Key Takeaways: Maintaining a beard is one of the most important skills to learn as a barber. These beard trimming tips will keep your clients happy and your barber business booming.
From wild and untamed to gentlemanly and refined, facial hair can define a man’s look, convey his personality, and be the foundation of his style. As a barber, it is essential that you know how to properly trim your client’s beard to enhance their look, keep the hair healthy, and set them up for long-term facial hair success.
If you’re on the hunt for some beard trimming tips to keep you at the top of your barbering game, you’ve come to the right place. Equip yourself with the knowledge below, and watch the beards that leave your shop set a standard for excellence.
Must-Know Beard Trimming Tips for Barbers
Invest in the Best Beard Trimming Tools (Don't Skip This)
Doing a job right requires the necessary tools, and barbering is no different. Even if you have the skills necessary to craft an exceptional beard, you’ll be hard-pressed to provide beard services without investing in trimming tools.
Beard brushes and combs are the first tools to look for. They allow you to detangle the hair and prepare it for trimming. Next, you’ll want a solid set of electric clippers. These will be your go-to for trimming beards, establishing beard lines, and creating confident bearded clients. Finally, invest in quality beard-trimming scissors. These are perfect for medium and long beards, eliminating rogue hairs, and performing detailed work.
When you opt for quality beard trimming tools, you set yourself up for long-term success. Good tools should last you for years to come.
Buy Beard Care Products That Work
The beard trimming tip is more of a suggestion than a hard and fast rule. Beard care products can be beneficial, both when trimming beards and caring for them in general. When buying beard care products, look for clean ingredients from reputable companies.
Beard wash, conditioner, and oil are all worth consideration. Beard wash prepares beards for trimming by removing residual product and grime, as well as giving you an accurate look at the beard’s natural shape. Other products like beard conditioner and oil are used to provide nutrients, promote skin health, and improve the health and growth of facial hair.
Consult with Your Client and Stay on Beard Brand
Before putting clippers to hair, make sure you and your client are on the same page by having a consultation.
Ask them specific questions about their beard care routine and the style they’re going for, then take that information to create a plan to make their beard shine.
You will also want to consider their facial structure and ensure that the beard style they’re interested in complements their overall appearance.
Establish Beard Lines and Boundaries
The basics of beard trimming start with establishing beard lines and beard boundaries. By creating defined areas of beard growth, you not only help your client look better in the short term, but also set them up for long-term success should they choose to pursue a longer beard.
The most important beard lines to establish are the neckline and cheek lines. Both of these help a beard look properly maintained and prevent an unkempt appearance.
The neckline shouldn’t be trimmed too high, or it could result in a beard looking thin or disproportionate. The cheek line is more subjective, with some men having naturally mild lines and others needing a more aggressive approach to trimming. Just avoid cutting too low!
"The most important beard lines to establish are the neckline and the cheek lines – both of these help a beard look properly maintained and prevent an unkempt appearance."
While arguably the simplest beard line to establish, the mustache is incredibly important. It keeps facial hair from getting too long, disrupting the clean look of a beard, and getting in the way of basic everyday tasks (no one likes eating mustache hairs). Just follow the shape and curve of the top lip to keep the mustache from growing too long.
In addition to the lines that should be established, there are two key beard trimming tips to follow during this process. First, it is important to gradually shorten the trimmer guards. This prevents uneven cuts and painful snags. You will also want to cut with the hair grain, allowing for a smoother, less painful trim that is less likely to cause skin irritation.
Tackle and Tame a Long Beard
With the foundation laid for defined beard lines, it’s time to dive into the top long beard trimming tips. As a barber, you undoubtedly have the skills required to be an excellent beard trimmer; it’s just a matter of applying those skills correctly.
The keys to a perfect long beard trim are to focus on accentuating your client’s jawline, clean up the cheeks and neck, soften the bottom edge of the beard, and ensure that no distracting flyaways are left untrimmed.
Once you have done the basics and completed the detailed work, you can progress to brushing and styling the freshly-trimmed beard. This will give you and your client an opportunity to evaluate the finished product and make any additional adjustments to their beard before sending them on their way.
Invest in Barber Insurance (The Best Tip of All)
Even the most skilled, experienced beard-trimming barber can make mistakes, experience accidents, or be faced with unhappy clients. Investing in barber insurance is the best way to ensure these unfortunate situations don’t snowball into career-threatening events.
To learn more barbering tips and tricks, don’t forget to subscribe to National Barbers Insurance. You can also find educational resources and news about the latest trends on our blog.
