Detroit is known for a lot of things, including their auto show, Motown and hockey. And now they can add one more thing to their list—beard oil. And not just any beard oil, but the kind of old world recipe that brings a man back to a simpler time when a beard was a status symbol, a means to survive and a great conversation starter. And as burly as most men were back then, you better believe they still groomed their beard with the enthusiasm and pride of a new parent.
And you know what? Not much has changed since then, except that there is a lot of stuff being sold that is really not worthy of your beard. “[We] didn’t like what was available—because everything we tried smelled like medicine,” explains Michael Haddad, the CEO of the Detroit Grooming Co. “Initially we wanted it for ourselves—I wanted my wife to accept my beard; my friend just wanted his beard to be well cared for without smelling like vapo-rub.”
“Like any man, we threw everything out and tried to make something worth using—Something that smelled pleasant and still had all the holistic benefits a discerning gentlemen comes to expect with grooming products,” Haddad confesses. Yes indeed, this would become a tall order for these two gentlemen, but as we received our sample in the mail last month, I became very hopeful. I immediately liked the wax dipped top and classic label. This was something a little bit different.
As I pulled off the wax tab and twisted the top to their bestselling beard oil, known as Corktown, my nose was filled with the pleasant aroma of tobacco spice with just a hint of sweet. This would later be called by our in-house style expert, Pamela Causfield, “Sweet and Spicy,” which is a very important distinction to be made. You see, the tobacco and cedar wood in this oil will stand out to most men. However, to the women around you, they will focus on the crisp aroma of vanilla, apricot and sweet almond.
And this is exactly what we found to be true as we took our newly found beards out on the town. Men would comment on its old world spicy scent while women remarked on its ‘almondy sweetness’. And what we ended up really liking, is how it made our beards feel, and how much it invited the ladies to touch it. The no-splash pour top makes it easy to dab out just the right amount, and it really does go on smooth.
It leaves your beard with a healthy shine, which is also transferred to the skin underneath, leaving you with an overall freshness. Now this is not a heavy oil, and we had no problem washing it off our hands or it causing any irritation on the skin (and Doc can be a little sensitive).
A lot of thought went into the ingredient list of all Detroit Grooming’s products. The Corktown beard oil includes a blend of beneficial oils, including vitamin E, almond, apricot, avocado, sunflower and wheat germ. There is nothing in this bottle that was not put there for a very specific purpose—to make your beard look great, and leave you feeling pretty darn good about that.
We used it for an entire month and were actually a bit sad to shave off our beards last week, as it meant we would no longer be able to use it (but we’ve recently learned that their oil also works great as an aftershave). And come to think about it, Movember is just around the corner—and there is no better time to get started on a truly amazing beard, than right now.
If you are new to the whole beard game, Detroit Grooming has put together a handy beard oil guide to help you along. If you’re already sold on their old-fashioned blend and are ready to buy, the Detroit Grooming Co. would be happy to serve you here.
I once cried because I had no face; Then I met a man who had no beard.
About Dr. Eric J. Leech
Eric has written for over a decade. Then one day he created Urbasm.com, a site for every guy.
About Dr. Eric J. Leech