Taming a massive beard is not an easy task.
As your beard gets longer it becomes really difficult to maintain and keep in check.
Letting your beard grow wild is definitely not a good idea.
It looks unkempt, not so very attractive, you eat more of your facial hair than your food, to name a few.
If you are able to grow a really long and thick beard, you will, probably, at one point be facing the problem of taming it.
But never fear, beard relaxers are here.
A beard relaxing cream is the ultimate product and perhaps the only one you will need to get your beard in check.
It will allow you to loosen your facial hair up and help you create the style that you are going for.
But to eliminate a bushy beard you need the right products.
There are thousands of beard relaxers out there and choosing just one can be a whole other problem to deal with.
Luckily we eliminated that problem for you by creating a list of top beard relaxing creams there exist.
Simply take a look at our findings and we are sure you will be able to find a solution for your wild beard.
Image | Product | Details | |
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Best MoisturizerBossman |
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Check on Amazon | |
Best ConditioningWAHL |
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Best for StylingCremo |
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Smooth Viking |
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Copenhagen |
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Check on Amazon |
For more detailed and complete product reviews on benefits and features keep reading.
7 Best Beard Relaxing Cream Reviewed
1. Bossman Relaxing Beard Balm
Bossman Relaxing Beard Balm is an excellent choice if you want to tame your beard and keep it nourished.
It’s a reliable choice when you’re trying to keep your beard moisturized. It’s even good for keeping your beard manageable too.
Using this relaxing cream will help you tame any frizz or flyaways to make sure your beard looks top-notch.
You can also rely on this beard cream to give your beard a fresh and clean scent too.
You can choose from six different scents, including an unscented option.
Best of all, the Bossman beard relaxing cream isn’t tested on animals.
That means that you can rely on the benefits of this beard cream without contributing to animal testing.
- Good for moisturizing and taming your beard.
- Features Stagecoach Scent.
- Not tested on animals.
- Can be hard to get the balm out of its contain.
2. Revlon Professional Relaxer Super Conditioning Cream
While it isn’t explicitly made for beards, the Revlon Conditioning Cream is another option to condition your beard.
After all, it’s made to do what you need: to condition and soften the hair. This particular formula is made for coarse hair, according to Revlon.
This makes it perfect for the texture of most beards. You’ll probably notice that this Revlon relaxing cream is a professional formula too.
This means that you can unlock the same quality as you would in a salon.
This is a no-base formula too. This means that you can use it right away as the instructions intend rather than having to mix it.
- Professional formula.
- The super formula is meant to offer extra conditioning.
- No base formula.
- Not specifically made for beard care.
3. WAHL Beard Creme
When it comes to this WAHL Relaxing Cream the formula is explicitly targeted at beards.
It’s meant to not only tackle conditioning as well as moisturizing your skin beneath as well.
WAHL believes that a big part of creating a reliable formula is using reliable ingredients.
This includes jojoba oil, Sativa seed, olive, clove, meadowfoam seed and more.
Beyond what’s in the formula, it’s essential to consider what’s missing. In this case, you can rest easy knowing that the beard creme is free of parabens and phthalates. This option also features a tea tree scent.
However, WAHL aims for a more subtle scent as not to have an overpowering effect.
- Includes high-quality ingredients like jojoba and Sativa seed.
- Does not include phthalates or parabens.
- Softens your beard and moisturizes your skin.
- Made for moisturizing and conditioning, not shaping your beard.
4. SheaMoisture Full Beard Detangler for Full Beards
The two primary ingredients in this formula include Maracuja oil and shea butter. These work as an emollient and a conditioner respectively.
This formula is excellent for conditioning your beard. This is great for helping you tackle any tough knots you find in your beard as well.
On top of that, this formula is made for full beards. This means that you won’t have any problems just because your hair is thick or your beard is long. Once again, this is another formula you can turn to avoid negative aspects like animal testing.
You can rest easy knowing this formula doesn’t feature phthalates, parabens, sulfates, petroleum or mineral oil either.
- Maracuja oil and shea butter to relax and soften your beard.
- Made to condition and loosen tough knots.
- No animal testing or harsh ingredients.
- Can get heavy if you use it too liberally.
5. Cremo Styling Beard Cream
This Cremo Beard Cream, as the name suggests, is an excellent choice for styling.
It will help you shape and style your beard to keep you looking your best. In addition to that, though, it’s also a thickening cream.
This means that you can use it to give your beard a more voluminous appearance.
You can use this to aid in thickening a patchy beard as well. The thickening formula will help to add definition to your beard.
This means that you can rely on it early on in your beard journey too. It can offer a helpful boost by maximizing your beard from the start.
- Helps to style and shape your beard.
