If you’re the type of man to maintain a winter beard or sport some level of facial hair all year round, you know the importance of a good bear oiling regimen.
Just like washing and combing, applying beard oil is an essential part of good grooming. A good oil will moisturize and soften facial hair, and leave you with an intoxicating aroma that only adds to your dapper aura.
But what makes a good beard oil? Every brand will claim theirs is the best, and they’ll usually tout special ingredients that offer certain benefits.
Telling the good from the great comes down to understanding what these ingredients do and why they’re important.
Chief among them—and the one that absolutely needs to be in your beard oil—is Vitamin E.
Why Is Vitamin E Important for Beard Oil?
If your beard regimen is accompanied by a skincare regimen, you probably already know a little about Vitamin E. This vitamin is one of the most important in skin creams and serums for the simple fact that it’s an antioxidant.
In skincare products, it rejuvenates and fortifies skin against free radicals and other detractors. Or, in simpler terms: it’s what fights against wrinkles, spots, and rough skin patches.
Vitamin E plays a similarly important role in your beard oil. In fact, it’s been a primary ingredient in some of the oldest brands of luxury beard oil, going back to the 1950s.
It not only nourishes hair, but it’s also specifically beneficial for thicker, more wiry hair—the kind that comprises your beard and mustache.
Here’s a look at a few more of the benefits that come from choosing a beard oil that’s infused with Vitamin E:
It can reduce the frizz and brittleness of beard hair
Leaving it softer and more manageable. This is particularly important for longer beards that can become dried out and frail due to lack of proper moisturization.
Loss Protection
The last thing any man wants is to find his beard shedding. As an antioxidant that safeguards against oxidative stress, Vitamin E is linked to hair loss prevention in men.
It might just keep your beard thicker this winter!
Oil Balance
Despite the name, beard oil is a moisturizer, not meant to leave your beard slick and wet.
A beard oil infused with Vitamin E will go a step further to maintain a proper oil balance, between too dry and unattractively creasy.
Skin Health
The skin under your beard is extremely important to nourish. A dry chin can lead to irritation, itching, or beard dandruff. Vitamin E benefits for the skin are exactly what your chin and cheeks need to stay healthy and supple.
Follicle Stimulation
Every man wants a beard that’s thick and full! Part of that comes from follicle stimulation, which promotes healthy hair growth.
Vitamin E is linked to follicle stimulation, which can nurture your beard’s thickness.
At the core of many of these benefits is a common factor: antioxidation. Vitamin E’s ability to fight off free radicals and prevent oxidative stress makes it a powerful asset to maintaining healthy hair and skin.
The Many Names of Vitamin E
Many beard oils will advertise Vitamin E among their ingredients. It’s usually near the very top of the list—or it might even be featured on the label. These beard oils are immediately worth consideration.
But just because the words “Vitamin E” aren’t listed on the ingredients label doesn’t mean your beard oil isn’t worthy.
This vitamin actually goes by many names in the cosmetic industry, and your product likely features it under a different moniker. Here are some of the ingredient names to look for:
- Alpha-tocopheryl acetate (ATA)
- Tocopherol acetate
- Tocopheryl linoleate
- Alpha-tocopherol
- Tocopherol
- Aquasol E
While there are small variations among the atomic structure of these compounds, make no mistake: they’re all forms of Vitamin E.
Tocopherols are one of two sub-groups within the Vitamin E family, and they’re incredibly common in skin and hair care products. Meanwhile, Aquasol E is one of many branded Vitamin E isomers.
Is anyone better than the others? That depends on the purity of the Vitamin E used. Naturally derived Vitamin E tends to be more bioavailable, making it easier for our bodies to use.
Look for beard oils that use all-natural and sustainable ingredients to be sure you’re getting the best version of Vitamin E in your product.
Stock to Your Beard Grooming Regimen
Vitamin E is an important ingredient for beard and skin health, but there’s a catch: you need to maintain a good regimen.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble compound, which means the body stores it and uses it as needed. However, our bodies fight off free radicals constantly. That means we constantly rely on Vitamin E.
Conclusion
Giving your body a daily dose of Vitamin E through your beard oil isn’t just a great way to replenish your reserves; it’s also a great way to introduce it directly to the cells that need it most: facial hair and skin.
You already oil your beard as part of daily grooming—make sure you’re also protecting it, and helping it to grow strong, full, and healthy.
