How To Make The Best Beard Balm (to Tame Unruly Beards)

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An easy DIY beard balm recipe made with beeswax, mango butter and essential oils that tames beard hair and smells amazing.

DO you know a bearded guy who loves to smell like a tree?

Hey, I do too!

This homemade beard balm is perfect for him!

It is a wax-based beard balm that perfectly tames and lightly moisturizes beard hair. And it is scented with cedar and ho wood essential oils, so your guy can smell like a tree….ahhhhhhhh!

WHAT IS BEARD BALM ANYWAY?

Beard balm is a semi-solid waxy product used to tame and moisturize beards. It is similar in texture to a hair pomade, but contains a special blend of oils and wax that are perfect for facial hair.

My version is beeswax based and contains nourishing vegetable oils (plus mango butter and essential oils).

Think of beard balm as a styling product for your face hair.

Chainsaw Beard Balm from MEAN Beard Co.

Photo Credit: meanbeardco.com

Beard balm named after a power tool that comes with a guitar pick - need I say more??

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The Veddas Beard Balm

Photo Credit: www.thedetoxmarket.com

For a luxurious option, go with this natural beard balm from The Veddas.

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Organic Vanilla Bourbon Beard Balm

Photo Credit: www.etsy.com

This small batch beard balm has organic vanilla and real bourbon in it. Perfect for the bourbon loving bearded guys!

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Vegan Cedarwood & Orange Beard Balm

Photo Credit: www.etsy.com

A vegan beard balm option scented with orange and cedar essential oils.

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HOW DO YOU MAKE THE BEST BEARD BALM?

The very best beard balm is slightly a matter of preference. I’ve made this recipe with direction from my bearded hubby. He is a meticulous tester and had a particular texture in mind for the finished product.

You see, the best consistency should be slightly stiff and waxy so that it has enough hold to actually tame unruly beard hairs.

Yet it shouldn’t be TOO waxy, or it will be hard to work with.

And, of course, it should smell manly (which for my husband means ‘like a tree’).

So basically it needs to be just right.

You’re in luck, because this beard balm recipe checks all the boxes.

BEARD OIL VS BEARD BALM

What’s the difference? And do I need both for my beard?

The short answer is YES. According to my bearded hubby, it’s best to have both a beard balm AND beard oil in your beard care arsenal. Here’s why.

Beard oil is best used after cleaning your face, in the morning or at night to keep beard hair soft. Think of it as a conditioner for your beard. All the manliest of men with the biggest beards need beard oil 😉

Beard balm has a firmer texture and is used to tame unruly beard hairs. Think of it as a styling product for your beard, similar to pomade for hair. It is slightly moisturizing but contains wax to help hold those beard hairs in place.

For a soft, touchable and manicured looking beard, I highly recommend a combination of beard oil and beard balm for your manly beard care routine.

DIY BEARD BALM BY WEIGHT

I highly recommend a kitchen scale for recipes like this. Your final product will be more consistent measuring by weight instead of volume. I prefer this method for recipes that contain solid ingredients such as beeswax or mango butter.

I use this method for many of my recipes, including solid lotion bars and homemade lip balm.

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Ingredients

• 0.8 oz beeswax (or candelillia wax for vegan option)
• 0.6 oz mango butter
• 0.3 oz almond oil
• 0.2 oz jojoba oil
• 10 drops vitamin E oil
• 10 drops cedarwood essential oil
• 10 drops ho wood essential oil

Instructions

Measure the beeswax, mango butter, almond oil and jojoba oils with a kitchen scale into a glass measuring cup or bowl or a double boiler.

Melt the wax, butter and oil together on the double boiler (or in a microwave in 30 second increments)

Once completely melted, add the vitamin E and essential oils and stir.

Pour into a container of your choice and let harden.

Notes

This recipe makes approximately 2 ounces of finished beard balm.

I like to use a 2 oz. tin container or you can reuse something you already have (like a spice jar or other glass jar from the kitchen.

Just make sure you have something with a lid so you can keep it closed tight.

My husband loves to 'smell like a tree', so I opted for cedar and ho wood in this beard balm. You could use any combination of oils that you like. Peppermint would be nice, or I always like citrus in things like this.

DIY BEARD BALM RECIPE WITHOUT BEESWAX

It’s easy to make this beard balm recipe vegan by swapping the beeswax for candelilla wax.

Candelillia wax is a pure vegetable wax found on the leaves of the candelillia shrub. It is a completely natural and vegan wax that makes a great substitute for beeswax. It is harder than beeswax but softer than carnauba wax (another vegan wax).

You can use candelillia wax instead of beeswax for a vegan beard balm recipe that will be slightly firmer in texture and works wonderfully.

WHAT ESSENTIAL OILS ARE GOOD FOR BEARD BALM?

My husband loves to ‘smell like a tree’, so I opted for cedar and ho wood in this recipe. They are a great combination that smells woodsy and masculine.

You could use any combination of oils that you like. A few of my other favorites for beard balm are:

Peppermint

Grapefruit

Frankincense

Vetiver

Or any combination that you like! I also love to use an already blended essential oil blend when I’m having a hard time deciding on scents to mix. This blend from Plant Therapy would be great for beard balm!

HOW TO MAKE A BEARD BALM STICK

You can use the same recipe here and simply pour your beard balm into a deodorant style stick for an easy application.

This was a happy accident when I made this recipe because I made extra and was out of my typical metal tins. I happened to have a small plastic push up container that I typically use for homemade deodorant, so I gave it a try.

It turned out great this way! My official beard balm tester approves, and he even took this on a recent trip because it travels so well.

HOW TO LABEL HOMEMADE BEARD BALM

I love these chalkboard stickers for labeling all kinds of DIY products! I originally bought them for a body scrub, but I find all kinds of uses for them. One of my favorites is for this DIY beard balm.

Pair this beard balm with a jar of homemade beard oil and a beard comb for a great DIY gift for the bearded guy in your life!

HOW LONG DOES BEARD BALM KEEP?

You can safely keep your beard balm stored at room temperature for about 6 months. Keep a closed lid on it when it’s not in use to keep it fresh for longer.

And because of the high amount of wax in this balm, you can expect it to stay pretty firm even when the temperature heats up. I wouldn’t leave it in a hot car or anything, but it should stay a consistent texture all year.

LET ME KNOW BELOW:

Do you prefer a firmer texture to your beard balm, or a softer, butter-like texture??