If like me you have a ‘millennial man’ (in my case a brother) in your family, you’ll have seen how facial hair, once seem as scruffy, has morphed into fashionable. With fewer young men shaving these days, and more young men seeing the product as one for the older gentleman, sales of aftershave have been steadily falling. So, has this trend amongst ‘millennial man’ opened the door to new beauty products. It seems the answer is yes, and whilst aftershave might not be on its way out in the foreseeable future, the baby boomers and Generation X-ers are still using the product, even if their children and grandchildren aren’t. However, market research from the US tells us that although beard-related products, such as oils and softeners, represent less than 1% of the men’s prestige beauty market, product introductions in this market segment have quadrupled since 2014.
So, why beard oil ? Well, its main purposes are to soften the beard, keep the hair (and skin beneath) healthy and reduce irritation … well that’s the functional bit, but of course you want it to smell fantastic too, and you’ll not be surprised to learn that it comes in a variety of fragrances! We therefore looked at two products that tick the box in each of these categories.
If you’re going for functional, we’d say go for something like Huntsman Beard Co’s Forest Beard Oil (UK), it describes itself as ‘guaranteed kissable’ – which is always a good start; possessing a ‘mouth-watering scent’ (pleasant aromas of sweet almond, pine, Moroccan cedar and eucalyptus oils); but the real plus has to be its ability to deliver ‘no more beard itch’ and reduce beard dandruff (nothing looks worse than constant scratching and a black shirt covered in white flakes. It also comes with a lifetime money back guarantee.
If you’re going for fragrance, then try Prospector Co’s Burroughs Beard Oil (USA), which prides itself on its hardy, masculine scent – think the earthy, woody aromas of freshly chopped forest timbers, combined with a dusty carpenters workshop, and the deep leathery richness of the cobbler’s apron, conjuring up masculine images of the great outdoors or artisan handicrafts. Yest, despite the emphasis on masculinity, it’s still good for deeply sensitive types and won’t irritate your skin. It can also be used as an oil based cologne.
Both products are alcohol-free, paraben-free,Cruelty-free/no animal testing, vegan and fair trade.