Article updated: April 26, 2023
What’s the best way to keep your beard looking healthy, happy, and smelling awesome?
Easy — use a great smelling beard oil or beard balm.
While beard oils and balms have a few key differences between them (balm offers light hold, beard oil doesn’t), they both essentially serve the same primary purpose: to moisturize, hydrate, and soften coarse beard hair.
They can even help prevent beard breakage, split ends, dandruff (beardruff), and itch.
Another excellent reason to use beard oil or beard balm is to give your beard a fresh, masculine scent. Ideally one that’ll have panties hitting the floor upon first whiff.
But when you consider the fact that there are literally thousands of beard oils and beard balms available on the market — and even more scent options — it’s no wonder that so many men Google the phrase: what is the best smelling beard oil and beard balm?
So in an effort to help you find exactly what you’re looking for, I compiled this list of best smelling beard oils and balms.
Each one is hand selected by me based on extensive personal experience. And since scent is highly subjective, I also solicited the advice of thousands of user reviews from gentlemen just like you and me.
The end result is this comprehensive list of best smelling beard oils and beard balms. I hope you find what you’re looking for.
The Lineup:
- The Bearded Grenade – Stem to Stern Beard Oil
- The Bearded Grenade – Stem to Stern Beard Balm
- Badass Beard Oil – The Viking
- The Bearded Grenade – Santal
- Grave Before Shave – Beard Oil 4 Pack
- Badass Beard Balm – The Viking
- Simply Great Beard Oil – SEXY
- 18.21 Man Made – Spiced Vanilla Beard Balm
- Wild Dog Beard Co. – Blueberry Day Beard Oil
- Grave Before Shave – Aphrodisiac Beard Balm
- Viking Revolution – Bay Rum Beard Oil
- Grave Before Shave – Cigar Blend Beard Balm
- Lather & Wood – Original Scent Beard Oil
- Gladiator Beard Co. – Icon Beard Balm
- Viking Revolution – Beard Oil 3 Pack
- Zeus – Verbena Lime Beard Balm
- Detroit Grooming Co. – Black
Best Smelling Beard Oils and Balms Reviewed
The Bearded Grenade – Stem to Stern Beard Oil
If you’re in search of the best smelling beard oil in existence, I highly recommend you check out “Stem to Stern” scented beard oil from The Bearded Grenade. This super premium beard oil is made in the USA and features an excellent aquatic cologne scent that smells fresh, clean, and incredibly masculine. With notes of citrus, amber, marine, and wood, Stem to Stern is a bonafide crowd pleaser and smells about as unique as they come. Aside from the awesome scent, Stem to Stern contains a ton of beard beneficial ingredients that you typically don’t find in other beard oils. Inside the bottle is a unique blend of carrier oils that not only smooth and soften coarse beard hair, but also moisturize and nourish the skin underneath the beard. Available in a large 2oz aluminum bottle (3-6 month supply depending on beard size) with an easy to use, mess free pump dispenser. Here’s what’s inside: Meadowfoam seed oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, rosehip oil, pomegranate seed oil, watermelon seed oil, castor oil, passion fruit seed oil, vitamin E.
What else is great about TBG Stem to Stern?
• Handmade in the USA in small batches
One of the things I really like about The Bearded Grenade is the fact that it’s a small, USA based company that prioritizes quality and freshness. All of their beard oils are handmade in the USA in small, quality controlled batches. This not only ensures consistency, but it also means a fresher product for us the consumer. While most large companies order their ingredients in mass quantities to save on costs, The Bearded Grenade orders their ingredients in small quantities, ensuring nothing but the freshest ingredients go into every bottle of their beard oil.
• Feels great in the beard
One of the things that stands out about The Bearded Grenade beard oil is how great it feels in the beard. It makes the beard feel incredibly smooth and soft, all while moisturizing and nourishing the skin underneath the beard. It’s non-greasy and lightweight, but still helps control those annoying flyaway hairs thanks to the addition of castor oil. It’s also formulated using 100% non-comedogenic carrier oils which means it won’t clog pores.
• Excellent scents
Scent is a very subjective thing. If Stem to Stern doesn’t peak your interest, The Bearded Grenade also offers a few other beard oil scents that smell just as excellent, including: Plague Mask, Ragged Wood, Fresh Squeeze, Santal, and RAW (unscented). Here’s a closer look at The Bearded Grenade’s scent descriptions:
- Plague Mask – A warm spicy scent that contains notes of cinnamon, clove, leather, tobacco, coffee, resins, vanilla, and patchouli.
- Ragged Wood – A masculine woodsy scent that contains notes of cedar, sandalwood, pine, and vetiver.
- Bomber – A bold scent that contains notes of leather, spices, and oud wood.
- Fresh Squeeze – A fresh citrus scent that contains notes of orange, tangerine, bergamot, mandarin, and vanilla.
- Fresh – A subtle scent option from The Bearded Grenade that contains peppermint, spearmint, and eucalyptus. It’s designed to give the beard a light fresh scent without being strong or overpowering.
