In this ultimate guide blog post, I want to share all of the knowledge I have gained over many years on how to grow a beard. Growing a beard can be a life-changing experience and getting to grips with what to expect can make growing a beard a much more pleasant experience. Here I want to share the secrets and the insider tricks that you can use when growing your own beard too! I’ve got a load of videos from my YouTube channel too! There’s no doubt that growing a beard comes with its own challenges but with the right support – and the information in this ultimate guide – I’m sure that you can get through everything your beard journey will throw at you!
Growing a beard relies on persistence, resilience, and learning new skills. If you want to grow a long beard you will need to grow your beard for up to 52 weeks. However, you can start maintaining your beard after about two months’ worth (1 inch) of growth.
Time to set up a vision board! While growing a beard you’ll need to slowly accumulate the tools required to maintain your awesome beard! Oils, trimmer, scissors, waxes, and beard conditioner are all worthy additions!
We are going to take a look at the important stages of growing a beard one section at a time – before, during and after! We will unpack what is important about each step, what you should and shouldn’t do at each stage and the tips and tricks too!
That said, let’s get started!
Article Contents
Before growing a beard
You want to grow a beard, right? Maybe you’ve seen some awesome beards on Instagram and are thinking to yourself “How hard can it be?”. Maybe you know you can grow a decent beard and now is just the right time to try it. Or maybe you just want to give it a go for no particular reason.
Whatever your reason, you need to get your goals and outcome clear in your mind. You need to create the right headspace for the patience and time it will take!
How to know if you can grow a beard?
The first thing that you need to know is if you can actually grow a beard. Luckily you can read my other detailed post – How to know if you can grow a beard? Four important questions to ask yourself… – and it has been summarized in my YouTube video, too:
There are four basic questions that you need to ask yourself before growing a beard:
- Can your relatives grow a beard? The biggest factor in determining your beard growth is your genetics. Take a look at the men on both your mum and dad’s side of the family – can they grow thick beards? It is likely that your beard growing journey will match their experience – time for a bonding experience with them and ask them about their beard growing journey!
- Do you have good hair density? Have a look at about a one-centimeter spots on your beard – does it contain lots of hair or not much? This will be an indicator of the sort of beard that you will be able to grow based on the number of hairs in a given area.
- Are you hairy all over? Another indicator of if you are able to grow a beard is if you are hairy elsewhere on your body. This isn’t a hard and fast rule but it can help you see if you are headed in the right direction for a good beard.
- Are you the right age for growing a beard? Many of us start judging our beard growth far too early in our beard growing journey. Beards are one of the later characteristics of puberty and so it isn’t until you are about 18 plus that your beard comes into its own! If you want to find out more about this head over to my other blog post – Is your beard growing late? This may surprise you – it’ll help you work out if it is your time for growing a beard!
Once you have decided that beard grwoing is definitly for you – it’s time to get in the right head space for growing a beard!
The right headspace for growing a beard
The act of growing a beard is a meditative experience. You will need to be patient, resist urges to groom too early, and also put up with looking shabby before looking awesome. In that sense, growing a beard is like a caterpillar emerging from a cocoon! You are going to have to put up with looking a bit ‘pubey’ and shabby before your full beard potential is realized.
Now’s the time to set expectations for what your beard will become and set the right foundations for getting there! Let’s start with getting into the right headspace.
How to get into the right headspace:
1) Know where you are going.
I recommend before you start looking into growing a beard you should start googling beards and beard style. Create a folder on your computer where you save all of the beards that you like. Do they have common features like length, shape, formal or shabby? There is no right or wrong beard type – just the ones that you like and are drawn to.
Once you have a clear favorite style it’ll be easier to stay in it for the long run. And make no mistake, growing a beard takes time!
2) Write down your goals
I always recommend to new beard growers to write down SMART goals around growing your beard. To make sure your goals are clear and reachable, each one should be:
- Specific (that means simple, sensible, significant).
- Measurable (so they are meaningful, motivating).
- Achievable (not crazy goals).
- Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based).
- Time-bound (time-based, time-limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive).
