Tips on How to Trim a Beard
So, you’ve grown a neckbeard and you want to try trimming it yourself. We get it, Kingsman. Mastering the art of trimming one’s own beard means more money in the bank and more time to do the important things like playing hide and seek with the kids or having a cookout at the beach. Learning how to trim a neckbeard in the comfort of your own home is definitely a skill we think every beardsman should have.
Trimming your own beard can be a little bit scary if you’ve never done it before. There are so many variables: what shape do you want? Where do you want to draw your neckline? How long do you want your beard to be? Like anything, though, learning how to trim a long beard or even a short one comes down to taking care and practicing. The more you trim your beard, the better you’re going to get at it. Don’t be afraid to try it out that first time, though, it’s just not as scary as you might think.
The first thing we recommend you do, is read through our tips in their entirety. It helps you prepare the items you need before you set out to trim that neckbeard.
Tips for trimming your beard
- Wash and dry your beard
- Brush your beard
- Start with the longest guard and reduce length as you go.
- Think about the direction of the hair
- Trim the mustache
- Define your neckline
- Shave
- Oil your beard
Wash and dry your beard
You do not want to be trimming a greasy, dirty beard. Trust us. This is a recipe for pain, frustration and very colorful language. Dirty hair runs a higher risk of getting caught in your trimmer blades and it could yank the entire follicle right out. On the flipside, greasy hair can also be so slick that it slips on the blade without getting cut at all. For best results when trimming your beard, use a proper beard wash with a thorough lather. Make sure you rinse it completely out and then dry your beard before heading in with your clippers.
Brush Your Beard
Brushing your beard is a crucial step in prepping it for a trim. This step will make sure all the hairs getting trimmed are where they are supposed to be. What you might discover if you trim before you brush is that you miss some hairs that may have been turned under or caught up with other whiskers. Run a brush through your mane beforehand to avoid having to go back numerous times to clean up strays.
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Start Long
When you first go in with your clippers, use the longest guard attachment, so you’re only taking a little bit off in the beginning. This is going to help you ease into it and fix any mistakes. As you feel more comfortable, move up to the shorter guards until you’ve gotten your beard to the length you want it. Eventually, you’re going to become a pro at this, and this step may not be necessary any longer, but in the beginning, working your way down to a length you desire is going to help you get the hang of it.
Think About The Direction of The Hair
If you’re looking to get at those pesky flyaways and trim down some of the bushiness of your beard, you want to go against the direction of the hair growth. If you’re wanting to hang onto any fullness you can, maybe if you have a patchy beard, then go with the direction of hair growth.
Don’t Forget To Trim Your Mustache
It’s easy to overlook your mustache when you’re trimming your beard, so don’t forget it! A neatly trimmed ‘stache is going to add to the overall tidiness of your facial hair. We recommend using a pair of mustache scissors for this job. You’ll have more control and get more precision out of them. Where you trim your mustache is going to depend entirely on the shape you’re looking for, but a good rule of thumb is to follow your lip line and trim just slightly above.
Define Your Neckline
Your neckline is, of course, personal preference but if you’re looking to start somewhere, it’s generally acceptable to set it just above your Adam's apple, while the sides incline ever so slightly.
Shave
After you’ve used your trimmers to trim your beard, shave the areas under your neckline and anywhere else you might find stray hairs growing.
Oil Your Beard
Always replace the lost moisture from washing with a few drops of your favorite beard oil. Work it through with your fingers and hands first, and then run through your beard with a Kent hair brush to complete the trim.
Taking a DIY approach to trimming your beard really isn’t that difficult but it’s best to give yourself a good window of time to do it the first few times. Be patient, take your time and before you know it, you’ll be a pro.
If you're in search of the highest quality beard brush we sell Kent brushes here. Kent is the original beard brush maker and has been selling brushes for over 250 years (1770).
