Can I use beard oil on my hair scalp?

• What’s The Difference Between Beard Hair And Head Hair?
• Beard Oil Vs Hair Oil: What’s The Difference?
• 3 Things You Need To Know About Using Beard Oil On Head Hair
  • 1. Less Is More
  • 2. It May Not Be The Smartest Way To Spend Money
  • 3. There Probably Isn’t Any Additional Benefit
• Frequently Asked Questions
  • Can Beard Oil Stimulate Growth Of Head Hair? 
  • Can I Use Hair Products On Beard Hair? 
  • Can You Use Beard Balm On Head Hair?
  • Can You Use Beard Shampoo On Head Hair?
• Conclusion

The use of beard oil on facial hair has become commonplace. It’s a simple, quick, and painless habit that can have massive aesthetic benefits. But a question often asked is – can you use beard oil on head hair? 

Beard oil can be used as a conditioner on your head hair, just as it is on your beard. As beard oil is generally thicker than hair oil, use it sparingly to prevent the head hair from looking greasy. Rub one or two drops in between your palms and run it through the hair.

Overall, using hair oil will always be a better option than beard oil and will reduce the risk of excessive oiliness. It’s also generally less expensive than beard oil as well.

However, the ingredients used would usually be fine for use on head hair and small amounts can have a nice conditioning effect.

Let’s dig into this topic a little deeper.

What’s The Difference Between Beard Hair And Head Hair?

Without going into too much detail, it’s important to understand that they are different. The best way of starting to understand this is to ask yourself why you had head hair as a child but didn’t have a beard? 

That’s true, but not entirely true. You did have hair on your face as a young one, but it was vellus hair – short, light, and so fine you can’t even see it. 

As you hit puberty, your androgen levels (including testosterone levels) boost, which converts this hair into terminal hair. Terminal hair is thicker, coarser, and much more visible. 

This is why your beard hair, and the hair on much of your body, is thicker, and wirier than the hair on your head. 

Beard Oil Vs Hair Oil: What’s The Difference?

Beard oil and hair oil differ in consistency, as well as scent. Beard oil is thicker than hair oil as beard hair is generally thicker and coarser than head hair. In addition, beard oils often prioritize scent more than hair oils, simply because the beard sits closer to the nose.

Hair products can have harsher chemicals infused. This is because scalp skin is a lot tougher than facial skin, and can tolerate it. The scalp also produces a lot more natural sebum than facial skin, adding an extra layer of protection. 

But beard oils and hair oils often have a lot of similarities. They often contain moisturizing carrier oils such as argan, jojoba, and coconut oils. These oils act as a vehicle for essential oils such as cedarwood, eucalyptus, or pine. 

So although the differences are important, the similarities can be used in your favor. Hair oil may be too harsh on your beard and the facial skin underneath it. But beard oil could be great to use on your head hair. 

Here are some tips for those of you keen on using beard oil on your head hair.

1. Less Is More

Beard oil is often thicker, and scalp hair is always thinner. Using the same amount of beard oil that I do on my beard let to pretty awful results. 

Using three, four, or even five drops of beard oil on short or medium-length beards would often be fine. But applying this amount to scalp hair will often lead to a very oily appearance, with greasiness and clumping rearing its head.

This can lead to hair looking thinner and patchier than it otherwise would. For men with thinning hair already, this could be a nightmare.

Scalp hair is relatively thin, and so much easier for beard oil to work through than beard hair. Use too much and it could be very obvious.

Using one or two drops on your head hair at first and then gauging how it looks is a safer bet. Use a boar bristle brush afterward to help distribute it through the hair and prevent accumulation in specific areas.

What you want is a gentle shine – not greasiness.

Overall, using half as much beard oil on your scalp as you would on your beard is a good way to go.

If you’re interested in knowing how much beard oil to use on your beard, read this article.

2. It May Not Be The Smartest Way To Spend Money

Beard products aren’t cheap. They aren’t expensive, but they aren’t cheap.

Beard oils are generally more expensive than hair oils, partially because it’s a much more niche market with big players in the game. 

When using beard oil on your hair, you’ll probably find that you work through that bottle quicker than you would on your beard. It’s just a larger area to cover.

Overall, it’s just not a very cost-effective way to oil your head hair.

If the benefits are the same, why would you not just buy a little bottle of hair oil that costs less? 

Your beard needs a gentle touch of beard oil. Hair products are just too harsh. It just makes more sense to reserve that precious liquid for the thing that needs it the most – your beard. 

Over time, this will most likely save you money and you’ll thank yourself for it. 

3. There Probably Isn’t Any Additional Benefit

While the texture, consistency, and scent are often different, beard oil and hair oil often contain very similar ingredients.

Because of this, it’s important not to think that there may be any additional benefit to using beard oil on your head instead of a simple bottle of hair oil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions on the same or very similar topics.

Can Beard Oil Stimulate Growth Of Head Hair? 

No. There is no evidence to suggest that beard oil stimulates the growth of head hair.

Beard oil has revolutionized beard grooming – just not for this reason. 

Can I Use Hair Products On Beard Hair? 

This one I’ve already kind of answered. But just to emphasize it, no you probably can’t. 

Hair products are often harsher than beard products, as scalp hair can handle it. Using any hair products (not just oils) on the beard can affect the integrity of the beard hair, as well as the skin underneath.

It isn’t worth it. 

Although a lot of the ingredients may be the same, beard oil was designed with the beard in mind. More importantly, with facial skin in mind.

Facial skin is sensitive and much more prone to irritation.

Can You Use Beard Balm On Head Hair?

Beard balm can be used on head hair as a moisturizer and styling product. The effects of beard balm on head hair are often similar to those of oil-based hair products. Beard balm can add shine and a light hold to the head hair, but it’s important to use it sparingly to avoid excessive greasiness.

As beard balm often contains ingredients such as shea butter and beeswax, the finish you’d get on your head hair can be quite shiny.

If you’re going for pretty shiny styles like slick backs and comb overs, this could work well for you.

If you’d rather have a more matte or low-shine finish, you’ll often find that beard balm produces too oily of a finish. You’d be better off going for a hair clay or hair paste instead.

Overall, however, using products specifically designed for your hair would always be preferable.

Can You Use Beard Shampoo On Head Hair?

It’s better to avoid using beard shampoo on head hair. Beard shampoo is often milder and gentler than head shampoo and may not provide as thorough of a cleanse as you would like. Stick to using beard shampoo on your beard and head shampoo on your head.

Of course, with the vast number of shampoos and products out there at the moment, it’s impossible to know whether this is true each and every time.

But in general, the differences between beard shampoo and head shampoo are significant and the two shouldn’t be used interchangeably.

Conclusion

To sum it all up, yes, you can use beard oil on head hair. If you use the correct amount for your particular hair without making it look too heavy, it can look pretty great. 

Hopefully, that clears up a question asked more often than you might think. Try it out to see for yourself.

Can you put beard oil on your scalp?

Does beard oil help grow head hair?