WHAT ARE CARRIER OILS?
Carrier oils are oils that are made from plants. Examples of carrier oils include jojoba, avocado, coconut, almond, and apricot oil. These oils are used as a base when making skin products and for diluting potent essential oils.
Really, you’re not going to go wrong with a combination of the powerhouses listed above. While there’s a ton of others to consider besides these, these are the main players and the ones you’re likely to find in 99% of all beard oils. My husband used just pure jojoba on his beard for years with great results.
You wouldn’t want to use most of these alone, though. All olive oil in your beard? Probably not the best idea.
The combination that I’ve been making my husband consists of 50% jojoba, 25% avocado, 12.5% almond, and 12.5% apricot. He’s been using this recipe on his beard for years and it’s done wonders for him.
THE BEST OILS FOR BEARD OIL
Jojoba is just a miracle worker when it comes to beards. It softens and hydrates simultaneously, and since it’s non-comedogenic and non-allergenic it does not clog pores or cause irritation. It’s very similar to our own natural skin oils and is easily absorbed. It strengthens hair, resulting in less breakage, and does not leave behind a greasy feel. (FYI: Although we call it one, it’s actually not an oil, but a liquid wax.)
For beard oils, use jojoba or argan — or a mixture of both. I feel like all beard oils should have one of these two as the majority of its base.
Next, there’s avocado oil, which I’ve seen referred to as beard food. Makes sense. We all know avocado has tons of vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids, protein, and healthy fats. These same things work wonders for your beard. Avocado balances pH, hydrates, and relieves dry, flaky, and itchy skin. It relieves inflammation and is especially great if you tend to have more brittle or dry hair. The high fat content also promotes hair growth and helps to add shine.
Then, almond and apricot oil. Almond and apricot are both very light carrier oils that will not weigh down your beard oil. They’re great moisturizers, hair sealants, and both are anti-inflammatory which is great protection against ingrown hairs. Finally, they’re rich in vitamins and antioxidants, which protect your skin and body against damages done from free radicals. Rad, right? You could absolutely use a combo of grapeseed, hemp, or castor here instead.
THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR BEARD OIL
You can use almost any combo of essential oils you like, but I use these basic three: tea tree, Texas cedarwood, and orange.
Why? First, this combo has a lovely masculine, woodsy smell that isn’t really overpowering. Second, its benefits. Cedarwood essential oil adds shine to hair and smooths skin. Plus, it smells a little Lumberjack-y which is pretty sexy, am I right?
Tea tree oil is amazing with so many benefits — a few being that it works wonders when it comes to acne, it’s incredibly healing, and is commonly used for a variety of skin problems.
Orange oil is invigorating, fights inflammation, decreases wrinkles, and is full of antioxidants that protect against free radicals.
