How to Taper a Beard Like a Boss (Expert Tips & Hacks)

Properly styling your beard requires you to taper it from time to time.

What most guys do is confuse tapering and fading a beard.

When you taper a beard, you create a gradient-like effect which makes the beard even more stylish.

A progression is created that directs the beard in the direction you want it to go.

Creating tapered beard styles is not what it’s all cracked up to be.

Besides not being able to distinguish it with a fade, some people are not able to taper beards properly and end up making a mess of them.

To do the job well, you should learn how to taper a beard and understand the main difference between taper and fade.

Tools You Need

Before you even attempt to taper a beard, you have to prepare all the tools you need. Luckily, the beard-shaping tools you need here aren’t anything out of the ordinary and can easily be acquired.

So what you need to get is:

• A wide-toothed comb
• A good razor, a single blade work best
• Clippers and scissors
• A trimmer might be suitable as well
• Beard oil

How to Do It

Now that you are ready, it is time to get to it and create a taper comb-over hairstyle to go with your tapered facial hair. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves too much and learn the basics first.

Step 1 – Prepare the beard

Make sure your beard is appropriate, maybe even a full bead. Wash it and then dry it, so you are ready to start. Be sure to brush out your beard thoroughly, so you also detangle the hair.

Step 2 – Carve out the cheek lines

Use a trimmer to carve out the cheek lines, starting from your sideburns and to the edge of your mouth. Get a razor and shave off the hair above the line you’ve just carved. Be sure to keep it balanced on both sides.

Step 3 – Mind the neckline

The same thing you did for your cheek line you should do for the neckline. That way, you will create a perfect professional beard style.

Step 4 – Taper

Take your clippers and run them in the direction your beard grows. That way, you will minimize the amount of hair your trim. Be sure to adjust the comb for short beard styles, as the same adjustments won’t work for longer and shorter beards.

Step 5 – Tidy up your mustache

Brush the mustache downward and use the trimmer to align the edges of the mustache towards your lips. Consider creating a beardstache.

Quick Grooming Tips

Since you may need to taper different lengths of beard, you will have to be careful how you approach each one. So, for instance, if you are dealing with a shorter beard, you will need to create a gradient effect as there isn’t much beard to work with.

So you should use the shortest comb to trim from the top of your sideburns. Then use a bigger comb to blur the lines created by the previous comb. As you go downward, you will increase the size of the comb until you reach your jawline.

If you have a longer beard and want it to retain length, you need a different approach. While doing the sides, be sure that you comb the beard each time after using the trimmers.

Use the guide combs of your trimmer to taper the sideburns. As far as the hair on your chin goes, it only needs to be kept level. This part can be done simply with a pair of scissors. Don’t do it too much; you are only taking off the ones that stick out, not most of them.

FAQ

How do you taper a beard under the chin?

First, hold two fingers above your Adam’s apple and carve a neckline. Level the beard as you try to mimic the shape of your jaw. Keep doing it until your chin meets the jawline.

How do you fade a beard to a point?

You need to choose a starting point first, but it needs to fade into the skin as a starting point. The process works similarly to doing it under the chin, but it is not the same as a taper, as these two things are entirely different.

Conclusion

Whether you are tapering fat guy beard styles or any other kind of facial hair, you need to do everything correctly and by the book. Be sure to prepare the required toolset and go from there.