Some guys make having a beard look effortless. Their beard hair grows in thick and full, without any patches anywhere or scraggly bits. Such a flawless, stunning beard, however, doesn’t come easy. A proper beard requires extra effort, maintenance, grooming, and commitment.
So what exactly is involved in caring for one’s beard? If you have a beard or are contemplating growing one, there is a lot you need to know about taking care of your facial hair.
And one crucial aspect of beard care is keeping it clean. After all, you don’t want your beard to get so itchy or frustrating that you end up simply shaving it off. After all, keeping one’s beard clean and healthy is one of the keys to growing thick, full, and long beard hairs. Caring for your beard by keeping it clean and conditioned with the proper products will also prevent unwanted results such as beard dandruff and split ends.
And come on; it’s just plain gross to have a beard without keeping it clean! Think about all the food particles that might potentially get stuck in an unwashed beard.
But is there really a difference between regular shampoo for your head and shampoo for your beard? The answer is a categorical yes. To make life easier for you, we’ve put together everything you need to know about beard shampoo and our selection of the six best beard shampoos on the market.
| Budget |
|---|
 |
| Viking Revolution Beard Wash |
| 4.6/5.0 |
| Type: Liquid |
| Available Sizes: 5 oz, 10 oz, 17 oz |
| Comes in a very popular set with a matching conditioner. |
| Check Amazon |
| Best Value |
|---|
 |
| Honest Amish Original Beard and Body Soap |
| 4.7/5.0 |
| Type: Bar |
| Available Sizes: 5 oz |
| Good lather, all natural and organic ingredients. |
| Check Amazon |
| Top Pick |
|---|
 |
| Professor Fuzzworthy’s Beard Shampoo |
| 5.0/5.0 |
| Type: Bar |
| Available Sizes: 4 ounces |
| All natural ingredients, leaves beard soft. |
| Check Amazon |
Beard Shampoo Buying Guide
Now that we’ve convinced you of the necessity to wash your beard with beard shampoo, the next question is: how do I decide which beard shampoo to buy?
The number of beard shampoos available on the market right now is simply overwhelming. Here are some tips on how to cull the herd and determine the best beard shampoo for you and for your tastes, preferences, and budget.
Read the Full Label and Ingredients List
In order to avoid the harmful chemicals we discussed above, make sure you read the ingredients list of any beard shampoo you are considering. Read the whole label! It might seem boring to you, but it is well worth your time.
The best shampoos for your beard will use natural or organic ingredients such as biotin, aloe vera, castor oil, beeswax, coconut oil, argan oil, shea butter, tea tree oil, and other such vitamins and essential oils. Again, try your best to avoid any parabens, sulfates, or other chemicals, which may cause beard and skin irritation, dryness, itchiness, dandruff, and other problems.
Do the Necessary Research
You’re already taking a great first step by reading this article about beard shampoos. But don’t stop there. If you are considering a particular beard shampoo, don’t hesitate to look the customer reviews on Amazon or other product review websites. A more expensive beard shampoo does not necessarily mean a better or higher quality beard shampoo. Don’t be fooled by a premium price tag. Do your due diligence and check out the customer reviews (or at least read our review of the product).
A Thicker Consistency Will Generally Yield Better Results
As a general rule of thumb, a beard wash with a thicker, more viscous consistency will produce a better result. Usually, a thick shampoo or conditioner will be able to penetrate your skin and your facial hair more effectively to give you the most hydrating, smoothest effect.
This is not a hard and fast rule, but it is one we have found to apply to most beard shampoos. Thicker shampoos also generally produce a more satisfying lather.
Make Sure You Like the Fragrance
This one is personal. No matter how good for your beard a particular shampoo may be, if you don’t like how it smells, you aren’t going to want to use it (and you won’t want your beard to smell like it). So make sure the scent of the beard shampoo you buy appeals to you and doesn’t offend your nose. Try to find out which scent is most appealing to you (whether it’s something woodsy, earthy, or more neutral) and try to find a beard shampoo that matches that.
If you’re buying your shampoo at the store, it never hurts to pop open the top and take a whiff. Try to avoid fragrances which seem chemically derived (this is a red flag). Or, if you are shopping online for your beard shampoo, try to get a product with a good return policy so you can return it if you’re not satisfied with the scent.
