We’ve poured our years of beard expertise into this essential guide on how to grow a beard. We’ll break down everything you need to know in order to grow the best beard of your life—whether you’re a first-time or a seasoned beardsman.

HOW TO GROW A BEARD IN 5 STEPS.

We cover all of these topics in greater detail throughout "The Cut", but if you're in a rush, these five steps will get you started on growing the best beard of your life.

1. Set a goal - Growing a beard requires patience, and the early days can be frustrating. Having a goal in mind, or a beard style that you’re aiming for helps keep you from making any drastic decisions.
2. Give it time - It takes a good 30 days to have a clear idea of what kind of beard you’ve got to work with. Give yourself a month of letting your beard grow before doing anything to it—and we mean anything. Don’t touch it, and don’t trim it.
3. Keep your cheeks high and your neckline low - As it grows, your beard is going to start creeping up your face and migrating down your neck. When trimming, keep your cheek lines higher than you think they should be, and your neckline lower than you think it needs to be. We talk about this more in the trimming section of this blog.
4. Don’t wait to use beard products - You might think you don’t need Beard Balm until you have a full beard, but using these products from day one helps keep the skin hydrated, the hair soft, and your new growth less itchy.
5. Stop comparing - Having a goal and a beard role model is good. Obsessively comparing your beard to the beard of others is unhealthy and discouraging. Everyone has trouble spots and things they dislike about their beards. Focus on what you can grow and highlight your beard’s strong points.