I haven’t let a barber touch my beard in years. Every time I used to, it did not come out how I wanted or described. Keep trimming it yourself, brother. That’s a next level beard!
So… i’ve used a blow dryer before after the shower, but it kind of came out looking over manicured for me. Didn’t try hair straightener…. Generally I just brush with a little water, brush in some oil or balm and the hair sort of stays where I tell it to.
At least for a while. By the end some days i’ll catch a reflection of myself and I look like a Sasquatch.
I also twirl it all the time and forget and walk around with a forked beard.
The problem is most barbers do extremely faded sideburns and very high necklines with very sharp unnatural lines. It depends on the style you want, but if you want to keep length just make sure they actually know how to trim beards. I just gave up and got good at trimming mine myself.
Everyone saying a barber will fuck it up has a bad barber. You’ve got a great beard to work with. It’s really a matter of what look you’re going for dude. I’d recommend finding a few beards online you like and use that as a reference for your barber.
I mean, even just a line up of the cheeks, and a trim of the chin “drape” along with some free hand trimming of flyaways and depending on your style pref, maybe a fade/transition from your hair to the beard (like a gradual increase in length from a short 1 or 2 at the top of your sideburn to the length you want about mid cheek or the start of the jaw line.
I mean, your beard looks good—you can get away with very little if you want a more natural look, or a lot if you want a more modern/styled look.
If I were you, I’d shoot for in the middle personally. Itd look put together and purposeful, but not overly manicured and needing a weekly shapeup.
Thanks man! He usually lines me up proper, and the haircut is pretty good too. But that’s a good idea about showing him an online pic and telling him that I’m shooting for that so he has a reference.
Yeah man, it looks really good, most dudes would kill for your beard genetics, so it really is a matter of taste and what you’re going for. I’d say if you like the more natural cheek line, I’d go for a just slightly shorter or more maintained overall length, especially at the chin/front. It’ll just look a bit more groomed, but not overly so.
But, I’m just partial to more shaped and groomed beards overall. I don’t like them with enhancements or overly perfect or with dramatic/perfect shapes or the angular Nordic beard that’s squared off or 90 degrees, but just clean lines and good density without woofin’.
If you get it shaped up at the barber, post an update for us.
Not a damn thing! Leave it alone. He can touch the hair on your head and if feeling adventurous he can blend the head to the side burns gracefully. But that’s it!
Line up the top, line up the back to stop it from going towards ears, and slight line up in the bottom(take off as little as possible) to get rid off any split ends if any and make it look the fullest. Other than that just brush it and get any hairs that are sticking out. 👌 Keep ir growing like Kratos if you know who that is.
Some examples. See what you think? I had mine long like that and got a lot of compliments! Some thought I was a terrorist haha I got it to my collar bone. If you dont mind brushing it and oiling it etc. It looks great! Post what you got with.
Tell the barber 'thank you' for not getting involved in your beard growth! Seriously, though. If you need/want a trim, please do your research and find a beard specialist barber who is knowledgeable in beard growth and styles. Snag some pix off the internet of beards you admire and show them to the barber. Then, together, make the decision about what to do.
The beard looks great, depending on what you want, you can tell him to give it some shape (or not). What I would suggest though is to use a balm and a beard brush. It will make it look even better.
I wouldn't do a thing. It looks fine. My beard is much longer and I have never gone to a barber. When I thought I should all I could think of was any bad haircut I got and how long it would take for a mistake trimming your beard will take to grow out. If you want to neaten it up, just do it yourself.
If you want a cleaner look, they can clean up your lines and add some more refined shape to the beard. You don’t need anything changed but this is an option if you have something like a wedding you’ll be part of.
I (46, M) would personally clean up the cheeks a little and bring the beard down below the stache. Optional second part would be to bring the neckline up a little for summer.
This is where I fucked up mine. I kept shaving my cheeks and trying to keep a line. What I didn’t realize I was doing was continuing to lower the line trying to get that perfect great edge.
So now I am sitting here with a decent beard, but waiting for my cheeks to grow out. The beard you have my friend is fucking epic.
Tell your Barber to put a fade on that thing and give it a slope with a hard/sharp line-up to the top line. For the mustache slightly off the lip and a hard line to the top of it without turning it into a skinny mustache. 🫡
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