Making beard oil isn’t rocket science, nor is it the easiest thing to do.
This detailed guide will show you the EXACT steps that beard oil companies use to make and sell their beard oil and, more importantly, how you can make beard oil at home.
If you are not entirely familiar with beard oil and what it does to your facial hair and skin, I invite you to check out the benefits of beard oil.
So let’s learn how you can make beard oil!
Note: If the whole DIY route isn’t your thing, then you check out our guide to the best beard oils that we reviewed.
Selecting the Right Carrier Oils for Beard Oil
To make beard oil, you only need two ingredients: carrier oils and essential oils.
I’ll cover essential oils in a minute, but first, let’s go over carrier oils.
Any off-the-shelf beard oil, even the premium brands, contains 98%+ carrier oil.
What does carrier oil do in beard oil?
Carrier oils help to deliver both moisture and nutrients to the skin and beard. Carrier oils are a natural conditioner.
Types of carrier oils
When making beard oil, you will find many different types of carrier oils that you can use. Here’s a table of some common carrier oils available:
| Almond, Sweet Oil | Kukui Oil |
| Apricot Kernel Oil | Macadamia Nut Oil |
| Avocado Oil | Peanut Oil |
| Borage Oil | Pecan Oil |
| Calendula Oil | Rose Hip Oil |
| Cocoa Butter | Sesame Oil |
| Coconut Oil | Shea Butter |
| Evening Primrose Oil | Sunflower Oil |
| Grapeseed Oil | Walnut Oil |
| Hazelnut Oil | Wheatgerm Oil |
| Jojoba Oil |
Admittedly, this list of oils can be intimidating at first glance.
Where do you start?
If this is your first time making beard oil, I strongly suggest giving Jojoba oil (pronounced ho-ho-ba) a try.
Why?
Jojoba oil is a popular ingredient found in many beard oils and other natural men’s grooming products. Jojoba oil is mild in scent and compatible with most skin types. Additionally, jojoba oil is effective at nourishing and moisturizing your skin.
Other popular carrier oils for beginners include grapeseed, argan, and sweet almond oil.
Where to buy carrier oils
Buying carrier oil locally may be tricky, depending on where you live. Carrier oil is regularly stocked in the beauty section of premium grocery stores (not the cooking or baking aisle).
Carrier oils are widely available online as well.
Before buying a carrier oil, check for this:
Ensure that the carrier oil you buy is cold-pressed (expeller pressed). A cold-pressed carrier oil will still have all the key nutrients.
Additionally, go with a carrier oil that is stored in an amber bottle. The dark amber color prevents UV light from degrading while sitting on a shelf.
Essential oils are for Scent
Essential oils are potent natural ingredients derived from various plants, seeds, or trees.
What does essential oil do in beard oil?
Essential oils are used in beard oil to provide fragrance. Men with sensitive skin should use only a tiny amount of essential oils (or skip altogether) as they can cause allergic reactions. Essential oils must be diluted with a carrier oil and never applied directly to your skin.
Types of Essential Oils
There are several different essential oils that you can purchase when making your beard oil. If you are creating a beard oil from scratch rather than following a recipe, we recommend purchasing a few similar or complementary oils. Additionally, you will want different oils that can deliver a top, middle, and base note. This allows the beard oil to develop a pleasant fragrance over time.