For example, one of my goals during my time growing a beard was that I did not want to cut it for six weeks. You can see that this is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. If you can set up two or three of these goals for your beard growing journey you’ll find it much easier!
3) Track your progress
A beard is a slow-growing beast! A that makes it hard to really judge your own progress!
Set up a folder and aim to put a photo in it once a week during your beard growing journey. You can see my progress photos in my other blog post. The people around you, like friends and colleagues, that see you once a week or so will notice your progress and feel like you have grown a beard in no time! However, because you look at it every day it’s going to feel like slow going!
By tracking your progress and being able to reflect n how far you have come – you’ll be more likely to continue growing your beard! Now that you have the tools to remain in the right headspace. You’re going to want to know what, on average, will look good on your face!
Face shapes and beards
When you are considering growing a beard you need to factor in the sorts of beards that’ll look good on your face. When you’re trying to figure out the shape of your face, these are the three factors that’ll help you distinguish exactly what your face shape is.
- The widest part of your face.
- The shape of your jaw.
- The length of your face.
Have a look at the beards that will best match your face based on the three metrics above and click the links in the list below to navigate between the different face shapes.
I have included the faces of famous actors to help you decide on your face shape.
Square face
People have a square-shaped face if the widest part of their head is close between their chin and their forehead. The face is also quite equal in height and width. These people tend to have angular jaws.
The best and most famous example of someone with a square face is Brad Pitt:
Beard for square face: The best beard styles for square faces are ones with skinnier sides and fuller jaws and chin. The beard could be rounded slightly to make sure that you distract a little from the squareness of the face. However, not too much! After all, your strong square face could be considered an asset and we don’t want to take too much away from that!
Round face
You have a round face when the cheeks are the widest part of your face. The height and width of your face are close to being equal and all of your features are soft and rounded!
The most famous man with a round face is Leonardo DiCaprio.
Beard for round face: People with round faces should look at beards that are short of the sides. As not to add to the weight of their face at that point. The chin should be grown out a fair amount and can be a little more angled at the sides and front to give the illusion of more of a chin.
Heart face
People with heart-shaped faces have a pointy chin. The widest part of their face is the top. It can also be considered an inverted triangle. We don’t care about whether there is a widow’s peak or not – we are only looking at the overall shape.
The most famous person with a heart-shaped face is Ryan Reynolds:
Beard for the heart-shaped face: Because of the relatively weak jawline people with heart-shaped faces will benefit from being strategic about their beard growth. Quite large dense growth all over will balance the lower part of the face with the top. If you don’t want to go for a full beard a decent amount of stubble will also help balance the face shape.
Rectangle or oblong face
You have a rectangular face if your forehead, cheeks, and jawline are nearly the same widths. The chin of a rectangle face is only slightly curved and a more oblong face is a rectangle with slight curves. Overall, the same rules apply.
A recognizable face with a rectangle/oblong shape is Hugh Laurie.
Beards for rectangle-shaped faces: People with rectangle faces should consider slightly longer sides and shorter chinned styles. You don’t want to make your face any longer – unless you are going for the wizard length beard.
Oval face
People with an oval-shaped face have a very similar shape to those with a rounded face. The only difference is that the length of the face is more than the width. The chin is still rounded but there is a likelihood that your forehead is only just the widest part of your face.
A male celebrity with an oval face shape is Jude Law:
Beards for people with oval faces: If you have an oval face almost any beard shape or style looks good on your head! Congratulations, you have won the genetic lottery. If you are lucky enough to fall into this category you have a license (and some say an obligation) to play about with as many beard shapes and styles as possible!
Diamond face
Men with diamond-shaped faces will have high cheekbones and pointy chins. The main difference between this face shape and the heart shape is that the forehead is slightly narrower. This face shape is slightly less common in males.
A male celebrity with a diamond face is Peter Andre:
Beards for people with diamond-shaped faces: Much like the heart shape, the beard should be kept neutral as possible and steer away from any hard angles or edges. Particular care should be taken around the cheeks as they tend to recess a fair bit. Stay away from low cheek lines as it can give a gaunt look.
