Beardbrand is a company that has been around since 2012 and their aggressive use of YouTube have made them a household name for beard growers around the world. You’ve probably come across the videos when googling questions about beards and that is because they have been very good at marketing themselves using social media and contemporary methods. When you see Beardbrand on YouTube you may be asking yourself – is Beardbrand good? Do they create good products? And, after you see the price, you’re probably wondering if it is worth the price. In this article we are going to go through whether or not Beardbrand is worth the extra money and if they are a “good company”.
Beardbrand advertise themselves as a company that have formulated premium products that help keep beards, hair, and skin healthy, illustrious, and ready to show off to the world. My experience with their products is that although they are made of quality ingredients there are many other cheaper alternatives that do a better job.
In a recent YouTube video I compared and contrasted Beardbrand beard wash with a much cheaper and more popular alternative – honest Amish beard soap. You can check out what I found in the video below:
Although most of my opinions were shared in this video I think it’s important to do a more in-depth job and this is where this article comes in.
Article Contents
Is Beardbrand worth the price – my experience with Beardbrand?
This article is based on the personal use of Beardbrand products as well as opinions and reviews that I have collated from online forums and other review sites. The first thing that stands out if you decide to buy a Beardbrand product is the expense of their product line. Comparing and contrasting this to other brands can sometimes give you a little bit of a shock!
It is about 3 times the price of other products
Here is a table with some of the prices of Beardbrand products (updated February 2021).
| Beard oil gold range | US$29 |
| Beard oil silver range | US$21 |
| Beard wash gold range | US$23 |
| Beard wash silver range | US$17 |
| Beard softener gold range | US$23 |
| Beard softener silver range | US$17 |
| Beard styling balm gold range | US$37 |
| Beard styling balm silver range | US$28 |
Based on the above prices if you were to buy one of each of the essential gold products it would cost you US$112 to buy individually. They also have kits which allow you to reduce the price of buying things individually.
If you want to experience Beardbrand at a reduced price they have an exclusive deal with Target where they sell their white line of products. There, you will be able to get the same base ingredients without the increased price of the gold or silver products. It’s a perfect way to experience Beardbrand without breaking the bank.
Why is Beardbrand’s gold line so expensive?
The reason the gold products cost a little bit more is because they have premium fragrances and other injurious fragrances. All of the Beardbrand (and other products) products have the same base ingredients. So if you’re looking for value go and get another product as they are generally all the same. But, if you want amazing fragrances then go with the Goldline and if you want somewhere in the middle then you should aim for the silver line.
You can think of their fragrance line like the cologne which you purchase as an aftershave. Some of the very expensive aftershave is go for a lot of money because the ingredients are at a much higher initial price.
I’m not here to say that Beardbrand is not worth it. What you want to spend on your beard is completely up to you. Perhaps, you have a important function or dates coming up and you want to really treat yourself and your beard. The Beardbrand range is a perfect way to do that. However, for me, keeping the price down for my daily products is what my main concern is. That is why I like the honest Amish range as they seem to have quality products at a very reasonable price.
The soap seems to dry my beard out a lot
I have been using the beard soap ever since my YouTube comparison video. One thing I have noticed is that it could not be deemed a mild shampoo. Rather, my beard seems to be dried out and it needs to be followed up with a beard softener or other beard balm which then can reintroduce the moisture into the beard was also providing some style and hold.
This isn’t necessarily a problem if you have the budget to spend on extra products. However, I like to keep my beard maintenance routine as simple and easy as possible. Beardbrand products may smell nice and they may have fancy colognes in them but their business model is clearly to get you to purchase more beard taming products after you have used their shampoo.
Fancy marketing and branding
There is no doubt that they have absolutely nailed the branding and marketing of Beardbrand. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be much substance behind the marketing as the products are good but not great.
In 2014 the founder of Beardbrand appeared on an episode of shark tank in an effort to get more funding for Beardbrand. Even though their ask was unsuccessful it did help them gain national notoriety and quickly cement Beardbrand as a household name for anyone interested in men’s grooming products.
Beardbrand’s back story
The company was founded by a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch, Eric Bandholz, after he didn’t like the no facial hair policy of the company. And in probably one of the best decisions left the financial advising company and started his own beard grooming company. In 2011 Eric attended a start-up weekend when he met his cofounders. It was launched in early 2012 with a complimentary tumbler block, YouTube channel, and an online magazine called Urban Beardsman.
In January 2013 Eric was featured as a beard expert in an article for the New York Times and that allowed them to launch with a good foundation in public knowledge of Eric as a knowledgeable source of information of all things beard. Certainly the YouTube channel has helped solidify that opinion of the general public.
The rest, is history.
Frequently asked questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about Beardbrand and its products.
Does Beardbrand ship to UK?
Yes, Beardbrand ships to the UK and other international destinations. Upon their online store you are able to select a range of different destinations by simply using the drop-down menu at checkout.
What does Beardbrand old money smell like?
According to their website the fragrance of old money smells like:
Old Money — The same oil base was used for this classy, firm fragrance. Top notes of oak, bourbon, black pepper, and amber will give you the perfect combination of sweet and musky. This fragrance is for the beardsman who enjoys an afternoon cigar and a stout glass of whiskey. Mahogany encompasses the heart and base notes.
After purchasing an old money smelling product this is what it smells like to me: it smells like there has been a lot of wood essential oils used and there is a sweet overtone which is immediately present when you sniff the product. It is subtle and not overpowering. The fact that it is not overpowering means that I comfortably use it with other products with their distinct smell and there has not yet been a clash.
What are the best Beardbrand alternatives?
The best Beardbrand alternatives that I have used are:
Honest Amish
Honest Amish is a fantastic company and I highly recommend all of their beard products. They offer some old school recipes which just seemed to work well for beards. They are inexpensive and offer a range of different soaps and oils so there are plenty for you to choose from.
My DIY beard balm and beard oil
if you want full control over your beard products I would highly recommend using and learning to make your very own products. It is surprisingly easy to make beard balm – just follow the YouTube video, below. If you are able to melt chocolate you can very easily make your own beard balm and wax.
For beard oils, we can follow a similar process as the beard wax but without the holding element. Beard oil is simply a mixture of carrier oils and essential oils. I have used jojoba oil and eucalyptus oil but you can choose any other carrier oils: jojoba, avocado, castor, grapeseed, and sweet almond mixed in any ratio. Use about 5 drops of essential oils.
Place the oils in a dropper bottle (check out these on Amazon) add the essential oils (not too much) and enjoy!
Summary
Yes, Beardbrand is a good company. They offer a range of products at varying price points. If you want cheap products had to target and for premium products had to their website. If you want to buy something nice for your bearded loved one or friend getting a Beardbrand product from the gold range would be a lovely treat that most bearded people work at the love.
However, for the daily beard groomer Beardbrand maybe a little bit too expensive and therefore this company’s products has always been something that I get as a gift rather than something that I purchased myself for my beard.
No matter what you decide to use on your beard you have to always make sure that you are using premium products and using a reputable company will make sure that you are not putting any damaging chemicals or potentially harmful essential oils into your beard.
