Beard Balm

Beard balm

Beard oil or beard balm, this is the question now. Over the years we have received many letters and emails asking which one is better and which one to use. Since there is really not a single answer to this dilemma, we decided to write and over thought article about this really important issue.

The quickest and simplest answer is you can never go wrong with the beard oil, since it is the most versatile and useful beard accessory out there. We have covered the benefits of beard oils in detailed article here. Let us recap anyway. Beard oil is a cosmetic product used to nurture and moisturize the skin under the beard to keep it soft, shiny, and smooth. All Rӕdical beard oils mimics the natural oils produced by skin, such as sebum, and is composed of 100% natural carrier and essential oils. Jojoba oil as our main ingredient which gives our oils distinctive golden look. Jojoba is very similar to human skin oil and is therefore easily absorbed. It tricks the skin into thinking it has produced enough oil and thus balance oil production. Other carrier oils used in Rӕdical beard oils are argan oil, sweet almond oil, coconut oil, hazelnut oil and castor oil which are super reach with vitamins E, A and B.

Apart of moisturizing the skin under the beard, Rӕdical beard oils also protects against frostbites, sunburns, dust and salt, hydrates the skin and beard, prevents flaking, dandruff and skin dryness, regenerates damaged skin underneath the beard and accelerates healing, helps prevent in-grown hair, softens the beard and keeps is smooth and shiny. It also helps prevent split ends and prevents itching which is super important in the early stages of beard growth and one of the main reasons, that event the manliest of men give up their quest and shave it off. It’s kind of a men flu ting. The struggle is real.

Compared to balms, beard oils absorb better and are easier to apply. That is why they are a better choice when in the early stages of your quest for a perfect beard. At this point it is also time to tell you that the beard oil is not some kind of magic potion that will help you grow your beard. We busted this myth in this article. It will, however nurture your skin underneath and help your beard appear healthier and thicker.

When you got over the first few days and weeks and successfully resisted the temptation to shaving off your beard, it’s time to start considering using a balm. Apart from its healing and moisturizing effects, beard balms are also great for shaping. But first thing first.

The one ingredient that makes shaping possible is beeswax. Beeswax has been one of the main cosmetics ingredients since the ancient time and has proven to work wonders for skin and hair. In ancient Egypt it was used for treating and soothing burns, scars, wounds, while Chinese prescribed it for skin aging.

Beeswax is produced by bees that form a honeycomb where they store their honey. Because beeswax is an animal product it cannot be classified as vegan. As in some carrier vegetable oils, beeswax is also reach with vitamin A along with small amounts of antibacterial agents which gives it it’s healing powers.

So how does it affect your beard, skin and hair? Like other natural skin products beeswax moisturizes your hair and the skin underneath, which is a courtesy of our old friend, vitamin A, while its overall formula locks in and seals that moisture. Because of it’s natural stiffness, it is a perfect ingredient to get creative and manage the shape of the beard. The more beeswax the balm mixture contains, the better and more precise its shaping ability. It, however, comes with the price. In its natural form, beeswax is hard to manipulate. To soften it, we add vegetable oils and butters, but it loses its stiffness. Moustache waxes like IP66, which have to be super stiff to shape those perfect handlebars, have to be softened first using hairdryer or any other heat-producing machine. Speaking of moustache shaping. Split ends can be annoying and who wants to cut off those beautiful moustache, you’ve been taking care of for so long. Beeswax is a perfect way to mask and hide your split ends. Some researches even indicate, that the beeswax can also help with hair growth, but the effect has not yet been scientifically proven, so we’ll have to wait for this claim to be confirmed. It’s unlikely, but fingers crossed anyway.

Here is one thing beeswax actually does and it’s even more fascinating. It does have a positive effect on the skin and scalp. Research shows it can soothe symptoms of skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, and dandruff.

The other major component of Raedical CARVER and ROCKER balms is the shea-nut butter, which is a fat extracted from, you guessed it, the nuts of the shea tree! Like beeswax it solid a room temperature and colder, but turns liquid when exposed to heat. Also like beeswax, sea-nut butter has been used in cosmetic since the ancient time. It’s properties and consistency make it a perfect addition for all Raedical beard balms.

Like beeswax, shea-nut butter is safe for all skin types, because it very low in the proteins that can trigger allergies. In fact, there’s no medical literature documenting an allergy to topical shea butter. It has an excellent ability to penetrate the skin without clogging pores, which allows the skin to breathe while at the same time holding moisture in and reducing your risk of dryness. That is why it is mainly used as a moisturizer and a skin salve. It is reach in vitamins A and E, and thus promotes antioxidant activities which are important for anti-aging agents. Not that you care but good to know anyway. The similarities with beeswax go on. It works antimicrobial, antibacterial and antifungal and may prevent acne which is the one feature super important for all bearded people, since acne can be annoying. Sea-nut butter may also boost collagen production, help promote cell regeneration, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, protects against sun burns, prevent hair breakage and treat dandruff by restoring the moisture. It also helps sooth eczema, dermatitis, and psoriasis, insect bites and muscle soreness. Many of these claims have to be scientifically backed and confirmed, but you get the idea.

If this was not enough we added not one, but two more super-ingredients to our amazing beard balm. First one is lanolin. Lanolin, also known as wool wax or wool grease is a wax secreted from the wool of sheep. It’s similar to human sebum but doesn’t contain any triglycerides. That’s why it’s technically not a fat. It’s job is to protect sheep’s wool so if it can do that, well, it should be good enough for any beard on the planet. It’s extracted by centrifuging a sheep’s wool, not the sheep itself, so don’t worry. It is however an animal product and thus not vegan. It helps soothe, soften and hydrate the dry and damaged skin and slow down the water loss from the skin.

If you are still not convinced and are die-hard beard oil user, we have saved this last Raedical bead balm ingredient for you. It’s the one and only jojoba oil, which gives our balms smooth and premium texture. As mentioned above, jojoba oil is actually more wax then oil. It is extracted from the jojoba plant which is native to Arizona, California and Mexico. It’s an amazing moisturizer and protects skin and hair and skin against dryness and dandruff. It is reach with vitamins E, C and B

So now that we know the science behind it all, let us appreciate the two amazing balms from our Raedical collection. CARVER, an ultimate, all-in-one, light hold and natural look balm with just enough hold to help you carve out that perfect natural look shape of your beard, moustache and hair, while also works perfectly on your skin and hands after a gnarly day out in nature or in the gym. The perfect blend of finest and highest quality bees wax, shea butter, lanolin and jojoba oil will help protect your beard and regenerate, hydrate and moisturize your skin keeping it soft and healthy. ROCKER is the lightest and softest member of our Four cross family. Unlike the IP66 and Camber waxes, Rocker is not intended so much for shaping, but rather forming and nurturing your moustache and giving it that healthy natural style look. Rocker is a light hold and 100% natural moustache balm made from the finest and highest quality bees wax, shea butter and lanolin.

Now that we broke it down, check out or amazing wax and balm collection. 

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