All of these styles are only suggested and personal preference is what comes into play as each person grows a beard. Don’t let anyone tell you what you should do. It is your face and you can do what you want with it!
Beard styles – Short, medium, long
After looking at the options of beards for your face shape you’ll need to plan on what length you wish to stop at.
Many people decide to make multiple stopping points where they get to check out a certain length before moving on to the next length. To give you an idea of how long you can expect yo wait for a beard to grow here are two measurements:
- One month growth: 0.5 – 1 inch per month (1.25 – 2.5 centimeters)
- One year growth: 6 – 10 inches per year (15 – 25 centimeters)
No matter what length you decide to grow, remember that it is different for everyone and you should be patient as your beard comes in. There’s also no harm in letting your beard stall at a certain length, so you can enjoy it for a little while. That’s what I have been doing as my beard is getting longer and longer. I trim it up enough to keep it looking clean while avoiding taking too much off so that it stunts its growth. Here’s how often I trim it up while growing it out!
After all, it is your journey and yours alone to take! Before you take your journey you need to ask yourself one final question! What are the reasons that I would not grow a beard?
Why you should not grow a beard
The last question is probably the last thing stopping you from embarking on your beard growing journey!
Although I love having my beard and it has been one of the best things I have decided to do recently, there are some instances where you need to consider if growing a beard is the right this for you. Here are a couple of examples of why you potentially shouldn’t grow a beard.
If you can’t grow a beard
This is probably an obvious point but some people just cannot grow a beard. Have a look at the density of your beard and the thickness of the hair on your face. You can use this to decide if growing a full beard may cause more harm than good.
Fear not! If you cannot grow a full beard you could still use stubble to accentuate parts of your face! Check out this video for more information on choosing not to grow a beard.
If your job or other commitments don’t allow it
We live in a time where appearance matters and the truth is that in some professional settings a beard just is not appropriate.
As much as I do not agree with the idea that beards cannot be professional, some disagree. I recommend asking your employer or human resources manager what the company policy is on beards and facial hair in general. Most employers will have sensible rules like having to keep it tidy etc.
Also, you can use this to manage the expectations of your employer and tell them that there will be a few weeks where it will be growing out and, although you will do your best, it may look a little shabby.
Top tip: If your boss isn’t super keen you can try a well-known tactic on them: The Puppy Sell! Tell them that you can do it for a trial and if they don’t like it they can reverse their decision. Quite often this is enough to allow you to grow a beard – and most of the time they will never ask you to remove it! This also works for a range of other things too!
If your significant other really detests beards
The last reason I’d like to touch on is if your partner really doesn’t like beards. If you got together while you didn’t have a beard it can be a big change for them and maybe they just hate beards.
It won’t feel like such a big deal for you because you don’t look at your face as much as your spouse or closest friends.
Like all good relationship advice, if you are thinking about growing a beard you need to discuss this before doing so. Please don’t just launch into it without consulting the most important person in your life!
Okay, now that we have covered all of the things you need to consider before growing a beard – let’s get going!
While growing a beard
Okay, you’ve just made a fantastic decision as far as I am concerned! Two things are going to be your superpower at this stage of the beard-growing process: patience and commitment!
The stages of growing a beard
I’ve written in detail in another blog post about all of the stages of growing a beard. I share my journey and also show you pictures of what my beard looked like at each stage. In summary of that post, we can consider the growth of a beard in a number of stages:
- Day zero – it feels like you are about to climb a huge beardy mountain. But with the right preparation, you can be sure to set great foundations. Moisturiser is your friend at this stage!
- One week in – this is the time where you just look lazy! One week uneven growth is the toughest thing to get through. People just assume you have let yourself go!
- Week two – this stage isn’t much better than week one but it is where you can start to appreciate where your beard growing strengths lie in terms of beard density and growth patterns.
- The one month beard – If you’ve made it to the one month beard you can breathe a small sigh of relief. Here you should consider beard oil, and invest in beard shampoo and conditioner to keep it soft. It won’t be long before you’ll need a product to manage the shape. Maybe grab some beard wax or balm for the next stage.
