Featured on: behindthechair.com

Adding beard services to your salon menu can up your clientele and your ticket prices. But we know, the idea of taking clippers to a beard can be terrifying! We talked to Victory Barber & Brand™ Founder and 2018 Men’s Big Shot Winner Matty Conrad (@mattyconrad) for his tips on how to trim a beard, so keep scrolling! 

The 5 Components To Every Beard:

To keep beard services seamless, pay attention to these five areas. 

• The Beard Walls, which include: Two side walls and the front wall.
• The Shelf: The area of the beard that sits under the chin.
• The Top Line: The line of the beard that is connected to the face.
• The Base Line: The perimeter of the beard.
• The Lip Line: The line of the beard that is attached to the mustache.

Pro Tip: The main goal for a beard service is to keep the client’s beard full and strong, so remember to keep light hand. It’s always easier to remove more hair than to trim too much.

A Beard Is Curly, So Prep Accordingly

Like any salon service, prep is essential. Here, Matty breaks down what’s most important about prepping a client for a beard trim:

• Beard hair is curly! So it is important to treat facial hair the same as a curly client.
• Use a pick comb instead of a brush or comb to detangle a beard, brush downward instead of out to avoid creating a fluffy shape and keep the hair smooth.
• Since beards are made of curly hair, don’t use too much tension when brushing so the hairs don’t stretch and snag.

Creating Interior Shape From The Outside

The three walls to any beard determine the resulting shape. The goal is to create and amplify a strong jaw shape, Matty explains, and we couldn’t agree more. Here, Matty breaks down the best approach to trimming the beard walls:

The Front Wall

What’s the strongest part of every beard according to Matty? The front wall. Starting below the mouth and descending below the chin, the front wall is what the client sees first and gives them the most confidence. “The goal is to create a flat appearance that isn’t protruding forward,” Matty explains.

To trim, use the same steps used to trim the sides, but with an even gentler hand. “You want to take the least amount of hair when trimming,” Matty explains. “If you take too much, it will weaken the front line of the beard. Think of it more as a dusting than an aggressive trim.”

Pro Tip: Use a white or very light-colored cape when giving a beard service. This way, there is a clear view of the beard and shape.
The Side Walls 

Creating the interior shape of a beard starts from the outside. There are two ways to create a shape when trimming the beard walls:

• To protect the width at the bottom of the beard, have the client tilt their head towards you.
• Keep their head in a straight position for a beard that is narrow at the base. 

To trim, use a bristle brush and gently brush downward, smoothing everything but those pesky flyaways. Close the clippers all the way, and starting at the top, gently guide the clippers downward only catching the hairs that were left sticking out. There are two end goals when it comes to trimming the beard walls, Matty broke them down like this:

• To maintain the existing shape, use a light hand and a gentle motion.
• To switch up the shape of their beard or trim it shorter, use a more aggressive hand and push the clippers more into the interior when moving them downward.

Create A Strong Profile And Base Line

The shelf of the beard is the downward sloping line under the chin. To prep, have the client tilt their head back and gently use a pick comb to detangle, pulling the hair downward. This area of the beard is where you will find the most curl, instructs Matty, so make sure no hairs get trapped.

With the client’s head still tilted back, start at the front of the shelf, just below the chin, and create a solid ledge by guiding the clippers inward, towards the Adam’s apple.

One of the best features of a beard is a strong profile, and the way to achieve that is to connect the shelf into the walls, which also creates the base line. To do that, have the client bring his head tilted slightly away from you and gently push the clippers into the corner of the beard. The corner is the line in which the wall and shelf meet.

The Right Line Will Help Beards Appear Fuller

The Top Line: 

The top line is the line that connects the sideburns to the beard. “A strong top line will make a beard appear thicker,” Matty explains. Work with the client’s face shape to determine what type the client should have:

• Fuller Face = Angular top line.
• Narrow Face = Straight top line.

To trim the top line, have the client tilt their head slight away and place your thumb on the client’s face to create light tension. Use a trimmer and hold it upside down, with a downward motion, edge the trimmer into the line. 

The Lip Line:

Take a comb and brush the mustache downward over the lips. Starting at the center of the lip, at the crest, rotate the trimmer downward to catch only the hairs that hang over the lip. This will also preserve the length of the mustache.  

PRO STYLING TIP: Like any salon service, finish by applying a beneficial product. For Matty, a lightweight beard oil will help maintain moisture and keep a beard from looking dry and brittle. Stay away from beard oils that contain heavy oil contents like avocado or coconut, as they tend to sit on top of the hair without penetrating. The Victory Barber & Brand™ Beard Oil is contains Grapeseed and Jojoba Oil which is light enough but still moisturizing.