In the modern world, magic pills and instant fixes are in high demand, from weight loss and hair growth to making money. People love the simplified approach that requires little time and monetary investment, which explains the popularity of beard oils in recent years.
Doubtless, many beard oil products contain impressive ingredient profiles and can add considerable visual appeal to a well-grown beard. But for men who struggle to grow facial hair in the first place, can beard oils reverse the course of nature?
Let’s take a closer look at the beard oil trend at large, investigate the top ingredients, and determine if these oils can really help you boost beard growth for the better.
We’ll also list some tried-and-true techniques that bring you closer to your ideal beard without waste or risk.
The concept is simple if you’ve missed the boat on beard oils. These are products containing a mix of natural oils and other active ingredients that aim to improve your beard’s look and feel while promoting growth.
With hundreds of different oils on the market, each one makes unique claims and uses unique formulations to achieve them–although with mixed results. Here are some more beard oil basics you might want to know about.
Each of the many beard oils on store shelves follows a similar ingredient “stack” with three main components.
Your typical beard oil is built upon the foundation of carrier oil such as argan, coconut, almond, jojoba, or even olive oil. This represents the “base layer” of moisturization and allows other ingredients to diffuse into the skin without irritation.
Each carrier oil has pros and cons, from jojoba’s light, antibacterial nature to castor oil’s thick and resilient monosaturated fats. For naturally scented oils, coconut and almond work well, especially for those who wish to avoid artificial ingredients.
We suggest avoiding seed-oil-based beard products (grapeseed or sunflower seed) as they typically contain volatile PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids) and go rancid quickly.
The next part of the beard oil stack contains essential oils and primary active ingredients. Though found in smaller doses, these elements pack more punch since each drop is loaded with powerful nutrients, antioxidants, enzymes, and other natural catalysts.
This is where you’ll find essential oils of peppermint, lavender, rosemary, cinnamon, and numerous other plants that cleanse, heal, promote blood flow, or hydrate exceptionally well. We recommend researching the properties of these essential oils before committing to certain beard oils, as each one comes with strong scents and unique effects.
Well-balanced beard oil will contain essential oils that complement the carrier oil and create a synthesis of preferable effects and scents without irritating the skin.
Finally, preservatives and additives are common in mass-produced beard oils, ensuring longer shelf life and the stability of active ingredients. Vitamins C and E may be natural preservatives, while others may have unique synthetic formulations.
Applying beard oil is simple but requires consistency and discovering your own schedule and approach. Men with short beards or stubble may apply the oil directly to the surface of the skin and facial hair. In contrast, longer beards need several applications and focused distribution on covering the length of each follicle.
Even application is your focus when applying beard oil since you don’t want to miss a spot to reap the benefits. Use your palms and fingers to get started, and try a wooden comb to bring droplets of moisture to those hard-to-reach areas.
Beard oils can be applied once in the morning and as part of your evening routine if needed. Higher-quality oils go a long way with just a few drops.
You know the scoop on beard oil’s composition and usage by now, so it’s time to talk results. What does beard oil accomplish for the quantity and quality of your facial hair, and are these products worth adding to your grooming stack? Let’s find out.
As with any health or cosmetic product, marketing materials for beard oils are meant to inspire images of overwhelming, positive results. While certain brands are careful with their claims and minimize sensationalism, others promote a glorified idea of what a certain oil can accomplish.
These claims include improving beard follicle strength, naturally increasing coverage and density, filling in patchy areas, speeding up the time it takes to grow facial hair, and even reversing the trend of lost beard hair over time.
On the other hand, many brands play it safe, stating that their oil moisturizes and scents the beard with quality ingredients, with no assertions regarding growth potential and overall health.
What does science have to say about this? Unfortunately, no evidence from the scientific community has been established about the effect of beard oil on facial hair development.
The truth is that facial hair is overwhelmingly genetic by definition, meaning a single product will not dramatically alter the course of growth over time. Like whitening toothpaste, skin care products, and others in this category, consider beard oil claims with healthy skepticism.
Don’t walk away thinking that beard oils are totally useless or that great products don’t exist. Thousands of authentic, verified reviews and anecdotal reports confirm that beard oil can help transform the look and feel of a beard with consistent application.
The best beard oils add significant moisture and nutrients to areas that otherwise go untouched by water from the shower or the occasional facial scrub. Beard oils also tend to be used with more focused grooming routines, including rigorous brushing and hygienic practices, which may help promote growth and heal the skin.
Therefore, it’s not out of the question that beard oils can inadvertently help improve the physiological environment by which facial hair can grow longer and stronger. Remember that this evidence is untested in a clinical environment, and results are never guaranteed.
While there may not be an official medical verdict regarding beard oil, men struggling to grow facial hair need a proven approach. Here are some methods supported by industry leaders like Dr. Jae Pak, MD, who have helped men achieve their ideal beards for years.
Poor lifestyle choices are the hidden culprit behind many underperforming beards. Aim to improve your diet, supplement properly, and get plenty of sleep and exercise while combating sources of stress.
Techniques like derma-rolling and microchanneling have emerged as well-supported ways to help beards grow to their full potential.
Through the process of collagen induction, these therapies create microscopic punctures in the skin, to which the body responds with growth enzymes, hormones, and more.
On the subject of hormones, some extra testosterone tends to go a long way for beard growth. Be sure to consult with medical professionals to determine a safe, sustainable TRT protocol.
Beard transplantation is undoubtedly the most effective, permanent, and fast way to increase facial hair density and coverage.
Through a process known as FUE (follicle unit excision), technicians and surgeons extract hair from a donor area and insert individual hairs into designated areas of the face.
Consult with leading hair restoration surgeons like Dr. Jae Pak about a beard transplant and determine the best strategy for your goals and budget.
You don’t need beard oil to grow a full, lumberjack beard, though it likely won’t hurt in making your current facial hair look and feel a bit better. Stick to the proven beard blueprint and work with hair restoration pros to make real progress and enjoy the results.
Sources:
Homemade Beard Oil Recipe for Men | Wellness Mama
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