How To Use Beard Butter
There are so many skin and hair care products that boast supple skin and shiny locks, but what about products to keep beards feeling healthy and hydrated?
There is a whole market of products specifically designed to target and care for beard hair, as it requires a little extra attention.
The beard care items range from oils, creams, waxes, balms, and butters.
Beard butter is a unique product because it serves double duty, both conditioning and styling beard hairs while also hydrating and nourishing the skin underneath.
As the skin around the beard tends to be sensitive, and beards that are newly growing in can cause discomfort.
Beard butters work to target all of those concerns while also lightly styling medium to long beard hairs to prevent any tangles or flyaways.
What is the best way to use beard butter?
Beard butter works best on most beard types when applied to towel-dried hair after cleansing or showering. Beard butter ensures the beard hair, as well as the skin underneath, is moisturized and comfortable, while also providing a light styling hold.
Whether the beard hair is long or short, we discuss in depth below what beard butter is, its best uses, and why it differs from other beard care products.
What Is Beard Butter?
Beard butter is a thick, moisturizing cream designed to soften and hydrate the beard.
Not only does it work to condition the beard hairs, it is a rich cream product that can also be used as a moisturizer to ensure the skin underneath the beard is hydrated as well.
Beard butter has a thicker, richer consistency than other beard products on the market, such as oil or balm.
Since it can also be used for hydrating the skin, beard butter can be used both day and night.
Along with providing moisture to the hair, beard butter can work as a light styling cream.
After applying beard butter to the face, beard hairs will be lightly held in place, which works well, especially if the hair is long or unruly.
You can even make your own beard butter with simple ingredients!
Why Use Beard Butter?
Much like using a deep conditioning treatment for your hair, beards and the skin underneath also need a little extra care.
Beard hairs are different from the hair on your head, and the skin around the area is generally more sensitive.
Using a beard butter to provide extra nourishment for both the beard and the skin underneath will help soothe the hair and skin.
While also promoting and encouraging healthy hair and beard growth.
Beard hair is often thicker, denser, and coarser than regular hair, and the hair follicle is a different shape than that of the hair follicles on the scalp.
Due to the thick, coarse hair, beards, and the skin underneath, individuals with these characteristics can be prone to dryness.
Using a beard butter will help deliver and lock in moisture to the beard hairs that can be lost due to a lack of naturally occurring oils.
Often, beard growth can cause itchiness or irritation, especially when growing out a new beard.
Using a nourishing beard butter will calm any irritation the skin underneath the brow is experiencing and will help to soothe any uncomfortable itchiness.
Depending on the length of the beard, as well as the amount and type of hair, styling can be rugged as the hair can be unruly.
Beard butters work particularly well for medium to long beards that require a styling product with a light hold, avoiding stiffness or intensity, similar to a styling wax.
Beard butters will offer light grooming for the beard hairs, while also keeping them well-hydrated and soothed.
How To Use Beard Butter
Beard butters can be used morning and night, as they can work as a facial moisturizer.
Beard butter can be used in combination with other beard care products, such as styling waxes, or on its own.
As with most haircare products, the amount of beard butter used depends on the length, style, and hair type of each individual’s beard.
After cleansing the face, or post-shower, apply the beard butter to towel-dried hair.
It is best to comb through the beard with a wide-tooth comb first, to ensure the beard butter can be evenly applied and there are no tangles if the beard is longer.
After combing through the beard, take the necessary amount for the specific beard and massage the product upwards into the skin.
Applying the product in an upward motion helps to ensure the skin is being adequately moisturized, any irritation is addressed, and the beard hairs are coated evenly.
After the skin and hair are thoroughly coated, work the remaining product in downward motions to coat each hair and begin to work the hairs into place.
After the product has been thoroughly massaged into the hair and evenly distributed, comb through again with the wide-tooth comb to style as desired.
Once the desired look is achieved, the beard butter will keep the style in place throughout the day with a light hold.
Here’s a great tutorial from Live Bearded on YouTube.
Short Vs Long Beards
Beard butter is a versatile product suitable for all beard types.
It is especially great for medium to long beards, as often the lack of oil production from the face causes the beard hair to be drier.
The product also works well for newly growing beards, as it helps to soothe the discomfort that can be caused by itchiness when growing out the hairs.
Beard butter also works well to reduce beard dandruff or flakiness that can be caused by dry, sensitive skin and hair.
Best Types Of Beard Butter
Beard butters are a rich cream formula that is emollient and easy to spread.
The majority of beard butters on the market have a base of cocoa or shea butter as their main ingredient.
Due to the intensely moisturizing properties and skincare benefits of those butters.
To further enrich the formula, butters often also contain natural oils, such as jojoba or avocado, for their soothing and hydrating properties.
Along with essential oils to calm the skin and potentially add a light fragrance.
We love this one from Maestro’s, which comes in several different scents and has the perfect texture.
It even includes anti-itching ingredients to soothe your skin and detangle your follicles.
Beard Butter Vs. Balm
Beard butter is often compared to beard balm, and while both beard care products are similar, they ultimately achieve different results when applied to the beard.
The main difference between the two products is that beard butter hydrates both the skin and the beard hairs, whereas beard balm conditions only the beard hairs.
Beard butter is an emollient cream that can be absorbed into the skin and hair, while balm has a waxy texture that coats and sits on top of the beard hairs.
Beard balm has a firm wax texture that typically needs to be warmed in the palm before being applied to the beard, allowing it to be spread easily and evenly.
While the beard balm will eventually melt into the beard hairs like butter, the consistency between the two formulas is another differing factor.
Beard balms work well to condition the beard hair; however, they work even better to sculpt and style the beard hairs into the desired look.
The balms offer a stronger hold than beard butters, so if the beard hairs are tough to maintain in a style, a balm will be the best option.
Beard balms work best on dry hair and can be used during the day for any styling or conditioning needs. Beard butters, on the other hand, can be used day or night.
Both beard balm and beard butter can be used together, however, depending on the preference and needs of the beard.
Conclusion
While it may be easy to focus on finding the right skincare products or a shampoo and conditioner combo that suits your skin type and hair type.
It is also necessary to consider how the beard is being conditioned.
It is simple to think that some skincare or haircare items can be used on the beard as well, but considering that beard hairs have a different texture and shape than regular hair.
The skin around the beard can be extra sensitive or prone to irritation.
Using products specifically formulated to address these concerns is the best way to condition and care for the beard.
Beard oils do an ideal job of providing extra nourishment to the brow hairs, leaving a slight sheen behind.
And beard balms work to condition the beard while providing a strong styling hold to the hairs.
However, beard butter is a product that can be used day and night to provide the necessary nourishment, care, and hydration to both the beard hairs and the skin underneath.
While offering a light styling hold that keeps beards in place throughout the day.
Beard butters bridge the gap between skincare for the face and haircare for the hair.
Creating a product that targets both concerns while prioritizing the unique foundation of beards and hair.
