Beard grooming can be a little overwhelming. With endless beard grooming products to choose from, different beard styles and trimming techniques, it can be a LOT to take in.

To make this easy on you, we compiled EVERYTHING you'll need to know to grow and maintain your beard: from which beard grooming products that will help you grow your best beard, to beard styles that will make you look and feel great, to trimming techniques that will make your beard look epic.

Follow these guidelines, and you and your beard will look, feel and be better than ever!

Natural Beard Grooming Products

1. Beard Wash

This isn't rocket science...just like you wash everything else on your body, you need to wash your beard. 

However, the skin on your face is much different than the skin on your body, and what you wash your beard with will make a huge difference in how fast, full and healthy your beard grows.

Avoid using these: 

• Bar soap
• Body wash
• Traditional shampoo

These products are not designed for your face and beard, and will strip away an excessive amount of oil from your face. Your skin will dry out and will cause itch, irritation, and unhealthy, slower beard growth. 

We recommend you use a natural beard wash that is designed specifically for your beard and face. Its gentle lather will give you the deep cleanse you need without causing damage. 

Because it’s designed for your face skin and beard, you can use it daily without causing damage, leaving your beard looking and feeling better.

Check out our full line of natural beard wash to keep your beard looking healthy and full. 

2. Beard Oil

You have probably heard about beard oil by now as it's used by the majority of Beardsmen around the world. Beard oil is the foundation of a healthy beard, but one major misconception is that it is designed to be used on your beard hairs directly...

And that just isn't true.

The real benefits of beard oil come when you apply the oil to the SKIN underneath your beard (not just on your beard!).

Your body produces “sebum” oil naturally to keep your skin moisturized and healthy. As you grow your beard out, it draws away the sebum oil and your body can’t produce enough to keep your skin moisturized. 

Beard dandruff, itchy irritated skin and unhealthy growth are all usually caused by dry skin. Applying beard oil to the beard hairs alone will NOT correct any of these issues. It will simply make your beard shiny (and smell good).

We recommend daily application of a natural beard oil under the beard, and directly onto the skin. This will keep your skin healthy and moisturized, which leads to healthier, better beard growth! 

Ingredients:

Beard oil is generally comprised of two types of oils.

Type 1 – Carrier Oils

Carrier oils such as argan, jojoba, and grape seed help hydrate and moisturize your skin and beard, reducing beard itch, dandruff and helping you grow an overall healthier, better beard.

Type 2 – Essential Oils

Essential oils are added to carrier oils to create fragrances like pine, cedar, sandalwood, citrus, and vanilla. 

Moisturize Your Skin With Beard Oil

Moisturize your skin and grow to your full potential with a natural beard oil. 

3. Beard Butter

Beard butter is one of the greatest products for your beard and it may be the best-kept secret when it comes to beard care. In the past, beards were commonly described as coarse, wiry, and itchy. This is because the beard hairs become very dry as they grow out.

This is where beard butter comes into play. As a deep conditioner, beard butter will moisturize, soften and significantly improve the way your beard looks and feels while promoting fuller, healthier growth. 

The shea butter formula will absorb into your hair follicles instantly giving your beard hairs a fuller appearance. It also offers a light to medium hold to tame flyaway hairs and shape your beard all day long without leaving it stiff to the touch. 

Beard butter works great for beards of any length and should be applied daily after your beard oil for best results.

Beard Butter VS Beard Balm?

The primary difference in the ingredients is beeswax. A typical balm offers a stiffer hold and usually comes in a smaller 2oz tub.

Learn more about Beard Butter or Bundle and Save.

4. Beard Comb

You may be thinking all combs are created equally... but that's just not the case.

Plastic combs may be the cheapest alternative for your beard grooming solution, but cheap plastic combs cause more harm than good! They are made in giant molds and snapped out, leaving small imperfections which snag, pull and breakdown the integrity of your beard.

This can cause serious loss of beard hairs and split ends. In addition, the plastic actually creates static and can frizz your beard out making it more unruly than before. 

We recommend a wood beard comb as it is anti-static and will comb through your beard like butter, without snagging and causing damage.

After you apply your oil and butter, comb your beard into place and throw it in your pocket so you comb throughout the day as need be. 

Getting the Right Beard Shape for Your Face

Beards have the power to transform how you look AND how others perceive you.

Whether you want to emphasize your strong features or create the illusion of a chiseled jawline, the right beard shape can do wonders.

Your beard isn’t just facial hair; it's an extension of your personality and style. But it’s also a tool—a tool that can enhance your natural features. 

The key is knowing which beard style complements YOUR unique face shape.

The Goal: Balancing Shape and Style

If you’re wondering why this is even important in the first place, it’s because people are naturally drawn to symmetrical faces.

Studies have shown that facial symmetry is often perceived as a sign of health, genetic fitness, and attractiveness. A study published in The Journal of Evolutionary Biology found that individuals with more symmetrical facial features were consistently rated as more attractive by others.

This is where your beard plays a crucial role. By shaping your beard to balance your face, you can enhance the symmetry of your overall appearance.

Whether it’s filling out a narrow chin, softening a strong jawline, or adding width to a long face, your beard can help create a more harmonious look that not only boosts your confidence but also makes you more attractive to others.

Here's how you can do exactly that.

1. Beard shapes for round faces

If you’ve got a round face with fuller cheeks, your goal is to create angles and add length.

