I’ve never really had a problem growing a full beard as much as maintaining it without the itchiness or irritation. My facial hair is rather coarse and, at a certain length, has a slight curl to it. Since I keep my facial hair more often than not, it’s important to me to find the best products to keep it in great shape, including a beard balm (also called a conditioner, salve or pomade). In the past, I’ve tried balms good and bad, with some softening the hairs on my face, and others just feeling greasy. This is the reason me (and my co-workers) wanted to test out some popular options.
“Beard balms are used to enhance moisture and supply structure to beard hair so that beards are healthy and more manageable,” says Dr. Brendan Camp, a dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology. With that in mind, I spoke with beard and grooming experts to find the best beard balms for all lengths and textures of facial hair.
SKIP AHEAD What is a beard balm?| How I picked the best beard balms | The best beard balms, tested and reviewed | How to shop for beard balms | Why trust NBC Select?
What is a beard balm?
It’s important to keep beard hair and the skin underneath it hydrated just like with hair on your head, according to Camp. “Similar to scalp hair, when beard hair is washed it is stripped of sebum, which is the oil your skin makes to keep hair soft and pliant,” he says. “Without sebum, beard hairs can dry out and become brittle, damaged, and more difficult to maintain or style.” This is where a beard balm comes in — similar to oils, they help restore moisture. “They often contain ingredients like shea butter or beeswax to provide a light hold while protectIng hair from dryness and the environment,” says Camp.
How I picked the best beard balms
Experts I spoke with recommended I keep in mind a few important aspects when picking a beard balm. Plus, a couple of my fellow bearded NBC Select editors and writers tried a few beard balms to get a sense of how effective they are at taming and softening facial hair. Here’s everything I considered:
- Ingredients: It’s important to keep beard hair and the skin underneath it hydrated, which is why I made sure to include beard balms with moisturizing and nourishing ingredients like shea butter, beeswax, coconut and other plant-based oils. All of the beard balms below have at least one or more of these ingredients.
- Texture: Beard balms come in either a cream or solidified oil-like texture similar to room-temperature butter (hence why they can sometimes be referred to as beard butters). Some are a little firmer than others and require scooping your fingers into them to get a decent amount of product. With that in mind, I made sure to include beard balms of all different textures.
- Hair texture and length: Camp explained that beard balms are ideal for those with long or medium-length beards. But Camp also recommends using beard oil if you have a very short beard or a beard with stubble. In making this list, I made sure to include balms that are good for different facial hair lengths of, but especially medium to long ones.
- Scent: As is common with many hair care and grooming products, beard balms tend to have very strong scents that aren’t for everyone. Products marketed toward men in particular always have a musk, sandalwood or leathery fragrance to them, which I don’t always mind. The beard balms below included scented and unscented options depending on your preferences.
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The best beard balms, tested and reviewed
All of the beard balms below are either direct recommendations from experts, ones we tried and tested ourselves and/or have at least a 4-star average rating from 500 reviews or more on Amazon.
Best beard balm overall: Manscaped Beard Balm Styling Pomade
- Easy to apply
- Doesn't have a greasy finish
- Dries fast
- Slightly strong scent
I immediately started using this on my beard and mustache after getting out of the shower, since the hairs are more relaxed. While it has a noticeable eucalyptus scent, I didn’t find it too strong or unpleasant, and it was easy to apply onto my face. It has a creamy texture that is easy to scoop and incorporate throughout my beard. It also doesn’t leave any visible residue on my face after it dries. I loved this balm — aside from the great smell and texture, I didn’t have to use a lot of it to make the hairs on my face feel softer and less bristly. I also used it on my skin after shaving around my beard and it didn’t irritate it or sting at all — it actually felt calming.
Texture: creamy | Scent: eucalyptus | Main ingredients: shea butter, beeswax, coconut and almond oils
Best non-greasy beard balm: Burt’s Bees Conditioning Beard Balm
- Easy to apply
- Scoopable
- Feels soft against skin
- Slightly strong scent
My fellow bearded co-worker and NBC Select reporter Harry Rabinowitz tested this beard balm from Burt’s Bees and had several pros to report back. “Easy to apply, a nice texture that scoops well into the fingers and melts down quickly into something less chunky,” he says. “It does make my beard a little softer, and tames some of the sharper edges.” While it does have a noticeable woody scent, it has a smooth texture that incorporates into the beard without it looking or feeling greasy, similar to petroleum-based products.
Texture: solid balm | Scent: woody | Main ingredients: olive oil, beeswax, hemp seed oil
Best neutral scented beard balm: Rocky Mountain Barber Company Beard Balm
- Good for sensitive smells
- Doesn't have greasy finish
- Subtle smell
If you prefer a beard balm that doesn’t have a strong scent that you can smell for hours after putting it on, this one from Rocky Mountain Barber Company may be a fit. With a 4.1-star average rating from 507 reviews on Amazon, the balm has a mix of more than five types of oils to help moisturize and soften long beards, according to the brand. While labeled as unscented, some reviews mention that there is still a subtle smell that comes from the ingredients in balm.
