Beard shampoo is essential for every beard man. Which shampoo is best for your beard?
Von Sander - The Beardmen 
Beard shampoo or beard soap? If the marketing talk is to be believed, you need countless remedies for proper beard care. At The Beardmen, we keep it simple and use only the essential grooming products such as a beard shampoo or soap.
Beard hairs and the underlying skin are exposed to air pollution and food particles all day long. Proper cleansing with the right beard shampoo is therefore very important.
The Beardmen is here to help you make the right choices regarding beard care which is very important for a healthy beard. Wondering which beard shampoo or beard soap suits your beard best? The Beardmen helps you on your way!
Buying the best beard shampoo: which one is for you?
As really with all beard products, it is impossible to call out the best beard shampoo or best beard soaps. This is because there are different types of beards, all requiring different care. Let’s quickly find out what your favourite beard shampoo is.
vanBAARD Shampoo with natural oils
From Dutch soil
The vanBAARD Shampoo is a 2-in-1 formula made with natural ingredients. It not only cleanses your beard hairs but also cares for the underlying skin with natural oils like avocado and pine oil. These make your beard hairs nice and soft and give them a nice scent. Read more…
This vanBAARD shampoo is a home-made product (Warmenhuizen) and free from parabens, SLS and other ingredients that are chemicals.
- Mild shampoo
- Also for your head hairs
- 100% natural
- Made in the Netherlands
- Animal-free & vegan
- Cleans and cares for the beard + skin
- Bottle contains 250 ml
- Quite at the high price
Proraso Wood and Spice Beard Shampoo
For a short beard
The Proraso Beard Shampoo is the best buy in our test and also very well rated by users with five stars out of fourteen reviews. The Wood and Spice variant comes in a handy bottle and conditions and cleanses your beard hairs and underlying skin with castor oil. Read more…
However, I should note that several reviews mention that this shampoo lathers less. Too much lather is not good either (it often contains a lot of chemicals), but too little lather is less satisfying for the average beard man. I would recommend this shampoo especially to men with a short beard. But otherwise, the shampoo does its job (cleanses & cares) which is, of course, the most important thing.
- Popular shampoo
- Good price
- Gentle cleansing
- Not 100% natural
- Does not lather as well
- Especially for a short beard
- Bottle contains 200 ml. Also available with azur lime.
- You have to love the smell
Guardenza Beard & Face wash
For your beard and face
The Guardenza Beard & Face wash is a 2-in-1 product which means you use it for your face and facial hair. This shampoo from Guardenza contains a number of caring ingredients such as aloe vera, orange oil and castor oil. Read more…
Although this popular shampoo does its job well, I read several reviews complaining about the smell that can best be described as woody and that has to suit you.
Bottle of 250 ml.
- Woody scent
- With aloe vera
- Not 100% natural
- Handy bottle
- Something of a chemical smell
By My Beard Beard Shampoo
For a dry or hard beard
The By My Beard beard shampoo is an affordable shampoo and is specially designed for a dry beard or hairs that dry out quickly. This shampoo is suitable for all types of beards and comes in a bottle with a handy pump.
Made in the UK, the product is 100% vegan and is therefore not tested on animals. Thanks to Tea Tree oil, your beard is extra clean because of its antibacterial properties. What is a pity is that this shampoo is not 100% natural. Read more…
- Good price
- Handy pump
- With Tea Tree oil
- Neutral fragrance
- Bottle of 300 ml.
- Not 100% natural
Seven Potions Woodland Harmony (100% natural ingredients)
100% natural
The Seven Potions Woodland Harmony is a shampoo with 100% natural ingredients and not tested on animals. With 4.9 stars out of 117 reviews, this shampoo is highly rated. Despite the high ratings and natural ingredients, this shampoo has remained well affordable. Read more…
Do you have sensitive skin or can your facial hair grow a little faster? Then this natural shampoo is just right for you. An additional advantage, the essential oils not only have a nurturing character, but also a lovely scent that is best described as woody, but fresh.
