Best Overall Beard Shampoo
Scotch Porter Moisturizing Beard Wash
Best Overall Beard Shampoo
Scotch Porter Moisturizing Beard Wash
Pros
- Hydrating and softening
- Great for dry or coarse beards
The best all-around beard shampoo is this one from Scotch Porter. It’s nourishing without being too heavy. The men’s grooming brand takes beard care seriously, and the ingredients are top notch. Use a few times per week, depending on your beard hair type.
Seriously, our editors have been using Scotch Porter’s bestselling beard wash since 2020, and we haven’t looked back since. “Somewhere between a face wash and a shampoo, this gentle cleanser uses ingredients like aloe and nettle leaf to gently remove dirt and oil from your whiskers and face without leaving your beard feeling dry or crispy,” says MH Grooming Editor Garrett Munce, who gave this a 2023 Grooming Award.
Most Affordable Beard Shampoo
SheaMoisture Beard Wash
Most Affordable Beard Shampoo
SheaMoisture Beard Wash
Pros
- Lathers up quickly for a deep cleanse
- Natural ingredients help soften and condition
Cons
- Might be too thick for some guys
If you have coarse beard hair and you want a beard shampoo with a deep clean, look no further. It cuts through dirt and grime easily and then uses a combination of maracuja oil and shea butter to add some much-needed moisture back into your beard. Our testers love how well it leathers, which makes for a quick, deep cleanse that also feels luxurious. While we’re not picky about natural ingredients, we did find that SheaMoisture’s formula felt less drying, more hydrating, and smell less chemical-y than other similarly priced washes.
| Size | 6 oz |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Fair Trade shea butter and maracuja oil |
Best Beard Shampoo For Dry Skin
Jack Black Beard Wash
Best Beard Shampoo For Dry Skin
Jack Black Beard Wash
Pros
- Conditions hairs and skin underneath the beard
- Helps soothe dryness and irritation
Cons
- Scent might be too strong for some
The best beard shampoos are part skincare, part haircare. This one leans more into the skincare category, which makes it great for dry skin. The extra-gentle formula removes dirt and oil while conditioning your hair and skin underneath.
Our testers are big fans of Jack Black’s skincare products, and its beard wash is no exception. We love that this formula conditions the hair and skin underneath the beards. We found that this beard wash is so hydrating, that we didn’t need to follow up with a beard conditioner. This product comes especially in clutch during winter, when we need a deeply hydrating cleanser. Though like the rest of Jack Black’s products, this one is heavy on the fragrance, so it might be great for super sensitive skin.
| Size | 6 oz |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Jojoba protein, panthenol, aloe leaf juice powder, organic sea kelp and shea butter |
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Best Smelling Beard Shampoo
Every Man Jack Beard + Face Wash
Best Smelling Beard Shampoo
Every Man Jack Beard + Face Wash
Now 13% Off
Pros
- Outdoor-inspired sandalwood scent
- Moisturizing aloe vera and glycerin
Cons
- Might not be great for oily skin
This 2-in-1 beard and face wash is gentle enough to use every day without being too harsh on your skin. Not only do the powerful natural ingredients reduce irritation and soften your beard hairs, but they also smell incredible. Normally we’re not fans of heavy scents, but quite a few of our editors appreciated Every Man Jack’s outdoorsy, musky fragrance, which added a touch of luxury to our daily beard care routine.
Plus, our testers also found that this formula was also deeply hydrating to our their skin, most likely thanks to its aloe vera and glycerin combo. In other words, this is a wash that’s a feast for the senses.
| Size | 6.7 oz |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Aloe vera, glycerin, coconut-derived compounds, and caprylic triglycerides |
Best Moisturizing Beard Shampoo
King C. Gillette Beard Wash
Best Moisturizing Beard Shampoo
King C. Gillette Beard Wash
Pros
- Made with nourishing coconut water, argan oil and avocado oil
- Leaves your face smelling great
Cons
- Scent might be too strong for some
This one lathers up nicely, leaving your face feeling clean and soft. The oils moisturize without making your face or beard feel greasy, and a little amount goes a long way, so this 11 ounce bottle is sure to last you awhile. For under $10, it’s absolutely worth it. One tester says that his face never smelled better than after using this beard wash.
| Size | 11 oz |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Coconut water, argan oil and avocado oil |
Best Beard Shampoo for Softness
Duke Cannon Supply Co. Best Beard Wash
Best Beard Shampoo for Softness
Duke Cannon Supply Co. Best Beard Wash
Now 17% Off
Pros
- Barley and wheat protein help strengthen beards
- A portion of proceeds benefits U.S. Veterans
Cons
- Requires a conditioner afterwards
They don’t call this the Best Damn Beard Wash for nothing. While it didn’t snag the top spot, it was definitely in the running. It’s made with plant-based ingredients that nourish your skin and beard, encouraging beard growth and thickness. Plus, proceeds from each sale goes towards helping U.S. Veterans, so it’s a purchase you can feel good about. Though our testers did note that this wash didn’t hydrate as deeply as other options on this list, so make sure to follow this up with a quality beard conditioner.
| Size | 6 oz |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Hops extract, citrus peel oils, barley and wheat protein, soybean oil |
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Best Beard Shampoo For Sensitive Skin
Anthony Conditioning Beard Wash
Best Beard Shampoo For Sensitive Skin
Anthony Conditioning Beard Wash
Pros
- Rosemary and black currant extracts alleviate itchiness
- Can be used before or after shaving
Guys with sensitive skin often have a hard time caring for their beard, since the skin underneath is easily irritated. This beard shampoo is full of sensitive skin-friendly ingredients like black currant, rosemary, and coconut oil to soothe dry skin while softening beard hairs.
