Knowing how to trim a beard is one life ability each man wants to have down. Chances are, we’re all going to attempt completely different beard types and lengths over the course of our years, and having the know-how (in addition to the appropriate instruments) will make sure you look polished each time.
It’s crucial to know the way to trim a beard whereas rising it out too. Whether you are rising a quick or lengthy beard, it could possibly take months to attain your aim, and also you ought to look good on all these days in between. Plus, a little trim up right here and there might help coach the beard into that fashion or form that you just’re pursuing.
For all the appropriate instruments and tips for beard trimming, we spoke with barber Steve Purcell, who can be the founding father of Uppercut Deluxe hair and beard care merchandise.
Andrea Donato/Unsplash
What You Need for Your Beard Trim
What does beard trimming contain? For starters, correct trimming requires extra than simply a beard trimmer. It’s necessary to first resolve on a beard fashion (or finish aim) in order that your trimming is extra intentional and knowledgeable. After that, you’ll be able to summon the appropriate grooming instruments for the job.
Related: 12 Best Shaving Creams for Men in 2023
Pick a Beard Style or Growth Goal
Don’t really feel stifled by genetic limitations. Every man can develop a beard that is distinctive to him, even when it’s a little patchy or if the cheeks don’t fill out. It’s necessary to acknowledge and embrace your limits and to work with these variables as you develop issues out.
As for selecting a beard fashion and form, intention for one which flatters your geometry. The key right here is to make issues as oval as attainable. In different phrases, when you have a lengthy, slender face (rectangular formed), then don’t develop a lengthy beard or it’ll negatively intensify that size. Instead, intention for a beard that grows extra on the cheeks with much less quantity beneath. If your face is round or square-shaped, then preserve it gentle on the edges, fuller on backside. If your face is of course oval in form, then go loopy. In this case, you’ll be able to in all probability attempt absolutely anything and it’ll flatter the passing eye.
Finally, in the event you preserve a shorter fashion that will not reshape your face, think about barely contrasting the size of your mustache and beard. Maybe a extra weighty mustache and shorter beard is your sturdy swimsuit—or maybe the opposite means round. Don’t decide on a single guard size just because that’s all you’ve cared to attempt. Play with contrasts, and immediately you unlock dozens of recent potential types.
Related: 35 Best Grooming Products for Men
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The Essential Beard Trimming Tools
Here are the instruments you’ll want so as to handle nearly each sort of beard trimming process. We’ll pass over different beard merchandise, like beard oil and beard shampoo, however having these sorts of conditioning merchandise will all the time make beards extra cooperative along with your trimming and styling intentions.
1. Beard Trimmer
Get one with long-lasting lithium-ion batteries, and loads of interchangeable trimming heads and guards, with the intention to have a tendency to the finer particulars that actually elevate the completed consequence.
Braun Series 9 All-in-One Trimmer
(*9*)
2. Beard Comb
Aside from beard styling, a small facial hair comb helps with trimming by both teaching every part into one resting state prior to the trimming, or you’ll be able to “backcomb” with it to elevate the hairs up. This makes it straightforward to spot-trim longer strays or to trim rapidly towards the grain so as to assure that no hairs are left unsnipped. These combs are particularly helpful taking the majority out of mustaches, both by combing the hairs all neatly over the lips or by utilizing the comb as a buffer between pores and skin and blade.
Beardbrand Beard Comb
[$21; beardbrand.com]
3. Facial Hair Scissors
These tiny scissors permit you to deal with stray hairs in beards of all sizes, however particularly medium and lengthy beards. They additionally make it straightforward to snip away at the mustache because it’s a little trickier navigating beard trimmers below the nostril. As a bonus, one of the best facial hair scissors are terrific for taming eyebrows and nostril hairs, too.
Tweezerman Facial Hair Scissors
[$16; amazon.com]Related: 16 Best Aftershaves for Men to Soothe Skin
4. Beard Brush (for Medium and Long Beards)
A beard brush is the simplest means to transfer massive plenty of coarse facial hair, which is commonly mandatory upfront of a trimming. Make positive to brush it up and out first (which could make you seem like you simply stick your finger in {an electrical} socket), after which brush all of it uniformly into place earlier than you start trimming.
Zeus Boar-Bristle Beard Brush
[$24; amazon.com]5. Optional: Razor or Electric Shaver
Many guys will simply use a beard trimmer to clear up patchy cheeks in addition to all the beard neckline. But in the event you choose to have the smoothest, closest shave in these areas, then you definitely’ll nonetheless want to preserve your go-to razor or electrical razor at the prepared.
Harry’s Shaving Starter Set
[$5; harrys.com]Panasonic Arc5 Electric Razor
(*7*)
6. Optional: Beard Stencil
These have grown extra fashionable over the previous few years. Beard stencils will allow you to draw clear, geometrically interesting angles round your cheeks (and typically the neckline, too). Most guys can simply handle these elements of the face with no need the stencil, however we will’t knock the attractive swooping traces that these instruments present.
