Beard Oil vs Beard Balm vs Beard Butter: What's the Difference?

Beard Oil vs Beard Balm vs Beard Butter: What's the Difference?

It can be tricky to work out how each of these are used, their frequency and how they work together. We'll explain the general key difference, then we'll deep dive on some burning questions that every beardsmen has had at one point in time.

Beard oil is great for everyday use, Beard Balm is a styling product for your beard and Beard Butter is a deep moisturisation product. We'll touch on each of these below, how each one works with one another and useful tips for each one.

Beard Oil, Balm and Butter: Quick Comparison

The table above shows how each product is used, the benefit it provides and how they're used in combination with each other.

*Beard butter use depends if you suffer from beard itch or beardruff. Use more often if you suffer from any of these.  

What Is Beard Oil?

Beard oil is an everyday product. It eliminates the build up of beard dandruff commonly known as beardruff, relieves irritation and prevents the build up of both with daily use. Using it every day ensures that your beard remains hydrated and maintains its healthy appearance. It's best used on a damp beard, ideally a beard that has been exposed to warmer water, as the heat opens up the pores and allows the oil to penetrate at a much deeper level than cold water. Alongside this, beard oil acts as a layer of protection from it's natural ingredients.

What Is Beard Balm?

You can think of Beard Balm as a styling product, specifically made for your beard. Your beard hair is very different to the hair on your head and so using a non-beard styling product on your beard is not recommended. Beard Balm has beeswax, so it provides a longer lasting hold that will last throughout the day. Beardsmen typically use beard balm on a special occasion or in the morning before work to maintain a sharp look. It also provides a slight protective layer against dust, food and other debris that ends up sticking to your beard.

What Is Beard Butter?

Beard butter is the ultimate moisturising product. It provides the longest lasting moisture of the 3. It has a very deep penetration that provides moisture to your beard far deeper than beard oil. The scent provided with beard butter is also longer lasting, so you get that hit of freshness way up until the evening. As it has a softer texture, you can slightly style your beard for a more natural look. The hold is no where near as good as beard balm. We recommend using this everyday if you are experiencing beardruff or itchiness on your beard. Once the product is delivering constant moisture, then you can look to reduce the frequency and use less often.

Beard Oil vs Beard Balm: What's the Difference?

Beard balm is a beard styling product and gives your beard a great hold and maintains its shape throughout the day. Whilst beard oil is used for daily maintenance and should be used much more frequently than beard balm. If you're after an amazing beard every day, then start with beard oil first. Once your beard health is better and your using it consistently, then add beard balm to your grooming routine.

Beard Oil vs Beard Butter

Beard oil and beard butter provide similar benefits with a distinct difference. Beard oil is used more often and provides similar benefits of moisturisation and scent for much shorter periods. Whilst beard butter provides longer lasting and deeper hydration for much longer periods. Plus you also get a longer lasting scent in your beard. We recommend sticking to a scent when using a combination of beard care products as mixing scents can clash with each other.

Beard Balm vs Beard Butter

Beard balm is excellent for styling. When used in combination with the beard butter you get a nice styled finish with the ongoing moisturisation delivery of the beard butter. If you are using both, firstly apply your beard butter and let it sit for a few minutes before applying the beard balm. This combo is very popular as it delivers a lot of benefits. If you're experiencing common beard issues, we suggest to add beard oil into the mix of your beard grooming routine.

Can You Use Beard Oil, Balm and Butter Together?

Absolutely, and this is by far our most recommended approach. You'd firstly start with your beard oil, apply it after exposing the beard to warm water, dab a couple of drops on your hand and pass it through your beard. Following this, grab your beard butter, take a small finger sized scoop and run this throughout your beard. Use a boar bristle brush for a more even spread and deeper delivery to the root of your hair follicles.

Lastly, for a polished look, grab your beard balm, scoop a finger sized amount and rub it between your fingers and hands. This warms it up enough for you to easily apply through your beard. Then run your fingers through your beard in the way you want it to stay, throughout the day. And just like that you've got an excellent mane that looks as though you just stepped out of a barbershop.

Should You Use Beard Oil or Balm?

Short answer, use both. They both work for different purposes. Using just one of these, you won't get all the benefits and your beard won't have a completed look. As mentioned, beard oil is used everyday and beard balm is used less often for a professionally styled look. You're better off having a healthy and well polished beard then just one of these options.

Which Beard Product Is Right for You?

This depends at what stage you're at in your beard growth journey. For smaller length beards, your best to go with a beard oil. This will help keep your beard environment healthy, which helps with growth and takes you to a stage where you'll be ready to add more products to your beard. For medium length beards, a beard oil and beard butter will work really well. As your beard has grown at this stage, you'll need a deeper penetrating moisturisation product that goes deep, past the first layer of hair and reaches the root of your beard follicle and skin. You can use beard balm at this stage, although your use would be less frequent as you could get similar benefits from beard butter.

If you have a longer growth, then we suggest to use all three as your beard will definitely need these. Your beard follicles are further away from your face and so having stray aways and making it sit the right way is difficult to do naturally. This is where a beard balm comes into play, to help keep your volume and shape and get rid of those fly away strands.