For the modern gentleman, a good looking beard is the pinnacle of any look, whether you’re wearing a 3-piece suit or jeans and a t-shirt. However, keeping your beard well-groomed and stylish can be quite a challenge for some men, and could lead to hygienic issues.
That said, laziness or a lack of time is no excuse for keeping an unmaintained beard, and a high-quality beard conditioner is often the perfect solution to keep your beard soft and shiny at all times. In fact, investing in a quality beard conditioner will go a long way towards keeping even the thickest beard n check.
While it may seem like common sense to use a normal hair conditioner on your beard, it may not be such a good idea in the long run, because your beard hair has a very different texture from the hair on your head. You should use a conditioner that’s specifically formulated for beards. Essentially, a beard conditioner is made to soften your beard hair, while enabling it to grow thicker and faster.
Of course, using a beard conditioner alone won’t be enough to keep your beard in shape, as you also have to shave and trim it regularly, while using high-quality beard oil so that it always looks well-groomed and classy. That said, we know that it can be quite difficult to choose a beard conditioner when you’re new to having a beard, which is why we’ve done the hard work for you and found the best beard conditioners for you to compare.
Overview: Our Top Picks
What is a Beard Conditioner?
Beard conditioners are typically manufactured from a combination of natural oils, moisturizers and vitamins that are meant to soften and tame your scruffy beard. While a beard conditioner works similarly to a normal hair conditioner, it doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals and sulfates. It also allows your skin to breathe and naturally produce sebum that keeps your beard healthy.
Beard conditioners typically fall into two different categories:
1. In-Shower Beard Conditioners
As the name suggests, this type of beard conditioner is applied while you’re in the shower, and it works great when combined with a lightweight and gentle beard shampoo or soap. Plus, there are even two-in-one conditioner and shampoo combos available to give you the best of both worlds without having to purchase two separate products.
2. Leave-In Conditioner
The versatile leave-in conditioner can be applied in the morning and left on for the rest of the day to moisturize, soften and add shine to your beard. In that sense, this type of conditioner is very versatile and doubles as a beard oil or balm, making it the perfect product for users that are still new to beard maintenance.
Advantages of Beard Conditioning
Here are a few of the benefits you’ll get to enjoy from regularly conditioning your beard:
1. Softens Your Beard
If you have a scruffy and slightly shabby looking beard, then you’ll definitely benefit from using a beard conditioner. Not only will the conditioner make it easier for you to work with the beard, but it’ll also make it feel significantly softer than before.
Should a beard conditioner be used in the growing stage?
Yes, if you want a beard that grows soft and lush from the beginning.
2. Soothes the Itch
Most men end up shaving their beard off completely because of the abominable itch. Prevent your beard from suffering the same fate by treating the itch with a conditioner. Another common problem with beards is beardruff, which manifests itself in sprinklings of white flakes that fall from the beard like unsightly off-white snow. A beard conditioner will easily take care of this situation and is a great preventative measure to take in order to avoid future flare-ups.
3. Detangles the Mess
Ideally, your beard should be soft enough for you to run your fingers through without much trouble. However, if your fingers keep getting stuck then you might also end up dealing with split ends and breakage, and pretty soon you’ll find your beard hair turning into Brillo pad. Use a beard conditioner to help detangle your beard hair, making it feel soft and lush enough for your partner to run her fingers through it comfortably.
4. Hydrates and Nourishes It
With a dehydrated beard, you’ll most likely end up looking more like a caveman than a stylish, modern gentleman. Don’t be that guy. Nourish and hydrate your beard with a conditioner so that it always looks and feels lustrous.
Conditioning your beard on a regular basis will make it feel fresh, thick and healthy, as beard conditioners contain beneficial nutrients that help to grow the beard into the right texture and consistency.
Best Beard Conditioner Reviews
1. Clubman 2-in-1 Beard Conditioner
The prestigious Clubman brand has been around for so long that you can spot its forest green packaging and unmissable groovy logo from anywhere. The awesome thing about Clubman products is that through all these years, they still have that refreshing and endearing scent, which in this conditioner, has been spruced up with a bit of grapefruit.
Apart from the massive value for money offered by this conditioner, you’ll also love that it doubles as an anti-freeze agent that helps to keep your beard under control and soft while keeping the skin underneath feeling nourished.
This conditioner contains powerful ingredients such as matrixyl, which is known for its collagen-synthesis boosting abilities that help to repair the skin while preventing dryness and flaking. You can also use it as a leave-in conditioner by applying it in the morning and then leaving it on to work its magic throughout the day.
Using this conditioner is fairly easy as all you have to do is squirt a quarter size amount onto your palms, massage it into your beard and watch the magic happen.
Things we liked
Things we didn’t like
Verdict
The Clubman 2-in-1 leave-in conditioner is formulated by using a combination of great ingredients like coconut oil, panthenol and soy protein, that allow the conditioner to work as a moisturizer for coarse beard hair as well as a soothing agent for irritated skin. It definitely leaves the beard feeling soft and looking sharp.
2. Smooth Viking Beard Conditioner
This beard conditioner from Smooth Viking Beard is 100% natural and contains powerful organic ingredients like Argan oil and Shea butter, which are both fantastic at moisturizing and healing the skin while treating those frizzy tendrils and split ends!
As a leave-in-conditioner, it’s pretty low-maintenance, and all you have to do is apply a small amount with your fingers, making sure to let it dry afterward. This beard conditioner will make your beard hair and the skin underneath feel incredibly soft and free from dandruff and that annoying itch. The best part is that it has amazing strengthening qualities as well.
Things we liked
Things we didn’t like
Verdict
If your goal is to grow a long, strong and healthy beard, then look no further than the Smooth Viking Conditioner, a product that makes beard maintenance extremely easy.
3. Green Leaf Naturals Beard Conditioner
This conditioner is made of 99. 75% aloe vera gel that’s cold-pressed from aloe vera plants that have been certified organic, making this product absolutely pure and natural. Aloe vera is known for its powerful healing properties, which have helped many to heal from nasty sunburns and similar skin ailments. However, it can also be used to keep the skin underneath your beard nice and moisturized.
Green Leaf is unique from other conditioners because it comes as a gel instead of the usual cream, lotion or spray, and the aloe vera ingredient in it works to promote hair growth while conditioning hair follicles. As with the other two products reviewed above, this is a leave-in conditioner that you can just apply without having to rinse it off, and a little goes a long way with this gel, so you’ll do well to only apply a small amount and massage it thoroughly into your beard for quick absorption.
Things we liked
Things we didn’t like
Verdict
This beard conditioner is the perfect solution for anyone that uses beard oil, because it heals and strengthens the beard hair as well as the skin underneath. It’s also completely natural and suitable for all skin types, which is great news for people with sensitive skin.
Conclusion
While having a thick and soft beard will get you plenty of attention with the ladies, keeping it in good shape can take quite a bit of effort. That said, a quality leave-in beard conditioner like the Smooth Viking beard conditioner will definitely cut your job in half.
Not only does this conditioner promote beard growth and softness, but it also works to treat split ends and frizziness. With powerful, natural ingredients like organic Argan oil and Shea butter, it’s not hard to see where it gets all its knock-out properties from.
The best part is that it’s a leave-in conditioner which means that all you have to do is apply and leave it on, and the product will do the rest!
