We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
10 best beard oils for men, tried and tested in our lab
The best oils and serums for grooming beards and hydrating skin
Tested by Orla BadgerFormer Senior Beauty and Grooming Tester
Using the best beard oil is an essential part of any man's grooming regime if they're looking to cultivate a luxurious and stylish beard. It’s essentially the equivalent of a hair oil, working to nourish, de-frizz and style straw-like ends.
Whether you're talking short stubble, a shapely moustache or a lumberjack beard, there’s an oil out there for everyone, to help manage and maintain silky soft facial hair.
Which beard oil is best?
If you're not sure where to start, don't worry, the Good Housekeeping Institute has done all the research for you. Our experts recruited a panel of 300 men to test the leading beard oils on the market. These were their top picks at a glance:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Keep your beard and body hair looking its best with our Tried and Tested grooming devices: Best beard trimmers and hair clippers | Best body groomers for men
How does putting oil in your beard help?
Growing a beard requires a lot of patience, and a good beard oil is an essential part of the process. It helps condition coarse hair and keeps strays in check. It also works to hydrate the skin underneath, eradicating any dry flakes or razor bumps to leave it feeling smoother and softer.
A beard oil is a really useful styling product too, helping to achieve groomed, healthy-looking results, rather than letting the hair run wild.
Should beard oil be used every day?
Beard oils are applied in a similar way to morning and evening moisturisers. They should be used twice a day – once after a morning shower and again before bedtime, so they can get to work overnight. However, note that if beard oil is applied too regularly, it can overload the skin and hair, causing clogged pores, irritation and an unappealing greasy look. So, avoid overuse.
Do beard oils help with hair growth?
Beard oils can’t perform magic. They won’t make your beard grow as they don’t contain any hair growth stimulants. What they can do is help create the conditions needed for healthy hair growth. Most beard oils contain vitamins and antioxidants that can help to nourish and hydrate hair follicles, minimising breakage to foster a thicker, fuller beard.
How we test beard oils
We tasked 300 male testers – all with stubble, short beards, moustaches or long beards – to trial 30 brands of beard oil. They were tasked with finding the best products for smoothing and softening facial hair, making it easier to brush, tame and style.
Testers were asked to note whether each beard oil affected the softness and hydration of their skin and if they noticed any reduction in itchiness.
Back in the Good Housekeeping Institute lab, we used a Dia-Stron machine — a multi-functional testing instrument that measures how easy hair fibres are to comb through — to analyse the smoothness of hair before and after application.
These are the best beard oils in test.
Score: 92/100
Our winner impressed from the get-go, quickly smoothing and softening our our panel's facial hair after a single use. The lightweight formula absorbed quickly, leaving their skin feeling more hydrated, too. It also performed highly in our lab, with all our testers finding their hair easier to brush and style after using it.
It was so popular, in fact, that everybody said they would buy it again themselves – how’s that for a grooming hero?
Key specifications
| Size | 30ml |
|---|---|
| Dispensing type | Spray |
| Fragrance free | No |
Score: 92/100
At just over £50, this is the most premium beard oil we put to the test, but we think its strong performance in the lab justifies the higher price tag. It’s formulated with sweet almond oil, which left our testers’ skin hydrated and helped to tackle dandruff, too.
Again, bonus points were given for the convenient pump bottle, which made it easy to apply on the go and pop in your gym bag without risk of spillage. If you’re looking for a luxurious grooming gift for the guy that has everything, make it this.
Key specifications
| Size | 30ml |
|---|---|
| Dispensing type | Pump |
| Fragrance free | No |
Score: 86/100
Revolution is renowned for its affordable skincare, and this conditioning beard oil impressed with its non-greasy formula, which effectively smoothed and softened facial hair for most testers, beating bigger, more expensive brands.
It’s fragrance-free, too (ideal if you have sensitive skin, or simply want to avoid your grooming routine overpowering your favourite aftershave).
Key specifications
| Size | 30ml |
|---|---|
| Dispensing type | Pipette |
| Fragrance free | Yes |
Score: 86/100
Aiming to prevent any dryness or itchiness, this beard oil works hard to condition and nourish every strand. It passed our lab test with a full 5/5 score and successfully tamed unruly hair for our panel. It absorbed quickly, avoiding any greasiness, and left almost all our testers with softer, smoother beards.
Key specifications
| Size | 30ml |
|---|---|
| Dispensing type | Pump |
| Fragrance free | Yes |
Score: 86/100
If you're keen to keep your bathroom clutter to a minimum, this handy oil can be used on both dried-out beards and bodies. It made our panel's facial hair feel less coarse and helped with any sensitivity and dryness caused by razor burn.
