If you have been wondering whether it is safe to use hair oil on your beard, read on to find out what you need to look out for before applying hair oil to your facial hair.
Can I use hair oil on my beard? Generally, you should not use hair oil on your beard unless the hair oil is made of beard-friendly natural oils. Any hair oils that contain anti-androgenic natural oils such as rosemary oil, tea tree oil, lavender oil among others should be avoided as they will affect your beard negatively. However, any hair oil that has natural essential oils such as coconut, argan oil, jojoba oil plus other oils that are not anti androgenic can be used on your beard.
Based on my experience growing a beard, while using hair oil on your beard will not provide the negative effects immediately. I would recommend you to buy a well-formulated beard oil or even make your own beard oil instead of using hair oil in your beard.
Why using hair oil on your beard is a bad idea
Anti androgenic natural oils
The growth of the beard is stimulated by testosterone and DHT. Naturally, there are foods and natural oils that boost the levels of testosterone in the body.
At the same time, there are several natural oils that inhibit the conversion of testosterone to DHT which is what facilitates beard growth.
These oils are known as anti-androgenic oils and for anyone looking forward to growing a beard they should avoid them or keep their use at a minimal.
The funny part is the fact that these anti-androgenic oils have been scientifically proven to help grow back hair lost through androgenic alopecia.
Androgenic alopecia is a form of hair loss that is caused by androgen testosterone and DHT. If you counteract the action of these two hormones you will be able to stop androgenic alopecia.
Hair oils meant for hair growth should be not be applied to your beard since they will have these anti-androgenic natural oils.
Anti androgenic natural oils include
- tea tree oil
- amla oil
- sesame oil
- lavender oil
- rosemary oil
Therefore, you should always check for the ingredients used to make a certain brand of hair oil before applying it to your beard. Avoid hair oils that have the above-named natural essential oils as continued use of these oils will affect your beard negatively.
Harsh chemicals
Some of the hair oils are made as aerosol sprays for ease of application. These aerosol sprays come with ethanol as one of the ingredients to facilitate spraying.
Ethanol, alcohol, and methylated spirit are not good for the beard, they draw moisture from the beard and the skin beneath and will end up causing dryness, frizzy beard, and consequently lead to dandruff.
Safe hair oil for the beard
As mentioned earlier, there are some hair oils or lotions that have beard-friendly natural essential oils that can be comfortably used on the beard and actually benefit the beard the same way a beard oil would.
Any hair oil that does not contain anti androgenic hairs or DHT blockers should be okay to use on your beard.
I would advise you to avoid aerosol hair sprays since most of them have an alcohol content to aid in the spraying which will end up making your beard coarse by drawing moisture from it.
Are hair growth oils good for beard growth?
Most hair growth oils are not safe for beards, a large number of people suffer from androgenic alopecia a type of hair loss that is caused by androgen testosterone and DHT.
In fact based on this study
, androgenic alopecia affects the highest percentage of men above the age of 50.
Given that hair loss is caused by the same hormone that promotes beard growth (DHT), you will find that most hair growth oils contain anti-androgenic oils or simply known as DHT blockers.
As mentioned above, these oils are not good for beard growth or grooming. Therefore, hair growth oils are not good for beard growth or grooming.
Can you use beard oil on hair?
You can use beard oil on your hair safely. The natural oils used to make beard oils will not harm your hair since most of these oils are also found in some of the beard-safe hair oils.
Quality beard oils are made of androgenic friendly natural oils such as coconut oil, jojoba oil, castor oil, almond oil, olive oil, sesame oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil among others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use hair products on your beard? Yes, you can use hair products on the beards depending on the ingredients. Hair products such as hair oils containing anti-androgenic oils are not safe for use in your beard. At the same time, hair sprays are mostly not safe for beards since they have some alcohol content that will dry your beard. Use hair products that have safe ingredients for your beard such as beard-friendly natural oils, such as coconut oil, jojoba oil, castor oil, avocado oil among others.
Can I use hair serum on the beard? You can only use hair serum depending on the ingredients. Any hair serum that has anti-androgenic or DHT blockers natural oils such as rosemary oils should not be used on your beard. Only use hair serums that have beard-friendly natural oils.
Conclusion
While some hair oils and products are safe for use on your beard, you should be very careful when applying these products in your products, especially when you want to grow more beards. Hair oils and products marked as hair growth stimulating oils are definitely not safe for growing facial hair since most of them will have anti-androgenic oils or DHT blockers which will affect your beard growth negatively. Invest in a good premium beard oil if you are serious and care for your beards.