- Sweet and musky aromas
- 100% natural
- Vegan
- 4 essential oils
- Bottle of 100 ml.
- Affordable, but a small bottle
New: The bearded man’s favourite shampoo
Beard shampoo from BAØRD
I recently got the chance to try out BAØRD’s beard shampoo, what a treat! The shampoo lathered up nicely despite being made of 100% natural ingredients. The beard hairs felt wonderfully soft after using it all day. Read more…
Despite BAØRD’s beard shampoo being slightly more expensive on average (although it’s not too bad compared to other quality products), I can heartily recommend this product. The handy closure makes the BAØRD shampoo very suitable to take with you when travelling.
- 100% natural
- From Dutch soil
- Bottle of 100 ML
- With convenient closure
- Soft beard hairs
- Fresh scent
- Slightly more expensive
Why beard shampoo?
Why use beard shampoo when you can also just use normal shampoo? The formula of a beard shampoo is specifically designed for beard hairs and the skin underneath. The problem with regular shampoo is that it often adds sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS). This is a harmful ingredient because it makes the skin and beard hairs dry, whereas with beard care you want to achieve the opposite.
A good beard shampoo helps with:
- Thorough cleansing: washing your beard and underlying skin is important as they are exposed to food particles, dirt etc throughout the day.
- Fresh scent: a fresh citrus scent or a woody scent? Some great scents what every partner can appreciate.
- Soften beard hairs: so those stiff and hard beard hairs feel a bit softer.
- Remove dead skin cells: apply the beard shampoo gently by massaging it in with your fingers. This will remove the flakes under the skin.
Most beard shampoos are made of natural ingredients, just what your beard and skin need.
Shampoo or conditioner?
Beard Shampoo and conditioner are often mixed up, yet have different purposes. Wash your beard? Then use a beard shampoo. A conditioner is used when you use a lot of greasy products like wax or butter. These are difficult to remove with a normal beard shampoo or soap.
Curious about the best beard conditioner?
Buy beard shampoo or beard soap?
A beard shampoo and beard soap are the same and serve the same purposes: washing the beard, giving it a nice scent and caring for the underlying skin. The difference is in the form: beard shampoo has a liquid form and beard soap a solid form. Whether you prefer to use beard soap or beard shampoo is entirely up to you.
Shampoo is a quicker lathering agent which gives you a clean feeling, while a beard soap is again better suited to scrubbing your beard hair and skin.
Especially in the winter months, many men suffer from a dry beard: that’s when beard oil works best!
Beard shampoo ingredients
The best shampoo for a beard contains various ingredients to care for your beard and underlying skin. But which ingredients are in a beard shampoo? The composition of ingredients naturally varies from brand to brand. Below we discuss the most common ingredients:
Carrier Oil
A carrier oil serves as a conditioning agent for shampoo. These oils mimic the skin’s natural sebum oil production, keeping beard hairs and skin moisturised. Thanks in part to the carrier oil, beard hairs feel soft after shampooing. Examples of carrier oils are: argan oil, jojoba oil and olive oil. These are all natural oils.
Essential oils
Essential oils and essential oils have therapeutic properties and add a fresh scent to the beard shampoo. Washing your beard with essential oils helps you prevent acne and dead skin cells. It also helps stimulate beard growth due to its nourishing properties.
Some delicious scents that you often come across in a beard shampoo or a good soap are: pine, cedar and peppermint. You will not only come across these scents in a beard shampoo or soap but also in beard oil.
Vitamins
Not only do we eat vitamins; they are also very important in taking good care of your beard and underlying skin. This is because the hair follicles need nutrients to do their job properly. For example, biotin, also known as vitamin B12, is essential for beard growth. Another vitamin you see a lot in beard shampoos is vitamin E.
