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Beardthe

guide

Gentleman’s Gazette

Maybe you’ve always wanted to grow a beard but just

weren’t quite sure how it would look on you. Maybe

you’ve tried a couple times but abandoned the under-

taking once things got itchy or appeared unruly.

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If you work in a professional environment, or simply if you

want to maintain a gentlemanly appearance, growing a beard can

be a tricky process. A smooth face is obviously acceptable in any

professional environment today, but a well-trimmed and cared for

beard can also be appropriate for just about any workplace.

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So, How do you grow a beard?

1. Obviously, you have to let it grow

2. After a week, you may start to look like you’ve simply neglected

your grooming. You’re forced to constantly explain to your peers

that you’re actually growing a beard and not just waiting on an

Amazon shipment of razor blades.

3. At about the same time, your face starts to itch, and the whole

thing can feel completely foreign to habitual shavers

4. That’s the point when most men go back to shaving, but wait!

I’ll show you the benefits of a beard and explain how you grow one

with ease.

the problems of growing a beard

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My name is Nate, and I love fit-

ness, style, and beards. But it

wasn’t always like that. Up un-

til 2014, I was an auditor and

a beard was not an option, or

so I thought. Unhappy with my

career, I decided to become a

professional blogger focusing

on the things I love, and so I

launched Iron & Tweed. At the

same time, I started to grow

my beard and today my full

beard is my signature hallmark.

Today, I can’t even think of liv-

ing without one. I know what

it’s like to grow a beard from

scratch, how to maintain it and

I want to help you to make it

as easy as possible for you to

grow one.

Why Should You Trust me? I am a Passionate Beardsman.

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benefits ofgrowing a beard

1. BEARDS = EQUALIZER. Beards seem to be a great equalizer as

far as age is concerned – they help you look older when you are

young, and they make you look youthful when you are older.

2. PROJECTS MATURITY & EXPERIENCE. Younger men, especial-

ly those looking to climb the ranks amongst seasoned profession-

als, can benefit from growing a beard as it projects maturity and

experience.

3. MAKES YOU LOOK HEALTHY & TRUSTWORTHY. Similar to hav-

ing a full head of hair, growing a beard can signal vitality especially

when you are older. A beard also projects warmth and trustworthi-

ness. Many men in professions dealing with sensitive information

and situations like doctors and therapists choose to grow beards

to convey these traits to their clients.

4. MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE A LEADER. Ever sine I have had a

beard, I experienced quite a few notable changes in my life. People

look to me for leadership more often. I’m still the same man as I

was before, but people just seem to see me as more responsible

and a stronger leader.

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5. GREAT CONVERSATION STARTER. It’s also been a great con-

versation starter for me. Strangers come up to me to offer compli-

ments and ask questions on a daily basis.

6. YOU ARE PART OF A COMMUNITY. Similar to the way Jeep

drivers feel compelled to wave as they pass each other on the

street, bearded men nearly always give each other the nod of rec-

ognition. It’s extremely encouraging and entertaining to be part of

the bearded brotherhood!

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On a basic level, growing a beard is really very simple – you

just stop shaving. But growing a beard in a way that’s comfortable

and doesn’t interfere with your well-developed aesthetic can be

tricky.

Here’s everything I’ve learned from a few subpar attempts and my

more recent success in growing a full beard. While I’ll mention a

few tools, products, and trimming techniques in this article, stay

tuned for a comprehensive follow-up article about the products

you should take a look at and what to stay clear of.

how to grow a beard

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Gentleman’s Gazette

If you’re used to shaving on a regu-

lar basis, seeing yourself with facial hair is

going to look incredibly foreign. We iden-

tify our face as the center of ourselves and

any drastic change is sure to be noticed.

Aside from the psychological aspect,

physically, it’s also going to feel entirely

foreign.

During the early phase of beard growth,

remind yourself that your goal isn’t to

keep this awkward level of scruff, but to

continue until you have the beard you’ve

set out to grow.

It helps to gather a few photos of beards

that you really like. Having a visual of your

end goal can stop you from picking up

the razor blade when you encounter an

awkward part of the growing phase. You

can also use the photos as guidance when

your beard reaches its ultimate length,

and you want to begin shaping, styling,

and maintaining it.

PREPARE MENTALLY AND SET A GOAL1

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The best time to begin grow-

ing your beard is over a long week-

end or extended holiday. By the time

you return to work, you’ll be solidly

into beard territory. This means you

won’t have to explain your burgeon-

ing scruff or shrug off disapproving

glances.

To capitalize on your time off, actu-

ally aim to stop shaving on a Tues-

day or Wednesday. In doing so, you’ll

just be getting to the unacceptably

scruffy stage by the time you’re

ready to leave for vacation on Friday.

Facial hair grows at a rate of about

1/2 ” / 1.25cm per month. A 1/4”

seems to be the length when fa-

cial hair starts being perceived as a

beard. With that figure in mind, you

can estimate that it’ll take about

two weeks to reach the boundary of

beard territory.

