No one sits down to teach you how to grow a Beard. It just sprouts up in the specific area where it’s meant to grow. And it’s the same with beard grooming. 

There is no one to guide you through beard trimming and it’s not like men are ready to jump into a beard grooming lesson. 

Sure, your dad will teach you the basics of how to shave when you are a teenager but let’s face it; by the time your beard needs any trimming or grooming, more often than not, you will be out of the house and on your own. 

It’s no wonder a majority of men have a desire to grow a great beard but end up shaving because they have no idea how to go about that.

Growing and maintaining a great looking beard goes beyond shaving and even growing the beard itself. Beard maintenance involves using the right product, getting the right trim as well as the right beard grooming tools.

If you have decided to become a bearded man, you need to know that beard maintenance is not a walk in the park. 

Not all men have the genes to grow and maintain a full beard, so if you can, you need to appreciate that fact by taking care of your beard the right way. 

This guide will teach you how to maintain a luscious beard that will be the envy of friends and foes alike. 

Why Should You Maintain Your Beard

Not all men can grow beards. Hell, it’s not every man who can grow a full beard. Genes play an important role when it comes to facial hair growth.

This is the main reason why a majority of Asian men can’t grow full beards. However, with advances in the grooming industries, there are so many products that you can use to help the hairs grow. 

Beards look good, but they also come with baggage. For one, beards have been seen as breeding grounds for bacteria, yet so many guys insist on growing them. This is because the pros outweigh the cons. 

According to research, men with beards are perceived as more attractive as well as confident. Beards also bring out a sense of masculinity in men. While there are advantages and drawbacks, one constant thing is that beard growing is not going anywhere. 

However, just letting your beard grow wild because it’s easier than shaving should not be one of the reasons why you grow a beard.

Beard maintenance, as mentioned earlier, goes beyond, letting a few strands grow wildly here and there. Once you decide to grow a beard, you need to be prepared for the maintenance. 

A lot has been written about male grooming, most especially beard maintenance, yet a lot of men still don’t know the basics of maintaining a simple 5 o’clock shadow beard. 

Just as it takes effort and time to grow a full beard, it will also take time to master the art of maintaining your beard to keep it looking at its best.  Beard maintenance involves such things as washing, trimming, combing, and using products such as beard oil, balms, and the world’s best beard wax.

Whether you are looking at growing a full epic beard, a Van Dyke, a goatee, or a chinstrap, knowing how to maintain a beard will help you pull off your desired beard style.   

Benefits of Maintaining Your Beard

If you have always desired to have a full luscious beard, the process doesn’t stop when you grow the beard. So, what are the benefits of maintaining a beard? 

Makes You Look More Attractive

Naturally, as research has it, men who can grow a beard tend to look more attractive and are more likely to get women than those who don’t have facial hair. 

However, nothing screams attractive and sexy than a man who not only grows a beard but can maintain it as well.

Keeps the Beard Healthy

Beard maintenance involves using products such as beard oil, beard balm, and beard wax. All these products serve different purposes, but the main one is moisturizing the beard.

A moisturized beard not only looks great but is healthy, doesn’t break easily and you don’t get ingrown hairs. 

Makes Styling Easier

When you use beard products such as beard wax and beard balm, styling your beard becomes effortless. Rather than trying to style a dry beard, you are better off using these products to make the process as effortless as possible. 

Beard Looks Clean

Beard maintenance doesn’t have to involve using expensive products. Trimming the beard to a good length helps keep it looking clean and neat. 

A good wash with the right beard products will also get rid of dirt, sweat, and dead skin, which helps the beard look clean as well as luscious. 

How Does Beard Maintenance Work

Beard grooming and maintenance has never been easy. Growing a beard means dealing with such things as beard itch, sweat, and dust, as well as the constant shaving. 

However, with the right set of tools for facial hair grooming and products, beard maintenance can be an easy process that you look forward to every time. 

The first thing you need to remember when it comes to beard maintenance is that patience is key. An epic beard takes time and patience. 

When you begin growing a beard, it’s natural to feel inclined to trim and style. However, avoid doing this for at least four to six weeks, depending on how fast your beard grows. 

