Great beards are not born. They are bred, they are groomed, and they are maintained. If you have a beard you may know this, and if you’re looking to grow a beard, take note. Before you pull out that trimmer, and even before you apply your beard balm or butter, you need a beard wash or shampoo. Indeed, like all great hygiene, great bearding starts in the shower.
Now, we aren’t talking about using whatever drugstore shampoo you have lying around, nor even a fancy salon brand. You need a beard shampoo or wash specifically. There are numerous reasons for this.
Regular shampoos are designed to de-grease, clean and soften the hair on your head. When it comes to your face though, your beard needs the extra oils that your follicles produce otherwise it will become dry, frizzy and susceptible to breakage and split ends. Beard shampoos and washes are made to work with, instead of against, the natural oils produced by your skin and facial hair.
Also, your face and your beard take a beating every day whether you realize it or not from natural dirt, dust, and pollutants. Shampoos and washes get rid of all that environmental gunk. Next, if you are a gent that likes to color your beard, these products will help preserve the dye. Finally, beard washes and shampoos help nourish and hydrate the skin to help get rid of and prevent the ever-dreaded beardruff.
While adding one more must to your morning routine may seem a bit grueling at the outset, don’t worry. Using a beard shampoo or wash is fast and easy and is only recommended once every two to three days—using daily will dry your beard out and again, strip it of its natural oils. If you have a short beard, you’ll only need one quick pass of working a lather through and then rinsing. If you have a longer beard, two to four passes should be more than enough.
Once you start using a beard shampoo or wash on a regular basis, you’ll start to see a healthier, shinier beard and won’t need as much beard oil or beard balm too. Which brings us to one last important caveat: A good beard shampoo or wash does not replace a quality beard balm or butter, or even beard oil. It is a great complement to these necessities and together they will give you the pleasant, glistening bristles of your burly, bearded dreams.
Check out our selections for the best beard shampoos and washes. These picks are all under $25 and will last for months so you can feel good about making your beard look better. We’ve listed them from cheapest to priciest, for your added shopping convenience.
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1. Maple Hill Naturals Honest for Men Beard Wash
Pros:- Comes in storage container
- Under $10
- All-natural ingredients
- Made in the U.S.A.
Cons:- A bit drying
- Scent is a hit or miss
- Some users find the bar more difficult to use than traditional liquid shampoo
Sometimes, a superior shampoo doesn’t come in a bottle, it comes in a bar. Maple Hill’s orange, lavender and patchouli-scented solid is simple and straightforward, with all-natural ingredients and no chemicals. In fact, the company claims, “If we couldn’t pronounce the ingredients we didn’t use them,” which is nice to know when it comes to a product you use repeatedly on the ol’ moneymaker.
Plus, one of the main reasons many men complain of itchy beards and skin is because of those harsh chemicals used in many of the other products on the market. This bar won’t strip your natural oils or damage hair follicles, and can even be used on the rest of your body too if you so please. The recycled paper board container it comes in is also great for storage at home and on the go.
When it comes to using, this nice and hefty chunk of soap is easy to manage and will last a while. Maple Hill claims that one bar is equal to 24 ounces of regular liquid shampoo. Once you’ve worked the lather through your beard, let it sit for a short minute to allow the natural oils to really work their way into your skin and beard. Then rinse and carry on your way. The result will be softer scruff that’s also easier to comb and brush.
If the Original Scent doesn’t sound like your speed, you can also choose from Black Forest, Mint Tea, or Stealth blends.
Find more Maple Hill Naturals Honest for Men Beard Wash information and reviews here.
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2. Honest Amish Beard & Body Soap
Pros:- Mild and not drying
- Choose from two scents
- Under $10
- All-natural ingredients
- Made in the U.S.A.
Cons:- Keep away from running water
- Scents are hit or miss
- Some users find a bar more difficult to use than traditional liquid shampoo
Here’s another handy bar option that’s also under $10. Honest Amish is known for making everything by hand and in small batches from original recipes. Their Beard & Body Soap holds up to its promise of delivering a milder, non-drying face and beard cleanser.
It features lavender, clove, cedarwood, and anise essential oils, as well as kaolin clay. Kaolin clay is highly regarded as the gentlest of all cosmetic clays and does not strip the skin of its natural oils in order to cleanse.
This bar does do a great job of cleansing gently, while still removing product like yesterday’s beard wax. It’s easy to get a full lather too. Perhaps too easy though—the packaging warns to keep the soap away from running water.
The issue is that this bar is a bit softer, so constant contact with water will start to turn it into mush. The bright side to this is that you can cut the bar up into a few different pieces, bring one into the shower, and then store the rest.
Find more Honest Amish Beard & Body Soap information and reviews here.
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3. Mountaineer All-Natural Beard Wash
Pros:- Castile soap
- Lathers nicely with little product
- All-natural ingredients
Cons:- Not as great for skin as it is for your beard
- Scent is a hit or miss
- Some user didn't like the consistency
This handsome bottle looks like it comes from a fancy French shop, but it only costs $10. The Mountaineer Brand has built a name for itself on delivering high-end, quality beard care products at modest price points.
Its beard wash delivers and is uniquely formulated with natural castile soap. Originating in Castile, Spain, castile soap is made from vegetable oils, is biodegradable and non-toxic.
