The Three Kings of Carrier Oils

Today's Beard Care

With the beard market so saturated, companies are trying to come up with more and more ways to distinguish themselves from the competition. Often times you will see this directly within the ingredients. While companies will drop a beard oil line that involves 8, 9, or even 10 carrier oils in the blend, I realized one problem with that: the more carrier oils added into a product will take away from the other carriers that are far more nutrient-dense. This was unacceptable. My solution? Find the most nutrient-dense carriers I could find and figure out a ratio that handles greasiness and absorbability while maintaining longevity in the beard. Limiting my selection separated the kings from the men, ultimately maximizing the nutrients for your beard. That's where jojoba, argan and sweet almond oil comes in.

What Are Carrier Oils?

Carrier oils are natural oils with little to no scent. They are used for diluting blends that contain essential or fragrance oils before they are applied to the skin or hair. It is important to dilute essential and fragrance oils to help prevent any sort of irritation on the skin. More importantly, they are the carriers of nutrients to the skin and beard. The type of carrier oils used in a beard product will determine what kind of benefits you receive from them, how greasy the beard may be, the shine, softness, and overall longevity.

Jojoba oil is such an incredible oil. It is the most similar to your natural skins’ oil. While it helps replace moisture to the skin underneath, it can also help prevent dandruff in the beard, conditioning it and preventing dryness. Additionally, it helps prevent any sort of hair loss by allowing follicles to grow new hair while also working to prevent split ends. All around one of the true go-to's in beard care.

Argan oil, an ancient oil produced from the kernels of the argan tree native to Morocco, has been used for years for skin and hair. Argan oil is extremely rich in beneficial nutrients including fatty acids and vitamin E. Its properties make it particularly beneficial for the hair and skin by working to eliminate dry, itchy beards and protecting it from the cold, all while preventing split ends. Being more resistant to oxidation than other oils, and often referred to as "Liquid Gold", this pricey carrier oil continues to reign king. It easily is one of nature's best gifts for skin and hair care.

Almond oil is the final carrier I use. Magnesium deficiencies are often to blame for hair loss. Almond oil encourages hair growth due to its high levels of both magnesium and biotin. Almond oil also treats and prevents dandruff by cleansing the skin underneath and removing dead cells. Itchy beard? Almond oil's high fatty acid content makes it ideal for treating any sort of irritation or inflammation under your beard. It moisturizes and softens the skin which improves circulation to the inflamed or irritated area. As with jojoba and argan, almond oil provides excellent nutrients that quickly absorb into the beard and skin providing you with a softer beard.

If you want to maximize your growth, don't underestimate proper diet, exercise and hydration. These all affect your skin's health, just as much as your beard. At the end of the day, you need healthy skin in order to grow a healthy beard.