Low-Quality vs. High-Quality Beard Oil: What's the Difference

Beard oils have exploded in popularity over the past few years. Search for beard oils on Amazon, and you'll be bombarded with thousands of different products – most of which you shouldn’t put anywhere near your face. 

Like all product types with so much variety, it's hard to know which oil to choose. And that's without getting into the specifics of carrier oils and essential oils. 

Don't be dissuaded! We're explaining the difference between low-quality and high-quality beard oils below. After following our tips, you'll be able to tell the difference between the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Let's dive in.

What makes a high-quality beard oil?

The answer is obvious: the ingredients!

Inside every beard oil, there are two types of oils:

• Carrier oils act as the hydrating, nourishing component. The best carrier oils are argan oil and jojoba oil. But you'll also see coconut oil used sometimes.
• Essential oils have special properties, such as being antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory. Examples include tea tree oil, lavender oil, hempseed oil, and pumpkin seed oil.

The very worst beard oils sometimes used the equivalent of cooking oil – think sunflower seed oil or olive oil. These low-quality oils have the nasty quality of turning rancid when exposed to sunlight. That means after you've put them on your beard, you're in for a nasty surprise later that day.

What you really need is pure jojoba and argan oils. These ingredients will soften your beard, reduce beard itch, add a healthy shine, and improve your overall appearance. Jojoba oil is loaded with omega-9 fatty acids that help protect and reinforce your skin, while argan seed oil is packed with vitamins and antioxidants. 

Some of the better beard oils also include vitamin E oil. Vitamin E is a key ingredient in beard growth and skin care. Not only will it boost your beard growth, but it'll also nourish and soothe your underlying skin.

Why does the quality of the oil matter?

Using low-quality oils – or even worse, cooking oils – on your beard and skin can lead to acne and beard damage. These low-quality beard oils typically contain impurities that lead to poor results. In some products, you'll also find jojoba oil and argan oil listed, but they're used in such small quantities as to be negligible. It's a common scam done to hike up the price!

What essential oils are best?

That depends. Different essential oils do different things. Hemp seed oil, for example, is a powerhouse ingredient. It strengthens skin, increases beard growth, and even benefits conditions like eczema. Meanwhile, apricot kernel oil is rich in oleic acid, which helps penetrate hair follicles stimulating hair and cell growth.

Final thoughts

When you're deciding on your beard oil, you've got to read the ingredients list. Here are our top tips:

• Look for oils using argan and jojoba oil, as they're widely considered the best carrier oils.
• Avoid anything containing cooking oils like sunflower seed oil. These can turn rancid when exposed to the air and sunlight.
• Find an essential oil combination that works for you. Excellent essential oils include hemp seed oil and apricot kernel oil.

All our beard oils use the finest ingredients and the best oil combinations. We formulated our oils to maximize the softening, nourishing, and hydrating benefits our customers expect – inside each bottle, you'll find a little drop of magic!