Setting Beard Lines Around the Cheeks & Neck

Earlier this year we had Taylor Dunkley (one of our Barber Ambassadors) do work on a series of models with beards of varying sizes. In this video, he tackles the stubble look with our model Chris Holmes. There are basically two major hair lines to get right when setting your beard / stubble shape. 

The first is the cheek line. When setting this line, Taylor recommends something that follows the natural lines of the face. Mainly what you're trying to achieve here is to take out some of the light patchy growth high up on the cheeks and take the line down to where the hair gets denser. Most of the time you want to take a curved line however there can be exceptions to this. For example, if you have your beard cut into a boxy shape with hard angles, this can be complemented by hard angles around the cheeks (although it will vary from person to person & doing what looks natural should always be the priority). 

To get the job done, Taylor uses our Clear Shave Gel with a cut throat razor which allows him to see what he's shaving for maximum accuracy. Always shaving with the the grain to avoid nicks & cuts. Prior to shaving in the barber chair we recommend preparing the hair & skin with a hot towel placed over the face for about 2 minutes. If shaving at home, our Clear Shave Gel can used straight away with no prior preparation as it does contain humectants which plump the hair up to make it easier to shave.

The neck line can be a little trickier. If you're staying with a stubble look, then setting the line can be up to personal preference. Again the idea is to go for a line that looks natural. Ideally it should be set so as to create some shadowing around the jaw & under the chin. This emphasises the masculine features of the face, generally making you look more attractive than when you're clean shaven. However, if you intend to grow the stubble out to a full beard, it's best to minimise how much hair you shave from the neck, especially under the chin area as this hair will give a lot of weight & support to the beard's shape as it grows out.

When shaving the neck, Taylor uses Clear Shave Gel once more & is careful to follow the direction of the hair growth. When shaving the Adam's Apple, it's important not to glide the razor directly over it. Instead, stretch the skin to the left & right of the apple, & shave the hair away.

To finish, Taylor applies our After Shave Serum which helps to soothe & moisturise the skin post shave. It comes in 4 different scents, one for each season of the year. It can be applied to the whole face, as well as the areas you've shaved. It acts as a non-greasy, ultra hydrating formula that will make your skin look & feel naturally smooth & healthy. To watch the whole video, click below. There'll be more beard, moustache & shave videos coming soon, so stay tuned.

Other articles that might interest you:

1.  Facial hair styles - How to achieve and maintain them

2.  The importance of trimming your beard

3.  How to deal with beard itch

4.  How to trim sculpt and shape your beard

5.  Top 5 dishes every guy should know

6.  Optimise your daily potential

7.  10 Beard Mistakes you Should Avoid

8. Tips for Patchy Beards