It also boasts grease-grabbing properties that won’t leave your beard stripped of all its natural oils. This might give you a less than squeaky clean feeling after you use it, but rest assured, your fuzz will be soft, free from dirt and happily still oiled.
The Mountaineer All-Natural Beard Wash has a natural, earthy pine scent that won’t linger too long on your skin or irritate your nose. Plus, a little goes a long way and it works up nicely and easily into a good lather.
Find more Mountaineer All-Natural Beard Wash information and reviews here.
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4. Grave Before Shave Beard Wash Shampoo
Pros:- Lathers up nicely
- Softens well
- Cool packaging is fun to display and easy for travel
Cons:- Includes sulfate which can be irritating and drying
- Scent is a hit or miss
- Ingredients are not all-natural
With its black and white skeleton packaging, you know Grave Before Shave Beard Wash Shampoo is hardcore.
The shampoo itself is thinner, lighter blue in color and has a more throwback, masculine sort of fragrance (the company likens it to an “old-time barbershop”). It’s also enriched with argan oil to keep your facial follicles hydrated and happy, and can also be used on all hair if you’d like. A little bit of product also goes a long way into creating a nice, rich lather and that means it’ll last too.
If you find yourself facing beardruff or itchy spots, the Grave Before Shave Beard Wash Shampoo will also help alleviate those common beard annoyances as well.
Find more Grave Before Shave Beard Wash Shampoo information and reviews here.
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5. Ranger Grooming Company Beard Wash
Pros:- Very positively reviewed across thousands of people
- All-natural ingredients and paraben-free
- Great quality and amount for the price
Cons:- Scent is a hit or miss for some
- Some users didn't like the consistency
- Some users felt it irritated their sensitive skin
With almost five thousand four-star reviews, the Ranger Grooming Company Beard Wash is a bearded crowd favorite.
Its organic and all-natural formula is made in the U.S.A. and features nourishing Rosehip Seed Oil, Jojoba Oil, as well as invigorating Tea Tree and Peppermint Oils. The great combo makes it perfect for beards of all types. Plus, the formula cleanses while balancing your skin’s natural pH levels to keep your beard growing strong.
It’s an excellent choice to keep your beard clean, well-managed and growing strong.
Find more Ranger Grooming Company Beard Wash information and reviews here.
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6. Beardsley Ultra Shampoo for Beards
Pros:- Can also be used on other hair
- Softens hair nicely
- Lathers up well
Cons:- Ingredient list includes chemicals
- Scent is hit or miss
- Some users found the formular irritating to their skin
Wild berries and an old, distinguished man just might lead the way to your beard cleaning salvation. That is, if you go with our next pick, Beardsley Ultra Shampoo for Beards.
This beard shampoo is formulated especially for facial hair and to help with the underlying skin. It also alleviates itch and improves manageability of previously unruly bristles to leave them feeling clean and fresh.
While the berry scent may not seem the manliest choice, this shampoo does not smell like your mom’s favorite beauty store. It is a bit sweeter than others, but comes off as quite light and fresh and even better, tastes pretty okay if you happen to get it in your mouth while using. There’s nothing wrong with that at all.
Find more Beardsley Ultra Shampoo for Beards information and reviews here.
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7. Bluebeards Original Beard Wash
Pros:- Great for getting rid of beardruff
- Good for coarser beards
- Extra-conditioning for drier skin and beards
Cons:- Chemical ingredients
- Scent is a hit or miss
- A bit pricier than other options
If a skeleton donning a blue beard tells you, “Don’t shave it. Maintain it.” you should listen. Bluebeards Original Beard Wash is everything you need to get your scruff under control and looking good.
Its extra-conditioning properties will help soften and smooth even the wildest of beards by gently fighting frizz and adding natural shine.
This is a great option for those who deal with beard flakes too. For an added assault on that pesky stuff, apply the cleanser, work it in with your hands, and then use a brush or comb to really get to the skin beneath. After rinsing and toweling dry, brush or comb your beard again for added manageability.
Find more Bluebeards Original Beard Wash information and reviews here.
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8. Medicine Man’s Itchy Beard Wash
Pros:- Great for guys who suffer from beard itch, beardruff and skin irritation
- All-natural ingredients
- Made in the U.S.A.
Cons:- Dispenser can be tricky to open
- More watery consistency
- Scent is hit or miss
Utilizing old-world, healing knowledge and developed in a Brooklyn, New York workshop, Medicine Man’s Itchy Beard Wash is for you if your main facial mane issue is dealing with skin sensitivities.
This cleanser is specifically designed to alleviate the two largest beard itch problems: It will help you get through the early itchy stages of growing a beard and it will help you if you experience chronic beard itch, beardruff or redness of the skin beneath your beard.
The key ingredient is sea fennel, which improves blood flow to those areas on the skin and regulates the regeneration of keratin to make hair smoother and less frizzy.
When using, you only need one or two pumps to work up a nice, foamy lather that will tackle even the longest of beards. Its earthy scent features rosemary and lavender, two soothing and calming ingredients. While it is the priciest option on our list, it’s long-lasting and consistently exceeds user expectations.
Find more Medicine Man’s Itchy Beard Wash information and reviews here.
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