- Santal – A cologne type beard oil that contains notes of sandalwood, powder, white musk, and amber.
- RAW – Unscented
• Cool packaging
While this isn’t directly related to the beard oil itself, it’s worth mentioning that The Bearded Grenade offers some cool product packaging for their beard oils. Every bottle of their beard oil comes in a large 2oz aluminum bottle with an easy to use pump dispenser. They also include a mini drawstring bag for storage. It’s definitely a cool little touch that makes unpacking their beard oil a little more special. It also makes it very gift worthy.
How Does The Bearded Grenade Compare to Other Beard Oils on the Market?
When it comes to choosing the best beard oil for your beard, scent is just one variable that should be taken into consideration. Sure, scent is super important when it comes to beard oil when you consider the fact that it’s right under your nose and you’ll be smelling it all day. But there are plenty of other factors you should look at when it comes to making a buying decision.
So how does The Bearded Grenade stack up to other beard oils on the market? Let’s take a look.
Quality
One of the things that impresses me about TBG beard oil is the overall quality of the oil. Containing 9 different types of carrier oils, TBG beard oil offers a ton of benefits for the beard that most competitors can’t compare to. Each carrier oil offers a unique set of benefits for the beard that help improve health, strength and appearance. Compared to some beard oils on the market that typically only contain 2-5 different types of carrier oils, The Bearded Grenade definitely sets itself apart and falls into the premium grade beard oil category. Score – 10/10
Price
In regards to price, TBG beard oil lands on the expensive end of the spectrum when compared to other beard oils on the market. While it’s not the most expensive beard oil out there, it’s certainly not the cheapest either. If you prioritize price over quality there are definitely cheaper options available. But if you’re looking for premium quality, performance, and excellent scent, I highly recommend it. Score – 7/10
Performance
When I grade how well a beard oil performs I look at 3 key factors:
1. how well it softens and moisturizes
2. How well it improves beard appearance
3. How long it lasts throughout the day
The Bearded Grenade’s blend of 9 different carrier oils does an excellent job of softening the beard and providing tons of moisture and nourishment. Not only does it leave the beard looking strong and healthy, but it keeps the beard feeling soft and moisturized all day thanks to the well balanced blend of carrier oils. Score – 10/10
The Bearded Grenade – Stem to Stern Beard Balm
If The Bearded Grenade Stem to Stern is the best smelling beard oil, it only makes sense that their Stem to Stern beard balm is the best smelling beard balm, right? After all, they smell exactly the same. Featuring an aquatic cologne scent that contains notes of grapefruit and lime, Stem to Stern beard balm is simply a no brainer when it comes to choosing the best smelling beard balm for men. This non-greasy balm offers light hold that helps with styling and managing flyaways, but doesn’t leave the beard feeling stiff or sculpted. As you would expect from The Bearded Grenade, their beard balm contains a ton of premium, beard beneficial ingredients that nourish, moisturize, and soften. Here’s a look at what’s inside: Mango butter, meadowfoam seed oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, beeswax, rosehip oil, watermelon seed oil, passionfruit seed oil, and vitamin E.
Badass Beard Oil – The Viking
In search of a great smelling, everyday type beard oil scent? Consider giving Badass Beard Oil “The Viking” a try. This all-natural beard oil is sure to give your nose hairs something to be excited about with it’s unique blend of 100% organic essential oils, including: white fir, orange, and clove. I would describe the scent as woody, citrusy, warm, sweet, and slightly spicy. It’s a long lasting scent that will keep your nose company all day but without coming off as too strong or overbearing. Meaning the scent lasts, but it doesn’t overpower or clash with cologne or body spray. Aside from it’s great scent, Badass Beard Oil does a great job of softening coarse beard hair, detangling, and it even soothes beard itch and unsightly beard dandruff (beardruff). Bottom Line: Expect many compliments with this beard oil.
The Bearded Grenade – Santal
White musk, sandalwood, powder, amber, and lavender – does it get anymore masculine than that? Santal from The Bearded Grenade features a masculine, cologne type scent that smells simply incredible and is borderline addictive. One of the things that I really like about Santal beard oil is its versatility. The clean, cologne scent of Santal makes it suitable for pretty much any occasion. Whether it’s date night, work, or if you’re simply looking for a great everyday beard oil, Santal from The Bearded Grenade fits the bill very nicely. The soft, manly scent of Santal isn’t too strong or overpowering, but it makes itself known when loved ones are close – pretty much exactly what you want from a great cologne type beard oil. Bottom line: Smells excellent, the ladies love it, and it makes an excellent everyday beard oil. Highly recommended.
