How to shape a beard neckline and sharpen your beard style
Bolin Webb caters to primarily the clean-shaven man, one who selects a performance razor with a Gillette cartridge blade for the neatest look. Yet the bearded man has also made his mark in recent years. He is an equally well-groomed man, this time with a shaped and neatly trimmed beard. So he needs a razor too - and you can’t do better than a razor from Bolin Webb.
Regardless of beard stages, whether stubble or full growth, make sure your beard cheek line and jawline are clearly defined. Remove unwanted hairs on the top of your cheeks or below the neckline. By defining a boarder to the beard, you neaten your look and project a sharper, more angular face shape.
For this finish, apply an even layer of shave foam or cream to the cheeks and neck. Picture a thin line that defines the boarder of your beard. Then use your razor in smooth, even strokes across your skin; finishing at the predefined beard line.
Be sure to rinse the razor with hot water between strokes to ensure the blade maintains an even shave. When using a Gillette Fusion5 blade – as fitted to our X1 Razor – this task can be completed with the extra trimming blade you can find on top of the reverse side of the cartridge – an extra feature best used for areas that only require slight trimming rather than full shave strokes.
Choosing The Beard Style
Typically, a beard cheek line cuts straight across the face at approximately a 45° angle to the jaw. Running from the base of the side burn, in line with the ear, to the edge of the slightly below the corner of the lip.
Of course, this will differ dependant on the beard style you prefer. For example, if looking for a chin strap beard, the cheek line will be much lower and tight to the jawline.
Choosing the height of your neckline is generally a trickier task. This will depend on whether you want a standard short box beard, a longer hipster beard or just a stubble-effect beard. But regardless of the beard style, you should always maintain a clean, straight edge.
For a stubble beard neckline or a box beard, we advise cutting the line just below the jaw, with a straight boarder parallel with the angle of the jaw. Use the trimming blade on the Fusion5 to catch any out of line hairs. Shave the lower neck thoroughly to ensure all hair is removed. Finish by rinsing your face with warm water before checking to see if the beard lines are even. If not, repeat the process on the required areas until you are happy with your look.
Maintaining Beard Length
While sharp beard lines will go a long way to improving your beard style, it is only one part of the puzzle. You will still need an electric beard trimmer to manage the length of the body of your beard. We encourage that this is as far as you take this tool. Often men remove the clipper guard and use the exposed blade to sharpen their beard lines. Not the best idea! For one, this is likely to damage and irritate the skin but more importantly an electric trimmer will never get an even cut. Nothing cuts as straight as a wet-shave razor.