START GROWING OVERA LONG WEEKEND2

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To make the process of growing out

your beard downright admirable, grow

it out for charity! Not only will you have

a community of supportive peers doing

this with you, but you’ll also be doing it

for a great cause.

DO IT FOR CHARITY3

For example, No Shave

November asks partici-

pants to put down the

razor for 30 days and do-

nate the money they save

on shaving products.

Worst case, if you aren’t

happy with your facial

hair by the end of the

month, you can just re-

sume your regular shav-

ing routine.

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It’s unavoidable – growing a beard can make you

look unkempt unless you continue to pay special atten-

tion to all other aspects of your appearance.

When your hair gets longer, you start to look a bit like

a male lion. While some may like it, it will be overkill

for most men, and I usually find myself contemplating

removing my beard altogether if I go more than three

weeks without getting a haircut.

However, as soon as you walk out the barber shop

door with a clean cut, your beard instantly looks like

a thoughtful addition to your appearance, rather than

a lack of grooming. At that point, you may get your

second wind and decide to let your beard grow even

longer.

VISIT YOUR BARBER, OFTEN4

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The whole point of growing a

beard, at least for style-minded men,

is to have it as a well-considered ad-

dition to their overall aesthetic.

The formula is very simple. If you

dress sloppily while growing a beard,

the beard will magnify that. If you

keep your dress sharp while growing

a beard, it will act as a sharp addition

to your look.

Before growing a beard, all I need-

ed in the morning was a clean dress

shirt to look halfway presentable.

Now, before showering my beard is

in complete disarray and I don’t have

the liberty of running out for a coffee

straight out of bed. My beard forces

me to be even more diligent with my

dressing and grooming routine, and

it will be the same for you – a beard

will help you to dress better.

IT WILL HELP YOU DRESS BETTER5

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One of the reasons most men throw in the towel

during the early stages of beard growth (myself included…

multiple times) is the dreaded neck-beard. Some guys are

lucky and have a naturally high neck-line. But mine comes

down past my Adam’s apple, and for many men, it goes

even lower than that.

This area of the beard, along with the cheek line, can make

or break a well-groomed look. One of the best things you

can do to make your beard appear intentional is to estab-

lish a neck-line early. I would recommend that you start

trimming your neck and cheek lines after the first or sec-

ond week of growth. You’ll find that you instantly go from

scruffy to bearded.

But before you reach for the razor, I have to point out that

one the most common beard mistake is shaving the neck-

line too high, encroaching on the chin. This leaves more of

“chin strap” rather than a full beard.

ESTABLISH YOUR LINES EARLYAND MAINTAIN OFTEN6

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When growing a beard, some hairs

grow faster than others, some fall out, and

some are curly while others are straight.

Letting the length of your beard go un-

maintained will create a silhouette that

becomes wispy over time. So the occa-

sional trim is in essential.

To achieve a full, dense appearance with

your beard, it’s important to trim those

outliers. When you snip the longer hairs

that may be giving the ends of your beard

a wispy appearance, you create a solid

front – a clean outline.

For trimming a shorter beard, it’s perfect-

ly acceptable to use a pair of hair clip-

pers with the desired guard to maintain

your beard, while scissors are more effec-

tive on a longer beard.

Moreover, you must maintain the propor-

tions of your beard. Most beard styles

call for more length near the front and

bottom of the face and less up near the

cheek line and back toward the ear. Pe-

riodic maintenance will help keep your

beard balanced.

MAINTAIN LENGTHAND SHAPE7

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This may sound odd to you but

after several attempts at growing my

beard over the years, I found that short

to long stubble just looked better in the

summer or early autumn when my skin

is at its darkest.

If you’re growing a beard for the first

time, the initial weeks are going to be

unfamiliar and awkward no matter what

you do. But this stage just looks much

more natural when you have a little tan

on your face. It seems to communicate,

“I’ve been on an extended holiday and

was too busy relaxing and enjoying my-

self to bother with shaving.”

Contrast that with pale skin during the

winter which appears to say, “I’ve been

defeated by the extreme cold and am

preparing to hibernate for the next sev-

eral months.”

If you’ve naturally tan or darker com-

plexion, you’re already in business!

GET SOME SUN8

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HOW TO DEAL WITH ITCHY BEARD GROWING PHASE

Few things in life are as certain as an itchy beard. Your face

will itch for a period somewhere between Week 1 and 3 of beard

growth.

Because of this initial irritation, a lot of men (myself included in

years past) end up shaving it all off during this stage. When you

get there, keep in mind it is just temporary, and your face will feel

completely normal as soon as you make it through the end of week

3.

So, what causes the itchiness?

Many incorrectly assume it’s the action of the hair growing

out of your face to be the cause of irritation, but it’s the result of

your beard hairs becoming long enough to start curling around

and poking and scratching at the sensitive skin on your face. But

don’t worry, it doesn’t last very long!

