The short beard was once a sign of laziness or was only kept in the growth phase, but today it has acquired its own dignity and has become fashionable. The idea behind the short beard is to give the impression of a look that does not require care; however, it does not mean not shaving is enough to keep it.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Deciding if the Short Beard is Right for You
Step 1. Determine your face type
While you may like a stubble for many reasons, you should especially consider it if you have a tendency to irritation and ingrown hair. Keeping hair short can help rid the skin of impurities and can also give men with baby faces a more lived-in and pleasant look.
Step 2. Stop shaving to assess beard growth
Some men think they can't keep their beard short because it grows patchy. When you shave once every two days, it can be hard to tell, because some hairs may just grow slower. Stop shaving for longer than you normally would - maybe a week - and then decide if growing your beard allows you to keep it short.
Step 3. Get ready to maintain your beard
If you are looking for a beard style that requires very little effort, a short beard may not be for you. While you won't have to take care of it every day, you will still need to trim it about three times a week, and this can potentially take more than a normal shave.
Part 2 of 3: Determining the Ideal Length of Your Short Beard
Step 1. Stop shaving
Let your beard grow until it is short but visible. As with haircuts, you can always cut more, but you won't be able to reattach the cut hair. Grow your beard slightly longer than you would like to keep.
The time required for this phase depends solely on the speed of growth of your beard. For some men it may take three or four days, while for others it may take more than a week
Step 2. Use a long setting on the beard trimmer
Start with 4 if your beard trimmer has a number setting. Shave so that your entire beard is the same length. If you have a thick, dark beard this style probably won't give you the desired effect, but it can work for others - think Hugh Jackman.
Step 3. Trim your beard a little at a time
Once you've adjusted your beard to the same length, start shortening it a little at a time to find the right length for you. You will need to decide the length based on hair density, color, and accuracy of the cut.
- Remember that you may also decide to leave your beard in different sizes for a cleaner look. For example, you might decide to keep the beard along the jaw and the medium-length and shorter mustache on the cheeks to create a more even style that fades gradually and doesn't end abruptly.
- Don't worry if shortening your beard creates holes, for example in the cheeks. Some men, like Ryan Gosling, keep their beards short even though they have very little hair on their cheeks. You will refine these points in the next step.
Step 4. Refine the edges
Once you have a short beard of the desired length, you can take care of oversized hair or asymmetrical areas. To do this, you can remove the comb from the beard trimmer to use it as an electric razor, or use a traditional razor.
The most common areas to trim are the top of the cheekbones and the mustache
Part 3 of 3: Treating the Beard on the Neck
Step 1. Decide what style to use for the neck beard
For many men this is the hardest choice. If you go for a longer, rougher look, you will probably want to keep your beard short on your neck as well. For a cleaner look - or if the beard on the neck has too many holes - you can shave it instead.
Step 2. Scale the beard on the neck
If you decide to keep your beard short on your neck, trim it so that it gradually disappears. Trim the beard below the chin and shave it with the lowest setting of the beard trimmer around the Adam's apple. This allows you to naturally scale hair without leaving a sharp contrast between the short beard on the face and the hairless neck.
Step 3. Shave the beard just beyond the jaw line
If you want a cleaner, shorter look with no hair on the neck, you can shave all the hair beyond the chin. Bring your fingers just under the chin, where the skin is soft and you can push it inward; this is where you will need to stop beard growth. By shaving like this, you use the short beard to extend the visible part of the jaw and the contrast area will be hidden under the chin.
Advice
- Electric beard trimmers with variable length combs are the best tools for trimming a short beard. It is very difficult to get an even shave with a non-electric razor and you will often notice holes or irregularities.
- Try a short beard for a weekend, vacation, or other time when your appearance isn't as important as usual. The speed of beard growth and its effect are often unpredictable.
Warnings
- If you shave your facial hair frequently, it will have a tendency to develop oils and irritate the skin. Make sure you wash your beard often to avoid pimples and other blemishes.
- Ingrown hairs are common in the case of a short beard. Tear off these hairs with tweezers. Don't use your fingernails, as this could cause an infection.
