Undoubtedly, many might get confused between beard balm vs. wax, and the reasons are:
- Similar packaging
- Similar texture
- Similar ingredients
Though it may sound similar, there is some major difference between beard balm and beard wax. To sort it out, I decided to try on both the products.
With 72 hours of research and analysis, I was able to note down the points as follows:
- Difference between beard balms and beard waxes
- 1 mistake that you should avoid
- Ways to maximize the benefits of beard balm and wax
The article revolves around a bit of my experience, and then a majority of things you must not miss about wax and balm.
Table Of Content
Major Comparison Between Beard Balm vs Wax
Here, you will know what makes each product superior to the other. Also, you will be able to choose the product based on the occasion or event.
Which Holds Better?
Both beard balm and wax are known for holding facial hair, but what separates them is the duration of holding.
Beard wax holds your facial mane for a longer time as it contains a high concentration of beeswax. You can choose between three different holds, i.e., light, medium, and strong.
On the other hand, beard balm is a substitute for beard wax only in case of holding. It doesn’t provide the hold that beard wax offers. After all, the main goal of beard wax is to offer a stronghold to whoever applies it.
What to Use for Styling?
If you want to style your beard, both beard balm and beard wax are preferable. What matters is which style you want to wear and for how long you want to keep it.
For styling, you must look at ingredients that contain wax and butter. Unlike oils and harsh chemicals, everything else is perfect for beard styling.
Can it Moisturize the Facial Hair?
Moisturizing beard and skin underneath are possible with the help of oils (mostly carrier oils). Both wax and balm lack this ingredient, due to which you should not expect moisturizing properties from both products.
While beard balm still contains essential oils, it can help in delivering nutrients to the skin. Just like moisturizing, these nutrients will reduce itching and irritation.
Contrary to this, beard waxes have nothing to do with moisturizing, nor do they contain any relevant ingredients. Ultimately, it loses the battle of beard balm vs. wax when it comes to this point.
How to Soften The Beard?
You can achieve soft and smooth facial hair only if whatever natural product you use has a carrier or essential oils.
Here beard balm does its job pretty well when you want a soft facial mane. Along with moisturizing, beard styling balm wins another point in having softening properties.
Besides, beard waxes don’t lose the battle as they can also soften the beards, especially coarse, unruly, and wiry beards.
What is the Solution for Dry Skin?
Dry skin requires a product that contains carrier oils, shea butter, essential oils, and cocoa butter. Here, beard oil and balm have all possible ingredients imperative to nourish and vitalize the skin and hair follicles.
Despite having a few ingredients, beard wax fails to nourish because it remains on the facial hair and not under the skin.
Does Balm or Wax Stimulate Beard Growth?
If you are a beginner who wishes to have a dusky beard, then you can ahead with beard balms. It contains vitamin-rich ingredients that stimulate hair growth.
On the other hand, beard wax focuses only on styling beards, which is why you cannot expect it to increase your hair volume.
So, these are the differences between beard balm and beard wax. Now that you know what both the products cater to, you might have a question; Can’t I use both the products together to achieve double benefits?
Confused Whether to Apply Beard Balm and Beard Wax Together or Not?
Perhaps to answer this question, you must know how both products work individually. So, let’s get started.
How Can Beard Balm Benefit You?
Beard balms nourish, moisturize, shape, and style. Thicker than beard oil and thinner than beard wax makes it a versatile product.
Regardless of hair type and length, it manages to tame and style your whiskers. Unlike beard oils, it even retains shininess and improves appearance.
No matter dry or damp beards, you can apply and style them. It includes essential and carrier oil, shea butter, and beeswax. If you still want to know the nitty-gritty about beard balm, have a look at the linked article.
How Can Beard Wax Benefit You?
If you already have a dusky beard, then beard wax is for you. It allows you to wear even the difficult beard styles. The reason is the ingredients it contains, such as beeswax, shea butter, and lanolin (for stronghold).
Beard wax works amazingly well if you have long beards, but that doesn’t mean it will not tame short unruly hair. Also, it contains essential oils that offer a pleasant smell, unlike synthetic fragrances.
You have seen a different purpose that both balms and waxes serve. Now you want to know whether to use it together or separately.
Tip: Always use beard balm before beard wax for better results
If you love styling your beard, then you must use beard balm for nourishing and moisturizing. After that, apply some beard wax to keep your beard style intact and lock the moisture.
Also, the presence of carrier oils in beard balm will keep the beard soft for a longer duration and prevent beardruff.
Contrary to this, if you only want to tame or shape unruly whiskers, then go for beard balms. It will help you in saving money and keeping a check on coarse hairs.
With this, we hope you are clear with the beard wax vs. balm debate. Now is the time to know how to apply both the product the right way.