Having a beard past a few weeks can be more comfortable than

consistent shaving. Once your beard grows out, you’ll be free from

razor burn, ingrown hairs, and knicks and cuts. Mine doesn’t cause

any more irritation than the hair on my head bothers my scalp.

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That’s not to say that the itchy phase isn’t uncomfortable, it can be

maddening. But I’ve been through this itchy phase several times

and have found some products and techniques to help make this

period as comfortable as possible:

1. USE CLIPPERS FOR YOUR LAST SHAVE

Your last shave can have a pronounced effect on the degree

of itchiness you experience during the early beard growing days.

I’ve found that it’s ideal to use a beard trimmer without a guard

for the last shave before kick starting beard growth, because it es-

sentially “chews” off the hair, leaving a blunt end.

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Contrast that with shaving with a blade, which slices the hair on

an angle into a sharp point. I think you’ll find that it’s much more

comfortable to have a more dull, “chopped” hair poking you in the

face than one that’s been sharpened like a miniature spear.

2. USE A BEARD OIL

While a shorter beard doesn’t necessarily require the same

conditioning as a longer one, using a beard oil can help with the

itchy phase in several ways.

First, since adding beard oil to your routine hydrates your beard

hairs, they’ll be less rigid and sharp and won’t cause as much irrita-

tion when touching your skin. Second, beard oil will also provide

a layer of lubrication between the ends of your whiskers and your

face. Finally, beard oil (especially one with tea tree oil) is good

for your skin and will moisturize the areas of your face that are no

longer being treated with your daily face lotion.

3. KEEP A COMB HANDY

I would tell you to avoid scratching your face completely…

but I realize it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to consistently stop

yourself from the simplest human reaction – scratching an itch.

A much better approach is to accept the fact that you’ll have to

scratch your face throughout the day and use the appropriate tool

rather than your fingernails.

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My preference is to carry a comb in my pocket or work bag.

After irritating my skin with cheap, injection molded plastic combs

which have rough edges and sharp points, I discovered hand cut

and polished acetate combs. They’re made of a plant-based plas-

tic which is the same material used in high-end eyewear. They’re

extremely durable, look beautiful, and are comfortable against

your skin.

Try to avoid using the comb to dig aggressively or pick at your

face. Rather, use it as a tool to gently graze the areas that itch for

the short time when you’ll be in the trenches of the uncomfortable

growing phase.

NOW STARTGROWING

YOUR BEARD!

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HOW TO TRIM A BEARD

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SHOULD A BARBER TRIM YOUR BEARD? MAYBE!

If you’re one of the many men who are too busy or sim-

ply aren’t interested in the intricacies of beard trimming, and you

don’t mind the money and time spent to have it done, go to your

barber for a trim. Trimming your beard just right requires thought,

time, and fine tuning, so it shouldn’t be attempted by anyone in a

rush.

However, many men become very particular, almost obsessive,

about their beard after they put in the time and care to grow it

out. It’s this group of men who can be apprehensive about allow-

ing someone else to take clippers or shears near their prized facial

hair, no matter how skilled and practiced they may be.

I’ve gone to my barber a few times for a beard trim, and while

he did an excellent job, the lack of control over my beard wasn’t

something I enjoyed.

Unlike learning to cut your own hair on your head by yourself, trim-

ming your beard is a much more manageable task since it’s front

and center, allowing you to see everything you do.

Even if you prefer to have your beard trimmed professionally, there

may be a time when you can’t get access to a barber because you

travel or move and hence it’s important for you to learn to trim

your beard yourself.

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HOW TO TRIM YOUR BEARD YOURSELF

NOTE: I’m not a beard critic and fully respect any style of

facial hair that a man chooses to wear. I only consider and refer to

particular aspects of beard trimming as “wrong” when they don’t

result in the grower’s intended look.

WHAT’S BETTER – A BEARD TRIMMER OR SHEARS?

For short beards, a beard trimmer is an obvious choice as it

makes beard trimming a breeze. But the real question is what to

use for long beards.

Well, my barber and many others use clippers. But they’re profes-

sionals! They have the hand control to skim the clippers around

the perimeter of a beard, making short work of what would other-

wise be a lot of scissor action. But you will likely only be doing this

once or twice per month, and you’re still learning.

Also, it’s incredibly easy to unintentionally move your hand left

when you intend to move right while looking at yourself in the mir-

ror. One false move means you’ll inadvertently take a chunk out of

your beard in a split second if attempting a trim with clippers.

So for trimming a long beard yourself, I can only recommend the

use of beard shears. Especially while you’re still learning.

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ESTABLISHING YOUR NECKLINE AND CHEEK LINE

A beard can look perfectly gentlemanly, provided it’s well-

kempt. The two most critical areas in presenting a professional

looking beard are

1. Neckline

2. Cheek line

A beard that’s rough around the edges can give the impression

of a lack of grooming while clearly defined lines showcase your

beard as a well-considered addition to your overall appearance.