- Thickening cream helps to add volume and reduce patchiness.
- Can help you grow a fuller beard from the start.
- Beard cream dries quickly, making it tricky to manipulate at times.
6. Smooth Viking Hair Care Forming Cream
While it isn’t specified to beards, this Smooth Viking Forming Cream is formulated to cover men’s hair care needs.
This includes keeping your beard in tip-top shape. This specific forming cream is meant to offer you plenty of control.
This means that you can use it to sculpt and shape your hair and beard how you like it. It’s a reliable choice if you have damaged hair too. Since it offers some heavy-duty conditioning it can help bring your beard back into its prime.
This hair cream gets to the root of the issue too, by nourishing your follicles. That way, your beard is healthy through and through.
- Great for your beard and your hair.
- Allows you to sculpt your beard.
- Repairs damaged hair.
- Animal products included in the formula.
7. Copenhagen Grooming Cruise Control Beard Balm for Men
When you want to have complete control over your beard, Copenhagen Beard Balm has an answer.
This beard balm is aimed at giving you full control over how your beard looks.
It works for multiple types of hair as well. No matter your hair type it’ll offer you a medium-level hold and you can even use it in your hair! Furthermore, the formula works well at loosening knots too. This will help detangle your hair as well.
One of the main ingredients in this Cruise Control balm is shea butter. Not only is this nourishing for your hair and skin, but it makes the balm easy to apply and manipulate as well.
- Can be used for hair and beards.
- Detangles and conditions.
- Shea butter moisturizes and makes the balm easy to manipulate.
- Only offers medium-level hold.
What Is a Beard Relaxer
A beard relaxer is a cream or chemical that helps to straighten your beard and saves you the pain of brushing through a tangled beard.
A beard relaxer has alkali chemicals as active ingredients.
These chemicals include sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide or lye (a combination of the first two).
It is the answer to a painless beard grooming process.
Benefits of Using One
When you started your beard journey you certainly did not want it to be a painful process.
Unfortunately, you have gotten to a point where combing or brushing your beard is unnecessarily painful.
If you use a beard relaxer, you will enjoy the following benefits:
Less Curly Beard
A beard relaxer will straighten your beard so that you can easily pass your comb or brush and keep your mane well-groomed.
You no longer have to endure the pain of looking neat and prim.
Easier Detangling Process
After washing your beard the hairs are less likely to get tangled as they did before using a beard relaxer.
A beard relaxer will allow you to smoothly detangle your beard as you work towards keeping it well-groomed and healthy.
Ease in Cleaning Your Beard
A beard relaxer straightens your beard, so it is easier to clean and remove dirt and particles.
The straightened strands work well with water, ensuring that your wash days are always successful.
Moisturized Beard
Most beard relaxers have moisturizing qualities, which help to keep your beard well moisturized.
The moisturizer helps to strengthen your beard cuticles along the shafts.
The moisturizer also keeps your beard fully nourished with essential nutrients.
How Does Work
Your tangled beard could be a result of two possibilities. The shape of your hair follicles determines how straight or curly your beard turns out. Oval shaped follicles are the genesis of curled beards, while round follicles give you a more straightened beard.
The keratin bonds in your beard could also be the reason why your beard is so curly.
The tighter the bonds the more tangled your beard becomes. There is nothing much you can do about the shape of your follicles.
However, you can alter your keratin bonds’ strength with beard relaxers to achieve a straighter beard.
The strong alkali chemicals in a beard relaxer help break down the keratin bonds that coil up facial hair.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- You no longer have to worry about a painful beard detangling process.
Detangling your beard is probably one of your worst nightmares, especially if you are not very keen on treating your beard.
A beard relaxer saves you the pain because it gives you straighter beard hair. - A beard relaxer gives your beard a tamer and well-groomed look, especially if your hair follicles work against having a straight beard. If you struggle with keeping your beard neat because of the curly follicles then a beard relaxer could be the solution you need.
- A beard relaxer has essential oils and moisturizing qualities that help keep your beard well moisturized and easy to handle. Moisturizing beard oil you may find in your favorite beard relaxer include grapeseed, jojoba, argan, apricot and kernel oil.
You should consider stimulating beard growth with the help of a derma roller alongside the essential oils.
Cons
- The alkaline chemicals in a beard relaxer are likely to do more harm than good to your beard, especially if you use them for prolonged periods. Sadly, a beard relaxer could cause greater harm to your beard than heated brushes or a hair blow-dry.
- The chemicals are not gentle on your facial hairs and beat them to submission by destroying your natural keratin layer.
They weaken your beard, which is why you are likely to notice a lot of beard hair on your brush every time you comb or brush it. - As much as your beard becomes straighter and easier to comb through, it also becomes unresponsive.
