While beard balms are quite effective, if you don’t find the right one for yourself, you will end up harming your beard rather than doing any good. But as there are many options, it can be easy to get confused.
Don’t worry, because, in this article, we have done the research & review for you. We reviewed the market thoroughly and hand-picked the best beard balms in the market.
That’s not all; we have also added an in-depth guide that will allow you to find the perfect beard balm for you without any issues. So, go through them one by one, and we are confident that you will find the balm you are looking for with ease.
5 Best Beard Balms in 2023
Honest Amish Beard Balm Leave-in Conditioner
Best Overall
For the best overall performance and value, there isn't much competition with the Honest Amish beard balm. It not only offers great styling and moisturization but also acts as a conditioner.
| Holding Strength | Light |
| Ingredients | Beeswax, Shea Butter & Essential Oils |
| Item Form | Balm |
| Hair Type | Coarse |
| Product Benefit | Conditioning |
This hand-crafted beard balm from Honest Amish is one of their most well-known products, and this is because this balm offers what it promises. Filled with natural and certified organic elements, it is a great choice for people with coarse and rough hair.
It softens the hair easily and ensures the prevention of itch along with the elimination of beard dandruff. The balm also acts as a conditioner. So, you can be assured that you will have a great shine on your beard once you start to use it.
The pricing is also budget-friendly, making it the perfect choice for people of every budget.
Product Pros
- A good option for people with coarse hair
- Moisturizes the beard easily due to the multitude of natural oils in the balm
- Well-balanced consistency ensures a comfortable use
- Adds a lovely shine to the beard
- Price is great for people who are on a budget
Product Cons
- Smells like black licorice
- The container is very small
- Needs to melt before use
- Leaves some oily residue on the beard
Scotch Porter Conditioning Beard Balm for Men
Best Value
If you are looking for the best value for money, this is the beard balm you have been searching for. It offers great performance with an extremely low price tag. So, it's a double win for you!
| Holding Strength | Light |
| Ingredients | Biotin Liposomes, White Willow Bark |
| Item Form | Cream, Gel, Balm |
| Hair Type | Dry |
| Product Benefit | Hydrating |
When it comes to hydration for dry beards, the Scotch Porter Conditioning beard balm will be the go-to choice for many professionals and veterans of the beard community.
Filled with biotin and white willow bark, you can be assured that this balm will provide good moisturization and equally good hydration to your beard. It will also add a good shine and get rid of the itchiness of your mane.
And the cherry on the top is that it comes with a very low price tag. That’s why it is arguably one of the best beard balms you can get on the market right now!
Product Pros
- Gives a consistently full, moisturized & fresh beard
- Comfortable fragrance, not overpowering at all
- Balanced consistency, great for dry hairs
- Light weighted, easy to travel with
Product Cons
- Difficult to apply in warm weather as it does not hold on to the beard easily
- Container structure is vulnerable
- Not good for coarse hair
Viking Revolution Beard Balm
Best Design
For those who want style and fashion in their beard balms, the Viking Revolution is the best choice. It ensures an aesthetically pleasing beard with great softening effects.
| Holding Strength | Firm |
| Ingredients | Argan Oil, Jojoba oil, Mango Butter, and Beeswax |
| Item Form | Balm |
| Hair Type | All beard types |
| Product Benefit | Softening |
Moisturization and softening are the two main purposes of the Viking Revolution beard balm. It is perfectly suited for any type of facial hair and ensures that you get an itch and scratch-free beard just after the first two uses.
As it is made from natural ingredients like argan and jojoba oil, you can be assured of the fact that you are using the best plant-based natural formula out there.
The packaging and the container are also beautiful and can be a good option for your travels.
So, overall, this is a great product for those who want to have a stylish beard with a solid performance.
Product Pros
- Offers a comfortable & soothing scent of nature
- Comes with a great texture which softens the beard effectively
- Easy to apply
- Ensures a balanced consistency
Product Cons
- Smells rotten if left in a heated environment for a couple of days
- Feels like a little over powdering
- Doesn't hold too much at a time
- Very easy to melt
Cremo Styling Beard Balm
Best Travel
For nourishment, shine and travel, there aren't any better choices than the Cremo Styling beard balm. It ensures good performance along with a good price.
| Holding Strength | Light |
| Ingredients | Beeswax, Shea Butter & Essential Oils |
| Item Form | Balm |
| Hair Type | All Beard Types |
| Product Benefit | Nourishing, High Gloss |
This product from Cremo Styling is famous worldwide. You can easily spot one of them in your barbershop as well.
As it comes with a lot of natural and organic ingredients, you can be assured of the fact that your beard will get the nutrients it needs to grow in a healthy manner. The shining obtained by the balm is also great and offers a glossy finish.
But the most beneficial fact regarding this product is that it is travel friendly and doesn’t cost too much. This is quite rare for well-performing beard balms. Therefore, you can be assured that you are getting a great deal when picking this product for yourself.
