That’s right, it’s Friday and that means it is time for another review. I know it’s later than usual but better late than never! Today, under the spotlight we have Beard Work The Imperial Review.
Do Beard Work have their CPSR?
They certainly do. The owners are proud to have everything done above board and be legally compliant. I have seen the evidence and know they have all the correct documents. Another brand that does things the right way is great to see.
Who are Beard Work?
Beard Work are Josh and Jen, a couple who are committed to creating the best products on the market. As with all small batch beard companies they make the products by hand and put in a great deal of work. I like the fact they are both working at it and they are one of a few brands that are created by couples. They started the company last year and have really started to push their way into the market.
Right, let’s see if they are as good as they say in my Beard Work The Imperial Review.
Scent
When I first smelt the oil it gave off a scent that reminded me of summers walking through well maintained gardens. You know the kind, the ones where you visit a big house and they have a huge garden full of flowers and plants. Like, Cragside or The Alnwick Castle and Gardens.
It’s not unpleasant though which some florally scents can be and it soon develops into something more. You really start to get the lemon and bergamot come through and offer that sharp, fresh citrus fragrance. Flowing through the citrus you get the undertones of cedarwood giving it a more woodsy feel and creating a nice base to lower the sharpness.
I couldn’t really get any of the berry fragrance or the oud that’s in there but it didn’t lessen the overall feel of the scent. There was still a florally scent in the background which made the oil smell a bit too feminine for me.
Durability
Once the cedarwood pushed through the citrus fragrance things started to die down. The initial punch of the lemon and bergamot faded after a couple of hours leaving the woody base and the floral tinge. After another 2 to 3 hours the scent faded giving this oil a fairly average 5 hours.
That was a bit of a disappointment for me personally but might be enough for someone else. As you know I’m a fan of scents that hang around all day and this one just didn’t cut it. The time it lasted when out and about on my usual walks decreased giving me about 3 hours overall.
Benefits
Beard Work have gone in with some familiar carrier oils but added a couple that don’t get used very often. Here’s a quick rundown of the carriers and their benefits.
Grape Seed
Grape seed oil is rich in linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid. Essential fatty acids are the building blocks of healthy cells. They hydrate, moisturize, and soften skin. It absorbs into 
your beard and skin quickly as it is very thin and doesn’t leave you feeling greasy.
The oil promotes healthy hair growth which doesn’t mean it will make your hair grow quicker! However, it will make your hair stronger and more healthy. Just like castor oil, it helps to reduce beardruff which can be a problem.
Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil is derived from the seeds of the jojoba shrub, a perennial native to the North American deserts. The oil of the jojoba seed is extracted by cold-pressing, a process that helps maintain the rich nutritional value of the oil. The oil has plenty of antioxidantsincluding vitamins A and E.
These help to stop or reduce itchiness of the skin. This is particularly helpful in the early stages of beard growth. It is also great for your beard hair as the oil molecules are similar to sebum. It can also help to make your hair stronger which is very helpful when you brush or comb your beard a lot.
Argan Oil
Argan oil is known to be beneficial to your skin and can help to moisturise your skin and hair. Hailing from the Argan Tree, which is endemic to Morocco, it is also used as a dip for bread etc. It is often used in face creams due to its potential to reduce wrinkles.
Sweet Almond
This is another oil that is great for both your skin and hair. Almond oil can help soothe and improve acne, especially good for when you first start growing a beard. It also treats dry skin which you can get under your beard if you don’t use the right products. There is plenty of vitamin E in this oil which is good for protecting and even repairing your skin from sun damage. For your hair, there is plenty of B-7 or Biotin which is great for keeping your whiskers strong and healthy.
And then comes the oils that really intrigued me.
Fractionated Coconut Oil
So, Fractionated Coconut oil is basically coconut oil but fractionated! The process to do this is called Fractionation. Read the wiki page as explaining the process will take too long! The oil is used for many different things but it is great for moisturising the skin. It is great for sensitive skin which is ideal for the beard grower. It also helps keep your pores unclogged although how effective it would be with the other oils needs some investigation.
Avocado Oil
Avocado oil is another great oil for your skin. It helps to stop itchiness and soothes the skin under your beard. It also hydrates and moisturises your skin leaving it feeling soft. Again, I haven’t seen this used widely so the benefits are uncertain but my skin definitely felt good after use the carrier blend for a week.
Overall
So for me the overall benefits of the oil are good. The carrier oils work nicely together and I like to see new or different carriers used. They all have benefits for skin or hair and trying out new ones can only be a good thing. As long as they work!!
Healthy, soft and well hydrated skin was a bonus and my beard had a shine to it after a couple of days which I think is the coconut oil. Correct me in the comments below if I’m wrong. A good solid carrier blend that does work.
Originality
Okay, there’s 2 parts to this so I’ll start with the packaging.
It just doesn’t stand out for me. It’s basic and doesn’t shout ‘look at me!!’. With so many beard companies around with big loud branding, you really need something to push your brand above the rest. I do like the different colour writing for each fragrance but that’s where the compliments end.
I did speak to the owner about this and he has shown me a sneak peek at his new branding. He has realised they needed to change things up and make his brand a bit more vibrant. Will it help make Beard Work stand out from the crowd? You will have to wait and see.
Then there’s the oil itself. While the scent profile didn’t stand out as being that original as separate fragrances, mixed together it did bring something a bit different. The carrier blend is where there is some real originality with the Avocado oil and the Fractionated Coconut oil.
Value for Money
Well, here’s the thing. Beard Work do 2 sizes, a 10ml and a 30ml. Now the 10ml is priced at £7 which seems okay. But the 30ml is £14 and for me I think it’s a bit steep. There are premium oils out there that cost less and do the same or a better job. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a deal breaker and I would still buy other scents from them, I just would like the scent to last longer for £14!
Conclusion
They are on the right track but maybe need a few tweaks to get things where they want it to be. The packaging is changing which is good, it shows a brand that is willing to rework things to get them right!
This scent wasn’t for me. Not enough earthy woodiness to combat the floral scent I was getting and it really does need to last longer. If you want to buy any products from Beard Work then visit their website www.beardwork.com.
Thanks for reading my Beard Work The Imperial Review. While you are here check out my last article What is the UK Beard Portal?
Take care and keep growing
Tony
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