Grave Before Shave – Beard Oil 4 Pack
What do you do when you can’t decide on one particular beard oil? You take the easy way out and get a variety pack. This 4 pack from Grave Before Shave is a collection of their most popular smelling beard oils and is an excellent choice for men who like a little bit of variety in their life. The 4 pack includes: Bay Rum (my favorite), Pine Scent, O.G. Scent, and Viking Blend. Each scent is distinct and masculine in their own unique way, and perfectly suited for manly men such as ourselves. Scents aside, all of these beard oils are formulated with all-natural ingredients that are designed to soften coarse beard hairs, moisturize and hydrate, and promote healthy growth. Bottom Line: The Grave Before Shave 4 Pack is an awesome smelling option for men who like assortment and variety.
Scent Profiles:
Bay Rum – A classic bay rum scent but with a subtle coconut twist. It smells woody, warm, herbal, spicy, and subtly sweet. My favorite of the 4.
Pine Scent – A classic pine tree scent that smells bold, woody, rugged, and masculine. Think lumberjack cutting down a pine tree — but without the lumberjack or the axe.
O.G. Scent – A refreshing blend of orange, lemon, and rosemary. It smells citrusy, sweet, tangy, and slightly herbal.
Viking Blend – Contains no added fragrance but instead gets it’s subtle aroma from a blend of all-natural essential oils. It smells fresh, herbal, and slightly citrusy. A great low-key option for daily use.
Badass Beard Balm – The Viking
If my top pick peaked your interest but you’re more of a beard balm type of guy, this one is definitely for you. Just like Badass Beard Oil, this balm features the same great “Viking” fragrance, but it’s offered in a convenient, easy to use balm that is designed to nourish and hydrate beard hair, tame fly aways, and of course give your beard a kick ass scent that your nose hairs are going to love. The scent profile contains: white fir, orange, and clove, and I would describe the smell as warm, woody, citrusy, sweet, and slightly spicy. It’s definitely bold and masculine but without being too strong or overbearing. Meaning the scent lingers in the beard all day, but it won’t overpower or clash with body spray or cologne. Bottom Line: when it comes to best smelling beard balms — The Viking is absolutely a top contender.
Simply Great Beard Oil – SEXY
If you’re thinking about bringing sexy back, you might want to start with this “SEXY” scented beard oil by Simply Great Beard Oil. If ever there was a beard oil fragrance that was capable of causing panties to drop and women to go weak in the knees — SEXY would without a doubt be it. Opposed to most beard oils, SEXY features a cologne type fragrance that I would best describe as smelling warm, citrusy, leathery, woody, clean, slightly sweet, and slightly spicy — with notes of rosemary, lavender, and sandalwood. It’s bold and masculine, and perfectly suited for bearded gentlemen such as ourselves. Great scent aside, Simply Great Beard Oil is full of beard beneficial oils that moisturize, hydrate, and soften, while promoting growth and overall beard health. Bottom Line: SEXY is a bold smelling beard oil that exudes confidence and masculinity.
18.21 Man Made – Spiced Vanilla Beard Balm
When nothing but a rugged, masculine smelling beard balm will do, 18.21 Man Made Spiced Vanilla is the beard balm for you. This super premium beard balm is designed to moisturize, hydrate, and soften beards, while it tames flyaways and promotes beard thickness and growth. And while the performance is everything you would expect from a premium beard balm, it’s the awesome scent of this product that really makes it stand out. The scent profile contains: vanilla, ginger, clove, coconut, star anise, amber, smoked tobacco, wood, and musk. It’s very bold, rugged, masculine, and definitely unique as hell. It’s the sort of beard balm I would envision James Bond would use — if he ever decided to sport a beard. Bottom Line: 18.21 Man Made Spiced Vanilla is a true man’s man beard balm that the women will love.
Wild Dog Beard Co. – Blueberry Day Beard Oil
If you’re looking for an incredibly awesome smelling beard oil but want to experience something truly unique and different, Wild Dog Blueberry Day is definitely worthy of your consideration. Blueberry Day is inspired by the warm, cozy smell of ‘straight from the oven’ blueberry cobbler with a subtle touch of zesty lemon. It’s unique, creative, and most definitely one of a kind. And while the scent may tempt you to chug the contents of the bottle, I advise you to fight the urge and only use this beard oil for it’s intended purpose. Seriously, don’t fucking drink it. Awesome scent aside, Blueberry Day is full of moisturizing oils that smooth and soften coarse beard hair, add a touch of shine, and encourage healthy growth. Bottom Line: While Blueberry Day might not be suited for every man (blueberry haters), it’s certainly a unique and awesome smelling beard oil that will definitely turn some heads.
Grave Before Shave – Aphrodisiac Beard Balm
If your two main focuses in life are to have a kick ass beard and to make as many panties wet as humanly possible, then this is certainly the beard balm for you. Grave Before Shave “Aphrodisiac” beard balm is designed to condition, moisturize, and hydrate, while it tames stray hairs and flyaways. And just like the name Aphrodisiac suggests, this beard balm’s scent is sure to stimulate sexual desire in any women who catches a whiff of the awesomely masculine fragrance. The scent profile contains notes of rich leather and cedar wood that I would describe as smelling bold, woody, earthy, manly, rugged, and refined. It’s also worth noting that the scent works well as an everyday beard balm since it isn’t overpowering, and doesn’t clash with body spray or cologne. Bottom Line: Grave Before Shave Aphrodisiac is a manly smelling beard balm that’s almost impossible not to like.