Product Pros
- A great option for unruly beards
- Comes with a good low-price tag
- Light weighted, very easy to carry
- Solid container design
Product Cons
- Overpowering scent
- A little greasier for some people
- It is a bit difficult to apply
GRAVE BEFORE SHAVE™ Cigar Blend Beard Balm
Best Usability
If you are suffering from beard dandruff, then this product will be the perfect choice for you.
| Holding Strength | Firm |
| Ingredients | Beeswax, Shea Butter & Essential Oils |
| Item Form | Balm |
| Hair Type | All Beard Types |
| Product Benefit | Anti-Dandruff |
This firm and all-natural beard balm ensure that you don’t have to face the issue of dandruff anymore on your beard. It is also very smooth, so the application process is hassle-free and simple. There is no need to melt the balm beforehand.
It helps tame the beard faster than most others in this price range. The deep conditioning also ensures that you will get a good shine from this product as well.
And that’s not all; you have the option to pick two types of scents for this product. You can go with either a rich cigar or vanilla fragrance. Both are extremely soothing and comfortable.
This product fits every beard type out there. So, you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues at all.
Product Pros
- Extremely smooth balm, very easy to apply
- The good absorption rate dries up easily
- The soothing scent feels light and airy
- Ensures that you get a soft beard
Product Cons
- Weirdly glistening
- Don't have a good hold
- Smell too sweet
Things To Consider When Choosing The Best Beard Balms
When it comes to choosing the best beard balm for yourself, you need to consider a handful of conditions & factors. Missing to overlook these can make you suffer in the long run. Therefore, don't forget to check them when you are making a purchase.
Ingredients
This is arguably the most important factor when it comes to picking beard balms. The first thing that you will have to keep in mind is that all the ingredients and materials should be natural.
There shouldn't be any involvement of complex chemicals. This is because you will be applying the balm directly on the skin without any mixing, meaning it will contact your beard and skin directly, so any chemical will have a negative reaction which we should avoid at any cost.
The ingredients of a beard balm can be divided into four parts:
1. Wax
2. Butter
3. Organic Oil
4. Nutrients
Wax
The base of any balm is wax, and it is the same for beard balms as well. Keep in mind that the waxes should be 100% natural and shouldn't have any buffers or chemicals in them.
Their main purpose is to ensure that the balm is thick while being lighter to hold at the same time. Some popular and effective options, in this case, are: bees wax, lanolin wax & carnauba wax.
There are some artificial waxes out there that has similar characteristic to natural ones. But we still recommend that you don't take any risk and pick a beard balm with a natural wax base.
Butter
Beard balms are known for their moisturizing effects and perfect blend textures. And all that is mostly done by the butter involved in the balms. They ensure to soften the wax along with balancing the nourishment and hold of your beard. This results in healthy beard growth and thickness retention.
Similar to the wax, you should opt for beard balms that offer completely natural butter with zero involvement of artificial and chemical elements. They are meant to soothe and provide comfort to the skin, not the other way around.
We recommend that you pick natural butter with similar elements like shea, mango, or Capuacu butter.
Be extra cautious when it comes to the butter component because they will be the ones responsible for hydration, moisturization, comfort, and 70% of the overall performance of your beard balm.
Organic Oil
Oils in a beard balm improve your beard's hydration, shine, and nourishment. When they get absorbed, they will ease your mane and keep it moisturized and hydrated.
Single-handedly, they don't have many effects, but when you combine them with wax & butter, they are vital if you are looking for a beard balm that will effectively improve your beard's health and growth.
There are multitudes of organic oils that you can choose from. Pick the ones that offer fast-absorbing capabilities and light. You shouldn't pick an oil that is sticky and heavy on the beard. Because it will get pretty annoying if the oil lingers after you are done applying the balm.
Our top recommendations for organic oils are the following:
- Argan oil
- Abyssinian oil
- Babassu oil
- Coconut oil
- Jojoba oil
- Olive oil
Nutrients
The beard balm that you are selecting for yourself should have high nutritional value. Our skin needs a good amount of nutrients to be healthy, and that will ensure a healthy beard.
Vitamins like A, C & E is a must. You should look for other elements like zinc, magnesium, omega fatty acid, and similar ingredients.
As most beard balms are made out of natural formula (and you should pick them specifically), these ingredients are already in there.
Hair Type
The main reason some beard balms work better on some while having no effect on others depends on the facial hair type. That's why you need to pick a balm that suits your hair type to get the best performance.
If you are not sure what type of facial hair you have, then you should opt for balms that are suited for all types of skin & hair. But if you know what your beard type is, then, by all means, get a balm that is specifically made for your skin & facial hair.
Moisturizing Capabilities
A beard balm is considered to be good if it provides a lot of moisturization to your skin and beard. Many people pick beard balms for this purpose only. So, you should opt for a beard balm that offers the same.
