Trimming your beard: the dos and don'ts

A beard is never as attractive as when it looks well-groomed. Here are a few tips on how to trim your beard to perfection.

Perhaps you tend to think that the longer the beard, the less upkeep it will need as it can take care of itself. Think again! Whether you have a 3-day or a hipster-style beard, you still need to take care of it just as much, and that doesn't mean simply cutting it shorter. A good trim should shape your face and enhance your look. Here's how you can achieve this.

How to keep your beard well-trimmed

Use the correct equipment

For a quality trim, equip yourself with the right accessories: a pair of scissors, a comb for detangling knots and marking out lines showing the areas to be trimmed, a razor (either disposable, with several blades or cut-throat, etc.) necessary for defining your beard's contours and a three-sided mirror to look at your beard from all angles. Beard clippers do the same thing as scissors, but quicker (with comb guides.)

Trim in stages

Acting in haste is your worst enemy. For a perfectly harmonious trim, start with the sideburns and move on to the neck, the cheeks and then the moustache.

Cut the thickness before the length

Lift the hairs using a comb and cut any protruding hairs by turning your scissors to face downwards. Continue by cutting around the chin to create a rounded or pointed shape, depending on your desired look.

...And what to avoid at all costs

Cutting too much off in one go

Start by trimming off a few millimetres of hair. If you are unsure about the length you want, wait until the next day to do any touch-ups. This will prevent you from spoiling several weeks of growth!

Forgetting about symmetry

Never shave off your beard on a whim. All it takes is bad light and a different mirror to get the symmetry wrong. Instead place a long comb parallel to your ear and trim any protruding hairs. As for your cheeks, place the comb between the bottom of your sideburn and the corner of your lips and shave off all of the hairs which are above this line.

Now your beard looks great! One last tip for an even finer-looking beard: apply argan oil serum which, thanks to its anti-oxidising and nourishing properties, can help make your beard hair look soft and shiny.