Beards are said to be a man’s asset, which is why a well-maintained one is going to add to any guy’s appeal. But how do you exactly get that beautifully sculpted facial hair? Here is a short guide on growing and grooming your beard.
Growing your beard the right way
The first step in getting that luscious beard is, of course, growing one. Here, you need to be patient. Men’s beards grow at different rates, so you need to wait until yours is sufficiently long before you start trimming. This is typically for four to six weeks to let the hairs grow evenly.
Choosing your beard style
While you wait for your beard to grow out, you can plan how it will look. When picking the beard style to go with, you need to consider how it would accentuate your facial shape. Here are some ideas for each general face shape.
Oval faces
With oval faces, you can go for almost any type of beard since your face is nearly symmetrical. A bead with bushy sides and a short bottom is one of the most popular options. One thing that you do want to avoid is trimming sharp angles into your beard as this will make it look uneven.
Round faces
If you have a round face, you would want to make it look longer and less squat. As such, long beards will suit you well. The length should depend on how long you want your face to look. Be sure to keep the sides short to better frame your face.
Rectangular faces
This one is the opposite of the circular face. Here, you want to make your face look less skinny or elongated. For that, the best style would be a beard with fuller sides. You do need to make sure that both sides look symmetrical to each other.
Square faces
This is similar to round faces in that you want to make your face look longer without being wide. The best option to go here is a long narrow beard. Do note that you have to shape the beard as it grows to match the angles of your face.
Triangular faces
A trianglular face has a narrow forehead with a wider jawline. Because of this, you would want to opt for a short, cropped beard. Another option is to grow a long beard, then sculpt it inward to create an oval shape for your face.
Diamond face
Here, you have wide cheeks but a narrow forehead and jaw. For this, you would want to have the sides shorter while the bottom grows out. You will need to have the chin hairs slightly shorter than the rest of the bottom beard to create a softer oval shape.
Controlling the beard growth
To better prepare your beard for trimming, start shaping it after the initial growing period. Here, you would want to focus on the neck and cheek lines. These are the areas that accentuate your face the most and give your beard a more intentional shape.
For your cheek lines, you would want to shave based on how full your hair grows on that part. You will have to rely on your intuition to get the desired shape. However, your goal should be to make both sides as similar as possible.
On the other hand, you would want to have your beard neckline into a “U.” To do this, take two fingers and lay them on top of your Adam’s apple. Start trimming from behind one ear until you reach when your top finger is. Repeat for the other side to fully define your beard neckline.
Trimming your beard
After prepping your beard, it’s time to cut it to the desired shape. For this, you will need the following tools:
- An electric trimmer with different guard heads
- Facial scissors
- A hair comb
As is with other hair grooming tools, make sure that these three are well maintained. Regularly sharpen the facial hair scissors and change the blades of the trimmer. This ensures that they will go through your facial hairs easier and result in a cleaner trim.
To start trimming, thoroughly wash and dry your beard. Drying will help you better see how your beard will look most of the time. Use the beard comb to guide the hairs into one direction. Snip out any stray hairs using the scissors.
When using the trimmer, use the longest setting first. This way, you will not accidentally trim your beard too short. Starting from the area with the longest hair growth, gently slide the trimmer across your chin. You can run the trimmer against the hair growth to remove excess bulk. Do several passes to get your desired beard shape.
Shaping your mustache
If you opted to grow a mustache, you also need to shape it accordingly. When trimming your mustache, relax your face. This way, the hairs would not be standing in different directions,, making it easier to shape them.
Use the facial hair scissors to trim the mustache to your desired length. You can use the comb to bring the hair down so that you can determine how much to trim. To keep the mustache’s shape and remove stray hairs, do tiny trims every three or four days. Be sure to focus on the area under your nose.as this is where they grow the thickest.
Maintaining your beard
Keeping your newly trimmed facial hair looking good begins with good skincare. Give your face a thorough wash daily to get rid of the dirt and dead skin cells stuck in the hair follicles. You also need to use the right kind of moisturizer to keep your skin supple and less prone to itchiness.
As for the beard itself, wash it regularly to get rid of food particles trapped in between the hairs. Use a beard conditioner once every week to maintain its softness. Afterward, use a beard brush to keep the hairs tidy. It also helps distribute the natural oils coming from the skin to the hair for a healthier appearance.
Using beard oils
Beard oils are great for keeping your facial hair shiny and moisturized. These also help condition your facial hairs, resulting in better growth. But you need to be careful when buying oils, as some might be too heavy or shiny for your taste.
Most oils work best when applied once a day after you shower. Slather some oil onto your beard and work your way to the skin underneath. Depending on the size of your beard, you might need a few more drops to cover every part. Leave it on for the whole day, only washing it off at night.
Keep your facial hair looking gorgeous with these tips
Whether you are just going for a simple chinstrap or growing a full bush, proper maintenance will go a long way for getting your desired look. Follow these tips so you can get that set of manly locks in no time. Combine them with our other grooming tips and you will surely score a lot of pogi points.