The fact is, all natural beard products will go rancid within 12 months or so. I know, it’s a lot to take in. People come for my throat about this topic all the time, because they were told it was fine to buy 100 bottles and display them on a shelf in the bathroom. Unfortunately, this is not true, and I’m often the one who has to break it to them that they flushed $2k down the toilet. This is a very common and misleading approach that too many beard care crafters use. I believe that as producers of quality beard care, myself and my peers in the industry owe it to our consumers to help confront this exploitive sales approach and also to ensure that everybody has quality, fresh product that works. Here’s the science that supports this statement. Let’s get into it.

Almost all beard products are made with cold-pressed vegetable oils. Some use tallow or less common “bird oils,” but the vast majority rely on plant-based oils. Each of these oils has a definitive shelf life. Shelf life refers to how long a product remains effective and safe to use before it begins to degrade. Unfortunately, some crafters claim that beard oils and balms are “shelf-stable,” meaning they supposedly last indefinitely. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Just like the olive oil in your kitchen, the oils in your beard products will oxidize over time, becoming rancid.

In herbalism, we learn often how vital fresh, high-quality oils can be for maintaining healthy hair and skin. In trichology, we study lipidology to understand the roles fatty acids and triglycerides play in hair health. Fresh, high-quality oils can provide so much benefit to both the hair and skin. Rancid oils, on the other hand, contain free radicals: unstable molecules that damage hair and skin at a cellular level. They can cause brittle hair, breakage, and even encourage follicles to go dormant. This is why using expired products can do more harm than good.

Here’s a look at the shelf life of some of the most common oils found in beard products. The variance in range is based on how it’s stored and whether or not it’s been opened.
The low number is “opened, stored properly” and the high number is “unopened, stored properly”:

Hemp Seed Oil: 6-9 months

Jojoba Oil: 12 months

Argan Oil: 6-12 months

Avocado Oil: 12 months

Sweet Almond Oil: 6-12 months

Tallow: 6-12 months

Emu oil: 6-12 months

Oils degrade due to oxidation, a process that occurs when they’re exposed to light, air, and heat. Even before oils make it into your bottle of beard oil, they’ve been exposed to light and air during production, transportation, and bottling. The lack of press dates from many producers means that a crafter could already be starting with oils that are partially rancid. This is particulaly true with companies who order their ingredients from 3rd party seller like Amazon, or who buy ingredients from big box stores. Anything short of “straight from origin” is a danger in this regard. Once you open a bottle, the exposure to air accelerates oxidation. The rule of thumb is simple: sealed products last about 12 months, while actively used products should be replaced after 6 months. When oils degrade, they lose their bioavailable fatty acids and triglycerides. These are the key components your hair and skin take from oils for nourishment and protection. This significantly reduces absorption efficiency, which is what makes a good beard oil so effective. Using a rancid product doesn’t just fail to deliver benefits; it actively causes harm by introducing free radicals.

In herbalism, we learn to emphasize buying only what we need when we need it. This allows us to ensure that we’re offering our customers fresh product, and that we don’t create tons of waste through unsustainable purchasing. For the consumers, we don’t suggest stockpiling products, even during sales events, as it’s a gamble unless you know exactly when and how the oils were pressed and bottled. Many companies don’t provide this information, leaving you to guess. This is why we stress the importance of keeping your products fresh. Your beard deserves the full benefit of high-quality, nutrient-rich oils with a full content of bioavailable fatty acids. Beard grooming products are often one of the most misunderstood areas in personal care, and much of the confusion comes from misinformation spread by companies eager to maximize sales. This is wildly exploitive and an insult to consumers. We owe it to our consumers to confront this practice industry-wide.

Here’s what we suggest:

  • Store your products in a cool, dark place to slow oxidation. Bathroom cabinet is usually just fine.
  • Look for brands that tell you the real shelf-life. 1 year or less. Anything more is their attempt to mislead you.
  • Avoid buying more than a 6-month supply of any oil-based product. This ensures that you always have fresh product on hand.
  • Always replace your products if you notice a change in smell, texture, or effectiveness. Rancid oils smell very strong. This can be masked by fragrance oils, so use time as your first indicator.

The science is clear. Rancid oils aren’t just ineffective, they’re also harmful. A well-formulated, fresh beard oil is a game changer, and understanding its shelf life ensures you’re getting the maximum benefit for your beard and skin. And hey, if you ever have questions about your products or need advice, feel free to DM us. We’re here to help!

**A note on Vitamin E oil: There’s a persistent myth that adding vitamin E oil (Tocopheryl acetate) to beard products extends their shelf life indefinitely. While it’s true that antioxidant-rich oils like grapeseed and vitamin E can slow oxidation, they can only do so for a limited time. This doesn’t mean they “preserve” a product but rather delay the inevitable by a few months. This can be helpful for oils with a short shelf life, but the issue is that even vitamin E oil goes rancid after 11 months! So, add a little vitamin E to an oil that goes rancid in 12 months, and you might get 12.5-13 months. That’s the science. Oxidation is inevitable.**