How to Grow a Great Beard

There comes a time in every man's life when he decides to grow out his facial hair and see—just out of curiosity—how he looks with a beard. If this is you, then welcome to the club! However, while you may be retiring the razor for a while, growing a beard requires a routine all its own. (For starters, you'll still need that razor for some neckline cleanups.) As you embark on this rite of passage, here are four tenets of beard maintenance to keep in mind.

Know What You're Working With

You need to consider the type of beard that fits your style. Look in the mirror at your face: What shape is it? Your beard should make your face look as oval as possible. So, if you've got a square or circular face—as wide as it is long—then grow a beard that adds a little length, keeping the sides trim. If you've got an oblong or rectangular face—longer than it is wide, with less graduation than someone with an oval face—then you don't want to add much length to the beard and grow it any longer. Instead, grow the sides fuller to detract from the length; this will make things feel more symmetrical.

Avoid the Neckbeard

The most rookie mistake is to grow your beard without any maintenance. Yes, it will take time and, yes, you won't be trimming it as often as you used to shave, but it will look better if you keep it looking intentional.

An important part of this process is to avoid any neckbeard and keep a defined neckline. You'll still need your razor to clean up those errant neck hairs; that's the easy part. The neckline, however, is where lots of guys really screw up: The beard should be full all the way around your jaw and underneath your chin. To know where to trim the neckline, take two fingers and place them above your Adam's apple. Draw an imaginary "U" that goes from the back of each ear, and hits this point. Shave everything below this line, entirely; it will create a clean stop for your ongoing beard maintenance. (The good news is that it's easier after the first time, once the rest of your beard grows out, you'll just continue shaving the stubble that appears below this "U").

Maintain It, Even as It Grows

The rest of your beard will require regular trimming, too. Not all hairs grow at the same rate, plus you'll want to grow it fuller in some parts than in others (taking your face shape into account). Once your beard starts looking unkempt—after it's full enough in the cheeks and chin—take a beard comb or brush and direct the hairs against the grain, making them stand out. This will make it easiest to trim them evenly, and will expose which parts of the beard have grown longest or fastest. Trim them as desired—again, keeping your face shape and most optimal beard style in mind—and repeat this once every two weeks when you want to maintain a consistent length. It's important to do this periodically as your beard grows, too, to keep it looking shapely throughout the process.

Keep It Clean and Soft

If you're going to grow a beard, then you'll want those whiskers as soft as possible. (Your significant other will appreciate it, too.) To keep it healthy, wash your beard with a dedicated beard shampoo and condition it daily with a beard oil, which adds nutrients and keeps it soft. Use the beard comb to evenly distribute oil to the entire beard. You're playing a long game here: Nourish your beard instead of neglecting it, and you'll have a much less prickly experience.