Despite the great importance of these two areas of your beard,

most men get those wrong. Cheek lines are often too low and un-

naturally straight, and necklines are way too high.

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cheek line: how to get it right

Rather than cutting into the dense portion of your beard and

creating a hard line, work your way down from the highest point,

clipping stray hairs with a small pair of shears until you reach a

point where the hair is becoming denser.

Essentially, what you’re doing is trimming away the outliers, bring-

ing the cheek line down until you’re left with an organic transi-

tion from smooth cheek to dense beard. This creates a much more

natural looking beard, as if your hair just grows in perfectly, rather

that a harsh, manicured line.

It’s also much less work to maintain a softer transitioning cheek

line. When you have the higher contrast between beard and cheek

created by a sharp, aggressive cheek line, any amount of stubble

instantly stands out.

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With a more natural cheek line, going a few days between cleaning

up your stubble just adds to the gradual taper.

There is a limit to this, of course. I wouldn’t advise going more than

three days without maintaining your lines.

WHAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE A NATURALLY

STRAIGHT CHEEK LINE?

Remember, when clipping unwanted cheek hairs to estab-

lish your cheek line, there’s no need to go laser straight. Most men

have a gentle curve to their natural beard line, and so it’s best just

to clean up what you have. Further, a lot of men have a gap near

their laugh lines, meaning their cheek line does not go straight

across from mustache to cheek.

There’s no need to bring the cheek line artificially low to try to bal-

ance this, just do your best to clean up your natural beard shape.

In other words, work your way down until you have a cleaned up

version of your natural hair growth.

Men tend to be hyper-critical of their own beard while glancing

over the imperfections of others. For example, Ryan Reynolds,

Michael Fassbender, David Beckham, and James Franco are just

a few celebrities who don’t have “perfect” beards. Their beards

aren’t extremely dense, even, and full all at the same time. But it

doesn’t matter. They trim (or leave it completely natural) in a man-

ner that makes the most of their individual beard characteristics

and wear them with confidence.

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neck line In an attempt to avoid the dreaded “neck beard,” (when

your stubble extends down past your neck crease), many men cut

their neckline way too high. While this is a well-intentioned at-

tempt at sharp grooming and may look appropriate in the mirror,

when viewed from any angle other than straight on, it just doesn’t

look like a full beard. This style much more closely resembles a

chin strap or chin curtain style of facial hair than a full beard.

Ideally, for a full beard, your neck line will curve down from under

your ear to just above your Adam’s apple, back up to the other

ear. At no point should the neck line go anywhere near your chin.

This feels counterintuitive at first and may even appear odd when

looking at yourself in the mirror, but it’s the most complementary

shape you can make. Also, when you see this correct line shape,

you know right away that it’s the best look.

To illustrate this point, hold your hand under your chin with your

palm facing and parallel to the floor. Now pat the back of your had

underneath your jaw. Anywhere the back of your hand touches

while your palm is still facing the floor should be left bearded.

Now turn your hand so that your palm is facing the wall opposite

you and the back of your hand facing your neck. Much like before,

pat the back of your hand on your neck. Anywhere the back of

your can make contact with your neck is safe to shave.

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how to trim a short beard

Trimming a short beard is a completely different task than

trimming a long beard. Unlike a long beard, you don’t have to wor-

ry about proportions, tapering certain areas, or accounting for the

curliness of your hair. Cutting each beard hair across your face to

the same length will serve you well. This means a beard trimmer is

going to give you the fastest and most consistent results.

After establishing and cleaning up your neck line and cheek line as

described above, you can move on to trimming the length of your

beard. When selecting a guard, it’s best to take one much longer

than you expect you’ll need and run it through your beard. If you

don’t hear it cutting, select the next size down and try again. You

can also run just the guard through your beard to quickly assess

whether it’s near the correct size or not. Continue moving your

way down through the guards until you find one that produces the

desired length.

Use this guard to trim your entire beard, running it against the

grain in a long, sweeping pattern. You’ll know you have everything

trimmed evenly when you don’t hear the clippers cutting anymore.

Once you have completed the process and you’re happy with the

length a particular guard produces, just mark it so you can quickly

grab the right guard next time you trim. It will save you quite a bit

of time.

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how to trim a short mustache

The only other detail work you’ll have to do besides the neck

and cheek lines is to trim your mustache if needed. If you’re using

a guard to trim your beard, it’s likely going to be around 1/2-inch

/ 1.25 cm long. While it is a great beard length, it’s not ideal for a

mustache. The 1/2-inch / 1.25cm guard will leave your mustache

too short to style on the sides and too long over your mouth.

So for basic mustache maintenance, just trim the bottom

hairs so that they end at your upper lip line. It’s best to take off a

little at a time and work your way up to avoid taking off too much.

You can trim your mustache at regular beard trimming intervals or

more frequently to keep your desired length.