Leaving the beard untouched helps it grow more evenly and once that is done, it’s much easy to pick a style that suits your beard length and thickness. 

One thing you need to keep in mind when you start growing a beard is that beard growth rate differs from one man to another. Your beard, therefore, depending on your genes, may grow faster or slower, thicker or thinner. 

Another thing that comes to play when maintaining a beard is matching your beard to your face shape. When you have grown your beard to a desired length and thickness and are ready to trim, don’t just start trimming in whatever way you want.

If you want a great looking beard, you need to shape it according to your face shape. Different shapes suit different faces, and what may look good on your friends may be a recipe for disaster on your face.

Knowing when and how to trim your beard will go a long way in maintaining a good looking beard. Even if you plan on growing the beard out, ensure that you invest in the right trimmer and learn how to trim your beard. 

In beard maintenance, growing and trimming your facial hair is not enough. Keeping it clean goes at the top of the list, especially during the early growth stages. 

This is because dead skin cells, dust, and food can increase itchiness when you start growing a beard. When it comes to cleaning the beard, it’s not just about the facial hair but the skin underneath as well. 

Washing and conditioning your beard should be an important step that you ensure that you don’t skip when it comes to maintaining a good looking beard. 

Wash the beard a few times a week with a good beard shampoo, and then condition it with the right beard conditioner. 

After you have cleaned your beard, what do you do with it? One of the products that you can’t afford to miss in your grooming kit is beard oil. Beard oil works by moisturizing the beard as well as the skin underneath.

There are so many beard oil products on the market that you might feel overwhelmed by choosing the right one. Some are too heavy, while others can be too shiny.

The best way to get the right products is to give different products a try until you find one that fits your beard length and thickness.  

Beard oils from well-known companies tend to be the best because such companies have years of testing behind every product that they produce. The only downside is that such products tend to be expensive.

When maintaining a beard, you also need to master the art of training your facial hair. While a regular trim will help maintain your chosen style, that’s not the only way to keep a beard looking great.

A rundown with a quality beard brush or comb helps keep the beard in line by training the hairs to grow in the direction you want. It also helps spread your butter across the beard evenly into the hair follicles. 

Such tools also help remove tangles and knots that may develop in the beard, especially if you have a full beard. When combined with beard products such as beard oil, a good comb or brush will help the beard grow in a downward direction, which helps maintain a style easier. 

Unless you have decided to go with a chinstrap, maintaining an awesome looking beard means growing a mustache as well. 

Just like the beard, the mustache needs to be well-maintained through regular trims every few days to remove any stray hairs. 

When you are trimming your mustache, pay attention to the area under the nose by using the right grooming scissors and then styling it using mustache wax. 

Lastly, when all is said and done, you can’t maintain a good looking beard if you don’t eat the right kind of food. Just like houses need bricks to remain standing, beards need the right kind of fuel.

Beards are made of proteins and fat, but they also rely heavily on Vitamins B5, B3, and B9 to look good and healthy. As such, ensure that you fuel up with egg yolks, nuts, milk, lean meats, and leafy vegetables. 

You can even use beard supplements and there are so many of those on the market. Just ensure that the product you choose does not contain any harmful ingredients. 

Pros and Cons of Maintaining Your Beard

Pros

• Beard maintenance helps you look more attractive, especially if you use the right products.
• Maintaining a beard helps the beard remain healthy, especially when you use a beard oil with a quick absorption power. 
• When you maintain a beard, it helps get rid of dirt and dead skin, which can aggravate itchiness, especially in the initial stages of growing a beard.  
• A well-maintained beard makes beard styling much easier since you get to use products such as beard oil, beard wax, and beard balm. 
• Maintaining your beard also helps to train the facial hairs to grow in a downward direction that makes styling easy. 

Cons

• Beard maintenance is not easy since it only adds to your grooming routine. It is much easier to just allow the beard to grow out wildly or to shave completely.  
• Beard maintenance can be disastrous if you end up using the wrong products that react with your skin. 

Products and Tools for Beard Maintenance

When it comes to beard maintenance, it goes beyond growing out your facial hair. There are tools and products that you need to use and this is where most men fail. 