Cost
This should not be a huge factor when considering which beard shampoo to buy, since most beard shampoos (even the more expensive ones) will not break the bank, and there is a huge selection of extremely affordable beard shampoos which also have extremely good reviews. But do take into consideration the fact that beard shampoo is something you should be using two to three times a week, and budget accordingly.
6 Best Beard Shampoos Comparison Table
| Product Name | Product Type | Available Sizes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professor Fuzzworthy’s Beard Shampoo | Bar | 4 ounces | Check Price |
| Polished Gentleman Beard Growth Shampoo and Conditioner Set | Liquid | 4 oz, 8 oz, 16 oz (pack of two) | Check Price |
| Mountaineer Brand Beard Wash | Liquid | 4 oz, 8 oz | Check Price |
| Honest Amish Original Beard and Body Soap | Bar | 5 oz | Check Price |
| Billy Jealousy Beard Wash | Liquid | 8 oz, 16 oz | Check Price |
| Viking Revolution Beard Wash | Liquid | 5 oz, 10 oz, 17 oz | Check Price |
6 Best Beard Shampoos: Detailed Reviews
Now that we’ve covered the basics of beard shampoos and you have some idea of how to determine the best beard shampoo for you, let’s go over some of the best ones we have found.
We will cover the pros and cons of each beard shampoo and point out some of the most significant features for each one. We will also supply an editor’s rating for each shampoo.
1. Professor Fuzzworthy’s Beard Shampoo (Top Pick)
Editor’s Rating: 5.0/5.0
Professor Fuzzworthy’s Beard Shampoo is the best beard shampoo we reviewed and quite possibly the very best available on the market. That’s why it gets our Top Pick for beard shampoos.
This beard shampoo is handmade in Tasmania, Australia from the finest antiseptic essential oils, like lavender and Kunzea, as well as ingredients which serve as natural conditioners for your beard, such as leatherwood, seaweed extract, beeswax, castor oil, olive oil, and honey.
This is not a liquid soap; rather, it is a bar of shampoo that you apply to your beard. You don’t need very much product to get a rich lather. It will not only make your beard soft, shiny, and healthy looking, but it will also keep your skin healthy as well.
The woodsy scent is pleasant but not overwhelming. Also, it will allow you to use less beard oil and beard balm, since it contains several of those ingredients already. So it saves you money in the long run. It’s basically the perfect all-in-one beard wash. It cleans your beard, conditions it, and leaves it feeling incredibly soft. Our editors found that out of all the shampoos we tested, this shampoo left their beards feeling the softest.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Available Sizes: 4 ounces |
| Type: Bar |
| The Pros |
|---|
| All natural ingredients |
| No synthetic chemicals, parabens, sulfates, silicone, or plastic |
| One shampoo bar equal to 2 liquid shampoo bottles |
| Good lather |
| Travel friendly |
| Gentle—good for sensitive skin |
| Smells great—woodsy scent |
| Leaves beard soft |
| Can also be used for the rest of your body |
| The Cons |
|---|
| None |
2. Polished Gentleman Beard Growth Shampoo and Conditioner Set
Editor’s Rating: 4.9/5.0
Who wouldn’t want a full, rich, thick, luscious beard? This beard shampoo and conditioner set from Polished Gentleman actually encourages beard growth with its blend of natural and organic essential oils.
The Polished Gentleman Beard Growth Shampoo contains ingredients such as manuka honey, coconut oil, aloe vera, shea butter, cocoa butter, and cehami. The beard growth conditioner contains elements such as biotin, manuka honey, eucalyptus oil, argan oil, rosemary oil, and tea tree oil. And of course, the set is free from parabens, sulfates, alcohol, and other harsh chemicals. It is also not tested on animals. It’s even gluten free! The products are carefully pH balanced in order to match the pH of your hair and your skin, to promote maximum beard hair growth.
Use a silver dollar sized amount for each shampooing and conditioning session; do this two to three times a week for optimal beard growth results. Seriously. If you want your beard to be as thick and as full as possible but also softer and shinier than it has ever been before, use this shampoo and conditioner set from Polished Gentleman.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Available Sizes: 4 oz, 8 oz, 16 oz (pack of two) |
| Type: Liquid |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Parabens free, sulfates free, gluten free, alcohol free |
| pH balanced |
| Not tested on animals |
| Actually promotes beard growth |
| Composed of natural and organic ingredients |
| Hydrates, strengthens, softens, and thickens beard hairs |
| Subtle essential oils scent |
| The Cons |
|---|
| None |
3. Mountaineer Brand Beard Wash
Editor’s Rating: 4.8/5.0
This beard wash from Mountaineer Brand comes in a fancy bottle that speaks to the quality of the product contained within. Mountaineer is a castile soap, a kind of soap that was invented in Castile, Spain, which is made from vegetable oils and is thus non-toxic and biodegradable.
