Have you ever wondered why some men have nice, handsome facial hair and others’ beards appear to have unruly hair with dry ends? Well, a lot has to do with the maintenance put into it. Beard care has come a long way and is becoming more common, as men are seeing others with well maintained beard hair and desiring to do the same for their own. This beard butter recipe is a beard balm or leave-in conditioner that is all natural, easy to make, and filled with beneficial properties!
Many men who are maintaining their beard may use a personal care product that could contain skin irritants, but the key ingredients in this recipe have anti-inflammatory properties and nutritional benefits which will leave you with healthy beard hair and skin.
This homemade beard butter recipe calls for ingredients that are more comparable to the natural oils of the face and beard hair, called sebum. Sebum oil is made in the sebaceous glands, and it keeps our skin and hair naturally moisturized. When we clean our face and hair from the daily dirt, grime and environmental toxins, unfortunately this healthy oil gets stripped away. This can lead to the common problem of dry beard as well as dry skin which may cause beard itch or even beard dandruff. The best thing to do is apply a small amount of extra moisture to the facial hair- but not too much in order to prevent oily skin and a greasy-appearing beard.
When stored at room temperature, the final product of this beard butter has a creamy texture that is easy to apply. A little goes a long way, so it’s a good idea to start with a very small amount and add more as needed. I suggest starting with ¼ teaspoon and thoroughly spreading through the beard with your fingers or a beard comb before adding more. Every beard is different, as some may be more dry than others and of course different lengths will require different amounts. Such a small amount is needed that beard care will be of minimal extra cost in your personal care budget when you make your own beard butter.
With this easy recipe you can have a fabulous, healthy and well maintained beard!
Ingredients in this natural beard butter recipe…
- 100 % Raw Cocoa (Cacao) Butter:
Properties- Highly Saturated Vegetable oil (only 3% PUFA), high in vitamins E and K
History- Ancient Aztec and Mayan peoples used Cocoa to treat burns, cuts and skin irritations
- Grass Fed Tallow:
Properties- Saturated animal fat that is great for the hair and skin, anti-inflammatory, high in vitamins A, D, K and B12
History- Animal fats have traditionally been used in soaps, healing salves and even makeup. Hair pomades were originally made of animal fats like bear fat. .
- Organic Rum:
Properties- Antibacterial, smooths and hydrates the hair. Different forms of alcohol are used in most hair products to help smooth out the hair follicles and add shine.
History- I was reading a homemaking book from the 1800’s and came across a section about hair- it said that New England rum was very healthy for the hair! I’m not sure how New England rum was different from rum nowadays, but I think organic rum will suffice. Upon researching the use of rum for hair I found that a type of rum called Bay Rum was traditionally used in the Caribbean for hair growth – apparently bay leaf oil stimulates hair growth!
- Sweet Orange Oil:
Properties- stimulates hair growth, adds shine, high in vitamins C, A and E
History- It has been historically used for cosmetic and cleaning uses for antiseptic and cleansing properties as well as its fresh scent.
Some notes about this recipe:
- If you are like me and don’t have a double boiler, you can use a large pot of water with some kind of metal tray ( like a steaming basket or something) and a small pot or stainless steel cup of some sort. Just be sure the water is not too high; the first time I made this recipe my cup of cocoa butter tipped over and water got in it. I then knew I needed to pour out some of the water! All we need to do is melt some of the ingredients.
- You can add your favorite essential oils for added scents and benefits. Make sure the essential oils you add pair nicely with citrus scents as you should include the sweet orange oil that is called for as well.
- If you can’t access organic rum, you can omit it. This beard butter will still be great without it!
- Be sure to store the final product in a small container with a wide opening and lid. This way you won’t be struggling to reach for your beard butter every day. A good option is to use a glass container; allow it to cool completely before putting on the lid to prevent condensation.
- The 100% raw cocoa/cacao butter called for is NOT the brand name “Cocoa Butter” you find at many grocery and drug stores. You can find 100% cocoa butter online and at some natural food stores.
How to Make Natural Beard Butter: Easy DIY Recipe
Equipment
- 1 double boiler (or substitute with a large pot, small pot and metal tray)
- 1 high speed blender
- 1 small wide mouth glass jar with lid
- 1 rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup grass fed tallow
- 1/4 cup 100% raw cocoa butter / cacao butter
- 1/4 cup organic MCT oil
- 2 teaspoons organic rum optional
- 10 drops sweet orange or other citrus oil
Instructions
- Add MCT oil, rum and citrus oil to blender.
- Set your double boiler or pot of water with tray on your stove and set to medium-high heat. Allow water to heat up.
- Carefully break up crumbles of cocoa butter, estimating about 1/4 cup, and add to top pot of double boiler. Give it a few minutes to melt.
- Once melted, measure out 1/4 cup of melted cocoa butter. Turn on blender to low speed and slowly add melted cocoa butter to other oils
- Carefully break up crumbles of tallow, estimating about 1/4 cup, and add to top pot of double boiler. Give it a few minutes to melt.
- Once melted, measure out 1/4 cup of melted tallow. Turn on blender to low speed and add tallow to other ingredients.
- Turn blender to high speed to thoroughly combine ingredients.
- Pour mixture into wide mouth jar.
- With a rubber spatula, scrape the edges of the blender to remove as much as possible.
- Allow to cool completely before putting lid on jar.
- To use on beard, take about 1/4 teaspoon with your finger and spread throughout beard with fingers or a beard comb. Make sure not to forget about the ends of your beard, and add more as needed.
*This is not medical advice
*None of these statements have been evaluated by the FDA