Below is a table of some of the most common essential oils used in beard oil:
| Angelica* | Geranium** | Parsley** |
| Anise*** | Ginger* | Patchouli* |
| Basil*** | Grapefruit*** | Palmarosa** |
| Bay** | Helichrysum* | Peppermint*** |
| Benzoin* | Hyssop** | Petitgrain*** |
| Bergamot*** | Jasmine** | Pine** |
| Cajuput** | Juniper** | Ravensara*** |
| Chamomile** | Lavandin*** | Rose** |
| Cardamom** | Lavender*** | Rosemary** |
| Carrot seed** | Lemon*** | Rosewood** |
| Cedarwood* | Lemongrass*** | Sandalwood* |
| Cinnamon** | Lime*** | Spearmint*** |
| Citronella*** | Mandarin*** | Spikenard* |
| Clary Sage** | Manuka** | Tagetes*** |
| Clove** | Marjoram** | Tangerine*** |
| Coriander** | Myrrh* | Tea Tree** |
| Cypress** | Myrtle*** | Thyme** |
| Dill** | Neroli** | Tuberose*** |
| Elemi** | Niaouli** | Vanilla* |
| Eucalyptus*** | Nutmeg** | Vetiver* |
| Fennel*** | Oakmoss* | Yarrow** |
| Frankincense* | Orange*** | Ylang Ylang* |
| Galbanum*** | Oregano** |
* = Base Note
** = Middle Note
***= Top Note
Where to buy essential oils?
Like carrier oils, you can find essential oils in the beauty section of premium grocery stores. Essential oils are sold individually and as a set. You can also purchase essential oils online.
Consider buying a theme essential oil pack. These will contain complimentary fragrance oils that make for better results. Common theme essential oil sets include masculine, summer, fruity, etc.
Doctors hate this one trick…
There is a lot of misinformation about essential oils. Virtually all claims associated with essential oils are not scientifically proven. The FDA recently published an article stating that essential oils can cause rashes, skin irritation, and more (source).
Therefore, if you are adding essential oils for “blood flow benefits,” “acne,” “dry skin,” etc., don’t put weight on these claims.
Required Prep Before Making Beard Oil
Before making beard oil, you need to clean and sanitize your bottles. Dirty bottles may cause bacteria to grow, leading to a whole host of issues (rashes, poor performance, etc.).
To sanitize your bottles, make sure you have the following on hand:
- Large Pot
- Tongs
- Amber Bottles
Here’s are the steps you need to do before making beard oil:
- Place empty amber bottles (without the droppers or tops) into a pot of cold water until fully submerged with about an inch of water on top.
- Bring the pot to a rolling boil.
- Let the bottles rest in the boiling water for a few minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let the water cool.
- Once cooled, use your tongs to remove amber bottles.
- Empty any remaining water in the amber bottles and let air dry.
Once your bottles are completely dry, you can now add your blend of oils.
How to Mix and Make Beard Oil
To make beard oil, you will need the following:
- Clean amber bottles
- Pipettes (optional, but strongly recommended)*
- Carrier oil(s)
- Essential oil(s)
Here’s are the steps you need to make beard oil:
- With a pipette, take a measured amount of carrier oil and add it to a clean amber bottle.
- Once the amber bottle is filled nearly to the top (about 98% full), add essential oil(s).
- Add no more than 15 drops of essential oil for every one ounce of carrier oil.
- When adding essential oils, be sure to mix or shake the beard oil repeatedly to blend. This will give you a better idea of how the final product will smell.
As you are making and mixing beard oil, be sure to note the volume of the ingredients you used. Therefore, should you ever want to recreate the oil you were happy with, you can simply reference your notes.
* Pipettes are disposable and prevent cross-contamination of the ingredients. This will ensure that the scent or oils don’t get muddied or diluted with continued use.
List of Beard Oil Recipes
If you aren’t ready to make your beard oil quite yet, here are a few starter recipes that Tools of Men readers have submitted:
Morning Forest 2.0
Created by: firebeard
- 0.25 fl ozs Argan oil
- 0.25 fl ozs Jojoba oil
- 0.25 fl ozs Sweet almond oil
- 0.25 fl ozs Hemp seed oil
- 10 drops Sandalwood
- 4 drops Fir needle
- 2 drops Patchouli
- 2 drops Lemongrass
The Lemon-Lime Experience
Created by: MIKAELLEON23
- 0.4 fl ozs Grape-Seed Oil
- 0.4 fl ozs Sesame Seed Oil
- 10 drops Lemon Essential Oils
- 10 drops Lime Essential Oils
Calming Tangerine Mints
Created by: Fsalls
- 0.5 fl ozs Almond oil
- 0.5 fl ozs Jojoba Oil
- 0.5 fl ozs Argon Oil
- 0.5 fl ozs Vitamin E Oil
- 15 drops Lavender Essential Oil
- 15 drops Tangerine Essential Oil
- 7 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
Cigar shop
Created by: Daddymil
- 1 fl oz Almond oil
- 15 drops Blue cypress oil
- 2 drops Tea tree oil
- 2 drops Black pepper oil
- 3 drops Peppermint oil
- 2 drops Frankincense oil
- 1 drop Cinnamon bark oil
Super Viking
Created by: jlcasteel
- 1 fl oz Grapeseed oil
- 10 drops Patchouli oil, clove oil, tea tree oil (each)
Destiny!
