7 tested benefits of Olive oil for Beard growth

Are you one of those who are searching for a natural alternatives to beard oils or allergic to chemical-based products?

In both circumstances, olive oil for beard growth can resolve the problem. I am confident of this because I’ve been using it for almost a month.

Last month, when I was cooking with olive oil, I thought, “What if I use olive oil for beard growth?” After all, olive oil is the 3rd most consumable and safest plant oil on the planet.

Also, it is more affordable than other beard oils. But one thing that was also letting me stop was Will olive oil provided sufficient nutrients for my beard or not?

After using it for over a month, I can assure you that olive oil can improve overall beard health. It can make the beard soft, shiny, nourished, and hydrated. 

But, there is very minimal growth I have seen in my beard. Olive oil helps with beard growth, but it may take more time.

I know it’s not easy to replace your beard oil with olive oil. After all, you were using it for a while.

But if you can’t afford beard oils from reputable brands, then using cheap beard oils is a complete waste of money. Instead of using cheap beard oil, you should try olive oil for beard growth.

I would highly recommend you read the entire blog so that you might get clearance about using olive oil as beard oil.

Olive oil: Extraction, types, and nutritional value

Extraction:

Olive oil comes from olive trees native to the Mediterranean and northern Africa. During November and December, people harvest fresh and green olives. Then it is washed and pressed with stone rollers.

These rollers pressed the ripe fruit of the olive tree into juices. Then the juice is transferred to large containers half-filled with water.

 After hours, the lighter liquid floats to the top, leaving behind the water or residue. The top layer contains pure olive oil, and the mixture (aka pomace) gets settled at the bottom. 

 Then this oil is filtered, packed, and sold in bottles.

Types:

There are five types of olive oil present on the market. All have different smoke points and different purposes. According to studies, the lower the smoke point, the better the quality of olive oil.

1. Extra virgin olive oil for beard growth:

Extra virgin olive oil is the best quality oil extracted using a cold-pressed technique, where natural content remains the same. It has a low acid content and is suitable for skincare and hair care.

2. Virgin olive oil:

Virgin oil is a crude form of olive oil that uses the same cold-pressed technique for extraction as olive oil. It has a high acid level of between one and four percent. 

These olive oils are milder in taste and suitable for low-heat cooking and salad dressing. Also, these are temperature resistant.

3. Pure olive oil:

Pure olive oil is a mixture of extra virgin olive oil, Virgin olive oil, and refined olive oil. They are rich in vitamin E and suitable for cooking and massage therapies.

4. Refined olive oil:

Refined olive oil is a moderate quality oil. It contains the same fat content as extra virgin olive oil and Virgin olive oil. It is appropriate only for cooking at high temperatures.

5. Olive pomace oil:

Olive pomace oil is the lowest quality oil made with the remaining residue after cold pressing. This oil is further mixed with high-quality oil to improve its quality and is suitable for high-heat cooking and massage therapies.

Now the question is, which olive oil is best to apply to the beards?

As I mentioned above, extra virgin olive oil is ideal for hair and skincare. Using it on our beards would be the right choice.

Nutritional facts about olive oil: 

Calculating the exact proportion is not possible. It depends on crucial factors like the olive quality, how ripe the olives were when pressed, and climate conditions.

 Still, we have calculated the estimated values.

If you breakdown its fat distribution, 100 grams of olive oil has:

Saturated fatty acid content: 14 g

polyunsaturated fatty acid: 11 g 

 monounsaturated fatty acid: 73 g

Other than this, olive oil is rich in antioxidants and vitamins and has anti-bacterial properties that combat dandruff. 

It contains Omega 6 fatty acids that keep your skin moisturized and fight against itchiness and sebum production. Also, it helps to generate healthy skin cells.

Does olive oil help with facial hair growth?

Honestly, there is little scientific research present on the usage of olive oil for beard growth. Applying olive oil to a beard has no evidence that it improves beard growth.

Olive oil can improve the internal health of the beard by making it more smooth, shiny, and hydrated.

According to a study, when 60 Moroccan men consumed extra virgin olive oil and virgin argan oil as a source of fat for three weeks, they noticed a sudden increase in their testosterone levels.

Testosterone is a hormone highly responsible for beard growth. 

If anyone is expecting beard growth using olive oil, consumption would be the better medium. If the purpose is to healthify your beard, then applying it can help in many ways. I will cover it in the next section.

Benefits of using extra virgin olive oil for beard growth:

Keep your skin and beard healthy:

There are various reasons behind skin and beard dryness, like extreme weather conditions, genetics, and the usage of cheap and harsh beard products.

People generally advise using a beard conditioner to eliminate dryness in the beard. But using low-quality beard products can even worsen the condition. 

So you must either choose a branded beard product or go natural by using natural oils like sweet almond or argan.

Olive oil is a blessing for beards. It can nourish both the beard and the skin underneath. If you want to enhance its properties, you can add essential oils too.

Give shine to the beard:

 When women compliment the extra shine in your beard, this gives you another level of confidence. 

Several beard balms give a good shine and hold. But they affect the roots of the beard and make it dry and brittle. Plus, you have to reapply several times.

On the other hand, olive oil is natural, long-lasting, and gives a natural shine to the beard. 

Soften and moisturize well.

Olive oil is rich in antioxidants and Vitamin E, which help to keep roughness and dryness at bay. It makes the beard softer and smoother. It also deeply moisturizes the beard and skin.

Prevent dandruff:

Seborrheic dermatitis is the most common reason for beardruff or scaly/flaky skin.

