It’s important to remember that short beards are not one-size-fits-all and to choose your style carefully based on what suits you as an individual. 

How to Trim and Shape Your Beard Short

To maintain a short beard style, you’ll need to commit to trimming it every two to three weeks. How long you can go between trims will depend on your personal hair growth rate and whether the style you choose still looks good when it’s a little more rugged.

Remember that trimming your beard is just as much about cleaning it up as it is about taking off some of the length. You’ll want to even out hairs that are too long or outside the shape of your style. Generally, the goal is to smooth things out.

Investing in a high-quality beard trimmer is one of the best grooming decisions you can make, no matter what beard style you sport. They are easy to use, convenient, and will save you money on trips to the barber in the long run. 

One of the great benefits of a beard trimmer is that most come with an assortment of attachments and guards, so you run minimal risk of nicking the skin on your face and neck. This also ensures that your beard style remains infinitely customizable. 

Set your trimmer to between 5mm and 7mm, depending on your desired length. Always shave up and against the grain of your hair. Start slow and gradually take-off length. You can always return to an area to get a closer shave, growing back hair that you trimmed too short will take a lot longer.

Once you have gotten rid of most of the bulk, you’ll want to go back in with a pair of scissors and clip any individual hairs that are sticking out. It can be painstaking to get everyone, but if you trim regularly, there shouldn’t be many outliers.

Next, you will want to do a razor cut of areas outside the shape of your beard, including your neckline and mustache. You may want to use a shaving cream or lotion for this part, depending on how sensitive your skin is and the area of your face you need to shave.