Mountaineer beard wash is vegan friendly and is not tested on animals. The jojoba oil, rosemary leaf extract, coconut oil, and other essential oils combine to hydrate, condition, strengthen, and enrich each strand and follicle of your beard. It will also keep the skin underneath your beard properly moisturized so you can kiss beard dandruff goodbye. Also, it allows your beard to attain a full, soft, and fluffy look without weighing it down with a greasy feel. Furthermore, you can get an excellent, satisfying lather using very little of this shampoo.
Make sure you smell this beard wash before deciding to buy it, as not everyone will like its earthy, manly scent.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Available Sizes: 4 oz, 8 oz |
| Type: Liquid |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Good lather using very little product |
| All natural ingredients |
| Castile soap |
| Allows your beard to retain its natural oils |
| The Cons |
|---|
| You may or may not like the scent |
| Some didn’t like the consistency |
4. Honest Amish Original Beard and Body Soap (Best Value)
Editor’s Rating: 4.7/5.0
Honest Amish offers this beard and body soap which may be the best beard soap you will ever experience. It combines an excellent shampoo, body wash, and conditioner all into one for a super reasonable price, making this our pick for Best Value.
This beard soap is made of all natural and organic ingredients, such as virgin olive oil, virgin pumpkin seed oil, and lavender oil. It is safe and effective enough for use on your beard, your hair, and the rest of your body.
It lathers well, can be used for your whole body, and lasts a long time. It also conditions and hydrates your beard and is great for your skin as well, eliminating itchiness and beard dandruff. The only downside we found is that not everyone likes the scent of this soap. Some complained that it smells strongly of black licorice.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Available Sizes: 5 oz |
| Type: Bar |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Good lather |
| Combined beard shampoo, hair shampoo, body wash, and conditioner |
| All natural and organic ingredients |
| The Cons |
|---|
| May smell strongly of black licorice |
5. Billy Jealousy Beard Wash
Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5.0
If your beard is dyed or color treated, you should strongly consider this beard wash from Billy Jealousy. This shampoo, which is free of sulfates, will not affect or strip away the dye or color from your beard even after continued or prolonged use.
The Billy Jealousy beard wash contains quality ingredients such as green tea extract, aloe vera, and soy protein. The aloe vera it contains will help to increase the volume and thickness of your beard as well as hydrate and soften it. The soy protein will serve as a conditioner for your beard hairs, allowing them to resist breakage and split ends naturally with prolonged use.
It is not only free of sulfates but also free of parabens. Furthermore, it is made in the USA, so you do not have to worry about sketchy quality control from a faraway third world country.
Unfortunately, the fragrance from the shampoo is chemically derived and does not come from natural ingredients. Also, this beard wash is a bit on the pricey side. But considering the fact that it is made in the USA, it may be well worth the price, especially given the numerous other advantages of this beard wash.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Available Sizes: 8 oz, 16 oz |
| Type: Liquid |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Made in the USA |
| Free of sulfates and parabens |
| Ingredients like aloe vera and soy protein hydrate, condition, and promote beard growth |
| Woodsy scent |
| Safe for use with color treated beards |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Expensive |
| Fragrance is chemically derived |
6. Viking Revolution Beard Wash (Best Budget)
Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5.0
This Viking Revolution beard wash is composed of only the highest quality, premium ingredients and materials. It also avoids any unnecessary, harsh chemicals which will cause itchiness, dryness, and skin irritation.
The nice thing about this brand is that Viking makes this product available in large quantities: this one comes in a 17 ounce bottle, which is one of the largest we’ve seen. It also softens and hydrates your beard, providing it the proper care it deserves. It includes natural beard oil, so you can cut down on your beard oil and beard balm regimen and save money on that end.
| Tech Specs |
|---|
| Available Sizes: 5 oz, 10 oz, 17 oz |
| Type: Liquid |
| The Pros |
|---|
| Includes a natural oil which softens your beard |
| Gets rid of beard dandruff |
| Soothes skin irritation and beard itch |
| Comes in a very popular set with a matching conditioner |
| The Cons |
|---|
| Fragrance smells vaguely of chemicals |
The Benefits of Beard Shampoo
Let’s delve into what makes beard shampoo different from regular shampoo for your head and why you should definitely start using it for your beard if you don’t do so already.
