Also, not sure who needs to hear it, but beard oil significantly shortens the awkward phase (and you should be using it anyway if you’ve got anything more than light stubble)
I’m not sure what OP would say, but beard oils/balms keep the facial hair conditioned, which gently softens the hair, as well as it acts like a moisturizer for your facial skin which significantly reduces how dry and itchy it gets.
In my experience, I don’t know if it helps it grow in fuller, but it certainly makes wearing a beard more comfortable and easier to manage.
So what’s the difference between beard oil and just…conditioner? I’ve always been skeptical of specialty beard products, they seem very expensive for what they offer.
Conditioner is formulated for head hair, which is often quite different from facial hair. I used to just use shampoo and conditioner in my beard, but over the years, I started buying a proper beard wash and using oils or balms as a leave-in conditioner.
In my opinion, the main advantage to the oils is they stay on the hair, keeping it hydrated, keeping the facial skin hydrated (reduces or eliminats itch), and significantly reduces tangles, making it easier to maintain and style.
There are leave in conditioners out there too. I’m actually using a shampoo/conditioner that purports to be for beard hair, but I can’t say I’ve noticed a giant difference between this and any other shampoo/conditioner for my beard. I don’t know, it just seems like every product with “beard” in it just suddenly costs twice as much and none of them have exactly blown me away with the difference. It feels like the “pink tax” except instead of pink it’s sandalwood scent and some “manly” name.
What if I just use regular facial moisturizer and rub it into my beard while moisturizing my face in the morning? That’s what I’ve always done, but now I’m wondering if I’m missing out on something.
That’s probably going to do a similar moisturizing of the skin, keeping the itch away, though I’m not sure how that would affect the facial hair as far as conditioning goes. It just seems a lot more difficult than rubbing in an oil/balm that’s specifically designed for that purpose.
Yeah I mostly meant that I’d categorise it as “more than a light stubble”, but it’s not that bad yet luckily. (I mean, it’s my own choice, but still :) )
![Growing a beard [Extra Fabulous Comics]](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/88e3d2e2-27d9-4e51-a4f5-58c95a9c6ef2.jpeg){kind=link}
Also, not sure who needs to hear it, but beard oil significantly shortens the awkward phase (and you should be using it anyway if you’ve got anything more than light stubble)
What does it do? i.e. what problem do you have if you have more than a light stubble and don’t use beard oil?
I’m not sure what OP would say, but beard oils/balms keep the facial hair conditioned, which gently softens the hair, as well as it acts like a moisturizer for your facial skin which significantly reduces how dry and itchy it gets.
In my experience, I don’t know if it helps it grow in fuller, but it certainly makes wearing a beard more comfortable and easier to manage.
So what’s the difference between beard oil and just…conditioner? I’ve always been skeptical of specialty beard products, they seem very expensive for what they offer.
Conditioner is formulated for head hair, which is often quite different from facial hair. I used to just use shampoo and conditioner in my beard, but over the years, I started buying a proper beard wash and using oils or balms as a leave-in conditioner.
In my opinion, the main advantage to the oils is they stay on the hair, keeping it hydrated, keeping the facial skin hydrated (reduces or eliminats itch), and significantly reduces tangles, making it easier to maintain and style.
There are leave in conditioners out there too. I’m actually using a shampoo/conditioner that purports to be for beard hair, but I can’t say I’ve noticed a giant difference between this and any other shampoo/conditioner for my beard. I don’t know, it just seems like every product with “beard” in it just suddenly costs twice as much and none of them have exactly blown me away with the difference. It feels like the “pink tax” except instead of pink it’s sandalwood scent and some “manly” name.
You shampoo your beard? I always just wash it with facial wash when I wash my face. Is there a problem with doing that?
Just going to be a bit harsher on the beard/face stripping out the natural oils.
What if I just use regular facial moisturizer and rub it into my beard while moisturizing my face in the morning? That’s what I’ve always done, but now I’m wondering if I’m missing out on something.
That’s probably going to do a similar moisturizing of the skin, keeping the itch away, though I’m not sure how that would affect the facial hair as far as conditioning goes. It just seems a lot more difficult than rubbing in an oil/balm that’s specifically designed for that purpose.
Mostly Itch and lack of control.
The longer your beard hair, the more it needs something to keep it from looking scruffy.
Also the itch is just annoying and the oil basically stops it entirely
Thanks. I’d categorise mine as a heavy stubble, but it doesn’t itch at all luckily. Possibly people would argue that it looks scruffy, I don’t know :P
You don’t get the itch with heavy stubble, you get it when you try to grow it out to a full beard.
Yeah I mostly meant that I’d categorise it as “more than a light stubble”, but it’s not that bad yet luckily. (I mean, it’s my own choice, but still :) )
Yeah, when the hairs get long enough to start curling and the ends poke the skin