It occurs due to the yeast growth on your skin, also known as Malassezia, which results in red skin that becomes scaly and flaky.

Olive oil has anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties that prevent dandruff and repair skin tissue underneath your beard.

It helps in styling:

No doubt, beard oil, and beard balm provide a proper hold and go hand in hand while styling. But it has many side effects that make your beard lifeless.

Prolonged use of these products can even cause patchiness.

On the other hand, olive oil for the beard is the best remedy for styling. Though it may not give a proper hold, it keeps them in shape for hours. 

Plus, it has no damaging effects on prolonged usage.

It promotes beard growth:

As we discussed earlier, you can expect very little growth after using it for a while as there is no complete study is present that proves beard growth.

But some studies promote the consumption of olive oil as it can improve testosterone levels in the body, which ultimately work on beard growth.

Prevent Itchiness:

Beard itch can occur due to poor hygiene, dry skin, ingrown hairs, acne breakouts, and excessively using harsh grooming products that can irritate the skin. 

Olive oil has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce irritation and itchiness from the roots.

Is olive oil good for beards? Drawbacks!

 Olive oil is the safest oil if you want to apply or consume it. Still, follow the below fact to be sure.

Application:

Two things you must consider if you are going to apply olive oil to your beard:

1. Make sure you are not allergic to olives. For that, you will need to perform a patch test.

For patch testing:

Apply a small amount of olive oil to your face and leave it for 24 hours. If you notice any redness or irritation, discontinue the usage. If not, you are safe to use it.

2. Before buying olive oil for your beard, check the ingredient list. As I mentioned above, you must use extra virgin olive oil as it has all the properties intact.

 Consumption:

As we discussed earlier, the consumption of olive oil can increase the testosterone level in men, which ultimately promotes beard growth.

But before consuming it, you must be sure whether it is risk-free for your overall health or not.

According to a study, olive oil, especially extra virgin olive oil, can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and mortality in individuals at high cardiovascular risk.

According to the study, they included 7216 men and women having high cardiovascular risk. They provided them with Mediterranean diets supplemented with nuts or extra-virgin olive oil or a low-fat diet.

After following up, 277 cardiovascular occurrences and 323 deaths occurred. They concluded a 39% cardiovascular disease risk reduction and a 48% reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality.

So you can consume it either for improving beard growth or reducing cardiovascular disease risk.

DIY RECIPES: Olive oil beard treatment

DIY: Your Beard oil

Have you put olive oil on your palm? If so, you may know how slippery and greasy it feels. You should never apply olive oil directly to your beard, or you will end up with an oily look. 

Mix olive oil with some essential oil. The mixture will enhance the property and give the beard a non-greasy look.

Here, I will share two olive oil beard oil recipes so that you can choose according to their availability.

1. Add the following ingredients in a drop bottle and apply as directed:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1 oz)
• Jojoba Oil (1 oz)
• Coconut Oil (1 oz)
• Lavender Oil (10 drops)

2. Mix these two ingredients and apply:

• Extra virgin olive oil(1 oz)
• Eucalyptus oil(10 drops)

These two recipes are the easiest recipe you can try to improve beard health.

How to apply olive oil for beards growth:

There is nothing complicated in applying olive oil on beards. It’s important to remember that olive oil is a little greasier than other beard oils.

If you apply it in excess, you may ruin your look. You have to use the correct portion of olive oil. The right quantity will get clear with time.

Follow the following steps after passing a patch test:

Step 1: Cleansing

Clean your face before applying olive oil to your beard. You can use beard wash or any mild cleanser to clean your face. Use warm water to rinse the lather.

Warm water helps to open the pores and, the oil will penetrate deeper.

Avoid using olive oil directly to the face. If dirt or debris comes in contact with oil, it will increase the chances of skin issues like pimples, redness, irritation.

Step 2: Pat dry

Use a separate towel for your body and face. It will solve the half problem.

Pat dry your skin after washing it with a cleanser. Do not rub your face while drying but, dab to remove excess water.

Step 3: Applying olive oil for beard growth

Firstly, mix olive oil with some essential oils. Rosemerry, peppermint, and lavender are some of my favorites.

If you know the correct portion of oil, you can rub it on your palm and apply it directly to your beard and the skin underneath.

If not, you can use the beard comb and apply oil using the comb. In this way, you will save oil as well as your look.

Step 4: Shedding extra oil

If you have used a comb, this step is not for you.

If you massage it through your fingers, use a wooden beard comb to spread the olive oil from the roots to the tips of the beard. 

Also, it helps to minimize tangle and improves blood flow.

How often must you apply olive oil for a patchy beard?

If you hate greasiness in your beard, you can apply olive oil to the beard overnight and rinse it out the next day. Doing it twice a week will be enough to improve the overall texture of your beard.

If greasiness does not bother you, you can apply alternatively. 

Make sure overdoing will not help but consistently doing will improve the beard health.

Conclusion:

Olive oil for beard growth is not a myth if consumed orally. It can increase testosterone levels in men if you replace your fat source with this.

Testosterone is a hormone highly responsible for beard growth.

There is no study or a little research present globally that ensures beard growth while using olive oil topically.

That does not mean olive oil is bad for your beard health. Olive oil is one of the best carrier oil you can use. If you combine it with essential oils, it will be icing on the cake.

FAQs:

kayden

Kayden is an entrepreneur, writer, hairstylist working in a professional salon. He specializes in men’s grooming. He loves to blog about beards, hairstyles, and skincare.