I can only speak from my experience over the last two months and I realize a lot of this could be circumstantial, but I think that using oils and not washing my beard has definitely helped. I was having a lot of breakages and split ends before. My beard was brittle and frail. Now it is happy and healthy. I don't know what else to attribute the change to other than the use of oil/balm and the disuse of shampoo/soap on my beard.

As BourbonNcigars said, I think it has a lot to do with the type of hair one has. I have a thin wiry hairs that don't stand up to abuse very well and seem to swell when oiled even after you can no longer feel it on the surface. My beard has become much more pliable since I began using products in it.

The shaving of the beard in general is considered to be from among those actions which the Lawgiver has indeed considered unlawful. This is to such an extent, that it is regarded a sin by which an individual may be considered worthy of being punished.