Viking Revolution – Bay Rum Beard Oil
If you’re a fan of old school barbershop scents then this Bay Rum Scented beard oil from Viking Revolution might be for you. They take the classic scent of bay rum and give it a unique Viking Revolution twist that smells very woody, warm, spicy, and sweet with a distinct note of cinnamon. It’s bold and masculine, but isn’t too strong or overbearing. It provides a long lasting scent in the beard, but doesn’t overpower or clash with cologne or body spray. Great scent aside, Viking Revolution Bay Rum beard oil is full of moisturizing oils that soften, smooth, detangle, prevent split ends, elimintate beardruff, and even take care of beard itch. It’s also worth mentioning that this stuff is pretty damn inexpensive compared to most beard oils on the market. Bottom Line: If you want an awesome smelling — and performing — beard oil at a very reasonable price, Viking Revolution Bay Rum is definitely a solid pick.
Grave Before Shave – Cigar Blend Beard Balm
If you enjoy the bold, masculine scent of fresh cigars then I recommend you take of whiff of this Cigar Blend beard balm from Grave Before Shave. With a scent that is reminiscent of an old style smoke shop, this Cigar Blend beard balm contains notes of fresh tobacco and vanilla, and can be described as: warm, earthy, spicy, musky, woody, and slightly sweet. It’s bold, rugged, masculine, and perfectly suited for gentlemen who aren’t afraid to smell like men. Aside from the awesome scent, Grave Before Shave beard balm is full of moisturizing ingredients that soften and smooth coarse beard hair, prevent split ends, eliminate beard dandruff, and even promote stronger growth. Here’s a look at what’s inside: coconut oil, shea butter, beeswax, tea tree oil, apricot oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, vitamin E, and aloe vera. Bottom Line: This is an excellent smelling cigar inspired beard balm that pairs perfectly with a bold, masculine beard.
Lather & Wood – Original Scent Beard Oil
Take your nose for a walk on the wild side with this Ultra Moisturizing Beard Oil from Lather & Wood. Although Lather & Wood doesn’t give the scent of this oil a formal name — except “Original Scent” — it’s still an awesome smelling beard oil and a worthy edition to this list. The scent is derived from a complex blend of 7 natural ingredients and can be described as woodsy, minty, fresh, clean, earthy and even slightly nutty. It’s very rugged and masculine, and quickly elicits thoughts of a bearded, flannel wearing lumberjack chopping down trees. What could be more manlier than that? Aside from it’s rugged scent, this beard oil is packed with moisturizing ingredients that soften coarse beard hair, eliminate beard dandruff, and prevent split ends. Here’s a quick look at what’s inside: jojoba oil, castor oil, argan oil, coconut oil, rosehips oil, grapeseed oil, peppermint oil, eucalyptus, aloe, hazelnut oil, lavender oil, and green tea extract. Bottom Line: Lather & Wood Beard Oil is a fresh and rugged smelling beard oil that is pretty much impossible not to like. Perfect for every-day use.
Gladiator Beard Co. – Icon Beard Balm
You don’t have to fight to the death like a gladiator in order to smell like one. Gladiator Beard Co. gives us this “Icon” scented beard oil that smells about as tough and masculine as a gladiator looks. The scent profile contains a complex blend of frankincense, myrrh, lavender, bergamot, and orange. It smells woody, spicy, earthy, citrusy, warm, and slightly sweet. The scent is not only strong and masculine, but it’s incredibly unique and well refined. It’s definitely not your average smelling beard balm. Great scent aside, Gladiator Beard Balm is designed to moisturize and hydrate, provide a light hold, and promote healthy beard growth. It also contains shea butter and vitamin E that protect the beard, and do a great job of preventing split ends and breakage. Bottom Line: Gladiator Icon contains some uncommon essential oils that give this beard balm a very masculine and unique scent that is absolutely worth a sniff.
Viking Revolution – Beard Oil 3 Pack
They say that variety is the spice of life, right? But that’s not the only reason why I included this Viking Revolution variety pack to this list. The fact that each one of the included beard oils smells friggin awesome has a whole lot to do with it too. The pack includes: Clary Sage, Cedar Pine, and Sandalwood. Each one is formulated with all-natural and organic essential oils that do an excellent job of moisturizing, hydrating, and softening coarse beard hair. They are also excellent at preventing beard dandruff and uncomfortable beard itch. While the ingredients vary slightly between scents, each one contains organic argan oil and jojoba oil. Both oils are known for their moisturizing and softening properties, and their ability to increase hair’s elasticity, which greatly reduces beard breakage and split ends. Bottom Line: If you’re struggling to find the best smelling beard oil for you, this variety pack from Viking Revolution is a fool proof option. It’s priced really well too.
