It might seem counterintuitive to trim your beard if your ultimate goal is length, but a little pruning goes a long way during the awkward growth stages. In this tutorial, Joey Tasca from Freemans Sporting Club Barbershop demonstrates how to clean up your beard without compromising its burgeoning glory.
Subscribe to the Birchbox Man YouTube channel for more grooming tips, and check out our beard-growing tutorial for a comprehensive guide to having a hearty, healthy beard.
Beard-Trimming Tools:
1. Comb or brush: for detangling
2. High-grade clippers: for trimming
3. Scissors: for detailing
4. Beard oil or moisturizer: for softness and health
How to Trim Your Beard:
1. Comb it out: Get all of your hairs settled into one direction. Comb everywhere, including the mustache and bottom.
2. Use clippers for an even cut: If you want to maintain the length showcased here (half an inch), try a number 4 setting. If you aren’t sure, just start with a bigger clip and work your way down. Increase this size as your beard continues to grow out.
3. Fade the neck and cheeks: Graduate to smaller clipper settings (starting two sizes lower) as you move outward. Try this tutorial for trimming and fading your beard.
4. Trim the mustache properly: Comb all hair to the side first, and clip-on the desired setting. Then comb down over the lip and remove the guard, to trim anything that hangs over onto the lip.
5. Use scissors for detailing: Clean up strays and give yourself a more natural finish.
6. Finish with beard oil or moisturizer: These will keep your hair healthy and prevent them from drying and itching.
Additional Beard-Trimming Tips:
1. Trim your beard when it’s dry: You’ll get a better sense of how it will look.
2. Invest in a solid pair of clippers: They will last much longer and are far more durable.
3. Don’t assume all guards are the same length: Like with clothing, every brand’s measurements are slightly different. Always test on a higher guard before settling into your preferred length. Generally, though, a 4 guard is half an inch.
4. When you trim the underside, stretch out the skin: The neck skin can bunch together, so be sure you’re grazing over the actual surface of the skin.
Read more fabulous articles at Birchbox where this article was first published.
