Most beard oils contain a range of carrier oils that provide both nourishment and a means to deliver the fragrant essential oils that help condition the beard and facial skin. Typical carrier oils include jojoba, Moroccan argan, grapeseed, coconut and almond; most oil manufacturers include these oils in their blends. When it comes to fragrant essential oils, the sky’s the limit. However, eucalyptus, pine needle, tea tree and sandalwood are never far away. How and when to apply beard oil Step 1: Shave – The first step to a neat, tame beard is to create a shape. To do this, lather up the areas of hair you want to remove with a shave brush and shave cream. Then, use a fresh razor blade to eliminate hair. Part of the Ritual of Samurai collection, the beard oil takes inspiration from Japanese Samurai warriors and the pride they took in their personal appearance. The warriors used careful grooming traditions to create an appearance that built power, control and confidence to support in their battles.

Beard oil will soften coarse hair and help make it supple and easier to style. And, behind the scenes, it will also help condition the skin underneath, thanks to natural oils and ingredients — including Argan oils, baobab and jojoba — that help to reduce any itchiness or flakiness. It will also deal with any rogue 'beardruff' — that's beard dandruff, FYI — so you can feel more confident in your facial fuzz.

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In theory, you can apply beard oil to any length of stubble, or even use it as a serum on your freshly shaved face (although if you were going to do that we’d recommend using a proper skin serum). Most manufacturers suggest three or four drops in the palm of your hand followed by a vigorous rubbing together before massaging the oil deep into the whiskers so it reaches the skin beneath. Naturally, the longer your beard, the more oil it’ll require but even an overdose won’t cause any harm (though you might smell a bit rich).

Braw Beard oils come in 50ml and 10ml glass bottles, replete with a striking bearded bloke logo and a top that deposits the oil one drip at a time. Aside from the usual argan and jojoba oils, the company also uses infuses its concoctions with hempseed oil from the cannabis sativa seed, and you can really detect it in the Jarls Northman 1263 blend (let’s hope the sniffer dogs don’t). Step 3: Style – Finish taming your beard by using a beard brush to put all of the hairs into place. Make sure it remains tame by applying a small amount of beard control for a neater look.Tame and nourish simultaneously with The Ritual of Samurai Beard Oil, a naturally formulated face and beard oil that delivers softening and caring action to leave bristles feeling soft and the skin beneath feeling moisturised and comfortable.

Beyond making your beard straight-up better—softer, smoother, sharper, and nicer smelling—beard oils can also double as pre-shave lubricants, post-shave nourishment, and standalone moisturizers to keep facial skin hydrated. That’s a lot of bang for a small bottle. Beard oil is just that, a specially-formulated oil designed to be applied to your beard, stubble or other forms of facial hair to keep it soft, hydrated and healthy. Think of it as a conditioner for your facial hair. However, beard oil serves a different purpose to shampoo or shower gel, as your facial hair is coarser than the hair on your head, meaning it requires a little more upkeep and added hydration. The best beard oils are those that work to really enhance the condition of your facial hair, helping to soften out any rougher areas while also strengthening. We’d also recommend looking out for an oil that doesn’t leave too much residue, and absorbs easily into your beard without making you look too oily throughout the day. When should I apply beard oil? Most beard oils have a subtle scent, though it won’t be overpowering after absorbing into your whiskers. Perfume pros call it sillage—the ability to trail a scent—and a nice beard oil can pinch-hit in place of a cologne. For those unfamiliar with the Scottish saying “It’s a braw, bricht, moonlicht nicht the nicht”, the word “braw” means “excellent”. Given Scotland’s penchant for braw beards, it seems only right to include this East Lothian company which has been producing beard oils since 2012; well before beard oils became such a trend.For more fashion, grooming and technology releases delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our GQ Recommends newsletter. Shop GQ’s edit of the best beard oils you can buy…