Beard balm

A beard balm will delight every gentleman who takes care of his appearance. We bring you another product from our range of cosmetics designed for men — this time a softening beard balm that helps nourish and soften the moustache and beard. Since this product does not contain water-based raw materials, it is not necessary to use an emulsifier, so the concerns about creating a stable emulsion are eliminated and the product is all the easier to prepare.

About this recipe

This excellent guide to making a beard balm was prepared by Ivana Jačalová. For beard care, a combination of vegetable oils, shea butter, beeswax providing a dense consistency, and Vegeline — a plant-based petrolatum providing a protective film on the beard and skin — was selected.

Key benefits

• Nourishes and softens

  The balm helps nourish and soften the moustache and beard — a combination of oils, butter and wax for everyday care.

• No emulsifier

  The product contains no water-based raw materials, so there are no concerns about creating a stable emulsion and the preparation is all the easier.

• Protective film

  Vegeline creates a protective layer on the skin and beard, shielding them from weather influences while softening them at the same time.

• Masculine woody scent

  A blend of vetiver, sandalwood, patchouli, black pepper, thyme and lemongrass imitates the scent of wood and leather.

• Consistency to suit you

  By changing the ratio of Vegeline, butter, wax and oils you can adjust the density of the product exactly to your needs.

Product properties

Key raw materials in the recipe

When making the beard balm, you do not necessarily have to follow our instructions strictly. By changing the ratio of some raw materials, you can adjust the consistency of the product exactly according to your needs. Or play with essential oils and give the product precisely your favourite scent.

Vegeline

The plant-based petrolatum Vegeline represents an alternative to classic paraffin petrolatums. Thanks to its purely plant-based basis consisting of oils and waxes, Vegeline will be an excellent addition to any balms or richer creams. In addition, in a beard balm it helps to create a protective layer on the skin and beard, protecting them from weather influences and softening them at the same time.

By changing the amount of Vegeline in the formula, you can also influence the final consistency of the product. For example, by increasing the proportion of Vegeline you will obtain a denser consistency characteristic of highly nourishing balms. Conversely, if you want a more liquid and more easily spreadable product, replace part of the Vegeline with vegetable oils.

Vegetable oils

The mixture of vegetable oils in the beard balm recipe provides hydration to the skin and beard as well as vitamins and nutrients. By increasing the proportion of oils in the formula at the expense of butter, wax or Vegeline, you will obtain a balm with a softer consistency, closer to creams. Conversely, the fewer oils you use, the denser the beard balm will be. You can also substitute the oils in the recipe according to your preferences with any other vegetable oil or a blend of them.

Almond oil is an excellent basic carrier oil for many types of cosmetics. It contains vitamins A and E, and thus nourishes the skin. In addition, it is very suitable for dry or sensitive and irritated skin, since it is well tolerated by many skin types.

Hemp oil is sought after for its rapid absorption into the skin. Also for this reason it does not leave a greasy film, and at the same time it is rich in omega-3 and 6 fatty acids. It helps to hydrate the beard and skin well, and is particularly suitable if you have acne-prone or oily skin.

Fractionated coconut oil is obtained from traditional coconut oil by selecting fractions, thanks to which this oil is liquid even at normal temperatures. Since it is colourless and odourless, it combines excellently with essential oils and with other oil-based raw materials. Thanks to refining, it has an almost unlimited shelf life and does not oxidise easily, and therefore helps to improve the durability of products. Similarly to hemp oil, coconut oil is rapidly absorbed and does not leave a greasy film.

Shea butter

It is shea butter that gives the beard balm its pleasant creamy consistency. If you choose the unrefined version, you can also detect in the product the subtle nutty scent of this butter. If you do not like this scent, choose the refined version. An advantage of shea butter is that it begins to melt gradually upon contact with the skin, and thus gently and gradually lubricates, softens and nourishes the beard.

If you want a product with a more pronounced gel-oil consistency, reduce the content of shea butter and replace it with vegetable oils. If you like products with a denser consistency and a higher proportion of this butter, add a few percent at the expense of oils to achieve the desired texture and viscosity.

Substitution with other plant butters is possible, but it will result in a change in consistency, since each plant butter has a different melting point and hardness.

Cetearyl alcohol

To strengthen and thicken the product, one of the most common thickening agents — cetearyl alcohol — was used. An advantage of this fatty alcohol is that it dissolves in fats upon heating and has properties similar to wax, thus providing the product with hardness and firmness.

Even a small change in the amount of cetearyl alcohol is reflected in the overall consistency of the product. At the same time, it is possible to replace this alcohol with cetyl alcohol. You can also use cetearyl alcohol instead of beeswax if you are looking for a vegan alternative. However, expect a slight change in viscosity.

