How to Trim a Beard

Men think of growing their beards for a number of reasons. Some want to look like Russel Crowe did in Gladiator, others want to impress the ladies, whereas a few men grow their beards to simply avoid the daily headache of shaving their facial hair. If you are a man who wants to look tough, masculine and as smooth as James Bond, you could think of growing a beard (regardless of the fact that Bond never grew a beard!). However, trimming it and keeping it in good shape is equally important. Now why is that so? Well, trimming your beard regularly and taking good care of it is important simply because, a shabby and ill-maintained beard will make you look like a different type of 'Bond'...a vagabond. Therefore, on that note, here is how to trim a beard and keep it in good shape.

How to Trim a Beard
Simply put, there are two proper ways to trim a beard:

• Using a pair of scissors
• Using a beard trimmer.

Depending on the kind of beard style that you wish to keep, you can select either of these two methods. We will now have a look at both these methods.

Trimming a Beard Using Scissors
Firstly, you need to have the following items at hand:

• a pair of barber scissors
• a medium length wide-toothed comb
• a small fine-toothed comb
• a rectangular magnifying mirror (a normal one will also do).

You must ideally wash your beard before you trim it. If you are in a hurry, you can opt for washing it with regular soap, or else you can shampoo and condition it using a mild shampoo and conditioner. In case you didn't know, shampooing and conditioning your beard is an important part of facial skin care for men. Pat your beard dry before you proceed with trimming it. Generally scissors are used for minor trimming and adjustments. If you have a thick and heavy beard, then scissors will be of use to you only if you want to trim it marginally, or if you want to get rid of a few stray hairs. Run the wide-toothed comb through your beard along the length of the hair i.e. in the direction of hair growth. This will help in removing tangled hair, if any. For the sake of symmetry, you should finish trimming the beard on one side of your face i.e. either cheek, before you proceed to the other side. Starting from just below the ear, trim only the hair that you see above the surface of the comb. Slowly the run the comb down the sides of your face and continue trimming in a uniform manner. Stop once you reach the base of your chin. Check your face in the mirror and see whether you've trimmed enough. If you feel you need to trim it a bit more, repeat the above step. Once you are satisfied with the result, follow the same set of steps to trim the beard on the other side of your face.

How to Properly Trim a Beard Using a Beard Trimmer
A beard trimmer is often a convenient way of trimming a beard, especially if you find the comb & scissors method to be too cumbersome or unsatisfactory. Get hold of a good quality beard and mustache trimmer which has multiple blades and which provides features for different levels of trimming. Go through the user guide to thoroughly understand what type of blade is suitable for what length and style of beard. Once you know what blade is suitable for your purpose, attach it to the beard trimmer. Wash and dry your beard before you begin trimming it. Run a comb through your beard to remove any tangles. Now, switch on the beard trimmer and starting from the base of your ear, run it slowly down the side of your face until you reach the base of your chin. Once you are satisfied with the outcome, repeat the same on the other cheek. Finally, use a pair of scissors and the fine-toothed comb to trim your mustache, if necessary.

This was all about how to trim a beard at home. Thankfully, trendy beards are in vogue when it comes to contemporary mens fashion. For your benefit, here are some beard styles for men along with a few beard grooming tips. If you wish to try out some new and innovative beard styles, you should ideally consider getting it done at a professional men's salon, in order to ensure that you don't mess it up on your own.