| Size | 6 oz |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Black currant, rosemary, and coconut oil |
Best Luxury Beard Shampoo
Murdock London Beard Shampoo
Best Luxury Beard Shampoo
Murdock London Beard Shampoo
Pros
- Helps to avoid beard dandruff
- Not overly scented
Cons
This pH-balanced shampoo is specially formulated to help rid you of dreaded “beard dandruff.” It cleanses without stripping the skin and lightly conditions your beard hair to prevent flakeage.
| Size | 8.4 oz |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Coconut oil, orange peel oil, eucalyptus leaf oil |
Best 2-in-1 Beard Shampoo & Conditioner
Bulldog Beard Shampoo and Conditioner
Best 2-in-1 Beard Shampoo & Conditioner
Bulldog Beard Shampoo and Conditioner
Pros
- Features soothing aloe vera and camelina oil
- Improves the look and feel of dry skin
Cons
- Scent might be too strong for some
A lot of men’s grooming products claim to be 2-in-1 but are subpar in both at best. This. 2-in-1 beard shampoo and conditioner is the exception. It does a fantastic job of cleansing and conditioning, so your beard looks and feels well-groomed.
| Size | 6.7 oz |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Aloe vera, camelina oil, and green tea |
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Pros
- Won’t strip your skin
- Rosemary extract prevents breakage
For a fresh, invigorating shampooing experience, this beard wash from The Art Of Shaving will wake you up and put some pep in your step. It lathers up nicely and leaves your face feeling refreshed and cool.
| Size | 4 oz |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Peppermint essential oil, olive and jojoba seed oils, rosemary, eucalyptus |
18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco Shampoo, Conditioner and Body Wash
18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco Shampoo, Conditioner and Body Wash
Pros
- A little bit goes a long way
- Amazon scent
Emmy Shirk, barber and owner of Em’s Classic Barbershop in Centennial, OH, has been using this beard wash on her clients since 2021. She loves that it’s a “purpose shower” that deeply cleanses, and can be used on the rest of your body. “This is something we love to supplement every few days as a quick all over clean. I love that it doesn’t leave the skin feeling “soapy”. The scent lasts all day through all kinds of events!”
Shirk says she recommends this product on guys with super hairy beards. “It lathers fast and hard, and a little goes a long way,” she says. “I think it would mostly benefit those with a slightly longer beard! A tiny dab will get the entire body squeaky clean!”
| Size | 18 oz, 32 oz |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lauramide DIPA |
Great Everyday Beard Wash
Reuzel Clean and Fresh Beard Wash
Great Everyday Beard Wash
Reuzel Clean and Fresh Beard Wash
Pros
- Works on most skin types
Cons
- Scent may be too strong for some
Shirk also recommends Reuzel’s beard wash as a gentler formula that works on a lot of different skin types. ” This is something I recommend for use on mornings when you’re running a bit behind, between events, or before bed to make sure you’re not rubbing the day’s oil, product, and skin flakes all over your clean pillowcase!” says Shirk, who has been using this on her clients for nine years. Our editors like how affordable it is for the ingredients Reuzel uses, but some testers noted that the scent is too strong for them.
| Size | 6.8 oz |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Cocoamphohydroxypropylsulfonate, Caffeine |
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Best Rosemary Oil Shampoo
La Bruket 218 Beard Wash
Best Rosemary Oil Shampoo
La Bruket 218 Beard Wash
Pros
- Can improve the thickness of your beard
- Deeply cleans skin
A few of the experts we spoke with recommend La Bruket’s Beard Wash, a new-ish formula that’s cleans as well as it hydrates. “I love the ingredients which provide anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and antibacterial benefits,” says Eric Jackson, Lead Barber at Manifest Barbershop in Washington, D.C. “I’ve been using this product for a year now. My client’s love it too.” We also love that it contains rosemary extract, which has been shown to improve hair growth for some guys.
Read more: Rosemary Oil for Hair Growth
| Size | 190 mL |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Juniperus virginiana (Cedar) oil, Sodium anisate, Citrus aurantium (Orange) dulcis peel oil |
What to Look for in Beard Products
We know what you’re thinking: why not just using the same shampoo for your head as for your mug? Not so fast, according to the experts we spoke with.
“Beard shampoos are different from normal scalp shampoos,” says Dr. Michael Wolfeld, MD FACS, a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in hair restoration. “Using a scalp shampoo on the beard hair can remove or strip the sebum or natural oils away leading to more brittle hair and dry, itchy skin underneath. The sebum is secreted by the glands on your face and this sebum is important to moisturize your beard and protect the underlying skin. Beard shampoos are gentler, so they do not remove these oils.”
Ingredients: In general, Dr. Wolfeld says to look for formulas that don’t contain sulfates, formaldehyde, or other residues that can irritate your skin. Barber Jackson says to look for ingredients that are deeply hydrating, such as jojoba oil, aloe, Vitamin E, etc. If they have anti inflammatory and anti-fungal properties, even better, as that can help fight beard dandruff, razor bumps, or ingrown hairs.
Scent: “Obviously scent is hugely important as well, so don’t be afraid to open the bottle and take a big sniff before you purchase and take it home for your partner to smell every day,” says Shirk.
How We Selected
For the past two years, we consulted with Men’s Health’s Grooming editors and writers on the best beard shampoos for men. Experts, including our Grooming Editor Garrett Munce, put a number of beard shampoos to the test and evaluated their ingredients, scent, feel, and value. We also considered top-reviewed beard shampoos that had high customer ratings on e-commerce websites we trust.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Meet the Experts
Shop More of the Best Beard Products
Freelance Writer
Cristina Montemayor is a freelance writer and journalist living in Austin, Texas, covering beauty, grooming, style, and culture. Her work has appeared in Very Good Light, BRIDES, Elite Daily, among others.
Leave a Reply