For more fashion, grooming and technology releases delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our GQ Recommends newsletter. Shop GQ’s edit of the best beard oils you can buy… The best beard oils are those that work to really enhance the condition of your facial hair, helping to soften out any rougher areas while also strengthening. We’d also recommend looking out for an oil that doesn’t leave too much residue, and absorbs easily into your beard without making you look too oily throughout the day. When should I apply beard oil? Beard oil is just that, a specially-formulated oil designed to be applied to your beard, stubble or other forms of facial hair to keep it soft, hydrated and healthy. Think of it as a conditioner for your facial hair. However, beard oil serves a different purpose to shampoo or shower gel, as your facial hair is coarser than the hair on your head, meaning it requires a little more upkeep and added hydration. The hygiene, health and conditioning properties of good beard oil are incredibly underrated and — once you start using a decent one like those listed below — totally indispensable. Beyond making your beard straight-up better—softer, smoother, sharper, and nicer smelling—beard oils can also double as pre-shave lubricants, post-shave nourishment, and standalone moisturizers to keep facial skin hydrated. That’s a lot of bang for a small bottle.

Most beard oils contain a range of carrier oils that provide both nourishment and a means to deliver the fragrant essential oils that help condition the beard and facial skin. Typical carrier oils include jojoba, Moroccan argan, grapeseed, coconut and almond; most oil manufacturers include these oils in their blends. When it comes to fragrant essential oils, the sky’s the limit. However, eucalyptus, pine needle, tea tree and sandalwood are never far away. How and when to apply beard oilBraw Beard oils come in 50ml and 10ml glass bottles, replete with a striking bearded bloke logo and a top that deposits the oil one drip at a time. Aside from the usual argan and jojoba oils, the company also uses infuses its concoctions with hempseed oil from the cannabis sativa seed, and you can really detect it in the Jarls Northman 1263 blend (let’s hope the sniffer dogs don’t). A great beard starts with patience and a sense of adventure. But a great beard stays great because you have the right products—like, say, the best beard oil for your particular scruff. We’d go so far as to slot beard oil second to only a beard trimmer in terms of necessity, and a close second at that. Because whether you keep your facial hair at a precise 24-hour stubble or you go full hermit-mode (or anywhere in between), you need a beard oil in your arsenal. The best beard oils deliver a big dose of hair softening, skin protecting ingredients (usually a combination of natural oils) in a way that your regular facial moisturizer probably can’t.

Step 3: Style – Finish taming your beard by using a beard brush to put all of the hairs into place. Make sure it remains tame by applying a small amount of beard control for a neater look. Shakesbeard creates all its beard oils from a blend of argan, jojoba, coconut, almond, grapeseed, avocado and apricot, and each one is available in three different-sized glass bottles: 10, 30 and 90ml. A few drops of Cymbe Lime on our test beard left it exceedingly soft and manageable. If you’re looking for a brand with a wide range of fragrances, stop right here. Like any grooming product, how often you should apply it is entirely down to you. Some oils will absorb and wash out easily, making them ideal for daily use. Some will have a little more staying power, making them better suited for anyone who doesn’t have time to wash their beard every day.

The best beard oils you can buy in 2023

Step 1: Shave – The first step to a neat, tame beard is to create a shape. To do this, lather up the areas of hair you want to remove with a shave brush and shave cream. Then, use a fresh razor blade to eliminate hair. Part of the Ritual of Samurai collection, the beard oil takes inspiration from Japanese Samurai warriors and the pride they took in their personal appearance. The warriors used careful grooming traditions to create an appearance that built power, control and confidence to support in their battles. Most beard oils have a subtle scent, though it won’t be overpowering after absorbing into your whiskers. Perfume pros call it sillage—the ability to trail a scent—and a nice beard oil can pinch-hit in place of a cologne. For those unfamiliar with the Scottish saying “It’s a braw, bricht, moonlicht nicht the nicht”, the word “braw” means “excellent”. Given Scotland’s penchant for braw beards, it seems only right to include this East Lothian company which has been producing beard oils since 2012; well before beard oils became such a trend.