I’m sure this will come as no surprise to anyone, but I’m a bearded, hairy man. No, that doesn’t signal any kind of professional qualification. But it does tell you I’m the target audience for MANSCAPED’s products, especially the Beard Hedger Pro Kit.

While I like to let my beard ride, and do its own thing, I do my best to keep it from getting too unruly. I clip stray hairs, I keep it washed and conditioned, and I take care of it — as best as anyone can. I’m not trying to do my best impression of Rip Van Winkle or Grizzly Adams over here. I still prefer to look semi-put-together.

Perhaps one of the most important things to note is that I also have extra-sensitive skin on my body, scalp, and face. While there is such a thing as dandruff and dry skin, especially with improper beard care, and — yes, I know — fungal issues, that’s not what I’m talking about. My skin is legitimately sensitive. Changes in soap, chemical use, and shampoos affect it significantly. If I pick the wrong kind, it dries out and gets super itchy, and that’s no fun. 

I also have minor vitiligo. Patches of my skin lose pigment, and that’s one of the reasons I have white eyelashes. It’s not as pronounced as many; in fact, it’s barely visible where it is evident. However, I suspect the sensitive skin and vitiligo are related, even though I am not a doctor.

It means I have to be careful about what I’m using on my body, hair included. I have to be careful about the deodorants I’m using, too. While I’ve bounced around from men’s grooming product to men’s grooming product, sampling brands and options, I’ve never quite found a mainstay for my body. It’s not a stretch to share that MANSCAPED has changed that for me and very much altered my beard-care regimen and lifestyle.

Before we go making bold claims here, let’s explore how I came to that conclusion, what I can share about each of the products in the kit, and why you should care. Grab a drink, a snack, maybe a stogie or two, and let’s discuss.

What is the MANSCAPED Beard Hedger Pro Kit?

MANSCAPED offers a variety of men’s grooming and care products, from lotions and shampoos to full-on devices like hair trimmers and groin-and-gooch-friendly tools. You can buy them separately, depending on what you need, or you can grab entire kits that have a complete collection. That’s precisely what the Beard Hedger Pro Kit is. It’s a complete bundle of facial care products.

It comes with the Beard Hedger electric beard trimmer, beard shampoo, leave-in beard conditioner, beard oil or serum, beard balm, a wooden beard comb, a boar-bristled beard brush, and a premium set of beard scissors. You also get a zip-up hard case for the beard trimmers, plus the USB-C cable and charging adapter. Holy shit, I said “beard” a lot there.

If you have no beard care products whatsoever, this is the one to get. If you need to stock up on tools, this is the one to get. And if you do have beard care products already but you’re unsold on them, this is the kit to get. Trust me. It has everything.

Also worth noting is that the containers of each product are sizable. Where most bundles like this would include a small, limited sample of any one product, MANSCAPED has you covered for quite some time here. The beard conditioner and shampoo, for example, can last for up to three months or longer, depending on how sparingly you use them. You can also sign up for an automatic top-up every three months — you get refills of the shampoo, conditioner, and balm.

Unpacking the Beard Hedger Pro supplies

Source: Briley Kenney / Techigar

Let’s get this out of the way. I will admit I didn’t feel an abundance of love for the product scents in this kit at first. After using them for a time, seeing how they react with my body, and growing used to what they offer, I’ve changed my tune.

The shampoo was the biggest culprit, as it initially has a sour smell to it, but when it’s applied to your beard, that goes away. The cool, menthol-like and soothing properties also kick in and make for one hell of a cleaning experience. We’ll get to that, though.

The smells are not strong or overpowering, like with a lot of men’s products. Instead, they smell more natural, organic, and fresh. That may not make sense written out here, but once you get a whiff, you’ll understand immediately what I mean.

All the grooming products seem high-quality. They’re relatively easy to apply. They work as advertised. You get plenty of them, not just a smattering of a sample.

Here are my thoughts on all the Beard Hedger Pro inclusions:

The Beard Hedger electric beard trimmers

This hair trimmer is no joke. No, seriously. It’s not funny at all. It’s a beast. It features a titanium-coated stainless steel t-blade, a 60-minute runtime on a single charge, three operating levels, and a waterproof design so you can use it in the shower. You also get options for up to 20 different beard hair lengths. You just select the size you want on the “Zoom Wheel” or the built-in dial.

It makes trimming an absolute breeze. The cutting angle works well at removing hairs you don’t want, like strays or ones growing in weird places. Moreover, it has a built-in comb that facilitates simple, single-stroke trimming. My beard puts this thing to the test every time, and it comes out swinging. I have ultra-thick, long hair that is a real pain to keep in line — almost pube-like. I know, I know, sorry for the descriptor, but it’s relevant. This trimmer never falters.

If you don’t want all the extra products and just want the trimmers, the Beard Hedger, it’s worth it.

Beard shampoo

Dermatologist-tested for sensitive skin, the shampoo is infused with glycerin and Vitamin B5. It contains eucalyptus, rosemary, and lavender for a mesh of fresh scents, and it’s both vegan and cruelty-free. It’s also devoid of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and dyes. You shake it up, lather it in, let it rest for a minute, and then rinse.

As I said, I was not a fan of the sourish smell at first. But that goes away once you actually apply the shampoo and lather it in. It feels great, too. And, it might be my imagination or it might not, but it seems like I can go a couple of extra days without washing before my beard gets dry and gross. By my count, it’s thorough at cleaning the hair and skin.

