thing though. Jojoba is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, which is great for treating acne and protecting the skin. It also strengthens hair follicles by promoting blood flow to the scalp, or rather the face in this case.

—Meadowfoam Seed Oil: Meadowfoam Seed Oil is used in many professional hair care products to reduce frizziness. It actually is great for making sure your beard has a nice and clean texture and maintains a bright shine.

—Coconut Oil: Coconut Oil strengthens the hair and prevents the breaking of brittle and dried-out hair. It also keeps the hair soft.

––Black Tea Leaf Extract: Black Tea is known to increase shine and brighten hair. It is so well known that some beauty treatments involve whole washes with Black Tea.

User Experience

Like most of my other reviews, Grave Before Shave Beard Conditioner had about two weeks to really wow me.

I used the Conditioner in my shower routine every other day in combination with the Grave Before Shave Shampoo and Beard Oil.

How is the Texture?

Like most conditioners, the Grave Before Shave is less of a runny soap and more of a thick cream. It takes some extra work to get it into your beard and onto your skin, so be prepared to massage it in for a few minutes. 

You will also need more conditioner than you think. The thick texture likes to cling to every surface. Even with my shorter beard hair, I sometimes found it hard to spread the conditioner far enough into my beard to reach the skin.

The Conditioner also has issues when attempting to rinse. It has a tendency to leave a waxy or greasy residue and I find it very hard to get off unless I scrub it with my towel. It leaves my face feeling very uncomfortable, but I suppose one could get used to it after several weeks of use. 

How Easy is it to Use?

Overall, adding this product to your skincare or beard care routine is relatively simple. All you need to do is just add it to your shower habits. Though, I would only recommend using it every other day. If you use it too much, then it could strip away natural oils your beard already needs.

The only real issue is that you do need to take extra time to make sure the conditioner sets before you rinse it off. Typically, just 1-2 minutes of letting it work into your skin and hair, then just run it under the warm water.

Value for Money

The normal price of just a bottle of GBS Beard Conditioner typically goes for about $15 USD before shipping. Though at the time of writing, it is on sale for $11 USD. 

Is that a good deal? Well, maybe…

Honestly, the best deal I would recommend is getting this conditioner with the GBS Beard Shampoo, which comes to $22 USD for both together at Amazon.

However, if you are attempting to just get the conditioner, it’s not the best deal in the world.

Common Consumer Complaints, Issues, and Positive Reviews

The majority of online reviews for this product are pretty positive. It is almost like only those who really like a product are willing to write Amazon Reviews.

I wonder if that makes me any different.

Positive Reviews

The first positive trend I noticed in the user reviews is people commenting on just how much the conditioner helps to reduce the frizz and fuzz in most beards. The conditioner tames beards and makes them much easier to style and keep straight, which is definitely an issue with someone like me who has beard hairs that have a mind of their own.

Consumers also mentioned how much it softens their beard. One customer mentioned that their beard went from a bristle brush to a soft teddy bear texture. Of course, this leads to keeping partners close, and that is always a plus in my book. Who doesn’t like getting beard pets?

Finally, several reviewers also mentioned how the conditioner actually managed to treat their itchy skin. After their first use, their skin was soft and soothed of any irritating beard itch. With continued use, it even got rid of all of the regular flaky skin underneath completely.

Consumer Complaints

The overwhelming majority of the negative reviews for the GBS Beard Conditioner focus on the scent, and I cannot say I blame them. Most say it is too strong, and the musky base notes have a tendency to overpower everything else. I agree with them completely, but it is worth noting that scent is always subjective.

Another reviewer brought up the same waxy texture that it leaves in the beard. They commented that it felt like their beard was filled with Elmer’s glue afterward. I feel like that is a bit hyperbolic, but I can understand the feeling completely.

Finally, many reviewers just mentioned that it didn’t work for them. Beard and skin chemistry is different for everyone, so it doesn’t surprise me that it just doesn’t work for some people. So much of the beard care industry is trial and error. After all, that is why reviews exist.

Final Thoughts – Who is Grave Before Shave Beard Conditioner really for?

Overall, I do really like the product. The conditioner has really improved the quality of my beard hair. Even though it does leave a greasy feeling on my face. So far, I have only tried this conditioner in conjunction with the Grave Before Shave Beard Wash, though I might experiment with using a different beard wash along with this conditioner to see if there is any difference in how the beard feels.

So, who would this really be for? I would highly recommend this product to guys who have much longer beards. If you have something like a Norse or Biker beard and you need to find a good way to keep it clean and healthy, this could be a great option for you. If your beard is shorter and tighter, then I might recommend a different product.