- Find your neckline by putting one finger above your Adam's apple, or by tilting your head forward and feeling the crease between your head and neck.
- Use a trimmer to shave a line across your neck, starting in the middle and working to the sides. Start lower than where you think the neckline should fall.
- Shave a vertical line, starting under the middle of your earlobe, down to your neckline. Then, shave everything below your neckline.
Determining Where to Trim
Wash, condition, and dry your beard to prepare it for trimming. Licensed Cosmetologist and men’s beauty expert Tiffany Carnevale-Russo recommends washing your face with a high quality facial cleanser and exfoliant, because “it’ll help soften the skin and allow the follicle to open, so that…[you] get a close shave.” Finish cleaning your beard with a softening wash or beard conditioner to make the hair easier to trim. Dry your beard with a towel or hair dryer on the cool setting. Never trim your neckline when your hair is wet, or it could be shorter than you want it to be.
Visualize your neckline by imagining a curved line going from ear to ear. Everyone’s neckline is different, but Carnevale-Russo says that generally, you can find it “right above that Adam's apple…where the under chin and neck meet.” Imagine a line that runs from ear to ear, connected in the middle right above your Adam’s apple. Don’t trim your neckline at your jawline unless you want a chin strap-style beard. The weight of your beard comes from the hair under your chin, and without it, your beard can look small. You can also find your neckline by bending your head forward and looking at the crease where your head and neck meet.
Hold your head upright and look straight into the mirror. Take note of any hair you can see below your chin, especially if your hair creeps down your neck. Look at your face from an angle to see what needs to be trimmed on the sides. A 3-way mirror can help you find your neckline much more easily. If you don’t have a 3-way mirror, use a handheld mirror instead.
Place 2 fingers on your Adam’s apple to find how high you should trim. Place 1 finger directly on your Adam’s apple and place the other finger just above it. This is generally the highest point to which you should trim your neckline, as it creates a natural delineation between your chin and your neck. For a tighter trim, you might go slightly higher than this point. However, it’s best to start trimming lower and then slowly take it higher—you can always take more off, but it takes a while to grow your hair back.
Trimming Along the Neckline
Start trimming at your Adam’s apple and work your way out to the sides. Find the spot above your Adam’s apple, then shave a line with a beard trimmer without a guard. Shave by starting at the line and pulling the trimmer down. Trim in a straight line up to the outer edges of your beard. Brushing your beard with a beard comb beforehand can make it easier to see where your hair naturally lies. If you want to have a “face” beard (shaved on the jawline instead of the neckline), shave slightly under the edge of your chin, instead of on your face. Hair clippers may have a low enough setting for your beard, but it’s best to use a trimmer to define your neckline.
Trim a vertical line down from the middle of your earlobe. To make the outer edge of your beard, trim a vertical line down from your ear until it intersects with the trimmed horizontal line above your Adam’s apple. Follow the back edge of your sideburn, and gradually take off more hair. For a more angular, masculine style, keep the lines as straight as possible so that there is a clear angle where the 2 lines meet.
Round the corners of your neckline for a softer look. Instead of making straight lines, create a rounded border where your horizontal neckline merges with the hair actually on your face. Make sure to check that both sides of your face are trimmed to the same points so they look even. This is a wonderful look if you want to present a more laid-back, yet still well-groomed, appearance.
Invert your trimmer and shave off all the hair under the line. Neck hair often grows upward, so turn your trimmer over and pull it up to prevent tugging on your skin. Look for stray hairs that are growing anywhere on the sides or front of your neck and buzz them off. Wipe all the stray hairs off of your face, neck, and chest once you’ve finished trimming your neckline.Tip: For an even cleaner look, use shaving cream and a razor to clean up your neckline after using the clippers. This will also delay any five o’clock shadows a little longer. Carnevale-Russo recommends using a liquid aftershave: “put it right on your hands, rub [your] hands together and just pat—don’t rub, just pat it on…all over wherever you’ve shaved.”
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