Beard Wax vs Balm: Which Beard Product Should You Be Using?

Beard balm vs beard wax is a common debate that usually comes up when men start looking for beard products. But the truth is that you can’t decide whether beard balm is better than beard wax or vice versa because they help you achieve different goals.

Here’s the thing, comparing beard wax and beard balm is like comparing eggs vs pancakes - both make delicious breakfasts, but they have very different tastes and textures. Some people prefer one of these breakfasts over the other, but a lot of people would choose both, depending on their mood. Similarly, choosing between balm vs beard wax is mostly a matter of taste and opinion.

The main difference between beard wax and beard balm is that beard wax is a better styling product. But, although beard balm has less of a hold, it has amazing moisturizing properties that can help keep your facial hair hydrated and healthy. Read on to find out more.

What Is A Beard Wax?

Beard wax is the go-to styling product used for beard grooming. It’s the equivalent of wax styling products designed for scalp hair. But since your beard hair has a different texture and the skin on your face tends to be more sensitive than your scalp, beard and mustache wax has a special ingredient formulation that’s adapted for facial hair use.

Beard waxes have a thick consistency and incorporate natural ingredients that coat your hair fibres and keep them in place throughout the day. They also act like sealants that protect your whiskers and trap moisture inside your hair fibres.

Ingredients in Beard Wax

• A natural wax like cera alba or beeswax as it’s more commonly called
• Emollient and conditioning agents like lanolin
• Hydrating agents, some of the most common being shea butter and coconut oil
• Scented oils

Benefits of Using Beard Wax

A good beard wax will provide a strong hold that helps keep your beard perfectly styled through the rigors of your daily activities. It will also help hydrate and condition your hair and protect the skin beneath from harsh weather conditions, dust, or food and drink particles.

What Is A Beard Balm?

Beard balm is essentially a beard oil - beard wax hybrid that captures the best of both worlds. It doesn’t have the strong hold of beard wax, but it incorporates a long list of active ingredients like natural oils and vitamins that help nurture and hydrate your hair and the skin underneath it.

Beard balms are as nourishing and hydrating as beard oils, but they also act like styling agents. They can help you tame your unruly hairs and achieve a confidence-boosting well-groomed look.

Ingredients in Beard Balm

• A natural wax, usually beeswax
• Essential and carrier oils like argan oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, sunflower oil etc.
• Moisturizing agents like shea butter
• Vitamins
• Scented oils

Benefits of Using Beard Balm

Your beard balm can be a pretty good styling product. A good beard balm will provide a medium-strength hold that’s very often enough to tame most beards. It provides nutrients and keeps your skin and hair hydrated throughout the day.

The wax component will also help protect your hair while sealing moisture inside the hair fibres. This means that your beard will benefit from a non-greasy protective layer that softens and smoothes out your whiskers.

Differences Between Beard Balm and Beard Wax

Definition

Beard balm is an oil-wax combination product that acts as a styling agent that hydrates your facial hair and skin. On the other hand, beard wax is a much stronger styling product that helps condition and protect your hair.

Ingredients

Both products incorporate a type of wax that coats your hair fibres and helps keep them in place. Another common ingredient is a moisturizing agent that helps lock in moisture and protects your beard hairs. The difference here is that beard balm ingredients include carrier oils and essential oils that provide nutrition, have anti-inflammatory properties, are rich in vitamins, and have a large array of associated benefits.

Hair Growth

Using the proper products and having a good beard care routine can help improve beard growth. Both beard wax and beard balm have distinct advantages that are worth exploring and could be beneficial for your hair growth journey.

Hold

If you’re looking for a product that can help tame your long and wild beard, then a beard wax might be the right voice for you. Beard balm can be used as a styling product but it has a medium-strength hold. If you apply beard was on slightly damp hair, chances are your beard will look amazing the entire day.

Styling

Your needs are directly correlated with your beard style. If your facial hair has a complex and precise cut, then you’ll probably need a product that has a stronger hold, in which case, you might benefit more from a beard wax.

Moisturization

Picking the right product can factor in some other aspects such as exposure to harsh weather conditions or pollutants like dust and other materials. If your facial hair tends to be dry and coarse, then you might benefit from the extra moisturizing properties of beard balm, or even better a quality beard oil.

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