How to Trim Your Beard When You’re Trying to Grow It Out

You’re growing out your beard. You finally decided you want a big, thick, manly face bush to show off with pride.

But in the meantime… it’s kind of looking a mess. Some parts are longer, others are shorter. Some are thicker, some are not so much. But you don’t want to trim it. That would just be a disaster, right?

Nope. Trimming is your friend.

Even when you’re still growing out your beard, a slight trim from time to time is a smart idea. That will keep your beard under control and not turn the growing-out process into “that few months where I hate every picture of myself”.

Out of control facial hair is never good, whether you’re growing it out or not. So use these tips to trim up those rebellious whiskers on your way to a stellar beard.

Step 1: Wash and Dry

You should only trim your beard after it’s free of any styling product and is totally dry. That will give you the best idea of its true length and where it needs to be trimmed up.

You should be using a natural beard oil each day to keep your facial hair soft, conditioned, and naturally shiny. But you need to wash that all out before you start trimming. Use a natural shampoo for men and the best hair conditioner for men. Then pat your beard with a towel and wait until it’s totally dry.

Step 2: Scissors

For this first step, trim with beard or mustache scissors. Save your clippers for later. Now, just focus on spot checking your beard for any long or errant hairs. This won’t take long and the goal is to create uniformity, nothing more. Don’t go crazy here - you want to leave the length alone.

Step 3: Clippers

Now you can clean up the cheek lines and neckline with your clippers. Carefully. You can also use a regular shaving razor if you prefer.

Keeping the edges of your beard clean and orderly will make a huge difference in your look. It turns a raggedy beard to a well-groomed marvel. You don’t have to do this daily, but make it a regular part of your grooming routine.

Beware of leaving the neckline too long or too short. Too long and you start to look like the Wolfman. Too short and you just look bad.

A good rule of thumb for setting your neckline is to put your index and middle finger together just above your Adam’s apple. Imagine two curved lines being drawn down from your ears, meeting to form a “U” on top of your fingers. For most guys that’s an ideal beard neckline - flattering, classic, and easy to measure.

Step 4: Condition

Now that you’re all trimmed up, brush away any stray hairs and apply your natural beard oil. Just a few drops will do. Make sure you’re using a natural and organic product that keeps your beard hairs and the skin beneath them well hydrated. Avoid products with harsh chemicals or alcohol - they’ll dry out your skin and can cause irritation.

Step 5: Final Touchups

After you’ve applied oil and styled your beard, you may notice a few hairs are still out of place. Don’t get anxious here and start clipping away like crazy. Only snip the hairs that are truly out of place.

Now you’ve got a well trimmed beard that you can still grow out. With time you’ll have an impressive beard - whether you’re going for a short and classic style or want to grow that thing out to lumberjack proportions.