Do you want to know the difference between beard oil vs beard balm?
This is one of those questions we struggle slightly with.
And an answer we just freaking hate giving:
“It depends”.
Before we get into detail on which you should be getting, when you should be using what and what not - let’s give a brief overview of the exact aspects that you need to know.
Beard Oil
Beard oil is a solely a conditioning product. It helps the beard feel softer, look better and all-round just help you out with growing and maintaining a healthier beard.
It helps you smell freaking great too and leaves a healthy sheen across your man mane too.
Beard Balm
Now a beard balm can be split into two products, just like we have here at Robin Hood Beard Co. So it can be either:
i) A beard conditioning product.
Just like we have here with the beard moisturiser balm (the multi).
This is used actually in a very similar manner to how you would use a beard oil. Essentially all the difference is, is that the balm is the dry, solid version with the addition of a couple of key ingredients.
It performs in a similar manner to a beard leave in conditioner whereas the oil is an all-out conditioning product.
We often say if you were to have just ‘one’ product in your beard grooming arsenal.
The multi balm would 100% be it.
Simply as it carries out so many different grooming tasks and aspects for your beard - helping it smell great, offers you a slight hold to your beard so you can shape it up a little, ensures that it remains healthy and much, much more.
ii) A beard styling product.
Just like we have here with the beard pomade balm (the texture).
Now although it does offer some conditioning aspects (in the sense it is better to use on your beard then say a standard hair product), this product is purely about styling up your beard and making it look good (even if that is literally about making sure all your beard hairs stop standing out).
It’s made with similar ingredients to the multi balm, but the texture offers a much stronger hold and allows you to really get a grip of your beard to shape it which way you want, help tame flyaways and tackle beard curl.
Again, it still helps you and your beard smell freaking awesome though.
Which should you get?
Now, you are hopefully a little more clued up about the difference between of a balm vs oil, which is ideal for your beard?
Our rule of thumb is, you can never go wrong with a beard oil.
In fact, irrespective of whether you get a balm or not, we highly recommend that you use a beard oil pretty much daily to reap the full benefits.
That said, you can get away with just using a beard moisturiser balm if you wanted - ideally if you want a really soft and well maintained beard - you would use both as the softening-combination-duo. Where you use the beard oil for night care before bed and you use the multi balm as you get ready for work.
The multi is a beard balm for short beards typically under 2 inches or so.
If you’ve got a longer one? A more unruly and all outright out of hand one? Then you need to upgrade your balm.
For when you need to help make for a fuller, more impressive beard with a slick finish and texture.
So to answer the question above.
Which one to get for you and your beard.?
I would recommend you get oil and a balm. An oil to provide the deep conditioning aspects that are required for your beard to stay in the best shape.
Then depending on the length of your beard (the longer it is, the more I would urge you to opt for a texture balm) and how rough it is (the rougher it is, the more I would urge you to opt for the multi balm) would be how you to determine which balm you need.
Make sure to get matching scents though.
Outlaw beard oil with outlaw beard balm for example.
This is to prevent conflicting scents and quite frankly cause a rather complex and ultimately distasteful fragrance.
Like we’ve said above though.
If you want to try and get away with the bare minimum, go with the beard moisturiser. It will last you a long while, keep your beard in great shape plus you will actually have some styling ability over it as well (not a great deal, but certainly something for you to work with).
Now you know the difference between a beard balm and beard oil, here’s what we recommend next.
You should head over to our favourite section of the store.
And pick yourself up one of these.
Why a beard grooming kit?
See, this way. You get both the oil and balm, so you can perform the ideal conditioning combo to help your beard out (especially if you suffer with an itchy beard or it gets particularly dry, as we alluded to earlier).
You will see that you also get hold of a ‘stache wax to help keep those unruly whiskers in check too. Plus, you actually end up saving money compared to if you were to get all the goods separately.
Now all you’ve got to do is top up one product when you start to run out, and be rest assured you’ve got back up products in case you get caught out.
All round, everything you need and more for a damn crackin’ good beard.
As always, if you have any questions, queries or concerns on whether you should be picking up a beard oil or a beard balm (and in our case which type of balm, the multi beard balm or the texture beard balm) - then please, do not hesitate at all to just drop by and shoot us a message - we will get back to you sooner than you think!
Take it easy bearding fellas.