True Sons is a foam-based men's hair dye committed to helping men dye right. We're bringing you this series of blogs to help educate and inform the men’s hair dyeing community. Reach out with any comments or questions to support@truesons.com

Look and feel great with styling tips that will keep your beard in its best shape.

Your beard is a defining part of your look, and it makes a different statement depending on how you groom and style it. And as you mature, your approach to beard grooming should evolve with you. 

Whether you dye your beard or rock a silver fox look, there are tried-and-true methods that will keep you looking great and feeling confident at every age. 

We’ve collected our 7 most essential beard styling tips, and we’ve broken them down into three main areas: 

• Shaping and trimming
• Maintenance
• Styling

Shaping and Trimming Your Beard

1. Choose a shape that suits your face 

The starting point for growing a great beard is to match it to the shape of your face. Just like with hairstyles, certain looks will suit certain face shapes better than others. 

If you have an oval face, congratulations, you’re like the universal donor blood type—you’re compatible with pretty much everything. The natural symmetry of an oval face is flattered by styles both long and short. 

If you have a round face, a lengthy beard is your best bet. Short sides with longer growth under the chin will elongate your face and balance out its width. 

If you have an oblong or rectangular face, a shorter beard with full and luscious sides will fill out your face nicely. 

If you have a square face, a long and narrow beard will create some length without widening your face. Soften the angles of your face by creating a round shape as your beard grows. 

If you have a triangular face, avoid a full beard and opt for a short, cropped look. This will complement your already full lower jaw without making it look heavy or overpowering. 

2. Trim your beard the right way

As you age, it’s especially important to keep your beard trimmed, no matter its length. A bushy, unkempt beard diminishes your suave factor significantly and can add unwanted years to your face. 

The good news is that there are simple rules of thumb you can follow to keep your beard looking its best. Start by investing in a high-quality trimmer and try out these styling tactics. 

Establish your beard neckline by tracing a “U” shape from behind one ear to the other, with the dip of the “U” crossing a point on your upper neck (lay two fingers on top of your Adam’s apple to find the spot). Any hair that grows outside this imaginary shape should be shaved clean. 

Now, for your cheeks, you’ll want to consider where your cheek line naturally stops and how much hair you have to work with. If you’ve got light hair growth, you can simply buzz off the strays and call it a day. For thicker beards, you’ll have to take a more focused approach by drawing another “U” line that extends from one sideburn to the other, crossing your lip at the base of the “U.” Clean up all whiskers that fall above the shape this time. 

3. Train your beard to grow in the direction you want

Consistent trimming will maintain your beard’s shape, but you can encourage your beard to grow well by taking a moment every day to brush and rub the hairs so they “learn” which way to grow. This is especially helpful if you have stubborn flyaways. A daily smoothing out will teach them to lay in the direction you want them to. 

Maintaining Your Beard

4. Regular washing is a must

A good-looking beard starts with clean hair and, just as important, clean skin underneath. Set up a washing routine as soon as you start to grow your beard (bonus: this will help minimize the itchiness associated with the early stages of growth). 

Aim to give your beard a good scrub at least a few times a week and don’t just use the shampoo that you lather up your head hair with. Go for a specialized cleanser for beards. After washing, pat your beard dry. Go easy with the drying since vigorous rubbing can create split ends and the dreaded “frizzes”. 

Important note: if you’re planning to color your beard with hair dye for men, wait a few days from your last wash to do it. A little bit of buildup of your natural oils will help the dye penetrate better and protect your skin. 

5. Beard oil is your friend

The market for beard oils has exploded in the last few years, so you have a lot of choice as to what you use to keep your beard soft, moisturized, and healthy—this is especially helpful for mature beards that can be on the coarser side.

You may wonder if using products like oil could affect the color of your beard if it’s been dyed. The answer is, just the opposite! Oils generally tend to extend the life of your dye job since they keep the skin and hair hydrated and protected from the elements.

Start by applying oil every other day right after your shower or bath. Take two to three drops in the palms of your hand and massage it into your beard, working from top to bottom. If you like, you can use a beard comb to make sure the product is distributed evenly throughout. 

Styling Your Beard 

6. Comb your beard for maximum shape and texture

Now, combing isn’t just for after you apply your beard oil. You should be combing your beard daily. This separates the hairs, which gives your beard a fuller, fluffy appearance. It also helps prevent the dreaded ingrown hairs that can make your beard an itchy, bumpy mess. 

If you come across a knot, don’t try to force your comb through it—you could end up taking a chunk out of your beard. 

7. Use beard wax to set your style for the day 

After you’re done combing, you’ll want to shape your beard into its style for the day, and for this you’ll need wax. 

You can work wax into your beard the same way you do with oils: rub it in your palms and then apply it to your beard. Then simply shape your beard into your desired style and you’re ready for the day!

True Sons 

True Son's is a demi-permanent hair dye foam that comes out from the bottle like shaving cream and wipes up effortlessly if it gets onto the skin. It can be used both on head and beard hair to cover up grays. 

Ready to try True Sons? Let’s start by finding your shade.