Welcome to part 2 of our Beard Guide! While growing a beard means giving up shaving, it does not mean slacking on maintenance. If you plan to grow your facial fur nice and long, pruning it from time to time will ensure you look sharp rather than homeless.
Ready to give your face an upgrade?
Trim That Thing
Esquire puts it best: “It helps to think of your face as a map, your beard an invading army. If you don't control the front line, there's really no reason to stay in the fight.”
Beards need to be given boundaries. Long beards especially can get way out of control. Let us help you wrangle it all in with the following steps...
Tools:
- A three-way mirror, or at least a portable standing mirror
- A fine-tooth comb or brush for detangling
- A beard trimmer
- Scissors for detailing
- Beard oil and beard balm
How to Trim a Longer Beard:
- Comb out your beard in the direction of your hair growth. Make sure to get the area below your jawline and above your lips.
- Lightly trim your facial hair with an electric hair clipper. Use a longer guard length for less hair removal if you’re trying to grow out your beard.
- When shaving below the jawline, stretch your skin out for a more precise, even cut.
- For the cheek line: Go down a guard or two, but start with a larger number if this is your first time so you don’t take off too much hair. The number you use for your sideburns and cheeks should be the same number your barber uses for the sides of your head. The idea is to blend your head hair and facial hair seamlessly. Fade your cheek line in by using very gentle pressure. If you wish, fade your neckline with the same setting.
- Optional: Take off the guard for a tighter fade at the edges.
- Brush out your moustache in the direction of hair growth, then trim with an upward stroke using the lower guard setting. Brush out hair and re-trim as necessary.
- Get every last stray hair by finishing up with scissors.
- Finish with beard oil and beard balm to replenish moisture and make hair look shiny.
- Tip: You'll usually want to trim your beard once every week or so, but this will vary depending on how quickly your hair grows.
