Beard Oils, Balms & Beard Washes
Pick the format first: an oil for the skin under the beard, a cream or balm for softness and hold, a mist between washes, or a beard wash. Then check scent: all 7 beard products here list fragrance or essential oils, and two Baxter of California oils add salicylic acid.
We may earn a commission when you buy through Amazon links on this page. It never changes what we list.
Shopping for a specific need? Best Beard Oils and Balms for Itch and Frizz
Best picks by skin type, from the labels
Most covered in our guides
Featured in our guides
Cremo Beard Conditioning Mist
Argan oil, squalane, panthenol, glycerin, sunflower seed oil · scent ingredients flagged
What the labels show
- Full ingredient lists
- 7 of 7 products
- Fragrance
- 0 list no fragrance or fragrant oils. 7 list at least one, such as parfum, an essential oil or a scent allergen like linalool.
- Most-listed key ingredients
- Argan Oil (3), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil (3), Jojoba Oil (3), Rosemary Leaf Extract and Oil (3)
Shop beard care products on Amazon
All 7 products
| Product | Key ingredients | Skin type (brand) | Fragrance | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squalane, avocado oil, vitamin E | Brand doesn't say | Scent ingredients flagged | PARFUM / FRAGRANCE, LINALOOL, LIMONENE, COUMARIN, ALPHA-ISOMETHYL IONONE, CITRONELLOL, CITRAL, Fragrance (Parfum), Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin | |
| Salicylic acid, shea butter, olive fruit oil, sunflower seed oil | Brand doesn't say | Scent ingredients flagged | Fragrance (Parfum), Coumarin, Linalool, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate, Farnesol | |
| Argan oil, squalane, panthenol, glycerin, sunflower seed oil | Brand doesn't say | Scent ingredients flagged | Fragrance, Fragrance (Parfum) | |
| Coconut oil, aloe, cocoa seed butter | Brand doesn't say | Scent ingredients flagged | Fragrance, Fragrance (Parfum), Coconut Oil | |
| Sunflower, avocado, jojoba, coconut and argan oils | Brand doesn't say | Scent ingredients flagged | Fragrance, Fragrance (Parfum), Coconut Oil | |
| Sodium cocoyl isethionate, decyl glucoside, glycerin, polyquaternium-10, amodimethicone | Brand doesn't say | Scent ingredients flagged | Fragrance (Parfum) | |
| Squalane, jojoba seed oil, snow mushroom, aloe, rosemary leaf oil | Brand doesn't say | Scent ingredients flagged | Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene |
How to choose a beard oil or balm
Seven beard products sit in this category, from Baxter of California, Cremo and Jack Black. They do four jobs, so start with the format.
Which one is best for you?
- Flaky skin under the beard: Baxter of California Exfoliating Beard Oil, which Baxter says exfoliates the skin underneath with salicylic acid, alongside shea butter and plant oils. It lists fragrance.
- Softness with a light hold: Jack Black Leave It In Hair & Beard Balm, a leave-in cream balm with squalane and jojoba oil for hair and beards. It lists chamomile and geranium oils.
We matched each pick to a need using its label; we haven’t tested them.
Oils
Three are oils. Baxter of California Beard Grooming Oil blends apricot kernel and avocado oils with squalane and a sandalwood, jasmine and cedarwood scent. Cremo Casked Vanilla Beard Oil is the shortest list here at 10 ingredients: sunflower, avocado, jojoba, coconut and argan oils plus fragrance. The Baxter Exfoliating Beard Oil is the one built around salicylic acid.
Creams, balms and mists
Cremo Bourbon Vanilla Beard & Scruff Cream is a leave-in cream with coconut oil, aloe and cocoa butter for any beard length. Cremo Beard Conditioning Mist is a light spray with argan oil, squalane and panthenol for between washes. The Jack Black balm gives a light hold as well as conditioning.
Washing
Cremo Palo Santo Beard Wash & Softener is the only wash here, a 2-in-1 cleanser and conditioner.
Scent
Every product here is scented. Six list fragrance, and the Jack Black balm lists essential oils instead. If you’re sensitive to fragrance, patch-test on your jaw first.
Shop by brand on Amazon
Guides for this category
Beard Oils, Balms & Beard Washes: common questions
Which beard products here list salicylic acid?
Both Baxter of California oils. The Exfoliating Beard Oil is built around it for the skin under the beard, and the Beard Grooming Oil lists it too. No percentage is given for either.
Is there an unscented beard product in this category?
Not yet. Six of the 7 list fragrance, and Jack Black Leave It In Hair & Beard Balm lists essential oils such as chamomile and geranium instead.
Do I need a separate beard wash?
Nothing on these labels says you must. Cremo Palo Santo Beard Wash & Softener is a 2-in-1 wash and conditioner with mild isethionate and glucoside cleansers, which some people prefer to regular shampoo on facial hair.
What if the skin under my beard itches or flakes?
Oils and exfoliating products can make skin feel more comfortable, but persistent itching, flaking or red patches are worth showing a dermatologist.