Created by: luvmuhbeard
- 1 fl oz Grapeseed Oil
- 2 drops Clary Sage
- 3 drops Jasmine
Hippy Dip
Created by: luvmuhbeard
- 1 fl oz Grapeseed Oil
- 4 drops Ylang-ylang
- 2 drops Patchouli
- 1 drop Cinnamon Cassia
Hobby Shop
Created by: Erin10
- 1 fl oz Jojoba oil
- 0.4 fl ozs Argan oil
- 7 drops Cannabis essential oil
- 3.5 drops Coffee essential oil
- 4 drops Campfire essential oil
- 2 drops Tobacco essential oil
Zephyr Blend
Created by: Erin10
- 1 fl oz Jojoba oil
- 0.5 fl ozs Argan oil
- 1 drop Hemp essential oil
- 2 drops Campfire essential oil
- 2 drops Tobacco essential oil
- 2 drops Bergamot essential oil
- 1 drop Amber essential oil
- 1 drop Brazilian coffee essential oil
Everyday
Created by: printing
- 1 fl oz Jojoba Oil
- 1 drop Cedar
El Yunque
Created by: josephdsilber
- 1 fl oz Jojoba Oil
- 7 drops Tea Tree Oil
Sweet cedar morning
Created by: Btkelley777
- 1 fl oz Sweet almond oil, jojoba, and argan oil
- 3/4 oz sweet almond oil
- 1/8 oz jojoba oil
- 1/8 oz Argan oil
- 3 drops sandalwood oil
- 5 drops cedarwood oil
- 3 drops orange oil
- 1 drop pine oil
My Beard is Awesome.
Created by: Joy
- 1 tsp Sage
- 1 tsp Thyme
- 1 tsp Fennel seed whole
- 250 ml Grape seed oil
- 200 ml Light olive oil
- 50 ml Sweet almond oil
- 200 ml Jojoba oil
- 50 ml Bourbon
- 2 pieces Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Whole black pepper pods
- 1 tbsp Chia spice tea
- 2 pieces Turkish bay leaf
- 4 pieces Dried ginger (small)
- 4 drops Peppermint extract
- 2 tsp Orange peel grated
- 1 tsp Lemon peel grated
Soft Lemon Coconut
Created by: aranh4
- 10 ml Argan Oil
- 10 ml Grapeseed Oil
- 10 ml Coconut Oil
- 2 drops Frankincense
- 3 drops Rosemary
- 3 drops Lemon
Winter Wood
Created by: slugger7
- 10 ml Avocado Oil
- 20 ml Sweet Almond Oil
- 3 drops Cinnamon Oil
- 6 drops Cedarwood Oil
Arbor
Created by: Sellies
- 10 ml Jojoba Oil
- 10 ml Olive Oil
- 10 drops Grape Seed Oil
- 5 drops Tea Tree Oil
- 5 drops Lavender Oil
- 3 drops Eucalyptus Oil
Student Blend
Created by: slugger7
- 10 ml Jojoba Oil
- 20 ml Grapeseed Oil
- 4 drops Peppermint Oil
- 6 drops Rosemary Oil
- 3 drops Cinnamon Oil
- 8 drops Cedarwood Oil
Thieves??
