Men's Beauty Tips - Trim and Take Care of Facial Hair

A beard says something about a man, especially if it is well kept. Many years ago, growing a beard was easy. You just stopped shaving. Where your beard ended -- chin, neck, or somewhere after your chest hair began -- was nobody's concern, least of all yours. Now things are different. People tend to have jobs and fewer diseases, and beards require more tailoring. It helps to think of your face as a map, your beard an invading army. A beard or creative facial hair can be an easy and inexpensive way to freshen up your look. I have some tips how to choose the right facial hair and how to trim and care for your beard. The first step in growing facial hair is knowing the best type that works for your facial features. Properly trimmed facial hair can enhance desirable facial features and disguise your weaker features.

For a round face, you'll want to keep the sideburns tighter and go longer at the chin to add length -- for a long face, you'll do the exact opposite. Proportions are also key -- those with large faces should wear fuller beards, while guys with small faces should keep things trimmed tight. For help choosing a beard style, take a look at a few of our style galleries.

There are many different shapes and styles of beard. For example, do you want your beard to look like Jon Hamm’s or Zach Galifianakis’s? From that style, you’ll be able to tell what size trimmer guards you’ll need, along with how often you’ll need to trim. Set the electric trimmer to the longest length and give your beard a quick once over. This will even out all of the longer hairs. Once you’ve completed this step, then it’s time to get close. Using a straight edge or your hand held razor, clean up your neck line. Then turn your attention to your sideburns. With your sideburns you may want to use a short trim guard on your electric razor, depending on the thickness of your beard.

Finally, trim your cheeks with the guard off of your electric razor or using your hand held razor or straight edge. If you’re using a straight edge or hand held razor, be sure to apply some sort of lubricant to your face beforehand. A shaving cream or lathered soap ensures you don’t pull at the skin and hairs and cause irritation. When shaving, always move in the direction of the hair, rather than against it, to ensure a smooth and irritation free shave. 

Once you've grown your beard and have it shaped the way you like it, you'll need to maintain it. Of course, this will require that you shave around the beard to maintain its outline. You'll also need to invest in a good beard trimmer so you can keep the length where you want it.