Beard Oil

Beard oil is one of the most important products that you need to add to your grooming kit if you want to maintain a healthy and awesome-looking beard. 

It is a game-changer that can transform your facial hair into a thicker mane. Beard oil can be defined as a cosmetic product that is designed for the beard and skin and which, when used consistently, can lead to a healthier, fuller beard. 

Most beard oils also smell great, so there is that to consider also. Beard oil is not a beard shampoo; neither is it a beard balm. Just like beard oil, beard balm and shampoo should be part of your grooming routine, but they serve different purposes. 

Beard oil mimics the natural oils that the skin produces. It consists of different ingredients such as jojoba oil, coconut oil, grape seed oil, and other oils that fall under the carrier and essential oils category. 

Beard oils can either be scented or unscented. The scented ones range from sweet, bitter, woodsy to citrusy scents. 

How to Apply Beard Oil

Step 1 – Clean and dry your beard

The first step to applying beard oil is to clean the beard first. Never apply beard oil on a dirty or wet beard. Instead, apply beard oil after a shower because the hairs tend to be the softest at that time. Showering first also opens up pores for easier absorption of the oil into the skin. 

The reason why you need to dry your beard is that water makes oil absorption difficult. Gently dry the beard with a towel and avoid using hair dryers since they can damage the hair follicles.

Step 2 – Squeeze the right amount into your palm

Once your beard is clean and dry, you can go ahead and apply your beard oil. Beard oil usually comes in a bottle that has a dropper for easier application. The last thing you want is to apply too much beard oil because this will not only be wasteful, but you will end up with an overly shiny beard.

Insert the dropper into the oil and then squeeze the rubber top to gather the right amount of oil. Hold the dropper over your palm and squeeze out the right number of drops. Only use the recommended minimum amount since you can always add more later if necessary.  

Step 3 – Spread across your palms and fingers evenly

Rub your hands together to spread as much oil as possible. Ensure that you also spread the oil across the fingers. 

Step 4 – Brush your palms along the sides of the beard

Once you have applied the oil to your hands, drag the palms along the cheeks, starting with the fingers at the end of the beard touching the bottom of the ear. Drag the hands in a straight motion down the jawline. Apply the beard oil 2 or 3 times on each side of the beard, working the oil from the roots to the tips of your facial hairs. 

Step 5 – Drag the fingers down the front of the beard

Close the fingers together and then place each hand over your mouth such that the fingers run parallel to it and your index finger touches the nose. Drag the fingers down across the beard front and repeat that with each hand. Repeat this 2 to 3 times. 

Step 6 – Run your finger through the bottom of the beard

Open up your palms such that you have about half an inch between each finger. Point the fingers upwards and then run them through the lowest point of the beard, which should be above Adam’s apple. Repeat the process for both hands at least 2 to 3 times. 

Step 7 – Run your fingers through the mustache

Place the tips of your index fingers to the middle of the mustache and then drag them down towards your cheeks. Repeat this at least 2 to 3 times until the mustache has enough oil. 

Beard Balm

Beard balm provides a strong hold for your beard and is often referred to as the love child of beard oil and beard wax. This is because it combines most of the moisturizing qualities of beard oil and holding properties of beard wax. 

It is, therefore, a very important product when it comes to maintaining a good-looking beard. Beard balm is thicker than beard oil but provides almost the same benefits. 

While beard oil can be used at any stage of your beard growth, beard balm is much more effective when used once the beard has achieved a certain thickness. 

Beard balm is used to moisturize and style your beard and as such, the longer and denser your facial hair is, the more it will work well to keep the stray whiskers at bay. 

However, this doesn’t mean that it can’t be used on a shorter beard. Since beard balm provides hydration to the beard and the skin underneath, as your beard grows, keeping it well-sculpted becomes more difficult. 

The main ingredient in beard balm is beeswax, which works to hold the stray hairs in place during styling. 

Beard balm also contains other ingredients like cocoa and shea butter. The butter is used to make applicability easy as well as hydrate the hair and the skin. 