Scent profiles:
Clary Sage – A subtle fresh scent that smells herbal, floral, earthy, and slightly fruity. An excellent subtle fragrance that works really well for daily use.
Cedar Pine – A masculine, rugged scent that smells of fresh cut cedarwood and pine trees with subtle citrus and earthy notes.
Sandalwood – A classic scent that smells very woody, warm, earthy, musky, and fresh. In my opinion it’s the boldest of the 3 scents, but isn’t too strong or overpowering.
Zeus – Verbena Lime Beard Balm
Start smelling like a Greek god with this Verbena Lime scented Beard Balm from Zeus. While I personally have no idea what a Greek god might smell like, I imagine he would probably smell about as awesome as this beard balm does. Verbena Lime is one of Zeus’s signature scents and the smell can be described as citrusy, tangy, fruity, sweet, and slightly floral. It’s very refined and masculine, and makes for the perfect every-day beard balm due to it’s light, fresh scent. Another thing that’s awesome about Zeus Beard Balm is it’s long list of natural ingredients that are designed to moisturize and soften beard hairs, eliminate itch, and even provide a light hold. Here’s some of the key ingredients: sunflower oil, beeswax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, soybean oil, cocoa butter, jojoba oil, avocado oil, hempseed oil, shea butter, and aloe. Bottom Line: Zeus Verbena Lime is the perfect beard balm for men who prefer a light, fresh scent that isn’t too strong or overpowering.
Detroit Grooming Co – Black
When it comes to masculine smelling beard oils, Detroit Grooming Co is definitely worth checking out. One of my personal favorite offerings from Detroit Grooming Co is their “Black Edition” beard oil that features an awesome scent of amber and bourbon that smells excellent and is about as masculine as it comes. Featuring notes of vetiver, amber, and cedarwood, Black is a unique, rugged smelling beard oil that is certainly worth checking out. Aside from the great scent, this all-natural beard oil is super nourishing for the beard and leaves the beard feeling very soft, healthy, and nourished. Here’s a look at the ingredient list: Sweet almond oil, vitamin E, sunflower seed oil, safflower seed oil, rice bran oil, apricot kernel oil, avocado oil, wheat germ oil. Bottom line: If you enjoy the smell of amber and bourbon, you will definitely enjoy Black from Detroit Grooming Co.
How to Apply Beard Oil
If your goal is to have a happy, healthy, and great smelling beard then beard oil is a must. By now I’m sure you know all the benefits that beard oil can offer, but you still might have some questions regarding proper application and usage.
The good news is that applying beard oil isn’t exactly rocket science. But just like most things in life: there’s a right way and a wrong way of doing it.
Below I’ll cover some of the most common questions men have when it comes to applying beard oil.
When should beard oil be applied?
One of the most common questions men ask regarding beard oil is, “when’s the best time to apply it.”
While it’s perfectly fine to apply beard oil anytime, it actually offers the most benefits for the beard when it’s applied directly after a shower. That’s because steam and hot water temporarily open the shingle-like structure of the hair shaft called the cuticle — allowing beard oil to penetrate deeper into the hair shaft.
This not only moisturizes, hydrates and softens course beard hair, but it greatly improves beard hair elasticity which can help eliminate breakage and split ends.
How much beard oil should you use?
Another common question men have about beard oil is how much should be used. But since beards vary in length and thickness, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question.
So here’s a general guideline for determining how much beard oil you should be using based on average growth.
Stubble to 1 month of growth = 3-4 drops of beard oil
1-3 months of growth = 4-6 drops of beard oil
3-12 months of growth = 6-10 drops of beard oil
12+ months of growth = 10+ drops of beard oil
How often should beard oil be applied?
Everyday. Beard oil should be used on a daily basis in order to keep your beard feeling soft, hydrated, and looking it’s best. While one application in the morning should be suitable for most men, it’s okay to reapply throughout the day if your beard is feeling dry or you’re experiencing itchiness.
What’s the proper way to apply beard oil?
Now that you know how much beard oil to use and when to use it, maybe it’s time you learned the proper way of applying it to your beard. Don’t worry, the process is pretty simple.
1. Place your beard oil into the palm or your hand using the above beard oil drop chart for reference.
2. Work the beard oil between the palm of your hands and between your fingers.
3. Thoroughly work your hands through the length of your beard making sure to apply it to the skin under your beard as well. This will help prevent beardruff and uncomfortable itch.
4. Use a comb or a good boar bristle brush to thoroughly distribute the beard oil throughout the length of your beard. This also helps with detangling and adding thickness and fullness.
Beard Care Questions & Answers
What’s the difference between beard oil, beard balm, and beard butter?
One of the more confusing aspects of caring for a beard is deciding on which products to use and how to use them. Beard oil is hands down the most popular and easy to understand beard product out there, but what about beard balm and beard butter? What’s the difference between these products and what’s the proper way to use them?
