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This homemade cedarwood beard balm has plenty of hold to tame stray hairs, plus skin and hair loving oils to soothe itchy skin and soften whiskers. It’s all natural, smells amazing, and costs a fraction of the price of premium store bought beard balms. It is the perfect gift idea for all the bearded guys in your life!

Creating a beard balm recipe has been on my “to do” list for quite some time and honestly I wish I’d made it years ago! My husband has been sporting a PNW beard ever since we moved to Portland several years ago and has been asking for something like this. I think I was a little unsure about what would make a good homemade beard balm since I don’t have any personal experience with using one (or with having a beard!) But now that I’ve gotten pretty comfortable crafting balms and body butters, I don’t know why I was so intimidated! DIY beard balm is made of the same basic ingredients I love to use.

Here's What You'll Need for Homemade Beard Balm

Ingredients:

16 g (about 2T) beeswax
30g (about 2T) shea butter
14g (about 1T) cocoa butter
18g (about 2T) jojoba oil

(Optional)

¼ tsp vitamin E oil
8 drops cedarwood essential oil
6 drops bergamot essential oil
3 drops lavender essential oil
2 drops rosemary essential oil

Equipment:

A clean container (like a small jar or reused cosmetic pot)
A double boiler OR a small heat proof bowl and saucepan
A spatula or spoon
Optional but useful: A kitchen scale

Let’s Talk Homemade Beard Balm Ingredients

There are plenty of beard balms on the market, so why make your own? Well, first of all many of them contain questionable “fragrance” or petroleum based ingredients. Just stuff you don’t want to put on your face.

But also, the all natural and organic versions (as well as many of the icky kinds) are usually wildly expensive! While there may be more of an upfront cost to buying the ingredients for homemade personal care products, you will save a ton of cash in the long run. Plus, once you have a wax, a butter, and a carrier oil, you can DIY just about any beauty product from lip balm to body butter. Since this beard balm also makes a great gift, buying the ingredients and making a batch for several people will also save you money on unique and quality presents!

The Butters

After researching what seems like a million recipes for beard balms online, the versions I like the most contain both Shea butter and cocoa butter, so I decided to include both. But if you prefer, you could use all of one or the other and achieve a wonderful product. Both butters are excellent for softening coarse hair and moisturizing skin. Their firm, smooth texture also creates the spreadable, pomade-like consistency of this beard balm.

The Oils

Jojoba oil is my favorite carrier oil and I use it on my own face every day. (It’s also an excellent make up remover, especially for stubborn waterproof mascara or lipstick.) It is non-comedogenic which means it won’t clog your pores and cause breakouts. Jojoba oil is also wonderful for dry hair, which makes it ideal for this homemade beard balm. But you could substitute another skin and hair loving carrier oil in this if you want. Sometimes I like to use a mix of a few oils when I have them. Argan oil, sweet almond oil, or grape seed oil are also good choices.

Vitamin E oil contains antioxidants which help prolong the shelf life of our beard balm. That being said, this recipe is all oils and no water, so it will keep well anyway. The vitamin E oil will help give it an extra boost- plus it’s great for skin. It’s kind of optional, but I think it’s a good idea.

The Wax

Beeswax gives this DIY beard balm it’s “hold.” This balm is designed to be a styling agent, in addition to softening hair and soothing skin. While it doesn’t have as much extra-holding power as a beard wax, beard balm helps sculpt and tame stray hairs while adding a little volume. The beeswax also helps seal in moisture and offers a bit of protection from the elements (like cold and humidity.)

The Essential Oils

I have also added essential oils to my beard balm recipe for a few reasons. Obviously, they smell great and they all have beneficial aromatherapy properties. But these oils have all been chosen because they are particularly useful for soothing skin and nourishing hair.