It also aced out lab test with a perfect tangle-free score, and testers said it made their skin feel more hydrated, albeit a touch greasy at times.
Key specifications
| Size | 30ml |
|---|---|
| Dispensing type | Pipette |
| Fragrance free | No |
Score: 85/100
This beard oil proved a hit among testers for its lightweight, non-greasy texture. Most found it immediately softened facial hair and this verdict was backed up by the product's flawless performance in our lab test.
None of our panel experienced any irritation while using it and said the packaging dispensed the perfect amount of oil, meaning they didn't waste a drop.
Key specifications
| Size | 30ml |
|---|---|
| Dispensing type | Pipette |
| Fragrance free | Yes |
Daimon Barber Softening Beard and Stubble Serum
Score: 84/100
This serum did a great job at softening hair and skin. All testers said it softened any coarse strands, making the skin underneath feel less dry and itchy.
Men who don't like using heavy products should note that our panel praised this product's lightweight texture, which left them with a healthy-looking finish.
Key specifications
| Size | 100ml |
|---|---|
| Dispensing type | Pump |
| Fragrance free | No |
Score: 84/100
If you don’t want to spend a fortune, this bargain beard oil costs just over £10 and was a hit among our testers. They said their facial hair felt softer and smoother after use, and some noticed a reduction in dandruff and irritation.
It helped tame stray hairs and the majority of our panel reported that their skin felt softer, too. It also aced our lab test, proving itself to be a grooming gem.
Key specifications
| Size | 30ml |
|---|---|
| Dispensing type | Pipette |
| Fragrance free | No |
Score: 82/100
For those at the beginning of their beard growing journey, this pocket-friendly bottle of oil will help soften and style even the shortest of hairs.
Testers found a little went a long way and it soothed skin irritation. They also rated it for hydration, with the majority saying their skin felt more moisturised after use, although it failed to keep their beards looking groomed all day.
Key specifications
| Size | 10ml |
|---|---|
| Dispensing type | Pipette |
| Fragrance free | Yes |
Score: 81/100
Costing you just over a fiver, our testers found this budget beard oil's affordable price tag didn’t compromise on quality.
Packed with soothing aloe vera and camelina oil, it scored highly for smoothing in our lab test, with our panel also finding it helped detangle their beards and made them easier to comb through.
Key specifications
| Size | 30ml |
|---|---|
| Dispensing type | Pipette |
| Fragrance free | No |
These also passed...
- Redken Brews Beard & Skin Oil, £9.99, 80/100
- Osmo Beard Complex Intense Conditioning Oil, £24.11, 74/100
- Raw Naturals Imperial Beard Oil, £16.15, 74/100
30 April 2025: We updated this article to reflect the latest prices and deals. We also added in links to other relevant Good Housekeeping articles for those looking to keep their beard looking its best.
Florence is our Senior Beauty Writer, specialising in expert-tested beauty and grooming reviews — from toothbrushes to the latest skincare launches. She’s committed to sharing recommendations for products that truly work and make people feel confident and healthy. Prior to this she was at Tropic Skincare, where she worked closely with biochemists in the lab, delving into the functions of each fresh, natural ingredient and conveying its efficacy to her audience in easy-to-digest terms.
With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work.
When she isn’t packing for a trip away, working out, eating out or reading up on retinol serums, you’ll probably find her experimenting with her film camera and building her portfolio of portraits. Florence’s photography can be found at florencereeves-white.com, her Instagram is @florencereeveswhite and her twitter is @floreadsnwrites
Madeleine is our Lifestyle Writer, specialising in expert-tested reviews and round-ups on the latest beauty Beauty and Health & Wellness products. From skincare to protein powders, Maddie is committed to providing honest and helpful reviews to help guide readers to the best product for them. Maddie has a BA in English Literature and Language, which stemmed from her lifelong interest in reading and writing. She started her post graduate life at Hearst UK within a marketing capacity, which quickly turned into a desire to fulfil a writing career.
When she is not writing about the latest expert reviewed products, you can find her rifling through vintage shops or car boots, reading a print magazine, or capturing portraits on her film camera.
Orla was our Former Senior Beauty and Grooming Tester.
The best LED face masks, tested by 170 people
The best facial cleansing brushes for 2025
13 best body groomers for men, tried and tested
13 best beard trimmers and hair clippers for 2025
