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Knowing how to fade your beard is an essential skill for any bearded man. While trips to the barbershop are still necessary, a man has to know how to tame his mane. The goal is simple - to create a seamless flow from hair, to sideburns, to the beard with the tools you have on hand: barber scissors, a beard comb and beard care products. Faded beard styles come in many forms, but before you get into the more complicated ones, this essential guide on how to fade a beard will go over the basics leading up the fade and how to tackle the fade itself.

 

Before the Fade 

Before the Fade

Before you tackle a self-fade, get your beard right with the right beard products, brush, and trim. 

Length Matters

If you're going for a specific style – let your beard and mustache grow to your ideal length. Wash and dry your beard frequently, set your trimmer to its longest setting, and trim your beard and mustache against the grain to eliminate any excess bulk. 

The more length your beard has, the nicer your final beard fade will look; however, if you prefer a simpler, more subtle look, trim with a shorter setting until you reach your desired length. 

 

Related: How to Trim a Beard

 

Sharpen Up Your Neckline 

sharpen up your beard

Start by brushing your beard downwards, place a finger horizontally just above your Adam’s apple, and trim vertically below the finger line. Trim outwards under your jawline, and do the other side. 

Clean It Up

Follow with a clean shave below your new neckline. Do not go over the line you have just created.

Trim Your Cheek Line

For a neat, clean faded style, go for a brusque cheek line. Form a slightly rounded or straight line from the bottom of your sideburns to your mustache tips. Repeat on the other side. Clean up the upper cheek. If you fancy a more natural look, leave the cheek line but get rid of any stragglers on the upper cheeks.

Don't Forget Your Mustache

Brush the mustache hair down. Using the blades’ edge, follow the top lip line, trimming away any straggler over your lip. For a smoother look, trim the top line of your mustache into a clean line.

 

Shop your top beard oil and beard grooming kit products!

 

How to Fade a Beard

  • Form a rounded line or straight from the top of your sideburns to the top of your mustache. Repeat on the other side. 
  • 1. Using a trimmer (or scissors) on the cheeks, cut up and outwards, so you don’t go over that new line you’ve just created. 
  • 2. Now that your beard is ready to go, it’s time for the last and trickiest step of the fade.
  • 3. Begin by trimming an inch over your jawline, with a length setting one below your beard’s length. This will lightly trim your facial hair down to initiate the fade. 
  • 4. Trim the top length of your sideburns another inch.

Repeat this until you reach your hair. You can do this in the opposite way and go from the sideburns down as well.

 

Related: Things to Do When Trying to Grow a Beard

 

NOTE: Start at the longest length setting - the level that’s a bit shorter than your overall beard. After that, work your way down to shorter and shorter lengths, and you'll find yourself trying new, more complex styles. 

 

Takeaway

A beard fade is all about the flow to slightly shorter hair; The blending should be smooth as the length changes. It’s a distinguished look for both voluminous and small beards. A beard fade done right gives you a clean appearance. Taking care of a fade is simple. Once the fade is complete, it’s surprisingly easy to maintain. Stay sharp, stay handsome!

 

Also, check out more of our beard care content for your reading pleasure.