How to Trim Your Beard in 3 Steps, According to a Master Barber

MOST PEOPLE MAY look at fall primarily as the time of year they can indulge on pumpkin-spiced everything, but for scruffy dudes like me, it’s first and foremost beard and flannel season. Of course, to truly perfect that lumberjack look you must learn how to trim your beard (you only want to invoke the spirit of a lumberjack, not mimic one because genuine lumberjacks can look awfully grisly). So whether you like to rock a massive wizard-level beard or just maintain a bit more than stubble, learning how to keep your facial hair in check (and with which tools like beard trimmers and more) is a necessary skill to fully let it pop.

While some will claim that facial hair is second to what’s going on up top, a quality beard requires just as much attention and care as a stellar hairdo. As Justin Kafando, Master Barber at Barber Surgeons Guild in New York City explains, “With a great beard comes great responsibility.” Barbershop Uncle Ben ain’t wrong either, to truly get the most out of your facial hair you’ll want to give it a trim roughly every seven to 10 days.

Sure, you can still accomplish this with regular trips to your barber but if you want to maintain Kafando’s recommended trim each week or so—and you should—these appointments will prove difficult for both your time and budget. Not to mention, there is a certain amount of pride inherent in perfecting grooming techniques with your own hands, not unlike doing your own home improvement projects.

Now, if you’ve never trimmed your beard before or have historically given it little thought, don’t fret. The process is pretty straightforward once you have all the steps and tools laid out, which we’ve done for you below.

For those who are just starting to grow their beards, Robert-Jan Rietveld, a Denver-based barber and Grooming Educator at Reuzel, recommends waiting three or four weeks before going in for a trim. “This will prevent your beard from growing out unevenly,” he explains. However, if you have an established beard, timing is far less important and you should focus mostly on shape, according to Rietveld.

No matter the length or desired shape of your beard, the overall process and products you’ll need are fairly consistent. I like to look at this routine exercise in three stages: pre-trim preparation, the actual trimming itself, and how to care for your beard immediately afterwards. Don’t just focus solely on the trimming—the before and after are just as important. Plus, they can easily be achieved with only a handful of additional tools and products.

So if you’re ready to go from a wild, untamed Dumbledore-type beard to a slick and sexy Jude Law as young Dumbledore beard, follow these steps to properly trim your beard.

Go in With a Plan

Before even touching your face, you should have an idea of what beard shape you’re going for. Think about it, you’d never sit down at your barbershop for a haircut and say “Surprise me!”, and this caution should extend to facial hair. Rietveld confirms that the most popular beard shape is simply longer on the chin and shorter on the sides of the face, but deciding what style should ultimately come down to what compliments your unique face best. “Work with your face rather than against it,” he adds.

In fact, Rietveld says that tailoring your beard to the shape of your face is his biggest tip to anybody managing their facial hair. To get there, take a look in the mirror and determine what shape your face is. As Rietveld explains, “A long beard can help elongate a round face, whereas a square face would benefit from shorter sides and longer chin hair. An oval face can pull off just about any beard as long as it’s balanced and even.”

Wash Your Beard

Both Rietveld and Kafando underscore the importance of cleaning your beard prior to trimming it, specifically with a beard wash rather than a facial cleanser or body wash—which if you’re still using a body wash on your face, we need to have a serious conversation. This will not only clean your soon-to-be-tamed whiskers, but it’ll also soften the hairs and make them easier to cut. However, Rietveld adds a crucial caveat to ensure you thoroughly dry your beard before proceeding to the cut, cautioning, “If the beard is wet during the trim, it can lead to an uneven cut as hair shrinks when it dries.”

Recommended Tool: The Every Man Jack Beard and Fash Wash is perfect here for a few reasons. It’s dual-purpose, formulated to cleanse both your beard and face, which helps save money and the hassle of switching between multiple products. This is especially helpful if you’re new to beard care in general. The sandalwood scent is also killer and is more reminiscent of some of my favorite fall colognes than a wash. That being said, if you’re sensitive to fragrances there is an unscented version, as well.

Comb or Brush Your Beard

Once you’ve washed your beard, you’ll want to comb it out as you would if you were styling it for the day. This helps bring the beard to a baseline while establishing a more productive and realistic starting point that will better resemble your day-to-day look. “This ensures you can visualize how it will lay once trimmed,” Kafando says. Not to mention, for longer Gandolf-type beards, combing will also help detangle hairs to avoid any lingering strays after the trim. For smaller beards, this can all be accomplished simply by brushing it, and Kafando recommends zeroing in on a mid to soft brush to set the stage for a great shape.

Recommended Tool: I’m working with roughly six weeks of growth right now so Cremo’s Beard Brush is perfect to style my beard and get it prepped for a trim. With 100 percent boar bristles attached to an all-natural wood handle, you’d be hard-pressed to find a sturdier option. For a comb, I’d also recommend Cremo’s dual-sided option with large teeth for long coarse beards and small teeth for the straighter ones. What can I say, the brand understands beard prep.

Cut With the Grain

It’s one of the most storied pieces of grooming advice around and yet it still needs to be said: Trim in the direction that the hair grows. There was a time I too thought I was a unique specimen capable of shaving against the grain and what I was left with was mostly a mug full of razor burn and ingrown hairs, as well as some shattered pride. Rietveld agrees, “Cut in the direction of the grain of your hair to prevent tugging and skin irritation.”

