Beardscaping 101: How to Trim and Shape Your Beard
If manscaping were a college course, beard grooming would be the first class on the list. There's a fine line between a beard that looks like a choice and one that just looks like you forgot to shave. Here's how to land on the right side of it.
A quick note on celebrity beards: no matter how wild they look, they're shaped on purpose. That "just rolled out of bed" beard took work.
Before you trim
- Wash and dry it first. Clean, dry hair shows its true length. Wet hair looks longer, so you end up cutting too much.
- Brush it out. A boar bristle beard brush straightens everything in the direction it grows, so you can see what actually needs cutting.
- Start long. Use a longer trimmer guard than you think you need. You can always take more off.
1. Set the neckline
This makes the biggest difference. Put two fingers above your Adam's apple. That's roughly where the neckline goes. Picture a curve from there back to just under each earlobe, and clean up everything below it. Too high, and it looks like a chin strap. Too low, and it looks like neck hair.
2. Tidy the cheek line
Most beards look best with a natural cheek line. Only remove the stray hairs that sit clearly above it. Going too low makes a beard look thin.
3. Trim the mustache
Comb the mustache straight down and trim any hairs that hang over your top lip. Small snips with scissors are easier to control than a trimmer here.
4. Even out the bulk
Work with the grain, side to side, in small passes. Check both sides in the mirror often. Most beards grow a little unevenly, so aim for balanced, not identical.
After you trim
Rinse off the loose hairs, wash with a proper beard wash, and finish with a leave-in like Beard Saver to soften the freshly cut tips and calm any itch. The hair on your face is different from the hair on your head, so skip the head shampoo. Paraben-free products made for beards make a real difference you can feel.
Growing a beard is a statement. Make it like a pro.