Are they strictly necessary for making a great, functional beard balm? No! So while I love them, if you don’t have or don’t like these oils, feel free to substitute or leave them out altogether. For this size batch, about 3.5 ounces, you will want to use 10-20 drops total of essential oils. (Also, it’s always a good idea to make sure the intended recipient doesn’t have any sensitivities or allergies to any essential oils you use.)

Cedarwood essential oil is antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal. It is often used in the treatment of acne, eczema, and dandruff. On the aromatherapy front, cedarwood oil is beneficial for reducing anxiety and stress. (Source)

Bergamot essential oil also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and is beneficial for acne-prone skin. In addition, it is particularly useful for softening hair, which makes it a perfect addition to beard balm. (Source)

Rosemary essential oil is anti-inflammatory and there is also some evidence that suggests it may promote hair growth!

Lavender essential oil is antibacterial, anti microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antiseptic. In other words it cleans, disinfects, and calms the skin. Plus it smells lovely and promotes relaxation. (Source)

How to Make DIY Beard Balm

This, like most DIY body care recipes, is a little easier with a kitchen scale. I have this little one and it works great! However, if you don’t have one, don’t panic. I’ve included the approximate conversions to teaspoons and tablespoons as well as a printable card at the bottom of this post.

First, we need to melt the solids. Combine beeswax, shea butter, cocoa butter, and jojoba oil in a double boiler or a heat safe bowl that fits on top of a saucepan. I have a small metal bowl that I reserve for making DIY’s like this one.

Heat an inch or two of water in the saucepan to a simmer. Set the bowl with your wax, butters, and oil on top. Gently stir until everything is melted.

Next, remove the bowl from the heat and allow to cool just slightly before adding all essential oils and Vitamin E. Stir to incorporate.

Working quickly, pour the mixture into your prepared container. Let cool on the counter until completely set or transfer to the refrigerator if you’re impatient like me.

How to Apply Conditioning Beard Balm

Cleanse beard and skin and dry off extra moisture. Beard balm is best applied to damp, but not dripping wet skin and hair.

Scoop out a dime or nickel sized amount, adjusting for the length of the beard. It’s probably best to start small and add more if needed.

Rub hands together to warm up and melt the balm onto your hands.

Apply the balm. Starting at the skin, work the beard balm onto the face and down the length of the beard, distributing evenly.

Comb, brush, or style as usual!

For a funny demo, check out the video tutorial!

Benefits of Using Beard Balm

I’m no expert on having a beard, but my resident bearded person and product tester (aka husband) loves it! He says it makes his beard soft and shiny all day and helps tame strays and flyaway hairs. It keeps his skin soft and prevents itchiness and doesn’t cause breakouts or pimples. Also, it smells nice which has been especially useful during this new face mask wearing era. He says that as a bonus, the beard balm left on his hands after working it into his facial hair is awesome for his dry hands!

Please let me know how this works out for you in the comments below. And if you make it, be sure to tag me on Instagram @TheCrunchyGinger– I would be thrilled to see your creation!

If you are looking for more DIY gifts for men, check out these other ideas…

Yield: 3.5 oz

Homemade Cedarwood Beard Balm

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Difficulty easy

Materials

16 g (about 2T) beeswax
30g (about 2T) shea butter
14g (about 1T) cocoa butter
18g (about 2T) jojoba oil
¼ tsp vitamin E oil
8 drops cedarwood essential oil
6 drops bergamot essential oil
3 drops lavender essential oil
2 drops rosemary essential oil

Tools

A clean container (like a small jar or reused cosmetic pot)
A double boiler OR a small heat proof bowl and saucepan
A spatula or spoon
Optional but useful: A kitchen scale

Instructions

Combine beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter, and jojoba oil in a small heatproof bowl and place on top of a saucepan with an inch or two of water. Heat on the stove at medium-low.
Stir until oils and wax are completely melted and combined.
Remove from heat and add essential oils and vitamin E oil, stirring together.
Working quickly, pour mixture into a clean container and allow to cool completely. For a faster set, place uncovered container in the refrigerator.