How to Groom a Beard

Co-authored by Woody Lovell and Amber Crain

Last Updated: September 13, 2022 References

Beards require daily maintenance and frequent trimming to keep them looking their best. Combing and brushing with a quality tool will keep it neat and train the hairs to stay down. Regular washing with a mild shampoo is necessary to keep your beard and the skin beneath it clean and free of breakouts. Using products like beard oil can keep the hair soft and enhance the look of your beard. As long as you observe regular maintenance and grooming, your beard will appear healthy-looking and well-styled.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Trimming Your Beard

1
Invest in the right tools.^{[1]
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Research source} To properly trim your beard, you'll need a wide-toothed comb, scissors and a beard trimmer. Consider purchasing a pair of professional barber's scissors for daily maintenance and trimming flyaway hairs. Invest in a quality beard trimmer for shaping and to trim consistent lengths. For the sake of convenience, consider buying a rechargeable cordless model.
- Keep a pair of sharp tweezers on hand to pluck out ingrown hairs.
- A fine-toothed comb can be helpful when grooming a mustache.
2
Begin by shampooing and conditioning your beard.^{[2]
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Research source} Use a mild shampoo to cleanse your beard, then condition it with a product made specifically for beards. The conditioner softens the hair, making it easier to trim. Allow the hair to fully dry before you begin trimming. Never trim a wet beard or mustache.
- Wet hair appears longer, so once it dries you may find you've trimmed too much off.^{[3]
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3
Brush out your beard.^{[4]
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Research source} After shampooing and conditioning, use a quality beard brush to comb through your dry beard. Boar bristle brushes will help distribute natural oils properly. Then use the brush against the grain of your beard to make the hairs stand up. This makes trimming easier and allows you to easily spot inconsistencies in length.
- If you have a particularly coarse beard, conditioning may not soften the hairs enough for trimming. Apply beard oil if you need to soften it further.
- After applying beard oil, always comb through with a beard brush to properly distribute the oil.
4
Trim your beard to an even length with a beard trimmer.^{[5]
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Research source} Trimmers come with adjustable guards that allow you to precisely control how closely you're trimming your beard. Start off with a bigger guard, especially if you aren't familiar with your trimmer yet. This will keep you from accidentally trimming it too short. Start near your ear on one side and work your way down to the chin. Then repeat on the other side, checking frequently to make sure both sides are balanced.
- Your trimmer should come with instructions and a trimming guide, so refer to these for details about your specific model and its guards.
- After using the trimmer, look for any stray hairs that you missed and take care of them with your scissors.
5
Trim your mustache.^{[6]
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Research source} Before you trim it, comb your mustache straight down with a fine-toothed comb. The hairs that fall down over your lip are the ones you need to trim off. Begin in the middle of your mustache and trim your way to one side of your mouth, then the other. You can use a trimmer or scissors for your mustache, but unless you have a very steady hand, opt for scissors.^{[7]
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- Scissors offer more control because they can only trim few hairs at a time.
- Check to make sure both sides of your mustache are evenly trimmed and look balanced.
6
Clean up the lines at the top and on the neck.^{[8]
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Research source} After trimming your beard and mustache, maintain the shape of your beard by cleaning up and defining the lines. The lines on your cheeks and the neck line will probably need daily maintenance. You can use a beard trimmer with the guide removed to keep the lines well-defined, but be very careful if you do. Most people just use a regular razor for this part.
- Use warm water and a sharp razor to shave along the grain. Only go over these areas once with your razor.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Maintaining Your Beard

1
Wash it regularly with a mild shampoo.^{[9]
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Research source} Rinse your beard thoroughly every day in the shower to keep the skin under the hair clean. Use a mild shampoo or beard cleanser to wash your beard several times per week.^{[10]
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Research source} Be sure to rinse the shampoo out thoroughly because residue can cause drying and flaking.
- You can use a conditioner to make your beard feel softer if you want to. Apply it to your beard after shampooing and be sure to rinse well.
- After cleansing, use a soft towel to gently pat your beard dry. Avoid rubbing your beard vigorously with a towel, since this can cause split ends and frizz.
2
Moisturize your face regularly.^{[11]
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Research source} The skin beneath your beard needs to be kept both clean and moisturized to prevent flaking and break outs. Use a good moisturizer that contains sunscreen to hydrate and protect your skin from sun damage. Dab a small amount of moisturizer onto your face, then gently massage it into the skin all over your face and beneath your beard.
- After shaving your neck area with a razor, apply a little more moisturizer there, too.
3
Brush it daily.^{[12]
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Research source} Use a wide-toothed comb to remove any tangles in your beard. Then use a quality beard brush with boar bristles to distribute natural oils properly. This will prevent greasiness and add shine. A daily brushing will keep your beard looking neat and also helps train the hairs to grow in a downward direction.^{[13]
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4
Treat ingrown hairs properly.^{[14]
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Research source} The occasional ingrown hair is inevitable for almost everyone who shaves their face. Whenever you spot one, put a hot towel over it for a minute or two to open up the pore. Dab a small amount of alcohol onto a cotton ball and disinfect the area around the hair. Then use a pair of clean, sharp tweezers to pull it out. Try to grab the hair as close to its base as you can.
- Avoid jerking at the hair from the top, which might fail to remove the hair and instead split it in half.
- Never pick or squeeze ingrown hairs. This can lead to infection and permanent scarring.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Styling Your Beard

1
Apply beard oil to soften hair and tame flyaways.^{[15]
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Research source} A high quality beard oil can help weigh down dry and unruly whiskers. It will also soften your beard and keep it looking shiny and healthy by sealing moisture into the hair. Put three to four drops of beard oil in both palms and rub them together. Then apply the oil to a clean, dry beard using a sweeping upward motion, starting with the underside.
2
Style it with a beard comb or brush. After applying beard oil, use a quality comb or brush to distribute it evenly throughout your beard. Comb gently to style your beard into place. Daily brushing keeps your beard looking neat and also helps to train the hairs to stay down. Don't forget to use a comb for your mustache, as well.
- If needed, use a small amount of medium-hold wax to keep your mustache in place.^{[16]
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- Use a soft-hold balm or pomade if you want to sculpt your beard shape further.
3
Consider using a blow dryer on a longer beard. A blow dryer can help style a longer beard and give it a fuller appearance. If you're using styling products like balm or pomade, apply these when your beard is still damp, then blow dry it into place. For additional volume, angle the blow dryer under your neck and direct the air upward.
- Once your beard is fully dry, angle the blow dryer downward to set the hair into its final place.
- Finish up by gently combing through to get rid of tangles. Then use a boar bristle brush to make sure everything is in place.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you groom your beard for the first time?

Woody Lovell
Professional Barber
Woody Lovell is the Founder of The Barbershop Club, a gentleman's barbershop-as-social club rooted in 1990's traditional barbering based in the Hotel Normandie in Los Angeles, California. He is also the Founder of his own line of quality grooming products. He has over 20 years of experience in the male grooming industry and has consulted clients including professional athletes, musicians, and A-list actors throughout the Los Angeles area.

Woody Lovell

Professional Barber

Expert Answer

Keep your face as neutral as possible while you trim your beard. If you make unnatural faces, your beard won't look right when you return to a natural expression.
Question

How do you style a 5" beard?

Community Answer

Just keep it clean and wear it loose. Make sure to keep it trimmed, and consider using beard oil to help make the hair shine.