Beard Oil For Growth: Fact or Fiction?

If you've ever struggled with a patchy beard, you’ve probably gotten frustrated trying to combat it. What does it take to grow a full, healthy-looking beard that grows evenly? You may have wondered if it's true: does beard oil work to promote beard growth? Can a Kingsman use beard oil to promote beard growth, or is it all just myth? The answer to these questions isn't as straightforward as a yes or no, Kingsmen, so let's jump right into it.

What Does Beard Oil Do? 

The primary function of beard oil is beard food. Yes, you read that right. You are feeding your whiskers when you apply your beard oil every day. You're nourishing each individual hair with moisturizing compounds, vitamins and other ingredients that all work together to promote beard health. Packed with moisture-rich nutrients, beard oil is a conditioner and a moisturizer for both your hair and the skin underneath it. It is not developed as a product for beard growth, but that doesn’t mean it can’t help get those whiskers growing.

Each beard hair is having its thirst quenched by your beard oil, while your facial skin, pores and follicles are all absorbing nutrients that make your mane softer to the touch, easier to manage and looking glorious. 

Every time you wash your beard or your face, you're rinsing away essential natural oils in your skin and beard that work to balance your moisture levels. Even the most gentle cleansers will wash away natural oils. Living in a dry climate can also dry out your skin and hair, as well as working in a dusty environment or wearing a mask all day. Without replacing all of that lost hydration, your beard can turn into a crunchy, crispy bird's nest, and no Kingsman wants that. The daily application of beard oil (“for growth” or not) is going to keep your beard happy, healthy and looking magnificent no matter how often you wash, where you live or how dirty your job is.

What Ingredients are in Beard Oils? 

So, what makes beard oil such a fantastic solution to dryness? What is in it that helps to moisturize our skin and our whiskers? The answer is that your favorite beard oil contains some of nature's most moisturizing oils known for improving skin health and strengthening hair. Beard oil also often contains essential oils for scent. All of these oils are plant-derived and natural, making beard oil one of the cleanest products you can put in your beard.

Jojoba oil: 

Jojoba oil is a common ingredient in beard oil and has a consistency similar to wax. Extracted from the jojoba seed, this nutrient-rich, deep conditioning oil contains vitamin E, vitamin B complex, iodine, and fatty acids. All of these compounds make it the perfect moisturizing oil, and it’s become a common ingredient in products for skin and nails, as well as hair. Jojoba oil is a workhorse when it comes to the benefits it provides to hair. This ingredient prevents dandruff, moisturizes your whiskers and skin, and strengthens your hair. Stronger hair breaks less often, which prevents patches from appearing in the future. It is believed the strengthening properties of jojoba oil help prevent hair loss which makes it a great beard oil for growth and provides transformative results for all manner of hair. 

Sweet almond oil: 

Sweet almond oil is harvested when the seeds of the almond tree are pressed, releasing their oils. This glorious ingredient is packed with biotin, which is something your body requires to keep hair and nails strong.  Bursting with protein, omega-9 fatty acids and vitamin E, almond oil can improve the strength of your hair, which can, in turn, prevent hair loss and fight off any patchiness you might be experiencing in your beard. As an added bonus, this amazing oil can give your hair a touchable, healthy-looking shine. An emollient ingredient, almond oil smooths your hair at a microscopic level, leaving it softer to the touch as well. 

Grapeseed oil:

Grapeseed oil is a heavy hitter when it comes to hydrating your hair and skin. Packed with the antioxidant-fighting vitamin E, grapeseed oil battles free radicals that cause damage to the hair and skin. This oil also contains omega-6 fatty acids which are believed to help stimulate hair growth and repair skin. That’s right, this miraculous ingredient is also known for promoting hair growth and can fight off those stubborn patches in your beard. For centuries, grapeseed oil has been used as a natural method of fighting baldness and patchy hair growth.

Can I Use Beard Oils for Growth?

Beard oil in and of itself is not made with the express purpose of promoting growth. But using beard oil for growth can and often does lead to some success for several reasons. Let’s jump into these reasons:

How beard oil promotes hair growth:

1. Clearing blockage:

Ensuring your skin and whiskers are moisturized works to reduce the likelihood of dead skin cells building up around your follicles and pores. If there is too much build-up around the base of each hair, it can impede the steady growth in the beard you're looking for. The hair needs to push through that build-up to grow normally and often fails. Beard oil delivers a powerful punch when it comes to moisture, reducing the frequency of flaky dead skin and keeping those follicles clear of obstructions so they can grow at a healthy and normal rate.

