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Homemade beard oil is a perfect alternative to pricey store bought beard oils. DIY beard oil promotes beard growth, keeps facial hair soft and is made with all natural ingredients.
This woodsy beard oil recipe uses skin-loving jojoba oil, nourishing almond oil and carefully selected essential oils for a soft and healthy beard.
Homemade beard oil makes a wonderful gift for all of the bearded men in your life. It’s quick and easy to whip up a batch of woodsy beard oil and it makes an awesome stocking stuffer.
Pair this with my also fabulously woodsy homemade beard balm for a DIY gift your manly bearded man will loooooove.
His beard care routine just got a major upgrade!
Jojoba oil is one of my favorite carrier oils for beard oil because it is so nourishing. Jojoba oil is actually a liquid wax that is easily absorbed by the skin because it is so similar to sebum (the oil our skin produces). It is rich, moisturizing, encourages hair regrowth, soothes skin and can unclog hair follicles (source).
Jojoba oil softens hair wonderfully and is an overall powerhouse oil for DIY beauty products.
If you dig around my site a little, you’ll find I use jojoba in lots of things, like my DIY cuticle oil recipe and thesesolid lotion bars.
Almond Oil is another of my favorite oils for beard oil because it is absorbs well and is high in antioxidants. It softens skin and has been said to protect against UV damage, making it an awesome choice for beard oil! (source)
Almond oil has a lighter feel than jojoba oil, so I use it as the majority in this woodsy beard oil recipe.
There are several essential oils that encourage beard growth. I’ve selected cedarwood and bergamot essential oils for this woodsy beard oil recipe because they are beneficial to facial hair and skin. They also meet my husband’s single requirement of helping him to “smell like a tree.”
Cedarwood has antiseptic properties and is said to promote hair growth. I used Virginian Cedarwood in this beard oil because it has a stronger woodsy smell than Atlas Cedarwood.
Bergamot essential oil has antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Bergamot is also said to reduce stress, tone skin and promote healing. It is a very versatile essential oil because it blends well with many other essential oils.
If cedar is just not your thing or you don’t want to smell like a tree, there are other essential oils to consider for your beard oil recipe. I tried lots of combos before settling on cedar and bergamot, some of my other favorites are:
Orange oil has antiseptic and antibacterial properties, is said to be a mood booster, is high in vitamin c and it promotes production of collagen in skin.
Lemon is antibacterial, antiseptic, anti-fungal, high in antioxidants, nourishing and hydrating to damaged skin.
Tea Tree is a powerful oil with many, many uses. It is antibacterial, antispectic, antiviral and anti-fungal. It is used as a natural remedy for acne, exzema, psoriosais and other conditions of inflammed skin. Tea tree oil can also improve dandruff, making it beneficial for bearded guys who get the beard-druff.
Peppermint is antiseptic, promotes hair growth and reduces dandruff.
Pine is antiseptic, antibacterial, a natural acne treatment and is said to help fight free radical damage and inflammation.
Frankincense is an astringent oil that is said to strengthen skin and improve skin tone.
(I used my favorite aromatherapy book for guidance on the essential oils to use in this beard oil recipe. I have had this book for 10 years and it never fails me!)
Where to Buy Essential Oils
I’ve linked all of the oils above to my favorite brand, Plant Therapy, on Amazon. These are high quality, reasonably priced oils that I use in my house every day.
If you’d like to purchase direct from Plant Therapy, you can get 10% off sitewide with a $60 purchase plus get free shipping. Use code 10OFF60.
They carry all of the oils I’ve listed here (they also make their own beard oil blend if you decide you don’t want to DIY it. My husband has used it and really likes it).
- 0.75 oz. almond oil
- 0.25 oz jojoba oil
- 20 drops cedarwood oil
- 20 drops bergamot oil
Measure ingredients into a small measuring cup (I use a stainless steel one like this).
Mix well, then pour into a glass dropper bottle. This makes 1 oz of beard oil.
I recommend either these 1 oz glass dropper bottles or the smaller 0.5 oz glass bottles (perfect stocking stuffer size!).
HOW TO USE BEARD OIL
Beard oil is so easy to use! After washing your face or showering, place about a nickle size amount of beard oil in palms of hands and rub on beard. The exact amount will vary depending on the length of your beard, but I recommend starting with a small amount and working up as needed.
This can be used daily, or multiple times a day if you’re just getting your beard started and are trying to encourage it to grow in.
BEARD OIL VS BEARD BALM
What’s the difference? And do I need both for my beard?
The short answer is YES. According to my bearded hubby, it’s best to have both a beard balm AND beard oil in your beard care arsenal. Here’s why.
Beard balm has a firmer texture than beard oil and is used to tame unruly beard hairs. Think of it as a styling product for your beard, similar to a pomade for hair. It is slightly moisturizing, but contains wax to help hold those beard hairs in place. Manly men also need beard balm.
Beard oil, like the one you just made from this recipe, is like a moisturizer for facial hare.
For a soft, touchable and manicured looking beard, I highly recommend a combination of beard oil and beard balm for your beard care routine.
Let me know in the comments below if you try this recipe out!
