I'm afraid i have to disagree with this. The use of cold water, soap etc i haven't got enough 'data' to prove one way or another. However i oil my beard every day and it is notably softer, during a week long camping trip in April i didn't use any oil and the difference was marked! Also for general appearance i use balm daily to keep my beard neat for work which again, obviously works. The use of wax in hair is long established, why not use natural products like beeswax rather than chemically produced?