15 Different Types of Beard Products Explained

Maintaining your beard takes time and effort, but it also requires using the right products and tools. Equipping yourself with what is needed to manage your beard will keep you looking your best and feeling confident. 

Today we will look at the different products that make your beard look and feel better. We will talk about conditioners, cleaners, styling and trimming tools, accessories, and growth stimulants. 

Let’s begin.

Conditioners

Beard conditioners are meant to soften the hair and surrounding skin. These have an oil base, like coconut oil, for example. Some benefits include alleviating beard itch or beard dandruff, promoting growth, and making a beard look healthy and feel better. You will likely come across both natural and artificial forms of conditioner. For best results, stick with natural products. Let’s look at a few different examples of products that act as conditioners. 

Beard Oil

Beard oils are a great product to help condition your facial hair. Beard oils are oil-based and include carrier and essential oils, which give them a distinct smell (carrier oils help dilute essential oils and carry the essential oil onto the skin). Beard oils will condition the facial hair, remove beard itch, and add a subtle fragrance to your style. Beard oil will work on all beard lengths, especially longer beards. 

Beard Balm

Like beard oil, beard balm helps soften facial hair while adding moisture to the surrounding skin. Beard balm is sometimes referred to as beard wax. Beard balms often contain carrier oils, essential oils, beeswax, and butter. The balm will condition facial hair by penetrating deep to prevent dry skin while fortifying hair follicles. An added benefit of beard balm is that it will also provide a light styling hold to help tame flyaways and beard cowlicks.

Beard Butter

Beard butter is another product within the conditioner family. It contains carrier oils, essential oils, and butter – hence the name. Beard butter is a rich conditioner for facial hair and is great for treating dry or itchy skin beneath the beard. This will help give you a softer, healthier-looking beard. 

Cleaning

Cleaning your beard is essential to keep it looking neat and healthy. Treat your beard with the same care as you would the hair on your head. The key is to remove dirt and debris while not stripping natural oils important for keeping your beard healthy. 

Beard Wash

Beard wash is a cleanser that will effectively remove dirt and debris from the beard. It can be used in the shower as part of your regular hygiene regimen. It will come in either a solid bar or liquid shampoo. Like with conditioners, it’s best to use a cleanser made with natural ingredients. To avoid drying out your skin, you should only wash your beard 1 to 3 times a week. If your skin is usually more oily, stick with it three times a week. If your skin is typically dry, 1 to 2 times per week is best. 

Styling

Next, let’s talk about styling your beard. It’s best to make sure your beard is clean before getting into styling techniques, so be sure to follow the tips in the previous section before styling. There are many ways and tools to style your facial hair to your liking. The following are a few that we suggest. 

Beard Brush

Using a beard brush is helpful when trying to give your beard more volume or thickness. These are often made from boar bristles, which are durable and effective at distributing oils. You will want a brush with a solid handle, preferably made of wood or plastic. Many brushes will come in the shape of a rectangle. But consider getting a brush with an oval shape or an extended handle to give you better control when you grip it. Using a beard brush will give your beard that fuller look you’re going for. 

Beard Comb

A beard comb is simply a comb meant for your beard. Compared to a brush, this will have a slimmer construction and allows for more precise styles. These can come with various teeth widths to accommodate all beard styles. In addition, combs will provide greater styling control and help untangle beard knots. A subset of this category is mustache combs. Mustache combs often feature narrow teeth and a smaller size – ideal for grooming your upper lip. 

Electric Beard Straightener

An electric beard straightener may be required for those with an unruly beard. Like a flat iron used for the hair on your head, an electric beard straightener will use heat to help straighten the hair. If your beard texture is thick and is difficult to style, this tool will be helpful. 

Mustache Wax

Mustache wax is specific for hair on the upper lip. Using a high concentration of wax will make it easy to tame those wiry whiskers that don’t like to cooperate. This product is a must-have if you are going for a handlebar mustache. 

Trimming

Trimming is important when it comes to maintaining a clean and healthy beard. Various tools and techniques are available to shape and style your beard to perfection. 

Beard Trimmer

A beard trimmer is used to cut facial hair to a predetermined length. This tool is handy if you want a stubble or shorter beard length. A trimmer will typically come with different-sized guards, making it easy to trim to a certain length. 

Shears

Shears will provide better control when trimming facial hair. They make it easy to taper the look of a beard. These are especially useful for longer, fuller beards. It’s best to use longer shears for long beards and shorter shears for trimming mustache hair. When cared for properly, a pair of shears will last a long time. It may take a few times practicing to get the hang of it, but using shears is a great way to touch up your beard and get a professional look. 

Beard Shaper

A beard shaper is a lesser-known tool that is great to add to your beard maintenance kit. Beard shapers help provide guidance when trimming near the neck, jawline, and cheek. In addition, this tool makes precision cutting easy and convenient. 

Beard Bib

A beard bib does not directly help trim facial hair, but if you share a bathroom with your partner, they will appreciate you using one. In addition, a beard bib will catch messy clippings from shears and trimmers as they fall, making for easy cleanup. It will help prevent sink clogs as well. 

Razor

Nothing fancy here – a safety razor or cartridge razor helps clean up the neckline or mustache area. Razors allow for a quick, easy way to take care of any loose, finer hair around the edges. You could even use depilatory creams for this purpose, which dissolve hair. After applying the cream to unwanted hair, wipe away from the skin to remove the hair. 

Accessories

Beard accessories are also helpful when trying to keep your beard well-groomed. Certain accessories are functional, while others are meant for style and fashion. Great beard accessories will allow for both!

Beard Jewelry

Most beard jewelry is for decorative purposes. Consider wearing beard beads to add some flare. You can thread hair through the beads, which gives a unique style. They also can have a functional purpose in that they help keep your beard out of the way. The same goes for beard rope which is used to twist or braid your beard for style and/or utility purposes. 

Growth

Some guys naturally grow a thin or patchy beard. For those that need help with beard growth, many products are available to assist. 

Beard Growth Products

You may find it difficult to sift through the hundreds of products that promise a fuller, thicker beard. The market is flooded with many different types of growth products. Minoxidil is most common and effective, but it has serious side effects, including irritation, burning, heart palpitations, and abnormal hair growth. Peppermint oil is a well-proven hair growth stimulant. Other products like beard growth pills and sprays are not scientifically proven. Trial all products with care. When supporting beard growth, don’t discount the importance of vitamins and a well-balanced diet. 

Adam Williams

As the lead editor of Tools of Men, Adam loves men's grooming products. Particularly of interest is managing facial hair and perfecting the art of the modern man's skincare routine. His work has been featured or quoted in several publications, including New York Magazine, Vice, Sharpologist, MIC, Elite Daily, and more. When Adam isn't working, he enjoys spending time with his two little kids who keep him both on his toes and young at heart.

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