I love my husband’s long beard and want to help him keep it healthy and soft. After looking at the cost of beard balms and oils in stores, I decided to try making my own. This allows me to make sure we’re only using natural ingredients as well as keep the cost down. For more reasons why to make your own personal care and cleaning products, check out this post.
The beard balm I make consists of one simple ingredient, coconut oil, paired with a few different essential oils. Coconut oil is great for moisturizing hair. The vitamins and fatty acids promote growth by preventing breakage and split ends. Coconut oil also keeps the beard soft and shiny.
I recently switched from using unrefined coconut oil to fractionated coconut oil. Fractionated coconut oil stays in liquid form rather than solidifying at 78°. Both offer the great benefits listed above for hair. Fractionated coconut oil doesn’t have the same antimicrobial benefits as unrefined coconut oil since it doesn’t contain lauric acid and is more processed.
My husband likes both the beard balm and the beard oil. The beard oil is slightly easier to use since it doesn’t require the warmth of your hands to melt it before applying.
Simple Beard Balm
What You Will Need:
- small glass jar or small dropper bottle
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (unrefined or fractionated but I use organic either way)
- 4 drops rosemary essential oil
- 3 drops thyme linalool essential oil
- 2 drops lavender essential oil
If using unrefined coconut oil, slowly warm it until it’s liquid. Using fractionated coconut oil allows you to skip that step. Next add the drops of essential oils mixing them in.
Rosemary has antibacterial and antifungal properties. It is also great for preventing hair loss by promoting growth. It keeps hair healthy and shiny and combats excess oil.
Thyme also stimulates hair growth and is beneficial for fragile or oily hair.
Lavender has antimicrobial and regenerative properties. It helps to restore and condition dry or damaged hair.
If using unrefined coconut oil, it will solidify again as it cools. If using the fractionated coconut oil, you are good to go. Just shake well to mix before use.
Apply to the beard daily or as needed, using your hands to spread it evenly. Depending on beard length, start with a dime size amount of balm or 6 to 8 drops of oil.
This amount lasts my husband about 2 months.
Notes:
This is a 1% dilution since it is used daily. Be cautious around sensitive areas of the face when applying.
If using unrefined coconut oil, you may wish to store it in a warm area of the house to keep it soft during the colder months.
Other Essential Oils That are Great for Beards:
- lemon
- cypress
- cedarwood
Other Recipes I Use These Ingredients For:
- I use unrefined coconut oil in my homemade toothpaste, deodorant, lip balm, and basic moisturizer.
- Fractionated coconut oil is part of my natural body wash recipe and homemade shampoo as well as the base for my essential oil roller bottles.
- Lavender is the main ingredient for my sleep aid roller bottle and one of the oils I use to help seasonal allergies.
- Rosemary is part of my roller bottle recipe to help sinus issues.
- Thyme can be diffused with other oils in the morning to help wake up.
Resources:
Beginning with Essential Oils: A Basic Guide
6 Reasons to Make Your Own Personal Care Products
Modern Essentials: The Complete Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Essential Oils
What personal care products are you interesting in making at home?