Beard Oil
There’s really no mystery here. Beard oil is intended to moisturize the beard and help make it soft. It also helps prevent beardruff, breakage, split ends, and itch. It’s applied directly to the beard and skin multiple times per day.
Beard Balm
Very similar to beard oil, beard balm is designed to moisturize and soften the beard but it contains beeswax and therefore offers a bit of “hold” that is helpful for shaping and styling the beard. Beard balm is generally used by men with medium to long length beards who want to keep their beards neat and tidy throughout the day.
Beard Butter
I like to think of beard butter as a solid version of beard oil. It’s great for nourishing and moisturizing the beard but doesn’t offer much in the way of “hold” because it typically doesn’t contain any beeswax. Beard butter is made from 1 or more butters (shea butter, mango butter, cocoa butter, etc) and 1 or more carrier oils (argan oil, jojoba oil, etc). Beard butter is great for all beard lengths.
Is beard oil, beard balm, and beard butter good for dry skin?
Many beard growers will deal with dry skin under their beard at some point or another. Dry skin under the beard is a sign that your skin isn’t receiving enough of your bodies natural oils that are produced by your pores. A great solution to this problem is applying a beard oil, beard balm, or butter multiple times per day. When applying, it’s important to work the product all the way to the skin – don’t just limit application to the beard hairs alone.
Does all Beard Oil Smell Good? Does Beard Oil Smell?
Many first time beard oil and beard balm users often don’t know what to expect when purchasing these products for the first time. Many men assume that all beard oils and balms have a scent but that’s not the case. Many beard care companies make unscented beard oil and unscented beard balm for men that have sensitive skin or simply prefer to forgo the scent.
What’s the Best Beard Oil that Smells Like Cologne?
If you prefer cologne type scents when it comes to beard oil, check out my list of best cologne scented beard oils.
Thanks for checking out my list of best smelling beard oils and balms. If you found this article helpful, check out my list of best smelling body lotions for men. As always, if you have any comments or questions feel free to drop me a line in the comment section below.
Thanks for this list of best snelling beard oils and balms. I’ve been growing out my beard for about 6 months now and haven’t been moisturizing it as much as i should. I figure if i find a beard oil that i really like the smell of i’d be more inclined to use it. Thanks for the recommendations!
Start taking better care of that beard, man! Hopefully you find a scent from this list that you really like. Thanks for commenting.
Just what I was looking for, a list of best smelling beard oils. I’m a big fan of beard oil, I have a collection of close to 30 and I’m always looking to add some great new scents to the collection. Thanks!
Awesome, thanks for commenting.
I’m always on the lookout for a great smelling beard oil. I typically don’t use beard balm because I don’t like the feel of it in my beard. Beard oil on the other hand I can’t do without. Thanks for the list.
Thanks for reading.
You can never have too many great smelling beard oils. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for commenting, Andy.
Okay I’m totally lost when it comes to beards because, well, I’m a woman lol. My husband’s birthday is coming up and I’m looking for a beard oil that smells really great. He has been growing his beard out since early 2020 and it’s looking really great on him, but it’s kind of coarse and a little scratchy! No good!! Anyway I want to surprise him with 2-3 great smelling beard oils, but I want each one to be unique and distinct from each other. I really like the way your #1 pick sounds (the cologne type scent) but now i need to figure out 2 other types of scents that I think he will enjoy. Looking through your list I see lots of intriguing suggestions that i think my husband will really like. Thanks for sharing this information! Wish me luck!!!
You certainly can’t go wrong with giving beard oils to a bearded man, Lisa. Great gift idea. I understand it can be pretty difficult to choose between beard oil scents since scent is so subjective. That being said, every beard oil on this list is approved by either myself personally or thousands of other bearded gentleman. You really can’t miss with any of these scents. Thanks for sharing, Lisa. Good luck!
I’m in the same boat. I’m purchasing beard oil for my husband but I’m not sure what type of scent he is going to like so close to his face. He’s not really big on wearing cologne but he does sometimes use light smelling body sprays. So I’m thinking he might prefer a more light smelling beard oil so that it won’t be annoying for him as he goes about his day. I’m sure he doesn’t want to smell a strong smelling beard oil all day! Lol.
I don’t really like strong smelling beard oil because it gives me a headache but I do like my beard to smell nice and fresh as long is the scent isn’t too overpowering. Do you have a recommendation for a good smelling beard oil that isn’t overly strong or obnoxious? Thanks!
I’m glad to see some non wood smelling beard oils on this list. I’m not a fan of woody smelling beard oils but it seems like that’s what most beard companies make. If I wanted to smell like wood I would stick my head in a tree. HAHA. I think I prefer beard oils that have light citrusy scents to them. I’m not sure about cologne scented beard oils as I’ve never tried one before. What is the best cologne scented beard oil in your opinion? Also what do you recommend for a citrus smelling beard oil? Thank you.
