7 Beard Shaping Tips: Go From Unkempt To On-Point

After your beard has grown in for about a month or so, it’s best to shape it accordingly.

As simple as the above statement may seem, there is a lot that you need to do as a beardsman to make your prized beard look on point as opposed to an unruly mess.

Therefore, we wanted to put together these seven tips that will help for a better-shaped beard that just about any expert beardsman would agree on:

1. Let The Professionals Handle It

For many, it can be pretty tempting to trim your beard yourself, especially for the first-time beard growers out there.

But to be quite honest, it’s easy to mess up your lines when looking in the mirror.

Barbers are professionals and do this sort of shaping up daily for a living.

Also, letting a barber clean up your beard will make it easier for you to just do the clean-up work between visits with your favorite beard trimmer, cartridge razor, etc.

2. Pick A Beard Style That Compliments Your Face

When it comes to shaping your beard, you want to find a shape and style that compliments your face.

Therefore, if you have a circular face, you will want to get a more tapered beard style (i.e., V style) rather than one that’s a bit boxy.

Why’s that?

Most importantly, it has to do with the symmetry of your face and how others see you.

You don’t want to have an overweight face of facial hair that just doesn’t look right.

Here are some great styles from Birchbox that should provide a little further guidance to defining the best beard shape for your face.

Now beyond the actual shape of your beard, you also want to consider the length of it as well.

Too long of a beard can appear to many as being a bit unwieldy and just generally ‘wild.’  Whereas a shorter beard (i.e., above the Adam’s apple) can exude more of an orderly and in-tact look.

So take careful consideration what your beard goals are and how they might affect your daily lifestyle (i.e., lots of client meetings in an office environment, then a shorter beard may be better for you).

3. Pick The Right Beard Style For Your Hair

Whether you are completely bald or have a thick head of hair, you want to be sure that you pick a beard shape that compliments your hair.

Just like with your face shape, symmetry and weight are essential here.

For the bald men out there, you want to go with a bit shorter of a beard.

Sure, nothing is stopping you from growing a yeard, but for many, an incredibly long beard on a bald guy will be way off when it comes to the weight of features on your head.

On the contrary, if you have a full head of hair, you have a bit more styling options for beard length.

From a short stubble to a full yeard, you have full creativity – so have fun with it!

4. The Right Tools For Trimming Or Cleaning Up Your Beard

If you plan on taking the task of cleaning up your beard yourself, there are a few tools that will be critical for your arsenal.

Here are the essentials:

Shears

If you are growing a longer beard, then the best tool will be a pair of quality shears.

Shears (or scissors) provide unparalleled control when it comes to defining and maintaining the shape of your beard.

Unlike other tools (which we will cover in just a minute), shears are perfect for getting a clean cut on the follicle and are ideal for curing any pesky split ends.

Beard Trimmer

If you lean towards more of a stubble look on your face, then a quality beard trimmer will go a long way.

Beard trimmers are great for many reasons.

First and foremost, you can set the guard to your desired length and maintain a short beard/stubble style indefinitely – no visit to the barbershop is necessary.

Secondly, the guard on beard trimmers will help to ensure that the blade never touches the surface of your skin.  Therefore, if you get severe irritation on your neck when making a pass with a razor, you can kiss this annoyance goodbye.

One downfall for a beard trimmer is that it doesn’t do a great job in styling and shaping for men with long beards.  The reason is that simply the trimmer is too heavy, and it will be tough to get those exact lines that you prefer compared to shears.

Cartridge Razor / Double Edge Safety Razor / Electric Shaver

When cleaning up your lines between barbershop visits, any popular shaving tool will do just fine to remove the hair.

Razors will be perfect for getting the areas outside of your beard void of any follicles.  Just don’t forget to double it down with a quality shaving cream for ultimate comfort.

Beard Shaping Tool

A beard shaping tool is perfect for men who like to do things themselves when cleaning up their cheek or necklines.

With its unique curved design, beard shaping tools ensure that you get the same results every time.

For men out there with yeards, these types of beard shaping tools may provide little utility for the neck area as it could be hard to see through the bush.

5. Proper Conditioning To Help With The Texture Of Your Beard

If you have a short conservative beard style or one that is incredibly long, you must condition your beard regularly.

Regular conditioning will help to ensure that there are no tangles or split ends.

This will help to get a proper shape on your beard when going through the cutting process.

Therefore, you want to make sure that you incorporate either beard oil, beard balm, or beard butter regularly.

The mixture of ingredients found within these products, including carrier oils, essential oils, butter (shea or cocoa), along with beeswax, will help to keep both your beard and skin highly conditioned.

6. Don’t Use A Standard Soap – It Will Cause Dryness For Your Beard Follicles

Beyond daily conditioning of your beard, you also want to use proper soap on your face.  This will further help to have your beard maintain its perfect shape.

Beard soaps, much like a beard conditioning agent, will compliment your skin and beard.  Once you are out of the shower, you will instantly notice just how much softer your beard will feel after a thorough washing.

7. A Beard Comb To Maintain The Perfect Shape Of Your Beard

When comparing beard combs vs. beard brushes, the leading difference is going to be styling ability.

If you just left the barber’s chair and want to retain that great-looking beard, you will want to make sure you pick up a beard comb.

A beard comb provides control for maintaining the shape of your beard daily.

Brushes on the other hand, will provide a much fuller and bushier look.

But you shouldn’t be using just any beard comb. Instead, you want to be sure that you use one that has been sawcut and polished.  This will ensure that there is no snagging on the follicle when it passes through your glorious mane.

Keys To A Better Beard Shape Is Within Your Control

When incorporating all seven tips outlined above, your beard will look much more presentable and well-kempt.

From the right tools to shape your beard down to conditioning your beard, none of the above tips should be skipped.

Just remember guys, if you do decide to trim up your beard at home or have a bad barbershop experience, your beard will grow back.

Adam Williams

As the lead editor of Tools of Men, Adam loves men's grooming products. Particularly of interest is managing facial hair and perfecting the art of the modern man's skincare routine. His work has been featured or quoted in several publications, including New York Magazine, Vice, Sharpologist, MIC, Elite Daily, and more. When Adam isn't working, he enjoys spending time with his two little kids who keep him both on his toes and young at heart.

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