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how to trim a longbeard

While trimming a short beard is relatively easy, trimming a

long beard requires a little more thought and consideration. Not

only are the techniques involved more complicated, but the stakes

are also higher. Considering the fact that you’ve likely just spent

six months to a year growing out your beard, you’ve more than

likely become quite attached to it.

Here is everything I’ve learned about trimming a long beard.

Unfortunately, I made many mistakes, but you don’t have to if you

learn from mine.

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creating thedesired beard shape

There are far too many facial hair styles to choose from to explain

how to shape each one in detail. So since this is an article on how

to trim a beard, I’ll use a standard full beard as a default, and you

can adapt the methods and techniques to your unique style.

LEFT VERTICAL LINE TRIMMED VS. RIGHT UNTRIMMED

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preparing forbeard trimming

Do's Don'ts

Before trimming your beard, it’s important to go through your nor-

mal grooming routine. This is especially important if your beard is

at all curly or longer than 1- 2 inches / 2.5 – 5cm.

Essentially, you want your beard in its natural state before trim-

ming. Have you ever had a haircut that looked to be the perfect

length when wet, but ended up far too short after it dried? It’s the

same with your beard, if it’s wet or otherwise straightened and

elongated, you’ll find that you end up taking off way too much

when it dries and shrinks up into its normal shape.

Likewise, pulling your beard hair taught with a comb and cutting

at the perimeter of your beard will result in a “divot” as soon as

• Wash, condition, and dry

your beard

• Apply beard oil as you nor-

mally would

• Wait for an hour or more

before trimming your beard

• Trim your beard when it’s wet

• Trim after you’ve slept on it

• Pull the hair taught before

trimming

• Excessively fluff your beard

before trimming

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you release the section and it retracts to its resting length (one of

the lessons I’ve learned the hard way).

Go through your normal grooming routine, allow your beard to dry

for up to a few hours, and then run a wide tooth comb through it

as I would during a midday refresher. This gets your beard into its

“average” shape, neither messy nor overly fluffed out, allowing for

the most reliable trim.

full beard shape

Typically, for a well-groomed full beard, there are a few gen-

eral shape requirements. In the most simple terms, shape your

beard, so it follows the shape of your jaw while being slightly heav-

ier near the front. That means that it’s longest near the front and

bottom (chin area), and shortest near the top and back (sideburn

area).

SQUARE IT OFF, THEN ROUND THE EDGES

When viewing your beard from the front, start by making your ver-

tical lines on either side of your face, then cut the horizontal line

straight across the bottom. Once you have this boxy shape, you

can go ahead and round the shape to your liking.

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vertical lines

When I say vertical lines, I don’t mean perfectly perpendicu-

lar to the floor. You can definitely cut them straight up and down if

you’re going for a boxy beard style, but most men choose to add

a little curvature or angle to their sides.

Feel free to take your beard closer to the skin near your cheek

line while leaving more width near the bottom for a tapered look.

You’ll want to turn your head to the side to get a good look at the

area near your jaw muscle. A handheld mirror helps tremendously

with assessing this area.

Generally, you can trim your beard shorter near the jaw muscles

while leaving it a little longer as you move forward. Once you’ve

cared for the sides, you can bring the shears around the front of

your beard, snipping any of the strays or unwanted bulk that pro-

ject out in front of your beard. Again, a mirror will help you accu-

rately assess your beard from the side.

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horizontal line

After the front and sides, it’s time to trim your horizontal line. This

is what’s going to determine the overall length of your beard. As

with establishing your cheek line, I find it best to start gradually

and work my way up when trimming the horizontal line. I never

“cut into” my beard.

VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL BEARD LINES TRIMMED

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I like to first trim all of the long hairs protruding out of the densest

portion of my beard. Then I take a step back to assess the overall

length. If I want to take off more, I go back and cut about 1/4-inch /

about 0.5 cm from the overall length. Again, taking the time to as-

sess, then repeating the process until I’m satisfied with the length.

At that point, I’ll leave the chin area alone but start taking a

little more off the bottom near my neck. This creates my desired

slightly front heavy beard.

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round the corners

By now, you should have a beard that resembles a cube. Unless

this is the look you’re aiming for, it’s time to round the corners. Or

in other words, shape the jawline.

There really isn’t a lot of technical information to give here. Just

gradually trim your beard hairs until you have a natural looking,

gentle transition from your vertical to horizontal line.

VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL BEARD LINES TRIMMED

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the patient trimmers method

When I had my first professional beard trim by my trusted

barber, it looked fantastic! The shape was spot on, it looked full

and dense, and there wasn’t a single hair out of place. But after

showering, applying beard oil, and combing it out, my beard didn’t

look nearly as good.

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So what happened? My barber obviously did a good job, but it just

didn’t look the same. I’ve found that as you clean, dry, and comb

your beard; different hairs will be sticking out in various directions

on different days, detracting from the freshly trimmed appearance.

