Beard Wax vs Beard Balm: Which One To Choose?

A beard needs trimming, but it can be difficult to find the right product.

For such a small area of your body, there are a lot of products on the market promising different things. You have two main options when taming unruly facial hair: beard wax vs beard balm.

But what’s the difference?

Beard wax is a thick, solid product used to style and hold the hair in place. It usually contains beeswax, which helps to keep the hair in place. Beard balm is a “leave-in-conditioner” that is softer and less dense. It contains oils and butter that moisturize the hair and skin. Balms are usually applied to a damp beard.

In this blog post, I will compare beard wax and balm and help you decide which is right.

What Is Beard Wax?

Beard wax can be sourced from wool-wearing animals such as sheep, goats, and llamas. It’s also vegan-friendly if you can find a product that uses plant-based waxes like soy or beeswax. The latter is most common.

Beard wax is made up of three main ingredients: carrier oils, beeswax, and butter. Carrier oils comprise most of the product and can include jojoba, argan, grapeseed, avocado, and almond oil. These oils condition the beard and skin beneath it.

Beeswax is what gives the wax its signature thickness. It’s also what allows you to style your beard into different shapes. The more beeswax in a product, the stiffer it will be.

Butters, like Shea butter or cocoa butter, is added to make the wax more malleable and easier to spread. They also add moisture to the hair and skin.

Read Also: Is Beard Wax Actually Worth It?

What Is Beard Balm?

Beard balm is very similar to beard wax in terms of ingredients and consistency. The main difference is that beard balm contains less beeswax and more butter. This makes it easier to spread and gives it a softer hold.

Beard balm is also usually scented with essential oils, which can benefit the hair and skin. Some popular essential oils in beard balms are tea tree oil, lavender oil, and eucalyptus oil.

The types of oils used in making beard balm are very useful to the health of your beard and body. Beards pull a lot of dirt and debris, so keeping them clean is important. The oils used in beard balms help to do that by trapping dirt and bacteria.

Read Also: Beard Butter vs Beard Balm(What’s the Best?)

Beard Wax vs. Beard Balm

beard wax vs beard balm

Now that you know the meaning of the two products, it’s time to see how they differ.

Differences Between the Beard Wax and Beard Balm

DifferenceBeard WaxBeard Balm
Amount of Beeswax UsedHigher concentration. This gives it a stronger hold that can keep your beard in place all day long. This is the product for you if you have an unruly beard.Less beeswax, It doesn’t provide the same level of control. It’s best for those with tamer beards looking for a light hold.
UseTame and sculpt your wild beard into submission. If you have a problem with your beard getting frizzy, this is the product for you.Shape and style beards into place. The buttery consistency allows you to sculpt your beard into any shape you want. You can even use it to tame flyaway hairs.
Scent  Unscented or have very faint scents. This is because the beeswax used can mask other smells.Contain essential oils that provide a light scent. The essential oils used also benefit the hair and skin beneath the beard.
IngredientsSimilar but contains Pine Rosin that’s meant to provide a refreshing scent and a much stronger hold for beard and mustache styling.Bees wax, shea butter, carnauba wax, mango butter, capuacu butter, jojoba oil, Abyssinian oil, olive oil, and argan oil.
HoldIt gives you a much stronger hold than balm. This is great if you have an unruly beard or if you want your beard to stay in place all day long.Lighter hold, which makes it easier to remove.
TextureThick and dense. This makes it difficult to spread, but once you get it into your beard, it will hold everything in place.  Less dense than wax, which makes it easier to spread. However, because it’s less dense, it may not hold everything in place as well as wax.  

Similarities Between Beard Wax and Beard Balm

There are also a few similarities between beard wax and beard balm.

The Ingredients

Both products are made with carrier oils, beeswax, and butter. The carrier oils condition the hair and skin, the beeswax gives the product its hold, and the butter makes it easier to spread.

The Function

Both products are used to style the beard and hold it in place. They can also be used to condition the hair and skin beneath the beard.

How To Apply Beard Wax vs. Beard Balm

beard balm vs beard wax

Now that you know the differences between beard wax and beard balm, it’s time to learn how to apply each product.

Beard Wax

The steps below will help you apply beard wax like a pro.

Step One: Start with a clean, dry beard. If your beard is wet, the wax won’t stick as well.

Step Two: Comb and free your beard of any tangles. This will make it easier to apply the wax evenly.

Step Three: Scoop out a pea-sized amount of wax and rub it between your hands to soften it. You can also expose it to some water to make it soft.

Step Four: Apply the wax to your beard, starting from the root and working your way out.

Step Five: Use a comb or fingers to style your beard.

Beard Balm

Applying the beard balm is much easier than applying the beard wax.

Step One: Ensure your beard is clean and dry.

Step Two: Met the balm by applying a small portion of it to your fingertips.

Step Three: Apply the balm evenly throughout your beard, starting from your skin all the way to the tips of your hair.

Step Four: Use a comb to style your beard into place. You can also use your fingers for a more natural look.

Top Beard Wax

Billy Jealousy Tin Man

This is a high-quality product. It helps you style your beard providing a superb hold but it doesn’t make your beard very hard to touch.

It lasts about 24 hours without a problem. Then, you might need to brush your beard but it will still work.

This product works even if your climate is very warm and has high levels of humidity. Its odor is pleasant and very mild.

It is also very affordable.

I have tried various beard waxes, but this one is the only one that worked for me.

Top Beard Balm

Honest Amish Beard Balm 

When it comes to beard balms, there is the Honest Amish balm and then everything else. This balm has an insane amount of reviews and it is not even close to anything else.

It moisturizes and keeps your beard healthy effortlessly.

It lasts most of the day. Most men love its scent. It is citrusy, and very mild. There are some men that don’t like this scent, but it is definitely a personal preference. The scent is decent for me.

It is a bit heavy until your beard dries, which doesn’t take very much. It doesn’t give a greasy look.

Highly recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can You Soften Dried Beard Wax?

If beard wax has dried and it makes it difficult to use it on your beard, grab your hair dryer and heat it for 30 seconds. It will quickly melt and will be ready to use. This technique works wonders.

Can Beard Wax Damage Your Beard?

Good-quality beard wax will not damage your beard. Very rarely you may have an allergic reaction because of a specific ingredient but in general beard waxes do not do any harm on your beard if applied correctly.

How Often Should You Use Beard Wax or Beard Balm?

Minimum once a day. Maximum twice a day. I think that if you wash your beard at the morning, you dry it, you apply your beard oil and after some time you apply your balm or wax you will not need to reapply it for the rest of the day except if you go for swimming, or to the gym or something among those lines.

To Sum Things Up

Beard balms and waxes are 2 amazing beard products that help bearded men keep a healthy and good-looking beard.

They have some similarities but in my opinion, if you have a long beard you need both.

In fact, beard products are dirt cheap. Investing 20-30$ on your beard is a tiny investment. Your beard makes you look so much different, more masculine and badass.

Read Also: Beard Oil vs Beard Butter (Head To Head Comparison)

If I had to choose one of them, I would go with beard balm cause it is slightly more flexible and can also help you with styling. Not as good as beard wax, but at least it gives a soft hold.

And…that’s it for today’s article! We really hope we helped you understand beard balms and waxes!

If you have any questions or comments feel free to post them in the comment section below.

Until next time,

Stay safe,

Tasos

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