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Beard Oils are gaining popularity among veteran beard-a-holics and newbie beard guys. And so many varieties of beard oils are out there, each of them geared toward specific needs.
There are oils that help with beard growth, blends that help stimulate thicker hair growth, mixtures for irritated skin, and even oils for softer hair.
And that’s just to name a few.
Whether you’re sporting a soul patch, tending to a handlebar, or aiming for the state record beard, beard oil is one of the things you should have in your grooming kit.
Why Should You Make DIY Beard Oil?
With so many options of pre-made beard oils, why not just buy one?
If you plan to buy one, read our complete guide on how to choose the best beard oil; if not, keep reading.
Every man’s beard has unique attributes, meaning that a store-bought one-size-fits-all beard oil won’t address your specific needs and will probably cost you more than a homemade mix. So it is a good idea to make your own beard oil.
You can add specific ingredients that target your needs. Don’t let the DIY part of the process turn you off there’s nothing more satisfying than making your own unique blend and brushing through your beard in the morning.
If you have no idea where to start, you’ve come to the right place. All the research has been done for you.
Pick a scent- or a few- that you love, and make your own blend that will spice up your morning routine. Or choose a beard issue that you want to deal with and make the right mix for your beard.
What Do You Need to Make Homemade Beard Oil?
To start making your own beard oil, you’ll need a Carrier Oil of your choice, Essential Oils, and a container to store your mixture.
1. The Right Bottle
To begin with, you’ll need several things found in any store-bought beard oil: a carrier oil, active ingredients, and the right container.
Amber-colored glass containers are the best for oils with special properties, which is what you’ll be using in your beard oil.
The container should be made from glass it won’t be as porous as plastic or metals. This will ensure the oils inside will stay properly blended and pure from outside pollutants.
Glass bottles also prevent oils from seeping into the container as time goes by.
The color of the container is just as essential as the material.
This type of glass serves the same purpose as tinted car windows: it keeps out harmful UV rays.
UV rays can be harmful to oils in the same way they are to your skin.
The sun can break down molecules in oils, making their unique molecular structures impotent.
So the tinted nature of amber bottles will lessen the strength of the light, leaving the oils’ molecules intact and ready to penetrate and interact with other oils, your face, and your facial hair.
At the molecular level, the atoms in the oils will also react in various ways with other atoms they come in contact with, changing or fortifying the structure of the surfaces they come in contact with.
So lavender oil is known for soothing skin, rosemary is known to strengthen proteins and aid hair growth, and a plethora of other oils have various properties, ranging from therapeutic to pleasing.
Related Articles: Does beard oil expire?
Carrier Oil
A carrier oil is the base of your beard oil.
Some ingredients found in beard oils target skin problems, while others improve the function of hair follicles.
Whatever goal you have for your mixture, carrier oil is the necessary base for DIY beard oil.
Because carrier oils are odorless, they won’t interfere with the scents you add to your own mixture, so your beard oil won’t smell much different.
Read here our list of the best carrier oils for beards
Carrier oils have a unique molecular structure that allows them to penetrate surfaces quickly and travel deep. Just like lotion sinks into your skin, carrier oils penetrate the hair shaft and skin in a fashion similar to moisturizing lotions.
Carrier oils will bond with other essential oils- allowing them to hitch a ride, so to speak.
Once past the outside layer (the dermis), the essential oils mixed into the carrier oil can hop off and get to work.
There are a few oils that stand out as carrier oils, especially when it comes to beard oils.
Jojoba oil is the most popular carrier oil in skin and hair care products, so it’s a perfect base for beard oils.
Jojoba is generally considered the mildest carrier oil, so it’s a reliable first choice because very few people get skin irritation from it. It’s relatively inexpensive and moisturizes hair and skin.
Another good option is fractionated coconut oil. It’s widely used and has specific benefits for hair/beards as well.
Coconut oil is a good option if you have finer hair or if your beard seems stiff and brittle.
Both Coconut and Jojoba oils are good choices for the base of your beard oil.
Some other widely used carrier oils include Sweet Almond oil (soothes skin and is long-lasting), Argan oil (contains Vitamin E for healthy skin), and Avocado oil (penetrates and softens the hair shaft). There are other good carrier oils like castor oil and olive oil, but we think the ones we mentioned are the best
You should get a ‘cosmetic-grade‘ carrier oil and not just use oil from your pantry.
So make sure you don’t just splash some veggie oil on your face- make sure that the carrier oil you choose is of high enough quality to not irritate your skin and to blend well with the essential oils.
Essential Oil
Once you’ve chosen a carrier, it’s time to personalize your beard oil.
Essential oils are one of the main active ingredients in beard oils and have a wide variety of uses.
Various oils have replenishing properties, while others are used mainly for their scents and serve the same purpose as the fragrances in cologne or aftershave.
What Kind of Essential Oil Should I Use?
Essential oils vary in ‘grade’ or quality. If you’re looking for the smell of a specific oil, a low-grade oil will suffice.
If you want to treat a skin condition or improve the texture and growth of your beard, then higher-quality essential oils are better.
Most organic food stores essential oils, carrier oils, and proper containers in stock.
You can also find a wide variety of quality oils online, from generic stories such as Amazon or specialized essential oil distributors such as Young Living or DoTerra.