After the initial annoyance, I’ve found a solution: To get the best

possible beard trim, it’s prudent to spread the scissor work across

a few days.

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Day 1: Rough out the shape, getting it about 90% of

the way to perfect.

Day 2: Spend a few minutes trimming any long hairs

that poke out from your desired outline

Day 3: Spend a few minutes trimming any long hairs

that poke out from your desired outline

Day 4: Spend a few minutes trimming any long hairs

that poke out from your desired outline

I’ve found that this method takes care of any long hairs that have

the potential to poke outside the lines and results in the most full

and dense looking beard possible.

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beard care &grooming

guide:products & tools

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PRODUCTS

Just as caring for your skin and the hair on your head yields better

results when you use the correct wash, conditioner, or treatments,

proper beard care products are key to creating a healthy, profes-

sional looking beard.

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beard oil Beard oil is the most essential beard care product, period.

Without it, your beard feels dry and crunchy and becomes prone

to snags and breakage while combing. Especially after washing,

your beard needs to be re-hydrated.

GO WITH JOJOBA OIL

The best beard oils are based on lightweight carrier oils such as

jojoba, which is the oil that most closely mimics our skin’s natural

oil. When you wash your beard to remove dirt and sweat, some

of the beneficial oil is lost along with the grime. Beard oil simply

replaces the natural and beneficial oil that’s unavoidably removed

when washing your beard.

AVOID OLIVE OIL

Budget-range beard oils usually use heavier carriers such as olive

oil, which helps bring costs down, but these thicker oils tend to sit

on the surface of the hair rather than get absorbed. This isn’t the

best thing for the health and appearance of your beard and I can

say from personal experience, these cheaper oils are much more

likely to stain your shirt collar. Fortunately, I learned my lesson af-

ter the first ruined shirt.

Aside from the carrier oils that provide the base of the prod-

uct, beard oils often contain other ingredients to provide pleasing

scents. It’s usually best to look for products that use natural essen-

tial oils rather than synthetic fragrance oils, since these products

will be applied around your mouth and under your nose.

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If you have a frizzy or hard to control beard, we highly recommend

you to look into beard balms and waxes. But keep in mind, there’s

no industry standard for what constitutes either product, so the

terminology can be a little ambiguous.

beard balm & wax

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There are times when synthetic fragrance oils are acceptable,

however. Certain essential oils either don’t exist, are prohibitively

expensive, or are too difficult to blend into the desired scents, so

brands will resort to synthetic fragrances for these cases. I still use

beard oil with synthetic fragrances, but limit them to occasional

use.

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Most are a blend of natural oils, waxes, and butters in vary-

ing amounts. The ratio of the given ingredients causes the finished

product to fall somewhere on a wide spectrum, with hold being

at one end and conditioning at the other. In general, this category

of beard care products are kind of a heavy leave-in conditioner at

the light end all the way up to heavy duty styling products on the

heavy side.

PRODUCTS TO TAKE A LOOK AT

If you’re looking for a heavy duty conditioning product, look

for a balm with a a softer hold like this one from Zeus. If you want

more hold and styling power, choose a heavy duty balm like this

one from Honest Amish. The level of control will often be listed

on the label, making shopping easier. But you may still have to ex-

periment with several products to find the one that works best for

your particular needs.

Generally, longer beards look more balanced with longer

mustaches. But as your mustache gets longer, it can get in the

way of your mouth. To solve that little annoyance, just use a little

mustache wax to tame the hair on your upper lip.

There are many types of mustache wax. Some provide a great

shine but never harden like Col Conk Model 118. Others, such as

Clubman Pinaud, go on as a thin cream and harden within minutes

like a hair product. Then you have heavy duty mustache waxes like

Can You Handlebar Extra Strength that have a high beeswax con-

tent. These waxes have a high hold, but won’t ever harden.

mustache wax

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When I was wearing a high hold handlebar mustache, I actu-

ally wasn’t using a mustache-specific product at all. Instead, I was

applying multiple thin coats of Layrite Superhold pomade and it

worked beautifully. If you prefer a minimalist approach, you can al-

ways opt for something like Layrite that can perform double duty.

For mustache-specific products, the obvious safe choice is to

choose from mustache waxes that are beeswax-based simply to

avoid putting petrochemicals right under your nose and around

your mouth. But sometimes, synthetic ingredients can greatly en-

hance the performance of a product.

There’s a mustache wax out there for everybody. Some will help

you achieve just a little control and shine while maintaining a natu-

ral look and others will make possible a highly styled handlebar

mustache. The choice is yours!

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beard wash

Since your face produces less oil than the hair on your head,

it’s best to use a wash specifically formulated for your beard.

Washing your beard with shampoo is essentially the same thing as

using it as a face wash. I know I’ve had to use shampoo to wash my

face when it was all I had and my face felt dry and tight afterwards.