Beard conditioner

The conditioner is meant to be rubbed into your beard shortly after your wash and shower. You can also throw it in a dry beard, and it works pretty well. It’s infused with coconut oil, shea butter, and Vitamin E. It’s also vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free and dye-free. It smells fantastic and does an excellent job of keeping your beard moisturized.

Beard oil (serum)

Meant to give your beard hairs a nice, clean shine and restore moisture to the skin underneath, the serum is more liquidy than some of the other products. It’s infused with sweet almonds and jojoba seed oil. It smells like oil, not in a bad way, and goes on easily. The last part is important because with a thick, wiry beard like mine, it’s tough to access your skin underneath with rubs and conditioners. This serum sinks right in and makes using it a delight.

Beard balm

This stuff is essentially pomade, like styling pomade for your head hair. It’s infused with beeswax, sweet almond oil, and shea butter. As you can imagine, it smells lovely. It’s meant to shape your beard or hold the hairs in place. It’s a bit tougher to apply because it’s very waxy. I’ve found that wetting my fingers and rubbing the balm between them softens it up enough to spread evenly throughout my beard. It goes on top of, or with, the other products, and it’s primarily designed to hold your beard in a clean shape.

Beard styling accessories

The three other accessories you get are the wooden beard comb, the boar-bristled beard brush — which is perhaps my favorite I’ve ever used — and the high-quality stainless scissors. I will say to keep those scissors away from your kids and your spouse. My family has nearly ruined another pair I’ve owned, and it made trimming tough. I will forever cherish these high-quality ones from MANSCAPED as a result.

The brush is also awesome. It helps exfoliate, cleanses, stimulates, massages, and distributes the other beard products you apply to your beard. A good brush or two a day keeps the bugs away, or something like that.

Bye, bye poo beard

I once read that men’s beards are rife with the same bacteria found in poo or fecal matter or some shit like that. I don’t know about you, but I keep my beard washed and conditioned and try to minimize how much I’m touching it throughout the day. Call me over-confident, but I don’t think I’ve been walking around with a poo particle beard.

However, with MANSCAPED’s Beard Hedger Kit, I know that to be a fact. It keeps your hair looking healthy, clean and smelling good. It keeps your skin and the hair strands moisturized. You’re technically not supposed to clean your beard every day, or your hair, because it’s bad for the natural oils. But on the off days, you still want to use leave-in conditioners and moisturizers. This kit gives you everything you need to make that happen, and it works so well, in my experience.

Someone who’s usually prone to itchy, dry skin underneath their beard, like me, will find that collectively, these products do a phenomenal job of keeping them comfortable and moisturized. They smell great. Several others have remarked on my scents, besides my wife, which is always a plus. But more importantly, I feel clean, happy, and energized from them.

A new, bearded man

It might not look like it in a close up but the kit is helpful for making sure strays, tangles, and bunches are cleaned away. Ignore the salt and pepper in this aging guy’s face locks.

I don’t need to use a lot of the product to achieve clean results, either. The leave-in conditioner, for instance, when I use it with a dry beard, is easy to apply, doesn’t take much to cover my entire face, and it lasts pretty much all day. That’s a big deal here in Florida, where it’s ultra hot, ultra humid, and swamp ass happens as soon as you step outside. Swamp ass might be a term for the bottom side, but it implies everything is wet and, well, swampy. I’m not even kidding, the minute you open a door, your sweat glands are firing on all cylinders. You might not think so, but that heat and humidity also affect your beard and facial hair.

I didn’t think it was possible to care for your beard and skin in one fell swoop, with one set of grooming products, but MANSCAPED has proven me wrong. Not to mention, so many brands that advertise their products as good for “sensitive skin” are full of it. These men’s care products aren’t just a short-term or temporary solution, either. MANSCAPED’s shampoo, leave-in conditioner, and oil continue to keep my beard healthy, comfortable, and moisturized. I’ve been using them daily for a couple of months now.

I’m a new man. Still hairy. But new. Somewhat. Hairy new.

What’s the verdict, and the price?

MANSCAPED’s men’s grooming products tick all the boxes for me. The ingredients are natural and sensitive-skin friendly. They smell good and help my facial hair feel clean. They make it so much easier to style and shape my beard. The tools are long-lasting and reliable. Altogether, the kit has made me a changed man. Asta la vista, beardie bullshit.

Because that sounds promotional, like I was paid to craft beautiful prose, I’ll leave you with this. My goal with these reviews is never to sell you anything. I’m not a salesman. Just your average geeky guy who’s sharing his experiences. 

My hope is that it gives you enough information to make an informed decision for yourself. In this case, with these beard care products, I want you to be able to decide if they’ll jive with you. If you’re like me, I think they will. If you’re not like me, maybe they will then, too? I don’t know. I just know I’m happy with the gear and I’m preparing to subscribe to the Peak Hygiene refills to keep my shampoo and conditioner stocked up.

• Recommended Buy: Yes. 100%.
• For Who: Anyone who needs to trim or clean up facial hair.
• Alternative: MANSCAPED Beard Hedger Advanced (No scissors, balm, or brush)
• MSRP: $150 (full kit) | $35 every 3 months (Peak Hygiene Refills)