How to Trim a Beard
Those with a weak stomach may want to skip this video of Kristofer Hivju trimming his beard:
But in seriousness, to ask “How to Trim a Beard” would be to miss the point of bearding entirely.
As you learned in my article on beard growth,
“Trimming is a sacrifice of long term growing potential to superficially and short-sightedly alter your beard’s shape in the present.”
What most people seek when growing a beard for length is a way to tame and shape the beard on the way to bearded greatness. Every trim takes you farther from your end goal of a glorious beard. There are simple steps you can take, outlined below, to keep your beard looking presentable as it grows into its full glory.
How to Shape a Beard without Trimming
Developing a simple grooming routine can help shape your beard. The routine doesn’t have to be daily. It can be 3-5 times per week if you prefer.
The Beard Shaping Routine
- Start with a wash of your beard and skin underneath using a high-quality, all-natural shampoo. My go to shampoo is the one offered by Dollar Beard Club. Their shampoo is one of the main reasons I’m a die hard fan. It’s got a strong manly scent of fir and pine but doesn’t have any harsh chemicals or unnecessary foaming agents.
- Gently comb your beard while still wet. This can be during your shower or after its complete. It might even be a good idea to do this combing while your conditioner still sits in your beard.
- At the end of the shower, it is important to towel dry your beard with incredible finesse. Vigorous drying is one of the most costly things you can do to needlessly remove beard hairs and set back your path to a thick and beautiful beard. While drying your beard imagine your facial hair as fresh cut flower that would easily be damaged if dried with brute speed and roughness. A gentle patting motion can be used with towel over hands. This puts no pulling force onto the facial hairs yet still allows for water to be absorbed into the towel. Your beard should still be slightly damp at the end of this step as it allows for tools of the steps to come to have better effect.
- Apply beard oil to your facial hair and the skin beneath. Use of ample beard oil can eliminate any beard itch you may have. Beard oil helps soften the beard and improve its shapability. The shaping motion you want for your beard sides is to gently slide your open palms down the sides of your face. Repeat this now and with any other products desired. Beard oil isn’t yet available at most locations that sell men’s grooming products, for reasonable prices at least (I’ve seen it sold at $40/ounce at some high end department stores). You can easily make your own beard oil or spend $2/ounce with Dollar Beard Club or $24/ounce with Okumura Farms or Beard Kings etc.
- If you want to apply mustache wax, now is a good time to insert it into your routine. Scrape a small amount of wax with the back of your thumb and rub with firm pressure between your finger tips until it is soft and warmed up. First time was users rarely get the wax warmed thoroughly, which can lead to a clumpy application. It just takes a little practice.
- Final step is to comb once again. Alternate rounds of combing and gentle open palm shaping until complete. This is also the time to add in any personalized styling touches or shaping.
And there you have it, the secret to shaping a beard without trimming.
The explanation may be wordy but the process itself is brief once you have the motions down into a routine. There is never a reason to rush your beard grooming. If running short on time, skip a step rather than rush. And, as always, experiment with what works for your beard and let me know what you come up with.