How to Apply Beard Oil to a Short Beard

Co-authored by Marlon Rivas and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: November 26, 2021 References

Short beards are often overlooked when it comes to personal grooming, but short beards need attention, too! High-quality beard oil can smooth stray hairs and give you a polished look all while moisturizing your skin. Since you're not dealing with a lot of hair, you really don't need much beard oil to do the trick—just a few drops can make a big difference. We'll walk you through the simple process so you'll be on your way to a stylish beard.

This article is based off an interview with our professional barber, Marlon Rivas, owner of MGX Professional Men's Grooming. Check out the full interview here.

Method 1

Method 1 of 9:
Rub 1 to 2 drops of oil between your palms.

1
Unscrew your bottle of oil and let 1 to 2 drops fall onto your open palm. You may need to squeeze the end of the dropper to release the drops of oil. Then, rub your palms together to evenly distribute the oil.^{[1]
X
Expert Source

Marlon Rivas
Facial Hair Specialist
Expert Interview. 17 January 2020.}
- This may not seem like a lot of oil, but it will go a long way! Plus, you can always apply more if your beard feels like it's still too dry.
- Avoid using pure essential oils as your beard oil since you should never apply them without diluting them in a carrier oil first.^{[2]
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  Research source}
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Method 2

Method 2 of 9:
Rub your palms against your mustache and the sides of your beard.

1
Run your palms across the sides of your beard in a downward direction. Do this a few times for each side before you run your palm from your mustache down to your chin. Then, use your fingers to thoroughly rub the oil into your mustache.^{[3]
X
Expert Source

Marlon Rivas
Facial Hair Specialist
Expert Interview. 17 January 2020.}
- If your beard is long enough, run your fingers up from your chin toward your mustache to really work the oil through the hair.
- Don't be afraid to work the beard oil onto your skin. The oil acts as a moisturizer and a protective barrier between your skin and your beard.

Method 3

Method 3 of 9:
Brush or comb your beard using downward strokes.

1
Use a beard brush with soft bristles or a comb to brush your beard. Many beard brushes use boar hairs which are naturally soft and won't cause your beard to frizz. As you brush or comb your hair with downward strokes, you'll help distribute the oil through your beard. By this point, you're all done!^{[4]
X
Expert Source

Marlon Rivas
Facial Hair Specialist
Expert Interview. 17 January 2020.}
- Be gentle as your brush since you don't want to scratch or irritate the skin underneath your beard.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 9:
Apply beard oil every day or whenever your beard feels dry.

1
There's no hard and fast rule about how often to oil your beard. So, pay attention to how your beard feels and oil it whenever the hairs or your skin underneath feels dry. For some people, this might mean every day while other people may apply oil a few times a week.^{[5]
X
Expert Source

Timmy Yanchun
Professional Barber
Expert Interview. 22 January 2020.}
- You'll know if you apply too much oil—your beard will appear shiny and you may even see the skin under your beard shimmer with oil on the surface.

Method 5

Method 5 of 9:
Wash out the beard oil between applications.

1
You should wash your beard every day or at least before you put more oil on. If you don't remove the oil, it will build up over time and make your beard look dull or unhealthy. Plus, the skin underneath your beard needs to be washed so dead skin cells don't clog your pores.^{[6]
X
Expert Source

Timmy Yanchun
Professional Barber
Expert Interview. 22 January 2020.}

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Method 6

Method 6 of 9:
Skip the beard oil if you struggle with facial acne.

1
Get your acne under control before putting oil on your beard. Instead, you can wash your beard and apply a few drops of non-comedogenic beard conditioner. This just means that the conditioner will moisturize your beard without clogging your pores. It may seem counterintuitive, but you don't want your skin to dry out or your body will produce more oil which can lead to more acne breakouts.^{[7]
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Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source}
- To manage acne, use a cleanser that contains salicylic acid or glycolic acid when you wash your beard.^{[8]
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  Trustworthy Source
  American Academy of Dermatology
  Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
  Go to source}
- Stick with your acne treatment for at least 2 or 3 months—it takes time to get results and clear your skin.

Method 7

Method 7 of 9:
Select a natural beard oil with few ingredients.

1
Read product labels when you shop and look for one that's organic. It shouldn't have parabens or sulfates since these can irritate your skin. It's actually fine to just use argan oil, jojoba oil, or even olive oil.^{[9]
X
Expert Source

Timmy Yanchun
Professional Barber
Expert Interview. 22 January 2020.}
- When it comes to picking a beard oil, just remember—the fewer ingredients, the better!
- You may want to choose a beard oil that's fragrance-free since you'll be smelling it all day and synthetic fragrances can bother your skin.^{[10]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Marlon Rivas
  Facial Hair Specialist
  Expert Interview. 17 January 2020.}
- Ensure that you're buying beard oil and not beard balm or beard wax. These products work better in longer beards and can make shorter beards appear greasy.
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Method 8

Method 8 of 9:
Wash and dry your beard and skin.

1
Ideally, you should wash your beard every day to remove dead skin cells. Washing also removes old beard oil so it doesn't clog your pores. You can use the same shampoo you use for your hair or you can reach for a more sensitive shampoo that's designed for beards.^{[11]
X
Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source}
- If you have normal skin, you're fine to use any cleanser as long as it won't clog your pores which can lead to ingrown hairs. For dry skin, pick a cleanser that says it's hydrating or moisturizing and that doesn't contain fragrance.
- Do you have dandruff in your beard? If so, wash your beard and scalp with a dandruff shampoo once a week. Your dandruff shampoo should have 2% zinc pyrithione, 1% ketoconazole, or 1% selenium sulfide to treat your skin.^{[12]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  American Academy of Dermatology
  Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
  Go to source}

Method 9

Method 9 of 9:
Exfoliate your skin if your beard is stubbly.

1
Massage an exfoliating beard scrub onto your skin 1 to 2 times a week. As you rub the scrub on your skin, it breaks up dead skin cells so they don't clog your pores. Just rinse the scrub out and pat your skin dry when you're done.^{[13]
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Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source}
- Regular exfoliation keeps the skin under your beard healthy.
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