Parabens/Chemicals
Parabens are chemical ingredients used to keep the shampoo good for longer by killing unwanted bacteria instantly. Despite being useful, we advise against using these chemical ingredients. With prolonged use, you can become allergic to them and there are several studies showing the disadvantages of parabens. At The Beardmen, we prefer natural ingredients and natural oils.
Beard washing: how do you apply shampoo?
Applying a beard shampoo is basically the same as applying a normal shampoo. Below we explain step by step how best to apply a beard shampoo or soap:
- Wet your beard hairs: best to use beard shampoo while showering with warm water.
- Shampoo on your palm: add a few drops of shampoo or place the block of soap directly on your face.
- Massage: the remedy will lather when you massage it into your beard and skin with your fingertips. Massage for a few minutes and make sure you scrub the skin underneath well with your fingertips (not your nails).
- Do you use a conditioner? Leave it on for a minute. This will give the conditioner time to do its job.
- Rinse beard: rinse the shampoo out of your beard hairs.
- Drying: dry your beard with a clean towel or a beard dryer (the air should not be too hot). A dry beard is important to prevent dead skin cells.
Conclusion: which beard shampoo to buy?
If you’ve read the text above, it won’t surprise you that my favourite beard shampoo is the one from Dutch brand Baørd. That one is 100% natural, makes your beard wonderfully soft and its compact size and handy closure makes it ideal to take with you when travelling.
Another Dutch product, the VanBaard shampoo is rated best by users and we can also definitely recommend it. If you have a smaller budget, I would opt for the By My Beard beard shampoo.
Maybe you have different criteria yourself. Then take another look at the Top 6. You will then surely find the beard shampoo that suits you best.
Best Beard Shampoos 2023
Hi, I’m Sander!
The Beard Man
Growing a beard requires a dose of perseverance, proper grooming and the necessary knowledge. The Beardmen knows all about it: and will help you through it. Together on your way to a full beard!
Other interesting articles
Of course we need beard shampoo, but there are other products that are essential for proper beard care. To keep the beard healthy, you will need to groom it daily with natural ingredients and the right routines. Which beard products should not be missed?
Beard Oil
A beard oil or beard balm gives the beard a nice shine and ensures a soft beard. The main function of beard oil is to moisturise the beard and skin. You use a beard oil after showering when your beard is dry. What is the best beard oil for your beard?
Beard scrub
Exfoliating your beard once a week with a good beard scrub will help prevent beard dandruff. Beard dandruff is often caused by a build-up of dead skin cells and flakes that make the beard itchy and irritated. So a good beard scrub will help you prevent this.
Beard wax or gel
With a beard wax or gel, you always step out the door with a groomed beard. Some waxes also have a grooming effect. Find out which beard comb suits you best.
Beard conditioner
A beard conditioner makes beard hairs nice and soft, but also provides the right care for the skin under your beard.
Serum
With a beginning beard, it can take quite a long time to achieve a fuller beard. With the right care, you can stimulate beard growth. A serum contains not only healthy oils, but also active ingredients that can help hairs grow faster.
Trimmer
Looking for a good beard trimmer? The Beardman has selected the best beard trimmers for you. Check them out in the beard trimmer test.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course you want to maintain and care for your beard as well as possible, but proper grooming can be quite tricky when you first have a beard. The many marketing pitches also make it difficult to decide what you really need:
A beard shampoo or beard soap both have the same effect. The only difference is that a beard shampoo comes in a liquid form and a beard soap comes in a solid form. It is better to use a beard shampoo than normal shampoo because a normal shampoo often contains chemical ingredients that cause the skin and beard hairs to dry out.
There is no such thing as the best beard shampoo. Which beard shampoo you use depends on the type of beard you have. For example, a short beard needs different care than a full, long beard. The Beard Man will help you discover which beard shampoo or soap is best for you.
First of all, it’s important to get the right beard soap with 100% natural ingredients. Apply beard soap by scrubbing the block of soap over your palm. Then massage your beard hairs with your fingertips. Of course, you can also apply beard soap directly to your beard and skin and use the soap to exfoliate.