Another tip: Start with a larger setting or attachment then work your way backward. You can always cut shorter if you don’t like how a longer beard looks, but the reverse is obviously not true. Don’t get stuck trimming too short, especially if your facial hair doesn’t experience the quickest growth.

Recommended Tool: I simply adore the Braun Series 7 trimmer, this nifty device is capable of 40 lengths, which allows for ultra-concentrated efforts. Not to mention, its blades are powerful enough to attack hair head to toe—not an exaggeration, I’ve used this while giving myself a DIY haircut. The King C. Gillette beard trimmer is also a great budget option, and has consistently found itself atop our rankings.

Don’t Ignore Mustache Maintenance

Mustaches get a lot of attention in November, but when they’re merely one part of a larger beard rather than your sole facial hair, they can often be overlooked. This is despite the fact that the mustache is the literal and figurative centerpiece of any beard, so it’s crucial to give it due treatment. There are effectively two schools of thought when it comes to attacking the ‘stache, which mostly boil down to whether or not you want to show your upper lip.

For those who prefer not to hide their upper lip, a good trick is to follow the overall trajectory of your lip following the shape of a small hillock. The quickest method is to place your trimmer in the center of your mustache and turn it to the side so that it’s facing one of your cheeks. Then slowly work your way down with a slight curve before repeating on the other side to complete that tiny mound shape (this can also be done with scissors for those nervous about trimming too high).

If you’d rather cover your upper lip, you’ll still want to keep the mustache neat by using the end of your trimmer or a pair of scissors to cut across to maintain a straight or slightly oval line, depending on what look you’re going for.

Recommended Tool: Nothing fancy here, these 5-inch sheers from Refine are more than enough to manage any mustache grooming. Not to mention, they’re under $10 which is always a plus when it comes to a grooming essential.

Define the Cheeks

Now we’re really getting into the shape of the beast. Defining your cheeklines is one of the most important steps to a sharp-looking beard. Of course, choosing where to clean up your cheeks is a matter of desired beard shape and personal preference. Rietveld recommends one of two options here; a harsh, sculpted top line or a more natural curved one. A straight cheek line will help compliment rounder faces, while a curved top line is best for both long and squared faces. Once defined, you can use shaving cream and a razor to shave above this area on the upper cheeks to help clean up the look.

Recommended Tool: I like the Dollar Shave Club razors because, as a committed beard sporter, I only really use traditional blades for my neck and cheeks. I find these blades hold up for multiple weeks before dulling—which is basically forever in razor terms—when used in this manner. Not to mention, the refill blades are significantly cheaper than other options without any drop-off in quality.

Work the Neckline

Rietveld recommends using your Adam’s apple as a guide for how to shape the bottom of your beard. “Start by placing two fingers above the Adam’s apple—that’s where the base of the neckline should be. From there, draw an imaginary U shape on either side going up to each ear. Remove all of the hair below this U shape and keep it symmetrical. This method will give you a natural-looking neckline,” he says.

Once this is done, you can use shaving cream and a blade to give everything below the line a clean shave. This will help make the beard look structured and intentional. Rietveld also warns against falling into the common trap of trimming too high up on your neck, as this will make your beard look unnatural.

Take Your Time

Look, I get it. Time is of the essence, time is money, and a third temporal cliché, but there’s no value in rushing through your grooming. Be patient while trimming, otherwise you risk walking around with an uneven or patchy beard. “Take your time—don’t get ahead of the small details while trimming. Slowing down and doing smaller chunks at a time will help you avoid any mistakes,” Rietveld says. “Instead of rushing for perfection, take a step back once in a while to check the symmetry and balance of your beard.”

That being said, don’t let this patience manifest itself as repetition either. Kafando warns that revisiting the same spots over and over again, or aiming for absolute perfection, can result in an unnaturally polished look and, ironically, patchiness. “The most common misconception when trimming a beard is that cutting more will achieve the desired result. The truth is that less is more. Soft and simple strikes a lot more than going for a sharp cut,” he says.

Moisturize Your Beard

You did it, you’ve trimmed your beard and it’s never looked better, but don’t skimp on your post-trim care no matter how great you’re feeling. Treating your beard with either a beard oil or beard balm can do wonders for its overall health and longevity. Not to mention, it’ll help protect your skin underneath against razor burn and ingrown hair. “After the trim, add a beard balm or oil to moisturize the hair, giving it softness and a healthy shine,” Rietveld says.

If you have sensitive skin or are prone to acne, you should also consider applying a beard conditioner after your oil or balm. This will further moisturize your facial fur while calming any budding irritation. “A common misconception is that conditioning the beard is unnecessary—on the contrary, conditioning is essential for preventing dry, split ends and an itchy beard,” Rietveld adds.

Recommended Tool: Oars + Alps Hydrating Beard Oil, it not only leaves your beard feeling fresh and moisturized, but a small dab of this stuff goes a long way. If you prefer a balm, I’d recommend Reuzel’s ultra-conditioning and delightfully smelling option.

Style Your Beard

After you’ve applied your beard oil or beard balm, you’ll want to give it a final brush or comb restoring it to its natural, dolled-up state. Brushing especially will also help remove any excess oil or balm that could make your beard look greasy, allowing you to best show off your freshly trimmed beard.