Generally, beard balms come with natural moisturizing ingredients. Such as vitamin E, organic oils like coconut oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil, and shea butter offer the most natural moisture possible.
Therefore, pick one that contains these ingredients.
Consistency
Consistency plays a very important role when it comes to picking a good beard balm for yourself. There are three types of consistency that you can opt for: light or thin, standard or balanced, and thick or heavy.
- For Thin Beard
If you have a thin beard or your facial hair covers only a small portion of your skin, then going with a light consistency is the best option for you. This is also true if you want a faster application and effectiveness.
Sometimes, being too light can leave your beard feeling greasy, so keep that in mind if you are going for a lighter beard balm.
Standard or balanced consistency is for those who want to have the best of both worlds or are not sure which is the perfect choice for them.
They don't feel too sticky or too thin during application. Their effectiveness lasts for a decent amount of time, so you don't have to apply them to maintain the style of your beard.
- For Thick Beard
If you have a thick beard, then you should definitely choose thick or heavy consistency for yourself. Because if the balm doesn't reach every part of your facial hair, then you won't be able to properly optimize the effects.
Finding the right consistency can be difficult, especially if you are new to beard products. So, we recommend trying a few to understand which one is perfect for you.
Generally, a rule of thumb for finding a good consistency is to find out whether you can scoop out the balm or not. If you like it pouring out, then it is not the best choice for you. The same goes for the stickiness & the greasiness as well.
If it is too sticky, then the balm is too thick for you. On the other hand, if it is too greasy, then the consistency might be too thin.
Therefore, check out these factors before you fix a balm for your facial hair.
Absorption Rate
When it comes to beard balms, the higher the absorption rate, the better. The longer the balm stays on your beard, the more uncomfortable you will start to feel.
Generally, a good balm will be absorbed in a minute or two. If you have a thicker mane than others, it might take 5 minutes at most. But if the absorption time is longer, then you should avoid that balm.
Styling Longevity
One of the main reasons for choosing beard balms is that you are able to style your beard the way you want. But how long will that last? That is another factor that you should look into when choosing the best beard balm for yourself.
A beard balm's styling effect should last at least three to four hours. In this case, the higher, the better. Don't pick a product that has a longevity of only an hour or two.
Cause if you choose this type of balm, then you will have to reapply it quite often, and it can become annoying pretty fast.
The scent of The Balm
Another factor that is often ignored is the scent. If you are not comfortable with the scent, then you should not pick that product. The same goes for beard balms.
There are multitudes of options when it comes to the scent or the fragrance of a beard balm. So, pick the one that you are fond of. But you should look into a few other factors related to scent. Mainly the power and duration.
You shouldn't pick a beard balm which's scent is too overpowering or too weak. A scent should maintain a balanced power during the effectiveness of the balm.
The same can be said for the duration of the longevity of the scent. Normally, the scent should last as long as the beard balm lasts on your skin. So, around 4 to 5 hours will be our recommendation.
It is natural for the scent to lose its strength over time, but this shouldn't be too rapid. If this happens, then you should look for another beard balm for yourself.
Pricing
Last but not least, the most important factor that you have to consider is the cost of buying a beard balm. Generally, the ones with a higher price tag offer the best effects and ingredients.
That being said, there are a lot of high-quality balms that you can find at a reasonable price point. So, we recommend that you look into this more before coming to a conclusion.
The pricing also heavily relies on the balm's size and the designs it comes with. This is also true for the container that the balm comes in as well.
Tips for Buying And Using A Beard Balm
Now, while you should always look into the mentioned factors, there are some tips that can be extremely helpful for buying and using a beard balm. And they are:
Pick Up Branded Balms
While they might cost you a bit, picking up products from popular brands will always be our recommended action.
This is because there are a lot of cheap lookalikes out in the market, and if you end up with a fake copy, then you can be assured that it won’t be as effective as the original.
What’s more, you will be able to find tons of buyer reviews that will help you decide whether it is a good option. Also, most branded products come with a return policy, so if you encounter any damaged goods, you will always have the option to get a replacement.
Use Moderately
You don’t have to use too much balm for your beard styling sessions. So in moderation. If you use too much, you will end up with a sticky feeling that will be irritating and can lead to skin issues (though that is very rare).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is beard balm a good conditioner option?
Yes, it is. Most beard balms offer a decent conditioning and shining effect that has good longevity.
When should I apply beard balm?
The best time to apply beard balms is after taking a shower. You should at least wash your face thoroughly before you apply any beard balm.
Do beard balms perform better than oil?
This depends on which stage your beard is in currently. If they are just growing, then oil works the best, but when you have a medium-sized mane, beard balms will be the optimal choice.
Do I have to use beard balm every day?
Yes, if you have a thick mane like 5 to 7 inches, then you will have to opt for regular use. Otherwise, you should apply them once in two or three days.