How to Use Beard Oil Properly: A Barber's Guide
I'm Fabio, a barber and the founder of Monsera. Beard oil is one of the most useful products a man with a beard can own — and one of the most misused. Here is exactly how I tell clients in my chair to use it.
The short answer
Use 3–5 drops of beard oil once a day, on a clean, towel-dried beard, ideally after a shower. Warm the oil in your palms, work it down to the skin first, then through the length of the beard, and finish by brushing or combing it into shape.
Why use beard oil at all?
Beard hair is coarser than the hair on your head, and the skin underneath has to deal with it every day. Shampoo and hot showers strip natural oils, which is why many beards feel wiry and the skin beneath gets dry, flaky or itchy — especially in the first weeks of growing a beard. A good beard oil:
- softens the hair, so it feels smoother and less scratchy (also for whoever you kiss);
- conditions the skin under the beard, which helps against that dry, itchy feeling;
- makes the beard easier to brush and shape;
- gives a healthy look without a greasy shine — if you use the right amount.
Step by step
- Start clean. Wash your beard (a gentle wash like our 2-in-1 Hair & Body Wash works) and pat it dry with a towel. Slightly damp is fine; dripping wet isn't.
- Count your drops. Stubble to short beard: 2–3 drops. Medium beard: 3–5 drops. Long beard: 5–8 drops. Start low — you can always add one.
- Warm it up. Rub the oil between your palms and fingertips for a few seconds.
- Skin first. Push your fingertips into the beard against the direction of growth and massage the oil into the skin. This is the step most men skip, and it's the one that stops the itch.
- Then the hair. Smooth your hands down the beard in the direction of growth to coat the lengths.
- Shape it. Brush or comb the beard into place. A brush spreads the oil evenly and trains the hairs to lie the way you want.
The mistakes I see most
- Too much oil. If your beard looks wet or shiny an hour later, use fewer drops. Beard oil should disappear into the beard.
- Only oiling the ends. The skin underneath needs it most.
- Applying it to a dirty beard. Oil on top of a day's sweat and dust just makes it heavier.
- Giving up after two days. Softness builds with daily use. Give it a week.
Beard oil or beard balm?
Beard oil is about care: softness, skin comfort, a light finish. Beard balm adds wax or butter for hold, so it's mostly useful for long, unruly beards that need taming. For most beards, oil alone is enough. If you need hold, apply oil first and a small amount of balm on top.
How long does a bottle last?
At 3–5 drops a day, a 20 ml bottle lasts a long time — typically well over a month, and longer for short beards.
The oil I use
Our Softening Beard Oil is built on organic hemp seed oil with vitamin E and natural essential oils. It's light, absorbs fast and doesn't leave a greasy shine. It's part of the Barbershop Ritual, together with a face gel, face cream, eye cream and a 2-in-1 wash. Combine two or more and 10% comes off automatically.
Want the rest of the routine? Read the 3-step men's skincare routine.
— Fabio Simbula, barber and founder of Monsera