Do you prefer a short or long beard? Are you thinking of cutting yours down or letting it grow? No matter how you wear it, there are four key steps to keeping it looking its best. Grab your trimming tools!

SHORT BEARD

Whether you have a three-day beard that "shades" the cheeks or a fuller ten-day beard, the process is basically the same.

1. Trim your beard by running the clippers against the direction of the hair, starting at the neck and working up toward the face. Preferably, choose a guide, or tip, that will leave the hair at a length of about 3 mm.
2. Is your hair heavier in some places than in others? To create an even effect, leave it longer on sparse areas, and cut it shorter on full areas. To make your job easier, get clippers with different sizes of trimming guides.
3. Shave the hair on your cheeks closely for a clean finish. You can use a straight comb as a guide: simply place it so that you draw a slanted line between the top of your ear and the corners of your mouth.
4. Work on the length of the hair on your neck. To ensure a smooth transition with your beard, make sure you don’t shave it too close: keeping it about 1 mm long will prevent a sharp demarcation.

2. Trim your beard with clippers to achieve the desired shape and even out the hair, then use scissors to touch up and trim stubborn hairs.

3. Next, define the outline of your beard: use an electric razor or a blade to shave the cheeks, neck and mouth area. This is essential to ensure that the beard retains a neat shape. Repeat once or twice a week to increase the time between trims.

4. After running a wide-toothed comb or round brush through it, give your beard a nourishing treatment that will leave it soft and shiny. Make this treatment a weekly habit to prevent hair from drying out and becoming dull.