2. Promoting healthy hair: 

When your beard suffers from breakage and split ends, it thins out. But when your daily oil is packed with the ingredients we listed above, your whiskers are strengthened and less susceptible to breakage and split ends. The result is a fuller-looking beard with fewer patches and stronger hair.

3. Superstar ingredients: 

If you’re looking for a beard oil for growth, find a beard oil containing all three of the growth-promoting oils. Grapeseed oil, jojoba oil and sweet almond oil combined in a beard oil can triple up on the growth promotion. You'll get to experience a healthy, soft beard while also reaping the benefits of grapeseed oil's strengthening and growth-promoting properties. Almond oil will boost your moisture levels, clearing away blockages at the base of each hair and jojoba oil is going to strengthen those whiskers even further to prevent breakage, leaving a fuller, softer beard.

How do I Use Beard Oils for Growth?

If you want to start using beard oil for growth, the first step is to specifically seek out beard oils that contain sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil and jojoba oil for that added strengthening, moisturizing and growing power. Once you find a beard oil you like, use it as you would regularly. A daily application of beard oil to a damp beard and reapplication as needed is going to do wonders for your beard’s patchiness. Especially if you always make sure to wait five minutes before applying any other product after you’ve applied your beard oil for growth.

To add more beard-growing power to your daily routine:

1. Ensure you're using a beard wash specifically designed for your beard to cleanse that mane instead of shampoo, shower gel or bar soap. These other products meant for the hair on your head can strip too much of your natural oils, leaving your skin and hair dry and flaky. A proper beard wash is developed for the more delicate skin on the face and is a far gentler cleanser than hair shampoo, bar soap or shower gel.
2. Don’t wash your beard every day, unless you’re in an extremely dirty or dusty environment. We recommend that Kingsmen wash their beard around 3 times per week, so you’re not actively stripping too many of your natural oils. Of course, use your common sense here. If you’re doing renovations with drywall or you work in waste disposal, you’ll want to increase that frequency. 
3. Don’t use hot water to wash your beard or your face. This can have the same effect as using a shampoo or bar soap on your mane. Everything is going to dry out and your natural oils will be stripped. Instead, we recommend using lukewarm water to wash your beard or the skin on your face. This is far gentler on your whiskers and will help keep that mane healthy and growing normally.
4. Always follow up your wash with a beard conditioner. Your beard wash may deliver a gentler cleanse than shampoo, but you’ll still wash away some of those good, natural oils your body produces. You can replace all that lost moisture with a premium beard conditioner after every wash.
5. To your damp beard, apply a few drops of your beard oil for growth. Always allow your beard oil time to absorb into your whiskers before applying other products, like beard butter, beard balm or mustache wax. 
6. Keep your beard oil handy throughout the day so you can reapply if your beard starts to feel dry or if your skin feels itchy or flaky.
7. Brush your beard with a high quality beard comb as inferior combs can get caught and pull or break your beard hairs. This can lead to patchiness and a less full look. Additionally, ensure you’re using a brush that has been developed specifically for beard hair as well, as it will be a lot more gentle on your mane than brushes developed for other types of hair.
8. Drink lots of water during the day and stay away from overly sweet, salty and greasy food. Fill your diet with fresh fruits and veggies, as well as lean meats and fish that don’t have high mercury levels.
9. Finally, give yourself a deep-conditioning treatment by applying beard butter overnight at least once per week. Work a dime-sized amount throughout your beard before you hit the sack and you’ll wake up with a softer, stronger, healthier-looking beard.

After a few weeks of using beard oil for growth, you should see some signs of improvement in your beard's length. Beard growth oils will, however, deliver transformative results sooner than that. You’ll know it’s working because as soon as you start using beard growth oils regularly, your beard will feel much softer to the touch. It will look more full and you’ll be able to see a soft shine as well. Your skin underneath may be less itchy, and you’ll definitely see a reduction in any flakiness you may have experienced beforehand. Depending on what beard oil scents you’ve chosen, too, you’re going to smell amazing. Beard oil can be the difference between a dull beard that rarely gets noticed to a lush, healthy-looking mane that looks soft to the touch and gets all the glory. Kingsmen, you will never regret the regular use of good, premium beard oil. 

So, while beard oil isn't necessarily designed to help you grow your beard, regular use is still going to do just that. Happy growing, Kingsmen!