Hair conditioner on the beard?

I just read recently a comment from a shaver who believes that hair conditioner toughens rather than softens the beard. While we do greatly respect "YMMV", this seemed worth investigation, since in my own experience, hair conditioners DO soften the (my) beard.

But, as it turns out, there is quite a variety of hair conditioners, and some indeed seem as if they might toughen the beard.

Those of interest to a shaver are the type called (in the above article) "moisturizers":

Moisturizers or moisturisers (see spelling differences) are complex mixtures of chemical agents specially designed to make the external layers of the skin (epidermis) softer and more pliable, by increasing its hydration (water content).

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So it sounds as though the moisturizing type of hair conditioner is what one wants. And look (in that second article) at the examples: glycerin is included---cf. the use of glycerin as an every-pass pre-shave.

YMMV.

Kyle's How-to: Pre-Shave Prep thread also offers further insight on this topic:

Kyle said:

Since there are several gents here who prescribe to the use of hair conditioner as a pre-shave treatment, I thought it would also be interesting to research what effects the conditioner may be having. The following list of ingredient types are commonly found in hair conditioners, the total makeup depends on the proposed functionality of the product:

The Good:

• Moisturizers – These are used to hold moisture in the hair. Typically, moisturizers are humectants which serve to absorb water from the air and force it into the hair.
• Oils (EFAs – Essentially Fatty Acids) – these help your hair to become more soft and pliable. EFA’s mimic sebum which is the oil naturally produced by your body and released through your hair follicles.
• Surfactants – These are wetting agents that lower the surface tension of a liquid, allowing easier spreading, and they act as an emulsifier which facilitates the blending of unblendable substances (such as oil and water).

The Bad and The Ugly:

• Reconstructors – These are used to penetrate the hair and strengthen its structure.
• Acidifiers – They keep the pH around 2.5-3.5 which causes the somewhat scaly cuticle to tighten up.
• Detanglers, Thermal Protectors, Glossers – These act to again contribute to the acidic environment (tightening the cuticle) and to put a coating layer on the hair.

As you can see, depending on what exactly your hair conditioner contains, it very well could be making your job (shaving) much more difficult than is necessary.

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