Beard Shampoo vs. Regular Shampoo
So what is the different between beard shampoo and regular shampoo? The main difference is that beard shampoo is specifically formulated for your facial hair. Regular shampoo is designed to strip the oils from the hair on your head, because no one likes to see greasy, oily looking hair. If the hair on your head looks greasy, people will think that you don’t wash your hair.
But when it comes to facial hair, your beard needs all the oils it can get. If you wash your beard with regular shampoo, it can become frizzled, dry, and full of split ends. That’s why a beard balm or beard oil is likely already part of your beard care regimen (or should be). A good beard shampoo does half the job for you by cleaning your beard without stripping out your natural sebum oils. It also leaves your beard feeling soft and conditioned.
Furthermore, most regular shampoos for your head contains a number of ingredients which should never get anywhere near your beard:
One of these is sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), a detergent which penetrates the surface of the skin and disrupts its natural oils. This can lead to severe skin and beard irritation.
Parabens are preservatives which are found in many regular shampoos. Parabens have been linked to reproductive issues, asthma, obesity, and allergies. Not only will they cause beard and skin irritation and a possible allergic reaction, but they are also bad for your health generally.
Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) is another detergent commonly found in shampoos which is a carcinogen, meaning that it has been shown to cause cancer. Clearly, this chemical shouldn’t go anywhere near your beard (or the rest of your body).
Polyethylene glycol is an ingredient found in a number of shampoos of a lower quality that has actually been banned in the state of California. It has been shown in some research to interfere with normal human development.
Fragrances are exceedingly common in traditional hair shampoos, but you should avoid them generally. Fragrances should be derived whenever possible from organic ingredients or from essential oils. Fragrances that are artificial are derived from over three thousand chemicals, which can often result in skin irritation, allergic reactions, asthma, and other side effects that you definitely want to avoid.
Your beard will not be properly cared for if you wash it with shampoo which has been designed for the hair on your head. Washing your beard with regular shampoo will most likely result in itchiness, dryness, and dandruff, as well as frizzled beard hair and split ends.
Cost
While buying special shampoo for your beard may seem like an additional cost, in reality, it will save you time and money in the long run by preserving your health and the health of your beard. Also, in order to take proper care of your beard, you might already be using beard balm and/or beard oil, especially if you were trying to replenish the oils stripped from your beard by that traditional hair shampoo.
If you invest in a proper beard shampoo, you will not need to use as much beard balm and beard oil, since good beard shampoo leaves the good oils in your beard and conditions with other essential oils and ingredients. So you will save money on beard oil and beard balm by buying a proper beard shampoo, and you will be investing in your future health as well by avoiding the scary chemicals described above.
Also, you will find that when it comes to beard shampoo, a little goes a long way. Most men should wash their beards an average of two to three times a week. So that small investment in a proper beard shampoo will not only leave your beard looking softer, fuller, and healthier, but will also last you a good long time.
Skin Benefits
The benefits to your skin of using a shampoo designed for your beard are obvious. Using a traditional shampoo on your beard will cause a great deal of skin irritation and will also cause dryness and beard dandruff. You definitely don’t want to be the guy at work who gets side eye from his coworkers because of the dead skin flakes coming off of his super itchy beard. Do yourself a favor and take care of your beard and the skin underneath it by investing in some proper beard shampoo.
Self-Care
Let’s face it. Your beard is (or should be) a point of pride for you. If it’s not, then why bother going to the time and effort of growing and maintaining it? It’s not an easy thing to keep! A well-kept beard will take care of you—in more ways than one. So learn how to care for your beard with a proper beard upkeep regimen, which starts with a good beard shampoo. Then, you will be well on your way to achieving a full, thick, soft, shiny, healthy-looking beard—a beard that will be the envy of the neighborhood or the office.
Final Thoughts
These beard shampoos are the best we’ve seen, but there are a lot of other close contenders. The main thing is to find a beard shampoo that suits you and your preferences. If you don’t like how it makes your beard feel or how it smells, you won’t like the results. So use the guide and our recommendations to find the best beard shampoo for you!
