Beard Balm
What is beard balm and when would you use it? The English Shaving Company are experts on beard care and have all you need to know about balm.
What is Beard Balm?
Beard balm is the facial hair equivalent to a leave-in conditioner. You massage and work it into your beard where it helps your hair to stay soft and healthy. It contains both moisturising and protecting ingredients so your beard is ready for whatever happens in the day. Unlike other conditioning products, beard balm also helps to style, control, and hold your beard. It’s perfect for a range of different hair types, but especially the more unruly ones! (Read more of our blogs such as How To Grow A Beard or even our guide to looking after your beard while travelling.)
What’s the Difference Between Beard Balm and Beard Oil?
Beard oil is a great conditioner and, like balm, keeps your beard soft as it contains a mixture of different essential oils. Balm contains these same essential and moisturising oils, but is also combined with beeswax and, often, shea butter. Unlike oil, it has a much more solid consistency, much like that of natural lip balms. Beard oil is great for conditioning your facial hair and moisturising the skin underneath, while beard balm has the added styling benefit. The beeswax in beard balms help you to control and style your beard, which is a key distinction between balm and oil. Beeswax is a natural and essential ingredient in facial hair styling products - like moustache wax. It creates a hold that lasts throughout the day without a greasy appearance. It also helps to lock in the moisturising ingredients so you get the most out of the conditioner. When you’re looking for a good beard balm, you should look for those that are scented and enriched with natural oils rather than synthetic. These are not only more effective at moisturising your hair, but they are also better for your skin; synthetic ingredients cause irritation much more easily. All the beard balms at The English Shaving Company are made from natural essential oils and ingredients to ensure your facial hair always gets the best.
When to Use Beard Balm
While your beard is in its first stages of growth, we recommend beard oil. (See our guide on how to use beard oil). It’s a fantastic way to keep your hair moisturised while your beard doesn’t need as much taming. Beard oil is great for keeping your beard’s natural shape while maintaining softness. Once your beard has grown and thickened out, you might find you need something to keep it under control and smooth. This is where beard balm is perfect. It is down to personal preference whether you use beard oil or beard balm - or sometimes swap around! It’s worth trying them both to find which works best for your look.
How to use beard balm
Beard balm is pretty simple to use and most products come with instructions. We recommend washing your beard with beard shampoo first to ensure your hair and your skin is clean. Make sure your beard is dry before using the balm. The beeswax is water resistant so won’t be as effective if your beard is wet or damp. Take a small amount of balm with the back of a nail and warm it in your hands until it takes on a much easier to apply consistency. Apply it to your beard, working from the neck upwards. Be sure to get the balm down to the roots of your hair to get the maximum conditioning benefits. Once you’ve rubbed it in, use a beard brush or comb (or your fingers) to smooth your beard downwards or into the desired shape. This creates a controlled look which the beeswax helps to hold in place throughout the day. Do you use beard balm or beard oil (or both!)? We would love to hear from you in the comments below!