Every man isn’t blessed with the God-given genes to grow a full beard.
But, if you are one of those men, it is essential to groom it the same as you would the hair on top of your head. As my scalp has given way to baldness, grooming my beard has become a daily ritual.
For those who are less fortunate, may Black Jesus bless you this Christmas with a face of woolly, thick curls you and your partner can run y’all’s fingers through.
(I am especially talking about my colleague Jay Connor, whose face Black Jesus forsook when he was making black people; perhaps the beard machine was broken when Jay was rolling down the Cool Black Man assembly line).
But for those of us who can actually grow hair on our faces—no matter how much—using the right type of beard product is vital and I strongly recommend Golden Grooming, a black-owned, 100 percent plant-based skin and hair care company out of Detroit.
As the native Detroiter at The Root, I found it fitting to try each of their skin, beard and body care products for review.
Hydrating Face Wash
You can’t have a smooth-to-the-touch beard and have an ashy face. What is cool about Golden Grooming’s face wash is that it really does feel like your face is hydrating, as if the cream is seeping down into your skin. For men who are using any product for your skin, please use it for at least a minute. Otherwise, the product will not work as well.
(Also, go watch La Beautyologist’s YouTube explainer on how to care for your skin, where I got the aforementioned tip from.)
What’s good about this product is that you can actually go without adding any face cream afterward, if you so choose, and not look ashy.
3-in-1 Body Wash + Beard Wash + Shampoo
I tend to moisturize my beard several times a day because I work out. Because of this, I’m pretty mindful of how natural the products I use are, and I lean toward products that can cleanse everything without drying out my beard—not to mention, it’s less expensive. That’s why I found Golden Grooming’s 3-in-1 Body Wash + Beard Wash + Shampoo so practical. I can hop in the shower and wash everything without having to grab something just for my beard.
The product lathers up fairly well in my beard and the rest of my body. The smell is pretty neutral, so you can actually cross-use other brands with it. (I’ll explain this later.) I use another 3-in-1 washing product I like, but what is cool about Golden Grooming’s 3-in-1 is that the sandalwood and citrus smell is not too strong and it leaves your beard pretty conditioned, which is great for dry hair.
Deep Clean Exfoliating Scrub
Exfoliating is a unique experience for everyone and it all depends on your preferences. For the body, I use oil-based scrubs and love them. But I’ve tended not to exfoliate my face. I don’t know why; just didn’t. But I tried Golden Grooming’s face scrub and I can tell you that my face felt like a million bucks.
You’re supposed to use it once a week to get rid of dead skin. The 4-ounce bottle is supposed to last 3-6 months. For $19.99, that’s a worthwhile investment for your face.
Green Tea Daily Face Moisturizer
I’ve been trying to get my face moisturizer game up and I find this Green Tea Daily Face Moisturizer does the trick. It leaves your face feeling smooth with just enough moisture so that your pores don’t feel clogged up. That is a key element of any product you use on your face. You can’t grow a healthy beard with products that don’t allow your pores to breathe.
Remember, apply this to your face in a circular motion for at least one minute.
Big Growth Beard Balm
My beard tends to prefer butters over balms, but it all depends on your hair type. (Yes, men, please figure out what your hair type is!) But the Big Growth Beard Balm has grown on me over the past week I’ve used it. What I like is that it shapes and holds the shape of my beard in ways that butters don’t. (Butters tend to make my beard fuller, which I like because, while my beard is fairly thick, it’s not James Harden thick.).
Anyway, play with different products to get a feel for how your hair responds and what you prefer. This is a good explainer on the difference between a beard butter versus a beard balm.
The good thing about Big Growth Beard Balm is that the smell is not overpowering and it can blend with a lot of other stuff. (Again, I’ll explain later).
Ultra Conditioning Beard Oil
Now, this is the crown jewel of the whole kit Golden Grooming sent me. This oil is wonderful! First-class, in fact. If you want a scent that takes notice, but not too much notice, get you some Ultra Conditioning Beard Oil. It adds a sheen to your beard with just a few drops (usage varies, depending on beard thickness and length) and a medium-range tea tree oil, citrus, and peppermint smell if you are looking for a stronger scent than the beard balm provides.
They claim the one-ounce bottle ($16.99) lasts up to three months. Even if it lasts six weeks, that’s a very good deal for that price because, as I said, it’s a great product.
And this is coming from a man who tends not to like beard oils!
Ultra Moisturizing Body Balm
So, again, I am a butter person because I enjoy the oils and the moisture that comes with it. But, that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate this Ultra Moisturizing Body Balm. This is great for people who don’t like products that are too oily or leave too strong a scent on your body that can get into your clothes. Indeed, this is a very neutral balm that serves the person who likes to smell good without feeling like the incense man who knocks you out with one whiff as he walks by you.
Plus, your skin is left feeling hydrated without feeling weighed down.
About blending this with other stuff…
Now, I know Golden Grooming may not want me to say this, but I think it is a good thing. The best feature of this product, at least for me, is that the smell is generally neutral, meaning you can mix it with your other favorite products. If, for example, you are a beard butter dude, but like the Golden Grooming Beard Oil for its sheen factor, it works great because the smell is light enough that it will not disrupt the composition of the butter. I know, because I tried it!
I like the face moisturizer and will continue using it because it leaves my face feeling hydrated and not oily, which is the feeling I got from using creams.
So, if you want to cross-use products, Golden Grooming is great for that.
Overall…
I recommend Golden Grooming for people who want a light-scent experience that doesn’t leave them feeling weighed down. The body wash is very functional and the balms leave your skin feeling hydrated after the shower.
Come get y’alls life together. Your beards will appreciate it.