Cold-Press Oils
No matter the essential oils you choose, make sure they are cold-pressed. While carrier oils are the base of your DIY beard oil, essential oils make it come to life. But you want them to be potent and do what they are supposed to do.
Cold-Pressed essential oils are used for their therapeutic properties. They help with skin issues and hair growth. The cold-press method is a way of extracting the essential oils from their plant of origin. There are several ways to derive the oils, but most of them will simply extract the scent of the oil, not its beneficial oils.
The cold-pressing method is pretty self-explanatory. After the plant has been ground into a paste, it is kept at a low temperature to preserve the oil’s qualities. The paste is then pressed by rotating gears, which apply enough pressure to separate the oil from the rest of the plant.
The oil obtained is then carefully filtered to remove any tiny impurities. The pure, potent oil is then bottled and ready for use.
Overall, the cold-pressed method is the most precise extraction method. It ensures the best quality oil and the least amount of waste.
Start Mixing
Be creative, and mix up your own scent. Just make sure that your mix includes at least one mild oil to reduce the chances of skin irritation. Strong and Mild oils are used for their health benefits.
So whether you’re affected with beard-ruff, or you just want a bigger beard, choose an oil that feels your needs
The strong oils require dilution, so don’t use them as the main ingredients of your beard oil. Keep reading to find out what oils you should use and why.
Strong Oils
Thyme Oil
Strengthens fragile hair. It helps with greasy, oily hair and prevents hair loss. It also helps dermatitis and targets the root cause of beardruff.
Sandalwood Oil
Sandalwood oil helps dry hair and dry skin thanks to its moisturizing properties.
Mild Oils
(no dilution required)
Cypress Oil
Prevents greasy/oily hair. Revitalizes skin.
Lavender Oil
Heals chapped/dry skin. Helps with beardruff. Fortifies fragile hair, protects against dry hair, and decreases hair loss.
Peppermint Oil
Rosemary Oil
Prevents greasy/oil hair. It prevents hair loss and increases hair growth.
Tea Tree (Melaleuca) Oil
It heals dry/itchy skin and also helps with acne. It prevents dermatitis/eczema and targets the cause of beardruff.
Scent Oils
If you’re looking for a really great-smelling combination, mix a base (B) with a Middle scent (M) and a high scent(H); that’s the science behind cologne. Any of these oils can stand up by themselves, too.
Bergamot Oil
Sweet, citrus. (H)
* Cinnamon Oil
Spicy, sweet, warm. (B)
Juniper Oil
Sweet, intense. (M)
Lime Oil
Intense, sweet, tart. (H)
Cedarwood Oil
Warm, woody. (B)
Frankincense Oil
Deep, sweet, warm. (B)
Nutmeg Oil
Woody, sweet. (M)
*Pine Oil
Strong, fresh, green. (H)
Orange Oil
Fresh, citrus. (H)
*may cause skin irritation if used alone.
Putting Together Your Beard Oil
What You’ll Need
30 ml. (about 1 oz.) amber-tinted glass bottle, with applicator cap (i.e., pipette dropper or at least 20 ml. of carrier oil, 1-4 Essential Oils of your choice
Time needed: 20 minutes.
How to make DIY beard oil
- Prepare Your Bottle
Make sure your bottle is clean and free of any other liquid. You may want to rinse it and thoroughly dry it, especially if it’s an antique.
- Add Your Carrier Oil
The general ratio is at least 3 parts carrier oil to 1 part essential oil.
If you’re measuring using the bottle’s dropper, count how many drops you put in. For larger quantities, you can measure in teaspoons or tablespoons.
The important thing is that you don’t get too little carrier oil in your mixture. Whatever measurement you’re using, keep track of the 3 parts to every 1 part ratio. - Add the Essential Oils
Choose a problem addressed by the list above, or pick a few scents to make up your own aftershave-style beard oil. Then add to your beard oil bottle 1 part of essential oil for 3 carrier oil parts.
For example, if you used 60 drops of castor oil, a third of that would be 20 drops, meaning you could put 10 drops of Cedar-wood oil and 10 drops of Rosemary. Or, if you’re using tablespoons, for every 3 tablespoons of Sweet almond oil, use 1 tablespoon of Tea Tree oil. As long as you pay attention to your skin’s sensitivity and keep the proportion of carrier oil to essential oils correct, there are really no hard and fast rules. Try out different scents, combine a scented oil with a mild therapeutic oil- the whole process is in your hands! - Mix Your Beard Oil
Your bottle should have a lid that screws on tightly. Close the lid and gently shake the bottle to emulsify the contents. If your bottle has a dropper, you may want to use that to stir the oils.
- Start Using Your Beard Oil
Once the oils in your beard oil are thoroughly mixed, your Beard Oil is ready to use!
The best way to apply any beard oil is when your beard is clean.
After a hot shower, the hairs will be soft and absorbent, and the hair follicles and shafts will be open to penetration. But make sure your beard is dry, as water and oil don’t mix.
And remember, a small amount of your DIY beard oil will go a long way.
When you’ve perfected your own beard oil recipe, be sure to share it with family and friends- it makes an awesome and unique gift! The combinations and scents of DIY beard oils are endless. So start mixing!
Russell is the founder of themensattitude.com. He is a barber a beard enthusiast and he is obsessed with trying men’s lifestyle products and blog about them. If you have any questions you can hit him up via the contact page.
