The Best Beard Balms and Conditioners, According to Experts

Beard balms generally do three things: add moisture, soften hairs, and prevent any stray beard hairs from springing out of formation. Depending on the texture of your beard and how much hold you’re looking for, you’ll want to choose either a waxy balm or a buttery balm. The more unruly your beard, the more stiff and waxy the product you want.

Three of the experts we spoke to, Pedro Rosario, director of hair-care operations at the barber-on-demand app Shortcut, master barber Torrey Grobes of Paul Labrecque Salon and Spa, and Madeline Ferrer, senior merchant at Birchbox Grooming, recommend Scotch Porter beard balm for its all-natural ingredients and ability to soften coarse beard hairs. It has a base of highly nourishing shea butter and coconut oil, heavy-hitting moisturizers like Argan and Jojoba oil, and a mix of botanicals, including Marshmallow Root, Slippery Elm Bark, Burdock Root, Nettle Leaf, Neem Leaf, Rosemary Leaf, and Chamomile Flowers. Rosario is a fan of the entire Scotch Porter grooming line. It’s “geared toward coarse hair and above and beyond anything I have ever used,” he says. Ferrer, who included Scotch Porter beard balm in Birchbox’s new men’s grooming box says “We sampled this to our (bearded) subscribers for the first time earlier this year and they loved it. It’s free of chemicals and leaves beards soft and shiny while keeping dandruff away.”

Two of our experts — Grobes and Annette Moore, the owner of BoldBarber.com — recommend Honest Amish beard balm, which, like Scotch Porter, is made using all-natural ingredients. The Shea and cocoa butter base are mixed with argan, avocado, almond, and apricot kernel essential oils to create a super-nourishing and hydrating balm. “A little goes a long way,” Moore says. “It’s great at taming beards, softening facial hair, and adding a nice shine.”

Richie Joumant, owner of Sterling Barbershop in Amboy, Illinois, uses Wahl beard balm on all of his bearded clients. Like the Scotch Porter and Honest Amish, it’s paraben-free and includes shea butter and nourishing apricot kernel oil. Unlike those brands, the Wahl balm also contains beeswax, which makes it better for unruly beards, Manuka oil, which is good for fighting dandruff, and clove oil, which is antiseptic and therefore good for ingrown hairs and acne.

Cassidy Theall, a barber at Fellow Barber’s Seaport location in New York, is a fan of this balm, which has a beeswax base, making it more of a beard pomade. According to Cassidy, “it can be used on any length of beard and on any hair type.” She likes that it’s thick enough to help tame frizz. But because it melts down to a liquid consistency when rubbed in your hands, it applies to facial hair with ease. Biker’s Brew also contains mango seed butter, cocoa seed butter, and vitamin E, all effective moisturizers that are light enough not to ruin your pillowcase.

Bulldog Beard Balm is a favorite of Eliut Rivera, founder of Eliut Salon. “I really love the texture of this product,” he says. “It feels like a mix between a moisturizer and beard oil, and it absorbs quickly without leaving a greasy look.” That light and easy texture is thanks to Bulldog’s first ingredient: water. It also contains Shea butter, Cocoa butter, sweet almond oil — one of the lightest carrier oils, Rivera says — aloe vera, and green tea. Bulldog won’t do much for shaping or styling your beard, but it will moisturize the hairs without clogging your pores.

Michael Haar, owner of Haar & Co. barbershop in New York, swears by Proraso products because of the brand’s long history and respected reputation in the men’s grooming world. He recommends this for men with short beards or those who are in the first few weeks of growing a beard because it relieves any itchy discomfort related to new hair growth. Haar suggests using a dime or nickel-sized amount daily. Apply it “like you would with a moisturizer, but focusing on your beard,” he says. To fully distribute this “lotionlike” balm he’ll go over the beard with several strokes of a boar-bristle brush after applying. Among its key ingredients are Eucalyptus oil and menthol, which are both astringent and will help prevent ingrown hairs. And if you’re wondering, Haar prefers the Wood and Spice scent for fall and winter.

Beard conditioners are similar to balms, only they penetrate the hair follicle more deeply, leaving less of a residue. And they aren’t typically used for styling. Like conditioner for the hair on your head, they help soften and repair dry facial hair while locking in moisture for a healthier appearance.
Rivera recommends first washing your beard in the shower, then applying beard conditioner. Don’t rinse it out right away. It’ll work better if you leave it on your facial hair for around five minutes while continuing your normal shower routine, he says. Moore likes this conditioner from Viking Revolution because “leaves beards extra smooth and soft.” Along with argan, Jojoba, and apricot kernel oils, it contains hydrolyzed yeast protein to strengthen each hair follicle and help repair split ends.

When we wrote about everything you need to trim your beard, several of our experts said that beard hair is prone to dryness, since most men’s faces don’t produce enough oil to keep long beard hairs moisturized. To combat this, Alex Tyef, second-generation owner of Gino’s Classic Barber Shoppe in Atlanta, suggests Paul Mitchel Hair and Body moisturizer. At all three of his shops, they use it on both beards and scalps as a leave-in conditioner, balm, or styling cream. “We sell the liter bottles,” he says. “They fly off the shelves.” It contains a combination of tea tree oil, jojoba oil, and algae extract which moisturizes, invigorates, and strengthens beards.

Several of our experts said that you could use the same conditioner on your beard that you do for your hair. It’s a point of personal preference — and your willingness to spend money. Rosario says, “I encourage frugal men to use the same conditioner for both.” Joseph Rosenfeld, a New York–based personal stylist (and proud sporter of a beard of his own), agrees: “If I can find one product that does double duty, I’ll use it,” he says. “On the days when I condition my hair, I use what remains on my hands after treating my hair and scalp to do the same with my beard. It works like a charm.” Rosenfeld credits the fatty acids present in Malin and Goetz’s Cilantro conditioner with helping to keep his look on point without any oily residue. The cilantro extract has a calming effect on the skin, and the Shea butter, sunflower seed oil, and coriander seed oil help lock in moisture.