How to Apply Beard Balm

Step 1 – Clean the beard first

The first thing you need to do before you apply any beard balm on your beard is to clean it first. Just like with beard oil, using beard balm on a dirty beard will not be as effective.  

While cleaning your beard with a beard shampoo daily is not recommended, you need to at least ensure that you are rinsing the beard with warm water in the morning and evening. 

This will give you a clean beard to work with and ensure that your beard doesn’t accumulate too many oils. Once you have cleaned the beard, dry it with a clean towel so that the beard balm is absorbed into the skin. 

Step 2 – Rub a small amount into your palms

When it comes to beard balm, a little will just be enough; therefore, make sure that you don’t overdo it. Besides, you can always use more if required. 

Use your finger to scrape up a dime-sized amount and rub it between your palms until it softens and melts.  

Step 3 – Work the balm into your beard

Starting at the neck, and working your way towards the chin, work the balm into your facial hair. If there are parts of the beard that are still dry, you can scrape up some more balm and repeat the process. 

When the bottom part of the beard has been fully moisturized, work the balm into the sideburns working your way down. 

Avoid applying the balm to the surface of the beard. Rather, massage it into the skin since a beard is only as healthy as the skin underneath. 

Massaging the skin has also been proven to stimulate the hair follicles, thus making the beard grow faster.

Step 4 – Style the beard using a beard brush and comb

Use a premium beard comb or brush to style the beard to your desired style. While beard balm will not give you that extra-strong hold that beard wax offers, it does offer more control than beard oil when it comes to styling your beard. 

Step 5 – Rinse and repeat

Before you go to bed, you need to ensure that you use warm water to rinse out the dirt, oils, and other products that may be on your beard and do the same thing in the morning. Beard balm can be applied every day to gradually soften the beard. 

Beard Shampoo

Beard shampoo may seem like an unnecessary product for a lot of men, but if you want to maintain a good looking beard, then it’s a must-have. With a beard, you can’t just use regular soap or normal hair shampoo to clean it. 

Using the wrong type of shampoo will leave your beard dry and bristly and can even affect the skin underneath.

The hair on your head is usually directly influenced by hormones, which is why women don’t grow beards. It is this difference that makes the hair on your face thicker as well a coarser than the one on your head. 

For this reason, you can’t treat the hair on your head the same as your facial hair. Using your regular head shampoo for your beard can prove more harmful than helpful. 

For one, such shampoos contain chemicals that strip away the natural oils on your beard and will also leave your beard feeling all waxy. 

As such, you need to invest in a good quality beard shampoo if you have decided to grow a beard. Beard shampoo helps retain the natural oils within the hair follicles. 

However, it is not recommended to wash the beard every day with beard shampoo since this can end up being counter-intuitive. 

How to Use Beard Shampoo

Step 1 – Get the beard wet

Just like when washing the hair on your head, the first thing you need to do is to get your facial hair wet. Use warm water to open up your pores, increase blood flow, and effectively remove any dirt and oils that may be embedded in your beard. 

Step 2 – Apply your beard shampoo

Once you have dampened your facial hair, it’s time to lather up with your choice of beard shampoo. Beard washes fall under two categories; solid bars and liquid shampoos. If you are using liquid shampoo, put a small amount of the product in your palm and then work it into the beard into a thick lather. 

Step 3 – Massage the beard

Once you have a decent lather going, give the beard a massage so that the shampoo can work. Dirt and oil usually find their way through the hair and massaging help distribute the shampoo evenly to clean the area. Use your fingertips to dig in deep with a scrubbing motion. Doing this ensures that you clean the skin and avoid dryness as well as other unpleasant conditions like acne. 

Step 4 – Leave the shampoo on for a few minutes

Once you have scrubbed into a decent lather, you need to give the shampoo time to work its magic. 

If you are in a hurry, you can always rinse the beard immediately, but you won’t reap the maximum benefits of using beard shampoo. The reason why the shampoo needs time is so that the essential oils and moisturizers can penetrate the hair follicles. 

Step 5 – Rinse off the shampoo

The next step is to rinse off the shampoo with warm water. Give the beard a few more massages to get rid of all beard wash as you continue rinsing. 

