Sporting an epic beard doesn't happen overnight or without a little grooming graft from the beholder. One question that usually lands in my inbox is 'How do I trim and maintain my neckline? Do I need to do it? And how?' Today I wanted to share some pro tips on how to do this correctly, or even if you need to all all, So let us begin with 'To Trim Or Not To Trim, That Is The Question'...
Firstly, you need to figure out what style of facial hair you're trying to achieve and maintain, as if you are growing anything longer than your neck, for example a 'lumberjack' style beard, or a wild Viking warrior the chances are you'll not need to concern yourself with trimming your neck at all.
But if you are seeking a shorter, neater trim then you might want to consider lining and shaping your neckline, and here is the safest way to do it. First up, you have to find the correct starting point of where you should begin to cut and reach, getting this part right is an essential part of your beards shape and appearance, as it can dramatically enhance how your beard sits upon your face and needs that little extra TLC.
To find the perfect line for your beard to grow to simply place your middle finger ad the centre of your adam's apple then your index finger directly above it. The meeting point directly above your two fingers is the usual lowest section of where you will want your facial hair to meet, so find this and use this as your guideline.
Begin to visualize or lightly mark out the rest of your beards neckline, much like a semi-circle from the bottom of one ear to the other ear. This should grant you the perfect neckline for you to follow moving forward.
Have a bathroom shaving mirror to hand, as you will need a clear line of sight in order to make little to no mistakes where possible, then use either a beard trimmer or if you feel a tad braver and more trusting in your abilities a pair of trusty barbershop scissors and a Sweeney Todd style open cut razor.
Always remember to go slow and steady here, the last thing you'll want to do is go at it like Edward Scissorhands and make all kinds of mistakes, as nobody wants a wonky beard now, do they? Go with little strokes at a time, cutting merely millimeters at a time if you must, and continue to do so until your desired length and style has been met.
There are several top branded beard trimmers readily available on the market to purchase in order to help maintain a dapper looking beard. Remember to always take a little time out to read customer reviews when selecting which device might be best for both you and your face fuzz.
And of course, if you are still a tad unsure on what approach to take when taming own that wild furry face of yours then stop, take a minute and regather. If this isn't something you are at all comfortable in doing then I strongly suggest you visit a well trusted beard barber instead, this way you are taking the heat from yourself and placing your trust in a professional, which isn't a bad thing at all.
Remember these golden rules when trimming one's beard...
1) NEVER TRIM WHEN WET!
I cannot begin to stress this enough, but one of the easiest mistakes to make is trimming your face furr when it is wet. Once wet your beard straightens out, appearing longer, fuller and somewhat thicker. Then you take a razor or a trimmer to it and chop away at it, then it begins to dry and look a hella lot more shorter than you had first hoped it would be. It's a beginners mistake (I've been there!) to avoid at all costs.
2) NEVER TRIM WHEN HIGH OR INTOXICATED!
This might seem like a real obvious pointer, but never, I repeat NEVER trim your face fuzz after consuming alcohol or drugs. As what might seem like a rather good idea might not in the morning once you are again sober. 'Dutch courage' is a sucker for biting us on the ass, remember that.
3) NEVER BE TOO RASH, AND ALWAYS GIVE IT THE 48 HOUR RULE!
If you've come to a crossroad on your fuzz growing journey and suddenly fancy trying something new for a change pause for a moment and think, have you gave this a lot of thought? and are your 100% certain that this is something you want to do? I always recommend you use the 48 hour rule. Go away and think about it long and hard for a couple of days, then after 48 hours if you still feel strongly about it and have little to no doubts then go for it. It's a sensible move in my honest opinion anyway.
There you have it, another blog comes to a close for today my furry faced friends and beardy admirers. As always be sure to share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below.
And until next time, beard on brothers, Beard on...
