Beard balm is a leave-in conditioner marketed for its ability to ‘help grow hair’ which has become increasingly popular amongst men in the last few years. With men growing out their facial hair in abundance, it is important to know whether the products used for styling are helpful for the health of your beard, or could even aid in making it look fuller. To discover the truth, it is necessary to take a look into the potential benefits and science behind beard balm.
Generally, beard balm is a combination of shea butter and some kind of oil. The purpose of this specific product is to nourish, moisturize, and tame the facial hair. Its main use is to condition the hairs, bring in some resilience back to dry brittle hairs and bring shine to a dull looking beard. But, does it actually make hair grow?
Although nothing can dramatically alter your genetics – meaning that the genetics that determine the thickness, length and growth rate of your hair – some have found that using a beard balm can encourage some growth, due to its hydrating effects and conditioning benefits. Alongside this, its ability to help reduce itchy skin, commonly caused by facial hair growth, has been known to lead to an increase in the rate of hair growth, as the hair is being better cared for.
Those skeptical about this claim may point out that beard balm does not contain any growth- stimulating hormones that can affect the way your facial hair grows, and because of this this claim may be false. However, the antioxidants and minerals present in the product do a great job of strengthening the hair. If your facial hair is stronger, it can lead to an increase in growth rate and fuller looking facial hair.
When it comes to choosing a beard balm, it’s important to read the ingredients to determine if there are any potential allergens, as well as to find out the benefits the balm can provide specifically to the health of your beard. Additionally, to maximize the effects of the beard balm and ensure it is doing the job it’s meant to, it’s important to all use a product that suits your individual needs in regards to the type of your facial hair, as not all beard balm products are created equally.
It is also important to remember that, although it has been suggested that beard balm does help significantly with hair growth, it will only do so in combination with other good habits. Eating a balanced diet and drinking lots of water are still crucial – as this will increase the rate of general hair growth from the root, as well as nourishing existing beard hairs making them look healthier. Additionally, sleeping well and exercising often will benefit the overall wellbeing, impacting the head of hair.
Beard Balm and It’s Connections to Acne
Beards have also been linked to acne, particularly in those who have sensitive skin. The beard block can often react with the hair follicles on our faces, leading to blocked pores and ultimately, a breakout. Many ‘over-the-counter’ pharmaceutical companies heavily promote their products as the miracle solution to acne, but unfortunately they rarely work as promised.
So, can beard balm help with this type of acne? The simple answer to this question is yes. Of course, specifically formulated ‘anti-acne’ balms may be more effective than others, but regular beard balms can still be incredibly beneficial for those experiencing breakouts. Whilst it won’t magically get rid of the acne, using this natural product can help to reduce redness, irritation, and keep facial hair from becoming too greasy.
The key to reducing acne is to ensure that you are taking good care of your facial skin and regular use of a beard balm is surely a way to allow your skin to remain healthy, strong and moisturized. As beard balm is a fatty substance, it helps to keep your facial hair from growing too long and wild and can actually help to prevent shaving rash caused by an excess build up of oils.
Ingridients Found in Beard Balm
In general, a beard balm can contain any mixture of ingredients that are either natural or synthetic. Some natural ingredients typically found in beard balms include: wax, a base oil such as coconut or jojoba oil, butter such as shea or cocoa, and sometimes even essential oils such as lavender oil or tea tree oil. Depending on the individual product, other natural ingredients such as vegetable glycerin or antioxidants could also be found in the product.
In the more recently developed products, synthetic ingredients such as fragrances and colourants can often be present, making the product smell and feel better on the skin. Many synthetic polymers like lanolin, mineral oil, and petrolatum are often found in store bought balms, all of which have potential downsides to their use.
From all the products on the market, it’s clear that the recognition of beard balm as an effective product is growing. Provided that the ingredients used are natural, or at least this is kept to a minimum, it can offer many benefits to the health of your facial hair. However, it’s clear that only parts of this claim is true, as it cannot, unfortunately, increase the rate of growth of your beard substantially.
Tips for Applying Beard Balm
It goes without saying that the way in which you apply any product to your beard, is of importance. Hence, using a beard balm effectively is key to gaining the desired results.
Firstly, and perhaps the most important step of ensuring the balm is used correctly is that you must ensure your beard is properly dried before applying. When applying the product, make sure to not just concentrate it in one area, but instead, distribute it evenly throughout the entire beard and moustache, as if you were massaging it in. Finally, always comb the beard after application – as this will help evenly distribute the product and detangle any stubborn hairs, making your beard look fuller and healthier.
Beard Balm Benefits
In conclusion, it can be said that using a beard balm does have benefits, not necessarily in terms of gaining a fuller looking facial hair, but more in terms of maintenance and health. With its hydrating, conditioning and moisturizing properties, it can help keep the face looking fuller and healthier, as well as helping to prevent all the unpleasant symptoms faced whilst growing out a beard – although none of these should be considered long-term solutions.
Furthermore, by taking the time to use a product like a beard balm, you are creating a protective layer around the skin and hair, which will help further aid in the health of your facial hair and ensure that your skin stays moisturized and free from breakouts throughout the beards growth.
Growing a Beard and It’s Environmental Effects
It is also worth mentioning the more recent connections that have been made between the act of growing a beard, and the effects such an action can have on our environment. This is due to the increase in plastic use seen as a result of growing a beard, especially when it comes to buying beard combs, beard oil and products such as mustache wax and beard wax.
In order to keep this environmental impact to a minimum, one of the most effective things to do is to switch to organic and natural products, as plastic use increases significantly when using this type of product. By using products such as organic waxes, organic oils, and organic balms, the environmental impact is reduced.
On top of this, you can also reduce your plastics use by avoiding any plastic combs and instead using bamboo combs, as bamboo is renewable and much more ethical. Finally, it’s important to invest in quality products, as quality products are usually made to last, whereas cheaper ones are likely to be of lower build quality and will often break after only a few uses.
Beard Balm Alternatives
Beard balm is not the only product available on the market to promote healthy facial hair. There are other alternatives – such as beard oil or beard wax – that are just as beneficial to the health of your beard. But when it comes to thebe a king of the castle with the best facial hair choices, it is important to choose the product that is best for you.
Objectively, beard oil is probably the most beneficial option of the three, as it is thinner, making it easier to spread throughout the beard and easier to apply. A small beard needs only a few drops of oil, whilst a big beard needs much more. Additionally, beard oil is beneficial as it has some of the same benefits as balm, such as conditioning and moisturizing.
Beard wax, on the other hand, gives much more hold than either balm or oil, and therefore is more suited to styling and keeping the beard in shape. It can also help to make the beard look fuller than it is, by keeping every hair in place, and also has strong moisturizing properties.
Overall, it is always recommended to find the product that best suits you, as although this article might point to one product or another being best, each individual has different needsdepending on the state of their facial hair.