Step 6 – After-Wash Care

Once you have gotten rid of all shampoo residues, pat the beard dry with a clean towel. Avoid doing so vigorously, as this can affect the natural growth pattern of your hair. 

Also, avoid using a hairdryer to dry your beard because it can damage your hair. You want to ensure that everything is dry before you move on to using your beard products of choice, such as beard oil and beard balm. 

Beard Scissors

When it comes to trimming your beard hair, beard scissors are indispensable even if you own quality beard trimmers. 

After a couple of months, a beard will naturally develop split ends and even when you are trying to concentrate on the overall length, there will come a time when you will need to give it minor touch-ups here and there. 

The split ends that develop tend to hinder healthy hair growth, which is why you need beard scissors. More split ends cause the beard to appear unruly and coarse.

Remove stray hairs with sharp beard scissors without reducing the length of your beard. While beard scissors are precise, sometimes you might end up removing more length than you had intended, which is why you need to learn the right way to trim your facial hair.  

How to Use Beard Scissors

Step 1 – Clean the beard before you begin trimming

Before you begin trimming, it’s always advisable to give your beard a good wash in the shower. This removes any oils, dirt, and other products in the beard. 

If, for instance, you use beard balm and beard oil every day, you will want to clean your beard with a mild soap beforehand to ensure that no beeswax remains in the beard. 

A beard that has beeswax tends to be tougher to read when you are trimming in front of a mirror and you might find yourself trimming too much.

Step 2 – Get the right tools for the job

If you want your beard to grow in length, then beard scissors need to be part of your grooming routine. When it comes to the quality of scissors, avoid multi-use scissors or any scissors that you use around the house. 

For beard trimming, you are better off using shorter length shear scissors since such are easier to handle as well as control than the full-sized shears.  

Besides the scissors, you need to have a quality beard comb with you. This is because as you trim the beard, you will need to constantly comb it to ensure that you get the right cut.

Step 3 – Comb the beard up then down

When you are prepping your beard for trimming, comb it both against and with the grain so that you have a better understanding of how the hair has grown in and the areas that you need to concentrate on most. 

Step 4 – Start trimming from the bottom

Once you have cleaned the beard and have gathered your tools, it’s time to begin trimming. However, the first thing you need to do is choose a style. The most popular styles among a majority of men are the ones that go along the jawline. It’s recommended that you go with such a style, especially if it’s your first time trimming your own beard. 

Start trimming from the chin because this dictates the way the rest of the beard will look. One thing you need to understand about trimming a beard is that it is a continuous process. While you will trim the majority of the length on the first day, you still need to clean it up every couple of days to maintain the shape. 

Step 5 – Clean up the sides

The one mistake that a majority of men make when it comes to trimming a beard is not trimming the sides. When your beard grows, it grows on all areas of the face at the same rate. As such contrary to popular belief, the hair on your chin doesn’t grow faster than that on the cheeks.

If you ignore trimming the sides, you will end up with a bushy jawline and sides. If you are going for a tapered or faded look, you will need to trim the hairs on the sides to offset the longer chin hairs. 

Step 6 – Clean up the neck area

The last thing you want is your neck hairs extending past the length of the chin hairs. This mismatch ends up looking sloppy and unsightly. As such, you need to trim the neck hairs to the right length to create a more symmetrical look. 

Step 7 – Condition the beard

Trimming the beard is just a small part of a larger beard care routine. One of the most important products that you need to be using is some sort of beard conditioner. There are generally two products that you can use to condition your facial hair; beard oil and beard balm. 

You can refer to the sections above on the step by step processes of applying beard oil and beard balm once you have trimmed the beard to your desired length. 

Beard Trimmer

A beard trimmer is a must-have if you want your beard to always look good. The best trimmers are intuitive and offer different settings for general hair trimming as well as touch-ups. 

Improvements have been made such that today you can get trimmers that have rechargeable batteries allowing for a cordless experience. Most of the beard trimmers that you will find on the market make use of blades that need very little upkeep.