I agree. I’m not a big fan of the wood smelling beard oils and balms but that’s kind of the “in” thing right now. Many of the wood scents smell like pencil shavings or saw best which is kind of off-putting in my humble opinion. I do however like woodsy cologne type scents, which are far more refined and pleasant smelling than just wood essential oil scents which is what many of these beard companies are using to scent their products.
I’ve been using unscented beard oil for years but I’ve been experimenting with scented beard oil for about a month since my wife bought me one for my birthday. I enjoy lighter scented beard oils: woody and citrusy but prefer to avoid strong, synthetic smelling beard oils. A few of your recommendations interest me and I’m going to give them a try. Thanks for the info.
Hey John, thanks for commenting.
Thanks for commenting, John.
Hey man I’m really digging this collection of best smelling beard oils. My dad always had a beard when i was a kid and he used to put a little bit of aftershave in his beard to make it smell nice. That was before beard oil was as popular as it is today. So I recently decided to grow A goatee and even though it isn’t a beard i still want it to smell nice so I’m trying to make a list of good smelling beard oils. I found a few beard oils at the grocery store but none of them smell that great, not terrible, but certainly not worth spending my money on. Anyway I’m glad i came across this list. You have some interesting options listed that I never heard of.
Stem to Stern from the Bearded Grenade smells excellent! Fresh and clean and manly. Just like a beard oil should smell. I also really like their ragged wood beard oil too. I’ve also tried The Bearded Bastard and badass beard co. In the past and they both are really good too. Great list of best smelling beard oils! Thanks
So 6 months ago I began growing out my facial hair because I always wanted a beard but I don’t really have the genetics for growing a thick full beard. So anyway I decided I was going to let my beard grow out and not touch it for one year and see what happens. So now I’m 6 months into my year long trial and it’s actually coming in a lot better than I thought. So good in fact that I am now in the market for beard care products such as beard oils and beard balms and the like. I also am considering getting a beard brush because I heard that can help improve beard growth and help with tangles and knots and things like that. What do you think about boar bristle beard combs, are they worth it? So anyway I bought a scented beard oil from my local grocery store and it smells okay but I really want something that smells a bit better if I’m going to be using it everyday. I don’t currently have any beard balm but if I eventually decide to try a beard balm I want that to smell good too obviously. So anyway I decided to search the internet and see if there are any recommendations for the best scented beard oils and I found this informative list. Thank you for breaking down each one of these scented beard oils. It can be very hard, if not impossible to determine how something smells when shopping online but you did a good job of describing these scents and I look forward to trying 1 or more of your suggestions. My only question is how strong do cologne scented beard oils smell? I really like to wear cologne on my clothes and body but I’m not sure if I can tolerate the smell of cologne right under my nose all day. I assume they are not quite and strong as actual cologne but I just wanted to ask anyway. Thanks for sharing these recommendations. Very helpful!
Hey Shawn, thanks for commenting. To answer your questions, yes, boar bristle brushes are a great way to keep your beard looking great and they are really great at distributing oils throughout the length of the beard hair shaft. I absolutely recommend you get one if you’re on the fence about it. In regards to cologne scented beard oils, they are usually a bit stronger smelling than other types of scented beard oils but they aren’t as strong smelling as straight cologne is. If you’re sensitive to strong scents or fragrances I recommend you avoid cologne type beard oils and consider more subtle options. Thanks again for commenting, Shawn.
Good list. My favorite beard oil scents are a toss between woody and citrus type scents. I kind of prefer the scent to be subtle but noticeable if you get close. I’m not a big fan of sweet smelling beard oil so i choose to avoid vanilla and overly cloying type fragrances.
I’m delighted to see some beard oils that don’t smell like wood on this list. I enjoy trying new beard oils and balms and I like fresh, clean smelling scents. Your top selection sounds like it smells nice and a few these offerings on here sound really good too. I look forward to trying a few of these beard oils and I’m excited to see what they smell like. Thanks!
Hello- I have been looking for beard oil or balm to give to my boyfriend for his upcoming birthday. I usually buy him a cologne, sometimes the one he already wears and sometimes a new one I think he and I will both like. This year, however, I would like to try a new gift, especially because he has started to grow out his beard. If I have to kiss him I might as well make sure his beard is soft and smells good.
However, I do NOT want him to wear a beard oil that smells so good ALL the girls’ panties drop.’ 🙂 Just mine, obviously.
So I will be taking one of your suggestions and I will let you know how it works out. Gifts like this, after all, are just as much for the giftee as they are for the giftee’s significant other. Thanks for some great suggestions
Finally a comprehensive list of tried and true beard oils! Thanks so much for compiling this, I can tell you know what you’re talking about. I love the idea of the multi packs with 3 or 4, I’ve never seen them before and I think I need them! That’d be nice to change scent depending on the occasion, what a great idea. Thanks for posting!