Created by: QuayEslan
- 10 ml Sweet Almond oil
- 10 ml Argan Oil Virgin
- 3 ml Thieves Oil
Roses are Red Blah Dee Bloo
Created by: MarcsOnFire
- 11 ml Argan Oil
- 2 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil
- 5 drops Bergamot Essential Oil
- 12 drops Rose Geranium Essential Oil
- 12 ml Jojoba Oil
- 12 ml Sweet Almond Oil
Black Forest
Created by: onattus
- 12 ml Almond Oil
- 12 ml Grapeseed Oil
- 5 ml Jojoba Oil
The Black Forest
Created by: onattus
- 12 ml Almond Oil
- 12 ml Grapeseed Oil
- 5 ml Jojoba Oil
- 5 drops Cedarwood Essential Oil
- 3 drops Lavender Essential Oil
- 2 drops Rosemary Essential Oil
The Hairy Woodsman
Created by: Inanna
- 12 ml Jojoba oil
- 12 ml Grapeseed oil
- 2 ml Cedarwood essential oil
- 2 ml Ylang ylang essential oil
- 1 mL Rosemary essential oil
- 1 mL Pine essential oil
The Fire Forest
Created by: onattus
- 15 ml Grapeseed Oil
- 10 ml Almond Oil
- 5 ml Jojoba Oil
- 2 drops Cedarwood Essential Oil
- 2 drops Ylang-Ylang Essential Oil
- 1 drop Rosemary Essential Oil
- 1 drop Verbena Essential Oil
Herb Garden
Created by: Danny
- 15 ml Sweet Almond Oil
- 15 ml Avocado Oil
- 10 drops Oregano Essential Oil
- 10 drops Juniper Essential Oil
- 10 drops Patchouli Essential Oil
- 8 drops Pine Essential Oil
Kentucky Breakfast Beard
Created by: BeerCrafted
- 2 drops Cinnamon Oil
- 4 drops Cedar Wood Oil
- 6 drops Vanilla Oil
- 2.5 ml Almond Oil
- 5 ml Coconut Oil
- 5 ml Jojoba Oil
- 5 ml Bourbon/Whiskey
Short and Sweet
Created by: AEsau
- 2 drops Eucalyptus oil
- 2 drops Copaiba oil
- 5 drops Calm (Sandalwood and incense Oil)
- 5 drops Tranquil (Ylang Flower and Ginger Root)
- 4 drops Juniper oil
- 1 drop Tea tree oil
- 7.5 ml Fractionated Coconut oil
- 7.5 ml Sweet Almond oil
Hercules beard oil
Created by: skatzoxoiros76
- 2 drops Peppermint essential oil
- 5 drops Lemon essential oil
- 4 drops Cedarwood essential oil
- 2 drops Lavender essential oil
- 5 drops Sandalwood essential oil
- 7 ml Hemp oil
- 3 ml Sesame oil
- 6 ml Castor oil
- 9 ml Olive oil
Orange cedar almond
Created by: aranh4
- 20 ml Sweet almond oil
- 5 ml Argan oil
- 5 ml Jojoba oil
- 5 drops Cedarwood oil
- 3 drops Tea tree oil
- 3 drops Orange oil
- 1 drop Rosemary oil
The Cedaroad
Created by: onattus
- 25 ml Jojoba Oil
- 5 ml Grapeseed Oil
- 8 drops Cedarwood Essential Oil
- 2 drops Rosemary Essential Oil
Simplicity
Created by: patrick
- 25 ml Jojoba oil
- 75 ml Sweet Almond Oil
Sage Grove
Created by: Talyon
- 30 ml Jojoba Oil
- 6 drops Sage Essential Oil
- 2 drops Lavender Essential Oil
- 2 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
- 3 drops Sandalwood Essential Oil
Whiskey Christmas, Man!