It is because of this reason that you need to consider going for a trimmer that has self-sharpening blades since these don’t require oil after use. In addition, ensure that you consider adjustable blades on a beard trimmer when you are buying one.

Just like you would want to consider the texture of a beard moisturizer before you use one when you are buying a beard trimmer, consider where you will be using it. For instance, have you had a beard for long and just want a trimmer for precision cuts here and there? 

Do you alternate between long and short beard styles and require a trimmer that can offer a variety? Do you need a trimmer that you can bring with you on a trip or do you want one for home use only? 

Finally, you need to consider your budget. Go for a beard trimmer that offers value for money, even if it means spending a little more than you had intended. 

How to Use Beard Trimmer

Step 1 – Select the right guard

Trimmers come in a variety of guard settings whereby a majority of them will have a few snap-on plastic guards. The guides are meant to provide an even trim whereby you don’t trim more than you intend. 

If you are not sure which guard will suit you, you are better off starting with the longer attachment and go over the beard with a shorter guard if you don’t get the length you desire.  

If you don’t have a guard, use a comb by holding it in front of the clippers and then trim off the hairs that slip off through the teeth of the comb. 

Step 2 – Turn the trimmer and start trimming

Turn the beard trimmer on and then gently trim each side working along the grain. Use long and smooth strokes. 

Ensure that you maintain a balance between each of the sides by starting at the ear and working your way down. The guard should prevent the trimmer from cutting too much or irritating the skin. 

Step 3 – Trim the chin and mustache

Starting from the nose and working your way towards the corner of your mouth down to your chin, trim the mustache as well as the chin hair. Keep your mouth closed to prevent hairs from getting into your mouth. 

Step 4 – Finish with a clean edge

Once you have achieved your desired length, remove the guard and then trim along the neckline to remove any hairs that may remain on your neck. As you trim, use the jaw as a straight edge. 

When doing this, ensure that you don’t shave too high on the neckline. Rather stop between the jawline and the first wrinkle in your throat area. 

Beard Comb

One of the most underrated beard grooming tools is the beard comb. Combing the beard involves applying specific techniques to make your grooming experience as satisfying as possible. A good quality comb should have wide and narrow teeth arrangements.

The wider teeth are meant for your beard since it is much thicker, while the narrow ones are for combing your mustache if you have one. 

How to Use Beard Comb

Step 1 – Hold the comb such that the teeth point upward

Using a relaxed grip, hold the comb so that the teeth are facing upward. This helps you maintain the right amount of control when you are combing your beard. 

Step 2 – Comb out the beard

Comb out the beard using an upward motion to fluff the hairs away from the face. The goal of this exercise is to separate the hairs so that you can get rid of the bed-beard look. 

Depending on the thickness of your beard, you are likely to run into snags as you comb it. Snags are not knots but result from hairs growing in different directions and crossing over one another. When you encounter a snag, try not to force it out. Rather, pull it out gently with the comb. 

Step 3 – Comb the beard back down

Once you have combed the beard and gotten rid of all snags, comb it back down into your desired beard style. You can apply products such as beard oil and beard balm after you have combed it down. 

Beard Brush

A beard brush is usually a grooming tool for men that is used to keep the beard looking its best and feeling healthy. 

The main advantage of using a beard brush is that it helps to condition your beard. A natural boar beard brush is recommended since such brushes reach the hairs at every level of the beard. 

Such a brush also comes in handy in distributing oil and balm evenly into the hair follicles. A bristle beard brush also serves as a cleaning tool.

During the day, your beard collects all manner of dirt and food particles that get trapped in the hairs. Running a brush through your beard helps get rid of such. Brushing your facial hair daily also helps to train the hairs to grow in the direction that you want them to. 

How to Use Beard Brush 

Step 1 – Get a natural bristle brush

Beard brushes that are made with natural bristles are the best since they spread the natural oils that the hair produces to maintain a healthy and soft beard.

The bristles also come in handy in removing dead skin to prevent the development of dandruff. As such, go for a brush made of horse or boar hair. 

Step 2 – Pour a few drops of beard oil on the brush

Beard oil is used to moisturize and strengthen facial hair so that it remains soft and healthy. Hold your brush, so the bristles are facing up and then pour two to three drops of beard oil. 