Keep your sideburns and cheek area tight, and let your beard grow longer at the chin. This will help elongate your face, making it appear more oval and less wide.

2. Beard shapes for square faces

For those with a square face—strong jawlines and all— you’ve got some options here.

You can aim to soften the edges a bit. Grow a fuller beard, but keep the bottom rounded and avoid sharp, angular lines to balance out the strong jawline.

Or, you can lean into your fortunate chin and showcase it by keeping your beard tighter or even emphasize the sharpness by rocking a spartan beard.

3. Beard shapes for oval faces

Oval faces are the most versatile. Lucky you!

Almost any beard style will suit you, but to maintain your face’s natural balance, try a beard that’s fuller on the sides and shorter on the chin. This will enhance your features without elongating your face too much.

4. Beard shapes for rectangular faces

For longer or rectangular face shapes, the goal is to add width rather than length. Focus on a fuller, broader beard that adds volume to the sides. Keep the chin hair shorter to avoid elongating your face further.

5. Beard shapes for heart-shaped faces

If you’ve got a heart-shaped face—wider forehead and a narrower chin—balance is key. A beard that’s fuller at the bottom will help add weight to your chin, creating harmony with your broader forehead.

Beard Trimming

Beard trimming is the #1 mistake made by Beardsmen all around the world and often times a trimming mistake is what leads to many men shaving entirely and starting over.

There are ways to prevent these types of mistakes! Here's a few guidelines to help you have the beard you desire and avoid costly mistakes that could cost you months of growth.

How To Trim A Beard Like A Master Barber

1. Slow Down

When you're going to trim your beard, whether it is the first time or not, NEVER attempt to trim any part of your beard if you are in a rush.

Set aside a block of time dedicated to your trim and take it slow. One quick slip and you can be set back months.

We recommend setting 30 minutes of dedicated time if you’re just getting started.

2. Don’t Trim Wet

When your beard hairs are wet they straighten out significantly and will appear longer than they are when they’re dry. If you trim wet, when it dries it will shrink up and your beard will be uneven.

3. Clippers vs Scissors

Both of these tools will get the job done, so it really comes down to personal preference and what YOU are most comfortable with.

Often times we recommend using both. The clippers can be great to line up the edges as well as fading your beard where as the scissors typically allow for more precise cutting. 

4. Start Small

If you are looking to take 1/2” off your beard, start by taking 1/8” off and make a couple passes. This will allow you some room for error. You can always take more off, you can’t add it back!

5. Style You Beard Before You Trim

Before you trim, style your beard as if you would any other day. Going through the same routine you normally do will ensure your beard is laying the way it does on a daily basis. 

6. A Proper Neckline

Your jawline is NOT your neckline.

If you trim your beard on your jawline it will make it look like your beard shrunk and is entirely too small for your face. You want to trim your beard where your neck meets your head.

The Wrong Way: Trimming On Your Jawline

This is a very bad neckline. His bottom line is much to high and his cheek line is much too low, causing his beard to look more like a chin strap than a beard.

This will only look worse as it grows out.

The Right Way: Trimming On Your Neckline

Much better neckline here.

Notice how it is trimmed where his neck meets his head and his cheek line is in a much more natural, higher position. His beard is much more proportionate and full.

7. The Stache

Our general rule is: The bigger the beard, the bigger the stache, however that is very subjective!

Choose what YOU like.

The easiest way to to trim a shorter stache is to use a pair of clippers and run it across your upper lip. This will give you clearance when eating and give you an even line across your mustache.

If you want a full handlebar mustache and are in the growth stages, we recommend using mustache wax early to start training the hairs to grow out and away from your mouth. 

8. The Cheeks

Depending on how high your cheeks grow in, you may want to clean up your cheek line to create a little more of a defined beard.

You want to create a line connecting your inner sideburns across to your mustache, but keep this line as high as naturally possible.

A very common mistake is taking this line too low. I do not want you shrinking that beard into a chin strap so again take your time!

9. How Often?

Once you have your desired shape, regular maintenance will be much easier and the required beard trimming will be minimal. Keep an eye on it and trim the strays that take away from the shape. Just remember not to overdue it. If you continually trim you’ll never add any length!

Every beard grows at different rates, however every 2-4 weeks is typically often enough to keep it shaped. If you’re looking to grow it out, we recommend 90 days without a trim to allow time for growth.

10. Made a Mistake?

Step away from the scissors! If you’ve made a mistake, our advice is to step away. DO NOT try to fix it on the spot if you are upset.

Trust me, you'll likely make it worse. Simply step away for a bit and come back once you’ve settled down.

Don’t shave your entire beard because of a small mistake.

Remember, you are your own worst critic and chances are most people won’t even notice.

See a Professional

If you don’t feel confident attempting this on your own, we suggest you see a professional barber for your first big trim. This will require you to do some research.

You will want to find pictures of examples of the look you are going for and be very specific with what you want them to do. Lack of clear communication can lead to one of the mistakes we mentioned here even when you’re dealing with a professional. 

We wrote a detailed article to give you advice on how to find a great beard barber in your local area.

Our mission is to help Beardsmen look, feel, and be their best

We truly hope this helped answer some questions and prevent some mistakes from happening. If there is something we didn't cover, or if you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to contact us.

Live Bearded, Brother!