- Six to eight weeks – Your beard is starting to come into its full glory! Here you should be well into a full beard maintenance routine and you should have gone to a professional for your first shape up and trim. Consider buying a really good set of prosumer (professional consumer) clipper and trimmers. I have saved hundreds of dollars by doing a large part of the trimming myself.
- Week 10 plus – If you’ve made it here you are well on your way to the beard of your dreams. You’ll still be looking in the mirror every day and looking for improvements but overall you are honing in on the beard of your dreams!
As I stated above, I have written a detailed blog post about each of the beard-growing stages with pictures and the top tips I have gained from my own beard growing journey. Click here to read it!
How to grow a beard? Patience, my friend!
Beard growing accessories and tools
To be perfectly honest with you. I never realized how much “stuff” it takes to keep a beard looking good! If you read other blogs and advice it can seem like you need to spend a lot of money but I have learned to create my own waxes and oils which I will share with you in another blog post.
Here are the essentials that I think you need to buy if you are going to keep your beard looking good! Here is my list of essential beard tools from my youtube channel – and you can check them out here too.
Beard brushes and combs
As your beard grows you will need to keep it looking it’s best by brushing and combing the hair.
I have three things that I use to brush my beard:
- A straight plastic comb that I use when blowdrying my beard to get the sides straight.
- A round 2” plastic comb that I use with the hairdryer to reshape any parts of my beard that tend to sit the wrong way.
- A large boar hairbrush (it looks like a shoe shining brush) which I use as a final light sweep to finalize the shape of my beard.
I also carry around a wooden pocket comb in my backpack. I have found it useful to have a pocket comb for when I need to give it a quick taming in the middle of the day.
Hairdryers
I didn’t actually buy a hair drier specifically for my beard. I use one that my partner had already.
The most important feature a hairdryer can have for a beard is the option to do a cool blast. Often this is a button that you push and it quickly turns off the heating element.
When I am drying my hair I use a medium heat to dry it to about the 80% mark and then hold it in place with either a flat or rounded comb and give it a cold blast. The cold blast will lock the hair in place.
Trimmers
I have two types of hair clippers and it is all I have ever needed to trim my hair on my own. The Wahl Elite Pro clippers to do my sideburns and define the neckline. And a simple Phillips beard trimmer to cut in the finer aspects of the beard and define the shape.
Check out my detailed reviews on trimmers for different types of beards:
- Best beard trimmer for sensitive skin
- Best beard trimmer for detailing
- Best beard trimmer for thick coarse hair
- Best beard trimmer for a close shave
The combination of these two is perfect for most use cases. Backed up with a good set of scissors to catch the individual hairs that you see – you are set to go!
Beard Oils
Say after me: BUY BEARD OIL! Seriously, it is the one best thing you can do if your beard is over a month old. There is a tonne of benefits to using beard oil but and there is a load of options for you to consider.
These are the most important factors to consider when you are thinking about buying beard oil:
- The smell – this is one of the most important things as you will be smelling the beard oil for most of the day. One simple rule: choose something you like!
- The bottle type – I have seen a bottle with a dropper in the lid and also the type with a small plastic cover with a hole in the middle. I do like the dropper type as it allows me to deliver the exact amount I want to my hand. Also, if I put too much in my hand I can suck it up again…no waste at all!
- The carrier oils – There are a range of different carrier oils that can be found in beard oils: JoJoba, Grapeseed, Argan, coconut, Olive, Castor, and Almond Oil. Each carrier oil has its own benefits and they can be mixed together to suit your skin and beard type.
I actually make my own beard oil – it is very cheap and easy to do! Buy the oils, bottles and essential oils in bulk and you’ll save a fortune while also having enough to last you for years!
Beard wax
Beard wax is used to put the final touches on a beard’s style. Used sparingly it can provide hold and shape to even the wildest of beards.
Beard waxes can be made up of a range of ingredients but normally contain beeswax, an oil, shea butter to soften the balm and essential oils.
The more beeswax it contains the stronger the hold. For example, if you want a long fancy mustache you need to have a lot more wax to lift the hair and keep it in place.