Texture: solid balm | Scent: unscented | Main ingredients: shea butter, beeswax, coconut, argan and jojoba oils
Best scented beard balm: Viking Revolution Spiced Vanilla Beard Balm
- Subtle and pleasant scent
- Easy to apply
- Smooth texture
- Has a sweet aroma
While some people may be sensitive to smells, others enjoy a scented grooming product, like this one from Viking Revolution. Avid beard balm-wearer and NBC Select video producer Josh Rios tested this option and loved that the smell was detectable without being overpowering. “The vanilla scent wasn’t strong but was complimented multiple times by folks who caught a whiff,” he says. “I always check my beard to make sure there aren’t little pieces of wax left over. It falls perfectly in my morning routine without being a mess.”
Texture: solid balm | Scent: vanilla | Main ingredients: shea butter, beeswax, jojoba and argan oils
Best creamy beard balm: Every Man Jack Softening Beard Butter
- Great fragrance
- Easy to incorporate
- Good for short and long hair
- Has a scent
This is one of the first beard balms I started using when I got more serious about grooming, and one of my favorite aspects is the smell. Sometimes, sandalwood-scented products are way too potent, but this product gets it right. It doesn’t smell like a full-on tree but it also isn’t overly sweet. Plus, the creamy texture, which is sometimes cool when it goes on, is easy to work through my beard and mustache. My mustache in particular often gets fly-aways, or hairs that aren’t all going in the same direction — this helps me maintain a clean and professional look.
Texture: creamy | Scent: sandalwood | Main ingredients: shea and cocoa butters, coconut and sandalwood oils
Best beard balm for textured hair: Shea Moisture Maracuja & Shea Butter Beard Balm
- Has vitamin C
- Adds sheen to beard
- Subtle scent
I almost always love anything I get from Shea Moisture, whether a shampoo or conditioner, because the brand focuses a lot on products for textured hair. This beard balm from the brand, which has a 4.5-star average rating from 1,775 reviews on Amazon, works on beards of different textures and leaves a moisturized and healthy-looking sheen on beard hair, rather than a greasy appearance.
Texture: solid balm | Scented: woody | Main ingredients: castor oil and shea butter
Best beard balm for softening: King C. Gillette Beard Softener
- Lightweight texture
- Easy to apply
- Has a strong scent
I tried out this beard balm, making sure to put it on before I left for work or after a shower. It was easy to incorporate throughout my beard and mustache, without feeling uncomfortable or greasy. Since it’s a cream, it’s easy to scoop out a small amount on my fingers and distribute it on my face. The container it comes in is a small flat tin that’s easy to store upright or on its side if you have to lean it up against something.
Texture: cream | Scented: woody | Main ingredients: cacao butter, shea butter and argan oil
Best beard balm for styling: Cremo Styling Beard Balm
- Thick texture
- Adds shine
- Has a scent
My brother is a fan of Cremo shaving products and always tries to convince me to try it out, too. This Cremo Styling beard balm has a 4.4-star average rating from 1,671 reviews on Amazon and is perfect for especially long beards since it’s ideal for softening long hairs and giving them a subtle shine. It comes in a small container that’s easy to store in a duffel bag or backpack ahead of a short trip or to the gym for grooming after a workout.
Texture: solid balm | Scented: yes | Main ingredients: beeswax, shea butter and essential oils
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How to shop for beard balms
There are a few important details to keep in mind when shopping for a beard balm. I spoke with experts, including barbers and grooming experts, for their guidance on how to choose the best beard balm for you.
Consider your hair texture and length
For people with an especially long beard (at least a couple inches), then a beard oil may be better for you than a beard balm, according to Stephen Wu, senior barber at Fellow Barber. “If you have wavy to straight texture with more than 1 inch in length, opt for a balm to keep your beard controlled and not sticking straight up,” he says. Additionally, you should use grooming scissors to help trim around your beard to make sure it’s even, in addition to using a beard balm, according to Wu.
Invest in other tools
Wu also recommends using a beard trimmer or asking your barber to help even out your beard while getting a haircut. “If your beard is not cut right, no matter how much balm you put on it, it won’t help,” he says. “Always start from the bottom and work your way up with final touches on your mustache.”
Apply it at the right time to see benefits
Aside from choosing the best beard balm for your preference, it’s important to also make sure you apply it correctly and at the right time, according to Alexia Donovan, director of client services at Barber Surgeons Guild. “In my opinion, the best way to apply a beard balm is after a warm shower or while the hair is still a bit damp and soft,” she says. “Use a small amount — less is more — and warm it up in your hands before applying.”
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Dr. Brendan Camp is a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology.
- Stephen Wu is a senior barber at Fellow Barber in New York, NY.
- Alexia Donovan is the director of client services at Barber Surgeons Guild in New York, NY.
Why trust NBC Select?
I’m a commerce editor at NBC Select, where I occasionally write about wellness, self-care and grooming. I’ve also written stories about the effects of hot showers, excessive use of wet wipes and my favorite exfoliator for whiteheads. I spoke with multiple grooming and skin care experts for this story.
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