Preston Shea Butter Infused Beard Balm Amber

A good beard is mostly upkeep, and balm is the part of that routine that decides how it actually looks. Shea butter softens the hair and gives it enough hold to keep the shape you combed in, taming the strays along the jaw without the stiffness of a wax. Preston's packaging carries the same restraint as the formula, so the tin earns its place on a shelf rather than being shut in a drawer.

A balm is what you move to when a beard has grown past the point where oil alone controls it. Shea butter adds weight and hold, so the shape combed in at seven is still there at six in the evening.

Two ounces, scooped with a thumbnail and warmed in the palms before it goes anywhere near the face. A good gift for a man who has started taking the beard seriously.

• Amber, White Musk, Tea Leaves, Citrus, Sea Salt, Lavender. Unique and clean. Fresh, but destined to be a classic.
• 2 oz