[$10; amazon.com]
Getty Images/djedzura
How to Trim a Long Beard
Here’s how to preserve a grown beard wanting clear and intentional—even when it’s nonetheless rising out.
1. Wash and Dry the Beard
You want to start with a clear canvas, freed from any oil and dirt buildup. Use a devoted beard wash (assume center floor between face wash and shampoo) that can hydrate pores and skin and scruff whereas it cleans, and is light sufficient for 2 washes a day (morning and evening)—or extra as wanted. Be positive to scrub at the bottom of the hairs, too, to flush away any oil on the pores and skin. Pat it dry with a towel afterwards.
Scotch Porter Moisturizing Beard Wash for Men
[$19; amazon.com]2. Brush It Out, Then Down
“Back brush” every part in an upwards path in order that it will get all wild and frayed, then brush it again into place. Doing this additional step (as opposed to simply brushing all of it down) ensures that every part lays uniformly as a substitute of unusual unexpected pockets of house or bulk.
3. Keep Your Head Still
“Always keep your head at the same angle when looking in the mirror and trimming,” Purcell advises. “If you change angles mid-trim, it can undo months of hard work growing a long beard.”
4. Hold the Clipper at a Single Angle
Similar to the final level, Purcell provides that you just want to maintain the clipper at one uniform angle whereas trimming. Constantly positioning it in several instructions will solely yield uneven outcomes, and may take out a chunk of hair that you just didn’t imply to mow.
5. Take Out Any Bulk
Before you get to the finer particulars, Purcell suggests utilizing the trimmer to take away any bulk. That is, to do the key passes over the cheeks or beneath the chin—if the lengths allowed in your beard trimmer fulfill the duty.
6. Trim a Square Shape at the Bottom
When you give attention to the underside of the beard (the half that visibly will get longer because it grows), use your trimmer or scissors to draw a clear, square-like form there. “This will take out weaker areas in the beard,” says Purcell. Which leads us to the following step…
7. Finesse Based on What Looks Good and What Meets Your Goal
“If you prefer a square shape just refine both sides to match, but otherwise, slowly remove one corner until you’re happy with the round or oval shape,” says Purcell. “Then copy your shape on the other side.”
8. Tend to the Mustache and Perimeter
Now you’ll be able to tidy up the mustache and any sideburns, strays, and such. You can use the comb to train the mustache hairs over your lips and journey alongside the highest lip (except the intention is a large walrus mustache fashion or one thing else cumbersome). Chances are your beard is just too lengthy to fear about your neckline, but when there’s any seen neck fuzz that distracts from an in any other case clear beard perimeter, ensure to tidy that up too (tips on that beneath).
Related: 18 Best Beard Growth Products
How to Trim a Beard While Growing It Out
Beard trimming doesn’t change a lot from stationary types to rising ones. If you are trimming as a beard continues to develop, the primary factor to remember is the top aim. On the one hand, you want to simply let the beard develop so as to construct that mass. But by preserving the underside of the beard shapely, and by ensuring your cheeks and mustache keep tidied up, you’ll be able to accumulate size with out shedding a lot time within the course of.
Do these periodic cleanups each week or two whereas the beard remains to be quick—and positively clear up the neckline whereas it’s nonetheless seen. Then tidy issues up each 2-3 weeks when the beard is medium or lengthy. On a each day foundation, one of the best beard oils and balms go a great distance to preserve issues wanting shapely and intentional, too.
How to Trim a Short Beard
1. Wash and Dry the Beard
Again, start with a clear canvas. And ensure to pat it dry very well, to make trimming much less messy; these moist strays actually like to stick to every part, together with the mouth of the trimmer.
2. Use Your Trimmer and Its Guards
“Trimming a short beard is always easiest using a trimmer with guards,” says Purcell. “This will help keep the hair length consistent throughout the whole trim, and give a nice even shape.”
3. Consider a Taper
For a good flourish, you’ll be able to taper the edges of your beard into a buzz lower or pale crew lower. Totally non-obligatory, in fact. “This can be achieved by gradually changing down your guards until you’re at the shortest length, moving up a few millimeters with each guard into the bulk of the beard,” says Purcell.
4. Mind the Details
Clean up the neckline, the cheeklines, the mustache, and spot test for strays.
How to Trim a Beard Neckline
Purcell has a hack for trimming a tidy neckline: Just look straight into the mirror at a zero diploma angle and draw across the form of your chin with a pencil. “Pay attention to where the pencil touches; this is your neckline template,” he says. “Trim this shape, and if you’re unsure, then start a little lower since you can always trim it up a little higher later.”
You also can think about a level roughly 1.5 inches above your Adam’s apple, and join a “U” form from behind each ears to this level in your neck. Shave every part beneath it. If you’re feeling actually fancy, you’ll be able to research up on fading your beard neckline, too. The ability interprets to the cheek and sideburn tapering that Purcell outlined above, below short-beard trimming.
Last, “look in the mirror at different angles to check that it’s even,” says Purcell, “and tweak where necessary.”
