Ever since I decided to start growing a beard, which is still coming along delightfully well, it has opened up new options for knick-knacky stuff that surrounds this new pursuit.

Everyone strongly suggested to me that regularly applying beard balm is an important step especially if I want to keep what I have from being damaged, developing split ends, or growing in kinky and rough. I’m after smooth and relaxed, soft and pleasurable to see and even to touch, from the right sort of person, that is.

So I have written in the past about some of the things that I’ve been using. The first thing I bought for this was Reuzel Beard Balm. This balm is very dense, almost waxy. My barber showed me exactly how much to apply, which is the amount that would end up on my thumbnail. Scrape some of it out of the tin, warm it with your fingers, and then work it in carefully throughout the beard. Afterwards, use the brush to spread all the goodness around and make sure that a little bit of the balm gets everywhere it needs to be. It doesn’t hurt that the Reuzel scent is the first thing I appreciated about this product and it is very appealing to me personally.

After the Reuzel, then I got a little container of Beard Oil, which is a different formulation of the same sort of thing as the Reuzel. It’s a liquid, three to five droplets in my hand and then work that in. Each of these efforts adds a different constellation of oils and antioxidants. Not only does it speak to variety, but it also mixes up all the possible combinations so I can maximize the benefit of what I’m trying to accomplish with all of this.

Next up was the Honest Amish, which was the next addition to my little collection. That has the warm scent of honey and pumpkin spice. It is very different from the Reuzel or the Beard Oil even, so not only do I like the scent, but it provides a great new diversity of oils and other ingredients as well.

I’ve since been fussing, as is my usual way with organizing all of these options so that I don’t have to wonder what tomorrow’s plan is, or that I have accidentally mobbed one option over the others. I find planning and structure appealing. I don’t have to waste mental energy in the morning, I just follow the plan. This is similar to the good advice attributed to Einstein, that you can save mental energy by laying out the weeks clothes on Sunday evening. You don’t have to fret over what to wear, just grab the next item in line and put it on.

I’ve just ordered some more balms, not because I have any sort of low-supply concern, but to speak to the diversity interest and the variety of scents that I can now play with. Coming in the mail will be:

• Rocky Mountain Barber Cedarwood Scent Balm
• Viking Revolution Beard Balm in Sandalwood Scent
• Viking Revolution Beard Balm in Citrus Scent
• Another tin of Reuzel for actual extra supply because I use it the most, still.

I’m excited to see what they all smell like, and discover if one works significantly better than any of the others. I don’t really expect there to be any wild discoveries made, they all have very similar ingredient lists. Mostly I am indulging in the variety because each of these is cheap, so why not have some fun while I grow a beautiful beard?