If you live in a warm climate consider a wax with more beeswax as it softens considerably with heat. The last thing you want is wax dripping off your face on a hot and humid day!
Shaver – old school single blade
No matter what beard shape you decide on you’ll definitely need to remove some hair down to the skin. for example, on necklines and cheeks.
Do yourself a massive favor and invest in an old school double edge single blade safety razor.
I have never had an issue with ingrown hairs and with a little bit of practice this razor will give you the closest shave ever. I like that it is easy to shave right up close to the beard and that it doesn’t pull the hairs out – as multi-blade razors do.
It is cheap to buy new blades and is eco-friendly! No more plastic to landfill like the Gillette cartridges. Be warned, however, you can’t simply hack away at your face like you can with modern safety razors – you’ll end up cutting up your face.
Take your time to learn the correct technique and it’ll be the best beard growing purchase you have ever made!
After growing a beard
In about ten weeks you will have started to see the beard of your dreams emerge from your face!
But here’s the thing – your beard will never feel “finished” to you. You will constantly look for improvements and you may try many different styles. Whatever you decide to do, remember that regular grooming and Maintainance is the key for that head-turning beard! I’ve always chosen to trim my own beard and I have had two professional trims where I take not on what they do to make it look particularly professional. I then try to emulate that when I do it myself. I’ve saved a lot of money learning to trim my beard myself and I am sure that with a bit of pacience you could also lean hoe to trimm up your own beard!
How to trim a beard
Once you have grown a beard you want it to look great right? You should check out my guide on how to properly trim up your beard to keep it looking sharp – click here. And you can also find my full trimming process in this video:
Essentially it comes down to mapping out every bit of your beard and making sure that the “lines” of your beard are sharp and they are symmetrical on both sides of your face. Here are the lines that you should pay particular attention to:
- The neckline – the biggest thing here is not to trim it too high! Most of the neckline mistakes that I see from new beard growers is that they try and push the beard to just under their jawline. Instead, you should find where you head attaches to your neck and then use that as a guide for defining your neckline.
- Sideburns – The sideburn area of your beard should act as a seamless connector from your head hair to your beard. Some people opt to go with a hard line (especially popular when the person is bald) and others go with a faded sideburn. Whatever you choose you should also pay attention to the hairs escaping from the back and front lines of the sideburn – using an extra mirror on the side will help you keep the hairs within a defined boundary
- Mustache – my mustache is the hardest area for me to trim and work out what I want to do with it. I used to trim up over my lip line but as my beard gets longer I have found that I prefer a longer mustache to support the weight of the chin. This means I have had to get used to hair being on my lips and working out a new way of eating – but the resulting beard makes it all worth it!
- Cheekline – I like to have a nice clean cheek line for my beard – I use a single blade safety razor to define the edges of my beard on my cheek. I remove any stray hairs that may pop up over the top of that line. I do it every other day in the shower with a mirror that suctions on the tiled surface to guide me.
- Beard lower line (shape) – the most important thing that you need to work out is what is your beard shape will be. Don’t shape this part of your beard for at least 6 weeks. But when you come to do it – look at the beards that you like and try to match the shape. You may want to also get the first shaping done by a barber.
That’s what you need to do but how ften should you do it? Here are the things that you should do every day, week and month:
Beard Maintenance – the ultimate guide
Here’s is the routine that I use daily, weekly and monthly to ensure my beard is growing the way I want it to!
Daily
I wash my beard with beard shampoo and conditioner every other day but always get it wet during my daily morning shower. I then blowdry the beard to how I want it to sit and use beard oil and wax sparingly until I get the shape to stay in. By using the boar’s hair brush lightly on the surface of my beard I have found that it helps control hairs that otherwise fly away from my face.
I use scissors to remove any single hairs that are causing me an issue. I do not use trimmers on a daily basis. In the past, I have had a tendency to over prune if I use trimmer daily. I shave the neckline with the safety razor and check to see if the cheek line needs the same treatment.
My daily routine lasts no more than five minutes and gets quicker as you become comfortable with what needs to happen to keep your beard looking its best.