Trust me on that one: you don’t want to do that on a regular basis,

so having a wash designed for use on your beard is the way to go.

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For shorter beards, using your normal face wash is just fine. But I

find a dedicated beard wash lathers, smells, cleans, and just plain

feels better than a face wash for my longer beard. Plus, since the

majority are made by your favorite beard care product companies,

you can often find a wash to match the scent of your beard oil.

beard conditioner

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To help restore some of the moisture that was lost during

the washing process, adding a beard conditioner can help soften

and add shine to your beard. My beard is really coarse and tangly,

so I’ll take all the help I can get to soften it up. Applying a liberal

amount of beard conditioner and letting it soak in for a minute or

two leaves my beard feeling much softer.

This is a particularly important step during the winter. If your beard

is feeling exceptionally dry, you should consider using beard con-

ditioner in place of a wash. You still get a clean feeling and great

scent, without over drying your face and beard.

With the products covered, let’s discuss some of the hardware

that can help you in maintaining your beard.

We recommend having separate combs for your beard, mustache,

and head hair for several reasons.

1. Using a comb coated in beard oil on your waxed mustache or

hair can diminish the holding properties of other products. Let’s

assume you want a high hold side part for my hair. If you get beard

oil on my hair, it tends to sag and fall out of place. To avoid having

to wash your comb in-between grooming steps, it’s much easier to

just have multiple combs.

tools

combs

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2. Especially for men with very coarse beards, a regular comb will

never be able to make it through your curly beard after it gets

longer than an inch or two. For that reason, I like to use this extra

wide tooth comb by Swissco. It’s made of tortoise shell patterned

Italian acetate, fits perfectly in a pocket, and easily passes through

my tangly beard.

For meticulous mustache styles, consider purchasing a comb spe-

cifically designed for use on mustaches. It’ll have fine teeth to

encourage proper hair alignment and a small design to maximize

control.

Standard hair cutting shears can do a fine job of trimming

your beard and mustache, but they’re ultimately designed for reg-

ular hair which is comparatively easy to cut. However, beard and

mustache hair is very hard and has a tendency to “walk out” or

escape the cutting surfaces of regular shears.

Having a pair of small scissors with a micro serrated edge (like

these from Dovo) actually grip the sturdy hairs in place so they

can be cut accurately. The small design also gives me greater con-

trol when trimming my beard as well as my mustache.

As recommended before, using scissors to snip unwanted cheek

hairs is a much safer option than using a razor to establish your

cheek line. The probability of accidentally going too far down is

greatly reduced when using scissors than if using any type of ra-

zor.

scissors

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A beard trimmer is a particularly useful tool for maintaining

short beards (Wahl make a great beard trimmer). You simply se-

lect the guard that corresponds with your desired length and run

it through your beard against the grain and you’re all set. It’s also

very useful for maintaining neck and cheek lines (very carefully!).

And as mentioned in How to Grow a Beard, they’re also great for

use on your last shave before embarking on your beard growing

experience to create a softer cut at the end of your beard hairs.

Equally as effective as a beard trimmer, if perhaps a little unwieldy,

is a standard set of hair clippers. If you already have these at home,

feel free to try them out before buying a dedicated beard trimmer.

The only downside is that they tend to be corded and may not feel

as nimble while working the contours of your face.

beard trimmer

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An electric razor is a much safer option for maintaining your

neck and cheek lines. Once you have your lines established with

scissors or a beard trimmer, you take the areas down to a smooth

shave every few days with your electric razor (I prefer one by

Braun with straight cutter heads for accuracy).

With a traditional blade, the risk of butchering your beard is just

too high for my own personal comfort level. But an electric razor

is entirely dependent on the hairs being short enough to thread

themselves through the foil, so the likelihood of accidentally cut-

ting longer beard hairs is nearly zero.

Just because you give up the razor (perhaps only temporar-

ily) doesn’t mean your shaving brush has to collect dust. Keep it on

hand for occasional exfoliation when my beard is longer. This can

be a great addition to regular washes, helping to remove beard

flakes and invigorate the skin.

This tool is going to be invaluable to those of you who are used to

frequent shaving and exfoliation. The shaving brush will definitely

help ease the transition. Since a shaving brush provides a mechan-

ical cleaning effect, be sure to pair it with a gentle beard or face

wash to avoid over drying.

For a guide about Shaving Brushes, click here. If you want to learn

all there is to know about Shaving, then you need this guide.

electric razor

shaving brush

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Hair dryers can be extremely useful to the bearded gentle-

man. They’re great for straightening an unruly beard, heating beard

oil into the hair, and taming long mustaches. In our experience this

Conair hair dryer helps you achieve a handlebar style mustache

and you can still use it daily before applying wax to maintain the

established shape.

You can also use a hair dryer to straighten your beard when it is

shorter. To do that, apply beard oil and then hold the hair dryer a

few inches away from your beard as you run a comb through it.

This technique doesn’t work with longer beards but it makes your

shorter beard look immaculately groomed.

