Piggybackin' on a different comment, because it's a good one...

Quote Originally Posted by ohiopiper View Post
An unkempt beard puts people off, but even a belt-buckle length beard is all good if kept fairly neat.
Having had hair down to my belt front and back, I can agree. Lost most of the hair on my head, and the beard got kinda wispy, so I keep it trimmed between two and four fingers' length. (I let it go to four-plus-a-little, and then trim it.)

That means that when I trim it, I'm getting back into the thicker growth you seem to have closer to your face. I trim about three times a year, whenever it seems to need it, as it does right now. I'll spruce up a little before the students see me on Wednesday.

I wash mine when I shower, using a good shampoo with conditioner, then use a brush on it as soon as I'm out. Brush it down flat to the neck from the front, then brush it out from the back against your free hand. Then fluff it into shape as desired and it'll stay that way. I keep the cheeks trimmed and the stray hairs on my neck, too. A lawn always looks better when it's edged.

I still shave. I just shave my head and trim around the beard at the same time, essentially every other day.

Two things to remember as you trim your beard:

1. Start trimming off less than you think you want to take off. It's easy to go back and cut more, hard to reattach what you'd rather keep.

2. The difference between a good trim and a bad one is about three days. I keep finding little bits to tidy up for a few days, then it looks even better.

Good Luck.