The wait is over: your beard is now at least five centimeters long, and you can finally start trimming, shaping, and styling it. And we'll show you how.
Not quite there yet? Then check out our tips on how to grow a beard or stimulate beard growth .

Perfectly Styled in Five Steps: How to Trim and Shape Your Full Beard Yourself

Of course, the easiest way is to go to the barber. They know exactly what they're doing, and you can just relax. If you're very unsure or prefer to watch a professional first, feel free to do so. Otherwise, it's not that difficult – with the right tools, tips, and a little practice, you can easily do it yourself. First, you should get the following things ready: a beard shampoo, shaving oil or foam, a beard brush, possibly a beard comb and beard scissors, beard trimmer, a safety razor, aftershave, and, if desired, nourishing products such as beard oil or similar, and of course a beard wax. Oh, and a little time and patience, of course.

Step #1: Wash your beard and let it dry

Yup, we're not starting with the trimming right away. First, all residue needs to be washed out of your beard. This will also make it easier for you to get all hairs to an even length later. Please use a beard shampoo here – whether liquid or solid doesn't matter. Why you shouldn't use hair shampoo or other soap, we briefly explained here. So wash your beard briefly, pat it dry with a towel, and then ideally let it air dry, but if necessary, you can also use a hairdryer. Make sure not to wash for too long, otherwise your beard hairs will become too soft. And while you're at it – wash your hands too, as you'll be touching your face frequently with them.

Step #2: Comb or brush beard hairs

If your beard is already several centimeters long, grab a beard comb first. A beard brush should also work well, but depending on the length, a comb can detangle knots better. Brush in the direction of hair growth – if you blow-dry your hair, combine the two steps. Once your hair is neatly brushed, you can move on to the next step.

Step #3: Trim and/or cut your full beard

For a long full beard, beard scissors are recommended – they allow for more precise work and reduce the risk of cutting off too much. Simply stand in front of your mirror and see what you don't like about your beard or what you want to shorten. Maybe one side is rounder than the other, or you want your beard to taper to a point. A comb can help here if you don't want to cut freehand. Scissors are particularly suitable for touch-ups or detailed work, but also for shortening your beard. Individual, stray or noticeably longer hairs can also be trimmed directly in this way.

Now start trimming the beard.
Make sure to use the correct attachment. If you are unsure which length suits you best, it's better to start with a larger millimeter setting and gradually work your way down. How and where you start is up to you, but we suggest a sequence recommended by Herrengut Barbershop:

1. Trim against the direction of hair growth from the height of your earlobes to the top of your ears.
2. Using a longer attachment, trim your cheeks up to the corner of your mouth, following the direction of hair growth – this also includes above the lip. If you prefer a goatee or another mustache style, check out our guide here.
3. Now, with an even larger attachment, trim everything below the corners of your mouth, again following the direction of hair growth. The same applies here: it's better to start longer and gradually shorten until you like the length.
4. Below the lip, trim again with a shorter attachment in the direction of hair growth.

Step #4: Trimming the full beard's contours

Are you satisfied with the length? Now it's time for the contours. By the way, these are among the most important. They can even emphasize, accentuate, or conceal your facial features. Use the beard trimmer (without attachment) to create a straight contour line for your lips and neck. For the neckline, align it with your Adam's apple. Traditionally, the contour line is an imaginary line from here to the ears or one to two finger-widths above – but once again: your face, your beard, your style. You decide the contours for your face.
For the cheek contour, it depends on your beard growth – if it grows up to your cheekbones and you like it, you can extend your line higher from your mustache to your sideburns; for irregular or less high growth, lower it accordingly.

Now for the thorough follow-up shave: moisten your skin, lather with shaving oil, cream, or foam, and cleanly shave the contours on your neck and cheek in the direction of hair growth with a safety razor or a straight razor. To avoid razor burn and bumps, check out our tips in this article. Afterwards, rinse your beard with clear water to remove any shaving residue. Then apply either Aftershave Serum or Aftershave Balm.

Step #5: Care, Styling, and Shaping

Whether to use beard oil or beard softener depends on how much care your beard needs. For very dry hair, we recommend the latter. Now, brush thoroughly again and check if everything has been trimmed evenly. If necessary, trim with beard scissors or the trimmer.