Beeswax

It is beeswax that gives the beard balm its caring substances and characteristic consistency. The refined version is stripped of colour and also of its typical scent, but it is possible to replace this wax with natural beeswax or plant waxes.

If you want a product that is denser and at the same time will partially help to shape and fix the beard, increase the proportion of beeswax in the recipe at the expense of oils. Conversely, if you feel that the product is too greasy, reduce the proportion of oils or slightly increase the amount of beeswax.

Essential oils

To create a pleasant masculine fragrance imitating wood and leather, a blend of plant essential oils was used. The combination of vetiver and sandalwood represents the base note of the fragrance, while patchouli, black pepper and thyme are excellent middle notes, complemented by a subtle citrus hint of lemongrass as the top note.

However, this is not the only combination of oils that can be used in a beard balm. You can combine your favourite essential oils and blend your own mixture, whether with regard to the scent or the active substances of the essential oils for beard growth.

Alternatively, it is possible to replace essential oils with fragrance oils, which are, however, synthetic and therefore do not contain plant extracts. Or prepare an unperfumed version.

Tocopherol

Vitamin E, or tocopherol, not only nourishes the skin and beard, but also helps prolong the freshness of the oils and fats used in the making. Vitamin E is an antioxidant and thus slows down the oxidation of the oils and fats present.

Tocopherol is not an essential part of the recipe, but it is good to use it if you want to enjoy your product for as long as possible. You can possibly replace it with tocopheryl acetate, which has similar properties.

Formulation (100 g)

The content of the raw materials is given in percentages by weight, so it corresponds to a batch of 100 g of finished balm. The raw materials of phase A are melted together in a water bath; the raw materials of phase B are added only during whipping, into the cooled mixture.

Method

1. Disinfection

   All tools, containers and packaging that will come into contact with the product or raw materials, disinfect them, for example with ethanol.

2. Melting phase A Phase Aup to 70 °C

   In a heat-resistant container, mix the raw materials of phase A — vegetable oils, shea butter, Vegeline and wax. Heat in a water bath until the wax, butter and Vegeline are completely melted and combined with the other raw materials.

3. Solidifying the mixture

   Remove the mixture from the water bath and leave it to solidify (to speed this up, you can place the mixture in the refrigerator).

4. Whipping

   After solidification, start whipping the mixture with a (hand) mixer fitted with a whisk attachment for whipping egg whites.

5. Adding phase B Phase B

   While whipping, add the essential oils and tocopherol gradually. Continue whipping until the mixture reaches the consistency that suits you.

6. Filling the jar

   Fill the balm into a pre-disinfected jar.

Tips and tricks

Below you will find a few tips that will help you when making your beard balm.

When heating phase A, it is good not to exceed a temperature of 70 °C, so that sensitive substances in the oils are not degraded or rapidly oxidised. It is better to heat at a lower temperature and give the mixture enough time for the individual raw materials to melt and combine.

It is important to ensure the mixture is thoroughly cooled down and solidified. Otherwise, you will not be able to whip it to a fluffy consistency. During whipping, a small amount of heat is generated, and thus the oils combine well with the other components.

At the same time, always add the raw materials of phase B only during whipping, into the cooled mixture. If you were to add them during heating, thermal degradation would occur — essential oils and vitamin E (tocopherol) are both sensitive to higher temperatures.

When using the product, it is good to avoid water getting into the product. Water may lead to the development of microbial contamination, since the beard balm does not contain a preservative. A preservative has not been added because the product consists only of non-aqueous raw materials, and so in the absence of water there is a low chance that micro-organisms will cause significant spoilage of the product.

It is also advisable to store the product in an opaque container away from sources of heat and sunlight, since higher temperatures and UV radiation in particular accelerate the oxidation of oils and fats in the beard balm.

Warning

As mentioned, you can experiment with homemade recipes to achieve the desired properties. However, the final result can be influenced by many factors, such as humidity, temperature, quality of raw materials or their storage.

Before you use any raw material for the manufacture of a cosmetic product, familiarise yourself with its properties, recommended dosage, storage conditions and safe handling. Each raw material may have the potential to cause an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals, therefore before using the product we recommend you establish, for example by a skin test, whether you are allergic to any of the raw materials or to the finished product as a whole.

If you have very sensitive or very acne-prone skin, or if you have other skin or health problems, we recommend you consult a medical professional before applying a new product to the skin, whether it is a homemade cosmetic product, a pure raw material or a commercially available product.

Frequently asked questions about the recipe

Practical questions about beard balm — temperature, preservation, consistency and storage.

Conclusion

Do you have a bearded man at home whose beard needs a bit more care? Try making a beard balm for him according to our instructions. We thank Ivana Jačalová for the excellent guide to making the beard balm.

Have you made it? Write to us about it, tell us about your experience and if you have tips from your own practice, be sure to write them to us at [email protected].

We look forward to all your messages.