Do It Yourself Beard Oil
Growing a beard can be a great way to express yourself and show off your personality. Unfortunately without proper care and maintenance, it can also become an unmanageable mess. The most effective and economical way to ensure your beard looks its best is by regularly applying beard oil. Making your own beard oil is a simple and relatively inexpensive process that is sure to yield positive results.
Beard oil is a blend of essential and carrier oils. Essential oils are natural aromatic compounds that are carefully extracted from plants and concentrated for various therapeutic, cosmetic and hair care purposes. As well as giving off some delightful aromas, essential oils provide the primary benefits of beard oil. Carrier oils on the other hand provide the base for the mix. Some popular choices include jojoba oil, coconut oil, sweet almond oil and safflower oil.
To make your own beard oil, you simply need to measure out equal parts of your chosen essential and carrier oils, and combine them together in a clean, glass mixing bowl. As a general rule, you should use a full teaspoon of each oil per ounce of mixture you create, although the ratio can be adjusted in accordance with your own personal preference. The combination of oils is then transferred into a clean, dark coloured glass bottle.
Although there is no right or wrong combination of oils in the blend, some ingredients work more effectively than others depending on your desired outcome. For example, grapeseed oil is a good option for dry and brittle beards, whereas sweet almond oil is gentler on sensitive skin. Pomegranate oil is an effective antioxidant, and tea tree oil provides antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.
The benefits of DIY beard oil are vast. Not only will you save some hard-earned cash over buying expensive retail brands, you can also customise the blend to suit your individual needs. You will even be able to create the exact aroma you are looking for, by combining different essential oils.
Making your own beard oil with these few simple ingredients can be done quite easily. Once your oil blend is created, it should be stored in a cool, dark place to avoid degrading the quality of the oil. Your homemade beard oil should be applied when needed and massaged into the beard and skin.
Are There Any Side Effects?
Before using any kind of beard oil, it is important to do so in moderation. Excessive use can result in clogged pores, acne and more severe skin allergic reactions. As with any product, it’s always recommended to perform a patch test on your skin to make sure it doesn’t cause any undesired reactions.
It’s also worth noting that essential oils are highly concentrated, as such you should also make sure not to use undiluted essential oils on your skin as these can cause irritating and even burning sensations. In the case of DIY beard oil, the risk of this is minimal as the essential oils are already combined into the carrier oil.
The essential oils used in your DIY beard oil will also dictate how long it can be stored for. Due to their natural properties, citrus essential oils generally only have a shelf life of a few months, while other non-citrus oils have a lifespan of at least a year.
Do I Need To Follow A Recipe?
Whilst it is possible to use a strict recipe to make beard oil, it is not necessary. With some simple ingredients and a little bit of experimentation, you can discover what works best for you and your beard.
When starting out, begin with equal parts of your chosen carrier and essential oils. Once you’re familiar with the ingredients, you can start to play around with the ratios and see what works best for your beard. As mentioned, ingredients with heavier molecules such as jojoba oil work best for dry and brittle beards, whereas lighter oils such as almond oil are usually better for sensitive skin.
Getting experimental with your mix is a great way to get unique scents, as you can combine and layer different essential oils to create blends that you might not be able to find anywhere else. Remember, if you create a blend that you truly love, make sure to write it down so you can easily recreate it in future.
Storage
Storing your homemade beard oil properly is essential for a quality product. Light and air can cause the ingredients to degrade faster, so it’s best to store the oil in a dark coloured bottle and keep it in a cool, dry place. Depending on which ingredients you used, your oil will usually remain fresh for up to a year.
When storing your finished product, it is important to label it clearly with a date and any relevant instructions or information. This will ensure you always know when it was made and exactly what it contains.
The key to making a successful beard oil at home is experimentation. It may take a few tries to find the right mix of ingredients to suit your particular needs, but with some patience, you’ll be able to craft a superior product without breaking the bank.
Ingredients
The ingredients you should have on hand if you wish to make your own beard oil are quite simple. This includes a blend of carrier and essential oils such as jojoba, coconut, sweet almond, safflower and others. You may also want to include certain essential oils for their therapeutic and health benefits. Popular options for this include tea tree, peppermint and lavender. Further ingredients you may wish to include are fragrance or essential oils, and vitamin E oil.
It is possible to buy pre-made carrier oils already blended with essential oils, although doing so will limit the scope to customise your own blend. So, it would be worth investing some time to create your own personalised mix.
Equipment Needed
Making your own beard oil only requires a few pieces of equipment. This includes a clean, glass mixing bowl, some glass bottles to store the finished product in, a mixing spoon, measuring spoons and a funnel.
You may also find it useful to have some syringes on hand when crafting larger batches of beard oil, as this will make measuring easier and more accurate. Make sure to keep all of your equipment clean at all times, as this will help you to achieve the highest quality results.
Conclusion
When making your own beard oil, the possibilities are truly endless. You can create the exact scent, texture and effect that you are after, whilst helping to keep your beard healthy and looking its best. With the right ingredients and equipment readily available, and a little bit of patience and practice, you’ll be able to craft a quality product that not only looks good, but feels great!