Don’t worry about spreading the oil since once you start brushing your hair, it will spread evenly into your beard. 

Step 3 – Brush down the cheeks and follow the grain

Apply a little pressure to the brush so that the bristles get between the hair enough to touch your skin. Pull down the brush slowly down the sides of your face so that you are brushing the hair in the direction that you want it to grow. 

Working in short strokes, brush down the cheeks, and continue along the jawline to distribute the beard oil evenly. 

Step 4 – Clean the bristles when you are done

Once you are done brushing your beard, hold the brush in such a way that the bristles face down and then tap the back to remove any dead skin and hairs that may be embedded in the bristles. 

Run your fingers or a beard comb through the bristles to get rid of any particles that may be stuck in them. Avoid cleaning the brush in water since this will weaken the glue that holds the bristles in place. 

Beard Shaping Tool

Most people assume that beard trimmers and beard shapers are the same things. In reality, a beard shaping tool acts as the physical template of the trimmer that you need to follow when you are carving out the beard line as you shave or trim the beard. 

The way a beard shaping tool works is that it is used to draw lines through the beard so that the trimmer doesn’t end up cutting too much hair. 

How to Use Beard Shaping Tool 

Step 1 – Choose a beard style

Just like when shaving and trimming, before you use a beard shaping tool, the first thing you need to do is to decide on the style that you are going for. 

Consider the shape as well as the length of the beard. You also need to think about the message that you want to pass across with your chosen style. 

If you only have a few inches of facial hair, then go for a style that helps your beard grow into the perfect shape. 

Step 2 – Choose the shaping tool

When it comes to beard shaping tools, there are so many on the market. The main thing that you need to consider when you are buying shaping tools is the angles. 

Go for a shaping tool that gives you the same kind of line that you want on your cheeks, sideburns as well as neckline. 

Step 3 – Apply your choice of beard products

Just as you would when you are trimming your beard, apply the same beard products you would use. This is so that you can see how your beard will look in its natural form, the same way you wear it when you are preparing to trim. 

The last thing you want is to trim your beard only to realize that it doesn’t look as good when you apply beard products. 

Step 4 – Begin with the cheekbone line

This is the length that extends from the sideburns all the way to the area where the beard meets your mustache. There are so many styles that can go into this line, but most men prefer either curved or straight lines. 

When you begin trimming, ensure that this line remains as high as possible. This is so that you don’t end up trimming too low. 

Step 5 – Trim under the ears

This is usually the vertical line that runs from the back of your sideburns past the ear and down onto your neck. Beards most of the time grow under the ear and on the cheek and trimming this particular line helps the beard look even greater.  

Using the back of the sideburn as the guide, trim straight down. If your beard trimmer has a template form, you can use that on the side of your face. 

Step 6 – Trim the neckline

The last step is trimming the neckline, whereby you could use the beard shaper or not. This will depend on whether your shape is meant to help trim the bottom part of the beard. 

The common mistake that a majority make when they are trimming the neckline is drawing the line too high or too close to the jawline. 

If you do this, you might end up trimming too much than what you intended. Keep the line as low as possible, about a finger’s width above Adam’s apple before you start trimming. Some shapers come with a neckline stencil guide, which makes your work even easier. 

How to Trim Your Beard

Beard trimming is an important step when it comes to maintaining a beard. Most people, however, trim only the chin area and forget about the cheeks and the neckline. 

How to Trim Your Neckline 

Step 1 – Envision the curved line between both ears

The first step is to locate your neckline. Usually, it is the curved line between both ears that are connected to Adam’s apple. 

The general rule is that you should not shave too high since this can make you look like you have a double chin. To accurately locate your neckline, place two fingers above your Adam’s apple, usually about 1.5 inches. 

Step 2 – Adjust your clippers two settings below the length 

The idea is to shave the neckline such that it fades into your beard. After that, trim everything below the imaginary line you had drawn. 

Step 3 – Maintain this setting as the beard grows

As the beard continues to grow, you need to maintain the same setting whenever you clip the neckline. Even when you have a full beard, you want the hair between your Adam’s apple and the neckline to be short. 