Now that we’ve covered all of the different products involved in

beard care and grooming, you may be thinking that it sounds like

an awful lot of work. But don’t worry, I’m going to break down

what I do on a daily basis, every few days, and about once per

month so you can see just how quick and painless beard care can

be.

hair dryer

beard grooming routine: putting it all together

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These steps are the ones that I feel are most essential to

maintaining the health and appearance of my beard, while also be-

ing speedy enough to be a practical part of my grooming routine.

Since your face is less oily than your scalp, it isn’t necessary

to wash your beard every single day. However, it’s just fine to do it

as long as you use a gentle beard wash and follow up with some

type of moisturizer or beard oil to help re-hydrate your face and

beard.

I wash my beard about every other day and on the days in be-

tween, I just thoroughly rinse and massage my beard and face un-

der the shower. However, I do wash my mustache and area around

my mouth with face wash on a daily basis.

daily

wash or rinse

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I find it best to apply beard oil right after a shower when

the hairs are softened and primed to accept the product.When my

beard was shorter, I would only use 2-3 drops of beard oil, but now

use 6-8 since it’s gotten significantly longer.

After massaging the oil into my beard, I’ll run a comb through it to

help better distribute the oil and align my beard hairs. This helps

tremendously with maintaining a respectable appearance with a

longer beard. If I just oil and let my beard dry naturally, it crinkles

up and looks much more unkempt.

This step really only applies to longer and especially curly

beards, since shorter hairs will be much less willing to change

shape.

After I’ve oiled and combed my beard, causing the hairs to lie in

a lengthened position, I use the palms of my hands to gently cup

and compact it into the shape I want. This step helps big time in

cutting down on the number of strays I have to trim.

Also, since the same amount of beard hair is being compressed

into a smaller package, it helps tremendously with making it ap-

pear more full and dense.

oil and comb

hand shaping

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One of the most annoying things about growing a beard is

having your mustache get in the way while eating. So as soon as

it was long enough, I started training my mustache into a classic

handlebar shape.

After my shower, I use a hairdryer on high to shape my mustache

from the center out. A comb is useful for holding in place so you

don’t burn your fingers. The heat makes the hairs nice and pliable.

Then, when my mustache is good and hot (after only 15-30 sec-

onds), I press the cool button for a blast of cold air that effectively

“sets” the hairs in place.

After I have the general shape established with a hairdryer, I use

a beeswax-based mustache wax to add additional control and all-

day hold.

In addition to my daily beard care routine, every few days, I’ll add

a couple steps to keep my beard looking its best.

blow dry & wax mustache

every few days

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I would advise you to line up your neck and cheek line at

about the same frequency as you would shave your entire face. If

your beard grows extremely fast and heavy, daily or every other

day would be best, but if your beard growth is lighter and slower,

twice per week will be fine.

Also, the longer your beard gets, the greater the contrast between

your main beard length and the spots you maintain, meaning you

can go longer between touch ups. When my beard hair is longer

than 2 inches, it can take up to 4 or 5 days before my neck stubble

is even noticeable.

There really isn’t anything wrong with using a conditioner

every time you wash your beard, but I personally limit it to a cou-

ple times per week to save time during my grooming routine.

Always follow the instructions listed on the bottle. Most manufac-

turers will recommend that you massage the conditioner into your

beard to evenly distribute, let soak in for 30 seconds, then rinse.

The process is really the same as with hair conditioner.

trim neck & cheek lines

use conditioner

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To keep the temptation to majorly alter my beard at bay, I’ll snip

anything that is outside of my desired silhouette about once or

twice per week. This is just enough maintenance to keep it looking

good between more substantial trimming sessions.

I reserve the major beard decisions for less frequent consideration

to avoid impulsively cutting it too short.

About once per month, I’ll evaluate my beard’s length and

overall shape. I’ll ask myself how I’ve felt about it on a daily basis

over the past couple of weeks. If I’ve been really pleased with it

in general, I’ll just trim a few strays and let the length continue to

grow.

If I’ve found myself constantly struggling to get it to look right

(bad beard days are real), then I will trim some of the length or

work on getting the proportions back in line with my chosen style.

If I’m just not sure if I should shorten trouble areas, I’ve found that

hanging in there for a couple more weeks will sometimes help me

overcome an awkward stage and my beard will start to behave on

its own with time.

If I decide it’s time for a more involved trim, I follow the steps I laid

out in How to Trim a Beard.

trim strays

monthly

length and shape

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take away

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I know this may sound like a lot of maintenance, but as with any-

thing else, you become very efficient over time. To put it into per-

spective, if you were to describe all of the products and every

step involved in wet shaving, you end up with The Shaving Guide,

which is much longer..

On average, I don’t spend more than five minutes on beard care

during a single day. It really is all about experimenting and devel-

oping an efficient routine.

Good luck growing your beard!

Gentleman’s Gazette

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