How To Trim Your Long Beard

November 01, 2019

So you’ve gone the distance and you have yourself a long beard — or a yeard. But maybe now you think it might be time for a trim. Hey, no judgment. Perhaps it’s gotten so long you’re starting to trip over it. Or maybe you’ve been overwhelmed with split ends.

Warning: Before you do anything drastic with your beard, like trimming it, please keep in mind that split ends can sometimes be repaired with a high-quality beard oil. So give some serious thought, my bearded brother.

Alright, you’re still reading which means you’re serious about that trim. Although I may not support your decision because I’d love to see you rally and keep growing, I will still provide you with some specific steps to follow to properly trim your long beard. If you’re going to go ahead and trim it, I’d rather you do it the right way instead of doing it the stupid way.

First, you will need some specific trimming tools for your beard toolkit…

You’ll need:

A standing mirror (you can borrow your sister’s if you don’t have one)
A beard comb or beard brush for detangling
A beard trimmer or clippers
Beard scissors for detailing
Beard oil and beard balm to make it extra fresh afterward
A hard floor so you can clean up your mess easier
The courage to actually go through with this

You’ve got the goods. Now let’s get started…

Comb out your beard in the same direction that your hair is growing. Be a thorough go-getter and be sure not to miss the area below your jawline and above your lips. You may even want to lift the bottom of your beard and comb underneath.

Okay, last chance…

Are you sure you want to go through with this? Because there’s no turning back.

Oh my goodness, I can’t believe we’re doing this…

Now it’s time to lightly trim your facial hair with an electric hair clipper. If you’re aiming for growing out your beard and removing a small amount each time, make sure to opt for a longer guard length.

When shaving along the cheek line, switch the guard down one or two settings. Start with a larger number if this is your first time, so you don’t shave off too much hair. I recommend that the number you use for your sideburns and cheeks be the same number your barber uses for the sides of your head. That way, you can blend your head and facial hair evenly and seamlessly.

Warning: If you’re completely bald, do not blend the sideburns with the sides of your head. That would be a disaster.

Next, fade your cheek line by using soft pressure. And if you want, fade your neckline with the same setting. An option here is to remove the guard for a more distinct fade at the edges.

Now brush out your mustache in the same direction of your hair growth. Trim using an upward stroke, while using the lower guard setting. Brush out the hair and re-trim as needed.

Be sure to stretch your skin when shaving below the jawline, to get a more even cut. The neck can have rolls (I’m not calling you fat; even skinny guys get them) and you want to make sure you don’t miss the hairs in between those rolls.

Get the last few stray hairs with scissors. If you have a yeard, you can use scissors along the bottom, shaping it however you would like — straight across, curved, or if you want to look like a wise-ass wizard, maybe even trim things to a point.

Now that you’ve finished massacring your precious beard apply beard oil and beard balm to add back moisture and to keep the hair looking shiny. Wow, I bet that beard of yours is looking super smooth and crisp.

All that’s left to do is to sweep up the poor, dead remains, which are sprawled across your tile floor. Never forget these clippings; they used to be part of something much bigger.

If you’re looking to maintain a certain look or length, you’ll usually want to trim your beard every week or so, but it all depends on how fast your hair grows. I know some Italian men who would be back to the same length later that day.

Following these steps and using these tools is a good way to help you get the long, defined beard you are looking for without looking hobo fabulous. The process of trimming your long beard doesn’t take too long, especially once you figure out the right settings on your clippers for the look you are going for. You’ll get the hang of it.

Each man and his beard are different, so settings, exact tools to be used, and how often the beard needs to be trimmed, will differ. So figure out what works best for you so that your beard can always look its very best.

I really hope your beard trimming goes well for you. There is nothing much worse than having beard-gret. If this beard cut turns out to be a total fail, maybe next time hire a professional? Or better yet, don’t trim it! And let it grow! Good luck, my bearded brother!