How to Trim Your Cheeks 

Step 1 – Allow the beard to grow first

Before you begin trimming, you need to leave the beard to grow to a certain length. Cheek growth differs from one man to another, which is why your beard needs to grow to a state of fullness.

Step 2 – Form the guideline

If you have a beard shaping tool, use it to draw imaginary lines from the top of the earlobes where your beard begins to grow to the corner of your mouth. If you don’t have a beard shaper, you can use your finger and a little bit of shave lather to trace the guidelines.

To avoid any unnatural lines, round off the transition from the sideburns to the cheek line to avoid any unnatural angles. 

Step 3 – Start trimming

Trim any hairs that fall outside the guidelines using electric clippers with no guard and then check for evenness. One of the ways you can do this is by placing your index fingers pointing inwards at the highest point of the cheek line.

How to Shape Your Beard 

Step 1 – Identify your face shape

Take a look at the mirror and note your face shape. Do your cheeks protrude a little or do you have a chiseled jawline? Is your head perfectly oval-shaped or is it shaped slightly like an inverted pyramid? 

Just do a little visualization to determine the changes that you will need to make to your beard to have a proportionate appearance. 

Step 2 – Wear the beard longer to offset a blocky or round head

Crop the growth on your sideburns and cheeks closer to the skin so that your hair gradually gets longer as it approaches the chin. A sleek taper will help achieve a lengthening effect that makes your features appear more evenly balanced. 

Step 3 – Keep the beard bushy if you have an angular face

Some men have longer, slender head shapes that a pointy beard will tend to exaggerate. If you fall into this category, trim the hair on the tip of your chin to get rid of the excess length leaving only the thickest tufts around the sideburns and cheeks intact to add volume around the sides of the face. 

Step 4 – Go for more unique styles in case of a patchy beard

If your mustache doesn’t grow into your chin hair, you are better off shaving it off. In such a case, consider a swashbuckling beard style that has a disconnected mustache as well as a soul patch. 

Similarly, if you have patchy areas between the goatee and the cheek hair, you can deal with that by leaving a strip of extra space on each side of your mouth. 

How to Maintain a Beard 

Step 1 – Allow the beard to grow undisturbed

A long, full beard will not grow in a day or even a week. As such, if you are looking at maintaining a good-looking beard, you need to allow it to grow before you begin shaping and trimming it. 

Once the beard has grown to your desired length and thickness, then you can style it and even shave a few inches off. 

Step 2 – Exfoliate, tame and nourish

As your beard continues to grow, exfoliate and wash it well. This helps prevent ingrown hairs, irritation, and redness that may occur. You can use a good quality beard scrub to exfoliate the skin underneath.

After that, use beard products such as beard oil and beard balm to keep your beard moisturized and looking healthy. 

Step 3 – Choose a shape that matches your face shape

When it comes to beard maintenance, it goes beyond a simple trim. You need to trim your beard according to your face shape. 

The beard style that you choose needs to complement the shape of your face. Those with oval faces are lucky because they can grow any type of beard. 

If you have a rectangular face hover, go for a beard that is short on the side with more length at the bottom and if you have a rounded face, you need to aim for a silhouette that is as slimming as possible with short sides. 

Step 4 – Trim, trim, trim

Just like you can’t allow your hair to grow out of control, the same should apply to your beard. Invest in quality beard trimmers if you don’t want to keep visiting the barbershop. 

Step 5 – Don’t forget to comb it

Beards can sometimes be stubborn, with hairs shooting off in all directions as they grow. Combing and brushing your beard will help to train the hairs to grow in the same direction. When using a beard comb or brush, don’t forget to apply beard oil to keep the beard nourished. 

Do’s and Don’ts With Beard Maintenance

Do’s

• Give your beard time to grow before you begin shaping and trimming it. 
• Brush or comb your hair regularly to train the hair to grow in the direction you want then to.
• When you are trimming your beard, ensure that you shape it according to your face shape.  
• Ensure that you clean your beard before using beard products such as beard oil and beard balm. 
• Exfoliate the beard