It loses the natural texture of a beard. - Beard relaxers also deplete your beard of essential amino acids such as cysteine.
As a result, instead of the beautiful natural mane you have been sporting you are left with a frail and damaged beard. - Most men who have used beard relaxers admit that their beards lost all their natural qualities.
The beard suffers from damage traits such as split ends, dandruff and frizzy hair.
You do not want to lose your beautiful mane to such ruthless chemicals.
Types
Beard Relaxing Cream
A beard relaxing cream is a chemical agent that helps to straighten the curled hair follicles on your beard.
Beard relaxing creams have alkaline qualities that deplete the keratin in your beard and straightens it.
Flat Iron
If your mane is truly wild and you do not want to use a beard relaxing cream a flat iron could be your most ideal choice.
A good hair straightening iron will control your beard without exposing it to the harshness of a blow dryer or a relaxing chemical.
Use a mini-sized flat iron because a regular one is too big. You could also use a premium oil-free moisturizer to keep your beard moisturized.
Round Styling Brush and Comb
You can keep your beard from getting tangled by brushing it. A curly beard can be very unruly and this gadget helps you achieve the straightness and flexibility you want in your beard.
For best results use a cartridge razor to trim your facial hair. You can achieve a perfect look using an electric razor or blade.
When you trim your beard, be sure to use a precise shaving mirror so you get the best results.
You can also detangle your hair by combing your beard regularly and maintaining that prim look.
Styling Balm
A beard balm may be the alternative you need to consider when starting to detangle your beard.
It works as a leave-in conditioner, which helps to moisturize, condition, style and soften your beard.
Use a good balm for your beard. a good beard balm should make your facial hair look denser while helping you achieve a straightened look.
How to Use a Beard Relaxer
For effective results follow this simple guide when using a beard relaxer:
Step 1 – Start by cleaning the beard
Wash the beard with a beard relaxing shampoo and then wear disposable gloves and partition your facial hair into small sections.
Step 2 – Apply the beard straightening cream
Apply the beard relaxing cream on each section while avoiding contact with your skin.
Use a beard comb to spread it across your beard, leave it for about half an hour and then rinse out the relaxer without a shampoo.
Step 3 – Dry the beard
Dry your beard with a blow dryer but do not use a towel, so you do not remove the cream.
Step 4 – Straighten your beard
Next, use a straightening iron to straighten out the curls in your beard. Once you are satisfied with the results clean out the beard relaxer with beard shampoo. Repeat this action three times to clean out all residue.
After using a relaxer on your beard, your skin might feel dry from the chemicals.
Use a facial cream for smoother skin and a more moisturized feel.
Does More Spending Mean More Quality
When it comes to a beard relaxer, more spending doesn’t mean more quality.
When choosing your beard relaxer do not focus on the price tag to determine the best product.
Focus instead on the quality of the product by which is determined by the ingredients used.
Choose a relaxer that will cater to your beard’s straightening needs and one that does not contain harmful ingredients.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do’s
- Do use a beard relaxer that is friendly to your hair or beard. You do not want to lose your beard while trying to get it straight.
- Do use hand gloves when applying your relaxer. The relaxer has alkaline chemicals that could be harmful to your skin.
Don’ts
- Do not use a chemical beard relaxer regularly. Using it frequently will weaken your beard, and you may end up shaving it all because of the damage.
- Do not use head hair relaxers on your beard. Beard hair is softer than head hair, and the head hair relaxer might be too harsh in your beard.
FAQ
Do beard relaxers damage your beard?
The truth is that beard relaxers weaken your hair by depleting the keratin in it. You might experience split end, frizzing and damaged hair.
Is it safe to straighten my beard hair?
It is safe to straighten your beard hair with non-chemical products. You could use a flat iron or a comb and brush.
Can I apply a hair relaxer to my beard for effective growth?
A hair relaxer does not encourage the growth of your beard. It will only detangle.
You can achieve hair growth by using other products such as essential oils like jojoba and argan.
If you used a hair relaxer on a shaved head, would the hair be straight when it grows out?
No, a hair relaxer will only be effective on already grown hair. The fresh growing hair will grow with its own keratin, so you might have to consider applying a relaxer once the hair is grown.
Do beard relaxers work?
Yes, beard relaxers work if used properly.
Anthony Giannotti is a senior writer and editor for Beardoholic and a licensed barber for more than 13 years. He owns 3 barbershops and has his own hair care product line that is sold in barbershops worldwide. Known for his impeccable technique and skills, Anthony is an expert in hair and beard care and he knows the best products and tools to get rid of all beard problems and have an amazing beard.