Effective Ways to Apply Wax and/or Balm
It might seem easy though it requires proper knowledge before application.
With proper care and amount of application, you can bring a world of difference. Out of both the products, beard balm is easy to apply. Still, many guys commit mistakes as they are unknown to the amount to scoop out.
Here make sure you scoop out a dime-size substance and rub it between your fingers. This way, it will spread across your fingers and give you control to spread it on your beard.
You must start from the surface of the skin and then gradually reach out to the tip of the hair. By doing it in such a way, you make sure that the balm or wax reaches every part of the beard.
Now that you know how to use beard wax and balm, you must know the tricks to maximize the benefits of beard balm or wax.
Why Combing & Brushing is Necessary?
It is the stage where I committed a mistake, which I don’t want you to repeat. I ignored this step, due to which I had to suffer from a wax clump on my beard. It urged me to include and let you know the importance of combing and brushing.
First of all, let me make you clear with combing and brushing.
For the distribution of wax or balm, you must use a high-quality beard brush to spread it evenly.
You can use a boar bristles brush because it can easily spread without any hassle. Also, it makes sure to offer a natural volume to beards.
On the other hand, if you want to style your beard, then a beard comb is the most important and go-to beard care product. A wooden beard comb won’t tug or pull your beard without pain or discomfort.
You can also use it simultaneously in your beard care routine.
Apart from beard waxes and balms, there is one more beard care product that can bring a world of difference. Keep reading and unveil the beard product.
Beard Balm and Wax – The Only Option for Beard Grooming?
If you are a first-time entrant in the grooming world, you can add this product and expect the best results from it.
Beard oil is one of the beard care products that you must not underestimate. Unlike the other two, beard oils are made of essential and carrier oils.
Beard oils contain numerous benefits, such as conditioning, hydrating, moisturizing, and rejuvenating. With the presence of thousands of beard oil in the market, it becomes a time-consuming task.
Also, what ingredients to look out for and what to avoid is another hassle. But that is no more hassle. Just go through the linked article and pick the best one for yourself.
If you consider beard oil vs. wax, then beard oil wins the battle as it offers ample benefits except for holding facial hair.
It doesn’t contain beeswax and lanolin; the only reason why it can’t hold your facial mane. Beard oil becomes ideal for shorter beard hairs as there is no need to style or shape.
FAQs:
1. What is beard wax?
Since there are many common ingredients with a beard balm, many men get confused. In reality, both beard wax vs beard balm has a distinct purpose to serve. The beard wax is primarily made for styling and shaping your facial hair. The base ingredients are carrier oil and essential oil, along with beeswax for a stronger hold.
2. What does beard wax do?
Beard wax offers a thicker consistency that becomes ideal for holding your facial hair for a longer period. It keeps your hair in one place without moving here and there. Apart from styling, it also tames and shapes beard hairs. These are the benefits you can achieve from this grooming accessory.
3. Can I use Moustache wax on the beard?
Yes. There is no harm in applying moustache wax on the beard. As it is capable of holding a handlebar mustache for a longer period, it represents the true potentials of it.
4. What is the purpose of mustache wax?
Just like pomade, mustache wax holds your facial hairs on upper lips and allows you to wear any mustache style. Here neither beard balm nor oil works. They are all best in their category, and there is no such battle between mustache wax vs beard balm.
5. What is the difference between beard oil vs. beard wax?
Beard wax is superior to oil when it comes to consistency. It is known as a styling accessory. The ingredient includes beeswax, carrier, and essential oils. The thicker consistency makes the beard look denser. On the other hand, beard oil is a liquid formula blend of oils like carrier and essential. It neither styles nor holds the hairs. It only nourishes, moisturizes, and conditions.
6. Is beard balm and pomade the same?
Pomade is a hair gel that mainly tames and shapes curly hair and keeps check on them, while a beard has a thicker consistency than a pomade. Just like pomade, it also lasts long and styles your beard. It contains jojoba oil, beeswax, shea butter, and argan oil as the main ingredient. Ultimately, balm wins the battle between beard balm vs pomade.
Conclusion
Quality beard products are the reason why most men can flaunt their flourishing and dusky beards. Ignoring and unknowing the importance will welcome several problems like beard itching, dullness, coarse and unruly hairs.
The article consists of the difference between beard balm and beard wax with its essential ingredients. Also, the importance of combing and brushing that is vital for not only evenly distributing but also for promoting healthy hair growth.
Lastly, we have seen how beard oil plays an important role and how using it with other beard products can offer benefits. With this, we end our article and hope it finds you well. You can share your thoughts, suggestions, and feedback. Also, you can subscribe to our website for more such good reads.