Created by: Cshyne3
- 5 ml Jameson caskmates stout edition
- 15 ml Jojoba Oil
- 7.5 ml Castor Oil
- 2.5 ml Almond Oil
- 4 drops Cedarwood Essential Oil
- 9 drops Sandalwood Essential Oil
- 2 drops Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil
Pasar Maluku
Created by: Rense
- 6 drops Sandalwood essential oil
- 2 drops Juniper essential oil
- 2 drops Orange essential oil
- 1 drop Clove essential oil
- 0.5 fl ozs Oenothera oil
- 0.5 fl ozs Argan oil
- 1 fl oz Jojoba oil
Beach/pool repair
Created by: AlchemistLabs
- 7.5 ml Jojoba oil
- 5 ml Argan oil
- 5 ml Hemp seed oil
- 2.5 ml Walnut oil
- 2.5 ml Macadamia nut oil
- 2.5 ml Grape Seed oil
- 2.5 ml Coconut oil
- 2.5 ml Aloe Vera oil
The Calming
Created by: firebeard
- 8 drops Lavender
- 3 drops Grapefruit
- 3 drops Rosemary
- 1 drop Lemon
- 0.25 fl ozs Jojoba Oil
- 0.25 fl ozs Argan Oil
- 0.25 fl ozs Sweet Almond Oil
- 0.25 fl ozs Hemp Seed Oil
Terra
Created by: jlc0683
- 9 ml Jojoba Oil
- 8 ml Sweet Almond Oil
- 7 ml Avacado Oil
- 6 ml Castor Oil
- 8 drops Patchouli Essential Oil
- 4 drops Bergamot Essential Oil
- 2 drops Lavender Essential Oil
- 1 drop Black Pepper Essential Oil
Is Making Beard Oil Cheaper than Buying?
If you make several bottles, creating your own beard oil is cheaper than buying beard oil. The savings are significant when comparing homemade beard oil to the offerings from premium beard care companies.
Here is some back-of-the-envelope math to back up this claim:
The average price for beard oil from a premium vendor is about $25 per ounce. Yes, there are plenty of beard oils that you can find under and above this average.
Here is the recommended dosage of beard oil depending on facial hair length:
- 1 Month Growth: 3-4 drops
- 1-3 Month Growth: 4-6 drops
- 3-12 Month Growth: 6-10 drops
- 12+ Month Growth: 10+ drops
So for calculation’s sake, we will go off the average of a 6-month beard – about 8 drops.
1oz of beard oil should net you 600 drops. If you are applying beard oil daily, a 1oz bottle will last you 2.5 months (75 days).
If we annualize that, we will be looking to spend roughly $70 a year in beard oil for the generic version and $125 for the premium version ($14/oz vs. $25/oz, respectively).
To craft your beard oil, you are going to need just a few things:
- Carrier oil
- Essential oil
- Amber bottles
Carrier oils are cheap. A 4oz bottle of jojoba oil only costs $15. This equates to roughly 2,400 drops of oil – 4x the amount we would have gotten if we went with a generic beard oil mentioned above.
One bottle of jojoba oil will last you ten months (about 300 days) compared to the 2.5 months for beard oil.
Like carrier oils, many essential oil sets are affordable. You can get a set of 6 for about $15. Additionally, you can purchase several amber bottles for under $10 (or you simply could reuse an old beard oil bottle).
Beyond savings, when you make your beard oil, you also have total control over the scent so you can make a blend to your exact liking.
Selling is an Opportunity
Given how easy it is to make beard oil, consider selling your beard oil online if it’s a process you enjoy. Etsy, Amazon, or directly through a Shopify store are all great ways to share your beard oil with other men around the world.
Chances are, this is how your existing beard oil company likely got started as well!
Beard Care Doesn’t End With Oil
As great as beard oil may be in conditioning and moisturizing your beard, one part of a healthy and great-looking beard.
You also need to make sure that you cleanse regularly. Doing so will help to prevent beard dandruff while also helping to soften facial hair. Be sure that you use a top-rated beard wash or shampoo that complements your naturally coarse beard.
For styling, consider picking up a beard comb or boar’s hair beard brush. You can use these tools to make your beard look on-point.
They not only provide better styling, but it will work incredibly well with that beard oil you made here today.