How to Use Beard Balm

Generations of beardies often ask about the sudden rise of a product dedicated exclusively to facial hair. Why are there so many balms and what to do with them? Beard-specific balms aren’t new. Quite the opposite, actually. For centuries, America's Indigenous people have used oils and balms, blending castor, almond, and grape seed oils to keep bearded skin smooth and facial hair soft. That beard balms are today ubiquitous is merely circumstantial — a changing norm of face maintenance. RELATED: Top Beard Balms and Oils Whereas once a shaved face conveyed seriousness and purpose, a survey conducted by OnePoll concludes that 33 percent of American men have facial hair of some kind, while 55 percent of men worldwide now sport a little facial fuzz of some kind. Large or small, glorious or not, that face requires up-keep. What Is Beard Balm? Beard balms have earned notable distinction for several reasons. While both beard oils and beard balms moisturize, beard balm doubles as a styling pro, too, because it is thicker, less oily, and ultimately lighter for all-day wear.  “What sets beard balm apart from beard oil is the addition of wax, which renders the product solid,” explains Rob Karreman, director, Dr K Soap Company. “The addition of wax gives beard balm its unique property – that of smoothing the beard and improving its appearance by adding hold, which keeps stray hairs in check.” Beard balm is a waxy paste that includes ingredients such as beeswax, various skin-friendly oils, and butters such as shea or cocoa.  “It is more a leave-in face conditioner, moisture sealant, and styling aid,” adds Sam Pollack from Beard Grow XL. Whether your beard is thick, thin, long or just starting to take flight, beard balms help style, maintain and even give the appearance of a slightly thicker beard by keeping hairs in place, swept to the side or just left to their own device. Beard Balm Benefits and How to Use It Adding beard balm to your medicine cabinet helps maintain the overall health of your skin and facial hair. If you’ve ever had visibly red, dry skin underneath your beard, a purpose-built waxy moisturizer can leave skin under your facial hair looking healthier, and beard hair, less coarse.  Additionally, if your beard lacks thickness, several beard balms use ingredients like biotin liposomes and white willow bark that might actually promote fuller growth. Adding it to your morning routine takes seconds while the benefits of a cleaner, better-smelling face lasts all day.   Like the application of wax to short hairstyles, correct use of beard balm needn’t be overcomplicated. Scoop out a dime sized amount from the tin and rub the wax in your hands until fully melted. “The amount used will depend on the beard,” explains Pollack, “so definitely adjust as necessary.” The product should be worked through the beard with the fingers, starting at the root all the way to the end of the beard hair. You can also choose to massage some underneath the beard as well to prevent dry skin and dandruff.  Pro tip: some guys use a boar bristle or synthetic vegan bristle beard brush to distribute balm more evenly through beard hair. We’d definitely recommend this. Not only does it distribute from root to tip more effectively, it also styles face hair and acts as a gentle exfoliant on the skin, too. How to Choose the Right Beard Balm for You Guys with thicker beards should use beard balm for taming hairs, styling, and moisturizing. Balms can also be used on patchy, sparse, or brittle beards to achieve a thicker look. In either case, choosing the right kind of beard balm from the many available is simply a matter of paying attention.  Quality balms are full of oils like jojoba and argan to add moisture and sealing ingredients like beeswax to keep hair hydrated longer. They also eschew unpronounceable chemicals that are alcohol or petroleum-based that can easily irritate or dry out skin. “A good beard balm will have oils with a low comedogenic rating – this means that they will not clog the pores,” says Karreman. “Another important aspect is fragrance – since the balm is close to the nose, choosing a beard balm with a subtle and pleasing fragrance is a must.”    Best Beard Balms The beard balm market is a crowded one, indeed. Finding one that works is about weighing ingredients against health and the key benefits of use that you’re looking for. With lime, sandalwood, tobacco, bergamot, cedar and other added scent profiles, choosing a smell that couples with your cologne and hair product is a consideration, too. With that in mind, here are a few AskMen favorites: Live Bearded Beard Butter Beard Butter makes your beard look, feel, smell, and grow better. No joke. A creamy blend of key ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil, vitamin E, and others, this stuff is formulated to help with overall beard growth and health. Throw some on and you’ll smell as though you’re walking through a citrus grove or sitting next to a crackling campfire. All natural and made in the US of A. $18 at Amazon.com  Beard Bolt XL Looking to bulk up your face sweater? This one-of-a-kind balm is designed to help yield thicker beards thanks to its key ingredient, caffeine, which according to this company helps stimulate hair follicles. Shape and tame flyaways, prevent dandruff and make your beard bigger, too. That’s a lot in one balm. $22.75 at Amazon.com  Scotch Porter Conditioning Beard Balm Beard balm should have a smooth texture for easy application, something this Scotch Porter Beard balm figured out a while back. Like all balms, apply to clean beards so that you’re not weighting down your hair or clogging follicles. Your beard will thank you later. Bonus: This balms is free from all sulfates, silicones, parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, mineral oil, and synthetic colors. $17.99 at ScotchPorter.com  Dr. K. Soap Company Beard Balm For those seeking neutral and/or a fragrant balm, Dr. K. does both. Well. Made in Ireland, all products are SLS free, paraben free, petroleum free and never tested on animals. Cool Mint and Woodland scents are at once refreshing and contain shea butter for beard conditioning while oils like coconut and vitamin E soothe and revitalize beard and skin. Styling beards will never be the same. From $15 at DrKSoap.com  Viking Revolution Beard Balm Effective and affordable, this staple beard balm from the grooming warriors over at Viking Revolution applies smoothly, taming even the burliest, thickest of beards and tinging your facial hair with the refreshing, long-lasting scent of sandalwood. $9.88 at Amazon.com  Captain Fawsett’s Private Stock Beard Balm It’s hard to distinguish which Fawsett beard balm we lean towards more: the Private Stock, or with aromas of tobacco, cedar and leather, the Maharajah. Either would be ideal choices, really. Handmade in small batches and comes in aluminum tin. $31.91 at Amazon.com  You Might Also Dig: Best Razors for Men  How to Treat Razor Nicks and Cuts  Ultimate Mustache Grooming Guide