A friend of mine gave me a bottle of beard oil about 15 years ago and it was the best smelling beard oil I ever tried. Back before beards and beard oil were as popular as they are now. That company doesn’t actually make that beard oil anymore but I’ve been trying to find a suitable replacement since I last ran out of it about 13 years ago. I’ve tried a few of the brands on your list, but not the particular scents you have listed. I like a strong smelling beard oil that lasts when you put it in the beard. Many of the beard oils out there simply don’t have any staying power once you apply them to your beard and the smell is gone within an hour. Anyway I just wanted to share and say thanks for the suggestions, your list gives me someplace to start finding my next beard oil.
Hey Guy, thanks for sharing. I hate it when I find something I really like and the company stops making it. Good luck with your search. I’m glad my recommendations were of help to you.
I only use unscented beard oils but my wife has been asking me to try a scented beard oil ever since she smelled one in the store that she liked. She bought it for me but I really didn’t like the smell and the beard oil itself was kind of trash. It was old spice brand and it was made with weird synthetic ingredients and didn’t contain any oils in the ingredient list that I could tell. Pretty strange. Suffice it to say I turned to Google to help me find the best smelling beard oil I could find that actually contains natural, quality ingredients that helps with beard health. I’m happy to see that your beard oil picks all contain real, plant based oils and not the cheap crap that was in the old spice beard oil. I’m not sure which beard oil I’ll end up trying but this page gives me something to consider and hopefully try. Thank you.
Hey Ken, thanks for sharing your experience. I’ve tested the beard oil you mentioned and yeah, it’s got some strange synthetic ingredients in it that I certainly wouldn’t want to use on my beard on a daily basis. Thanks for reading and good luck with your search.
Hello,
I don’t understand why some men choose to grow their beards. It’s because I’m a woman I guess?
Anyway, my husband thought he would look better in a beard and so he dropped his shaver 2 months ago. But as his beard is growing, he just won’t stop cleaning and massaging it. He often uses different shampoos and conditioners but he’s not so happy with them.
So, she asked me to look for ways to groom his beard. I never thought there are beard oils for making it healthy and smell great. I thought my husband should give it a try and see how his beard improves. Besides, I don’t only love a properly groomed beard, but also a masculine-smelling one.
I think Stem to Stern would be perfect; citrus and amber scent which smells like cologne, fresh, clean.
By the way, does this oil make the beard grow quicker?
What a fascinating article on best smelling beard oils. I must admit that I was not even aware that such products existed, wow! I do not have a beard presently but I did have one a number of years ago. Had I read your post back then I definitely would have used an oil or balm as my beard tended to be itchy and uncomfortable which resulted in me shaving it off.
You have certainly provided a great deal of information on this topic along with your reviews and links to where they can be purchased.
I will be sharing this article with my beard owning friends, so kudos to you for a great review.
I enjoyed reading your article on the Best Smelling Beard Oils and Balms. My husband has a pretty long beard, and I keep meaning to look into the oils or balms. There is a lot of information in your article. I will definitely send your website to my husband, so he can take a look at the different products available for his beard. Thanks for the information.
I appreciate your insightful and fascinating article. Citrus-like scents are my brother’s preferred beard oil scents. He kind of likes it when the aroma is light but not too light. He tries to stay away from the essentials because he doesn’t like sweet-smelling beard oil very much. Is there anything from the list that you like that I may suggest to him?
Hey brother! Thank you so much for sharing the best smelling beard oils and balms! I have never been able to grow a beard and mustache until now. I just turned 30 years old. I think this is awesome and very interesting. I never understood why guys used beard oil, but now that i have one, I get it. I appreciate the recommendations. Thanks!
Thanks for recommending these beard oils. I am an avid beard grower and I enjoy all types of beard oil scents. I am currently using a fall inspired beard oil and it smells great. I am looking for a great smelling winter type beard oil, maybe a christmasy scent, I think that would smell really nice.
A Christmas scent would smell really nice. Thanks for commenting.
Excellent recommendations. Thank you. I use both beard oil and beard balm and I love when they smell great. It’s the perfect start to my day when I apply an excellent smelling beard product to my beard. I have to mention that The Bearded Grenade makes a Stem to Stern beard balm too which goes perfectly with the oil. Just figured I’d mention it. I’ve also tried a few of your other suggestions and can attest to The Bearded Bastard as smelling great and also Badass Beard Care has some great smelling options too although their scents don’t last all that long in my experience. Just figured I’d share. Hopefully it helps someone.
Thanks for the information, Anton. It’s always great to hear the personal opinion of my readers. Thanks for commenting.
Good article. I enjoy trying new beard balms and I’m really big on scents and experimenting with new scent types. I’m currently looking for a new everyday beard balm scent that is pleasant and can be worn for all types of occasions, that’s how I found this list of best smelling beard balms. Thank you for the suggestions.
Good list of best smelling beard balms and beard oils. I thought I either tried or at least heard of pretty much eery beard company out there but there were about 3 companies on your list that I never heard of before. I look forward to giving a few of these newcomers a try.
Thanks for commenting, Jerry.