Here’s my morning beard grooming routine:
Weekly
Weekly I take my small beard trimmers and remove any obviously overgrown hairs and shape up my sideburns.
I also cut the hair on my head on the weekends so I ensure that there is a nice fade going into my beard.
Monthly
Monthly is when I take a bit of time on a Saturday or Sunday to make sure that my beard is trimmed to how I want it. Every month I do a harder trim under my chin and shape up anything that throws off the line of my beard.
I have a full guide available on what I do with photos – click here.
Taking the time once a month allows you to rebalance the beard that you have to the beard that you want.
The question is – when do you need a professional to look over your beard and take it to the next level of style?
Professional interventions
I recommend going to see a professional barber at least once every six months!
Do your research and ask people with beards that you like the look of where they go to get their beard trimmed up and styled. You need to find someone that you trust as their influence on your beard will last many months.
Ask questions, be polite, and take advice from them. Let them know what you want from your beard. A true professional will put your needs and wants before anything else. It’s also OK to double-check you have communicated things the right way if you are not sure that they will deliver the best results for you and your beard!
That’s pretty much everything you need to know about growing a beard but there are some extra tips and ricks that you should know. These will help you along the long road of beard growing. Here are the top 10 tips that I think will help you the most during your beard growing jorney:
My top 10 beard growing tips
Now that you have all of the information that you need for growing a beard and grooming it to perfection.
- 0:41 Have patience – yes, it’s one of the most said things about growing a beard. But it is true! Most issues with beards can actually be solved by waiting for a month! Including patchy beards!
- 1:45 Ignore opinions – everyone has them but the most important thing is that you love your beard and you are growing it for you! If you are doing that nothing can stop you!
- 2:34 Look after your skin – Looking after the skin under your beard is one of the most important things that you can do. Good beard oil will help you with that!
- 4:01 Grow past the ideal length – when you are growing your beard – you should grow past your ideal length and then trim it back. Much like trimming a hedge!
- 5:12 Itchiness will pass – it’ll get frustrating – no doubt – but stick with it and get through the itchiness. It won’t last too long!
- 6:27 Use beard oil – beard oil solves a whole range of annoying issues that you may have with your beard. It can help nourish and style your beard while looking after the skin as well! Use it earlier than you think you need to!
- 7:52 Kissing is different – One of the strangest things that happened when I was growing a beard is kissing! It really makes it a whole different experience. There will be hair getting in the way, it just takes a bit of getting used to. Also, the bottom lip is mostly free – if you have a short mustache.
- 9:00 Lots of napkins – Food is always getting stuck in my beard! It is super frustrating. But asking for a napkin when you are eating or doing something as simple as sipping a coffee will become your default setting!
- 9:52 Maintenence takes time – I have gotten faster with the time it takes for me to maintain my beard – however, in the early days, it can take a while. Factor in the extra time it will take you to get ready.
- 11:37 It never stops! – Deciding to grow a beard is a decision that will cause you to guess and check your beard multiple times a day. You will always be thinking about the beard shapes, products and styles that you like and you’ll never stop tinkering with yours!
So there are my top 10 best tips that I’d want to tell everyone before they start growing a beard!
The final word
When someone desiced that they want to fgorw a beard – quite often it just seems like a lazy thing to be doing. You just need to wait for it to grow, right? what they quickly realize is that growing a beard requires more paticence and staminar than they ever thought that they would need to muster!
There are so many products and tools that you need to use to make your beard growing journey smooth sailing. With the tips and tricks presented here in this article. I am in no dount that you’ll be able to get through almosy anything thatyour journey has in store for you.
Lastly, it is so important to remember to love your beard and never judge it on it’s worst features. What you may see as a weakness is actually your beard’s character shining through and a signal from your beard to groom a certain way. The most important factor in a beard is not the length, color, or shape f the beard. It is the confidence of the person behind the beard that will make your beard awesome.
Keep grwoing your beard, have patience and accept whatever comes your way! Good luck my beautiful beard growing friends on the next part of your beard growing journey!
