Ever seen one of those effortless beard fades into a shaved head and thought to yourself, “how do they make it look so effortless?”.

Well, the truth is that it’s not quite as effortless and unintentional as most gents would like you to believe. Fading your beard into a shaved head is, like most things when it comes to beard care, an artform. It takes practice and a considered approach to achieve the perfect beard fade into a shaved head.

Thankfully, we’ve put together a guide with insights from our beard clients and barbers to make things a little easier. These steps, along with a little practice, will help you to achieve the perfect beard fade into your shaved head for a clean look.

 

 

5 Steps to Fade a Beard Into a Shaved Head

 

Step 1. Prepare Your Tools

You’ll need a set of beard clippers with adjustable guard lengths, a precision trimmer for making small adjustments, a front mirror, and a handheld mirror (to help you check your sides). 

Have both mirrors set up before you start - this will allow you to check your progress from multiple angles as you go. 

Step 2. Shape The Beard

Before trimming, wash your beard and dry it with a towel. Leave it slightly damp, do not use a hairdryer, and brush through it as you would normally as part of your beard care routine.

Pay extra attention when combing down the side of your beard. Brush your beard in one direction.

If you have a dry beard, apply a small amount of beard oil to soften the hairs. 

Step 3. Trim Beard

Start trimming the part of the beard close to the upper side of the face, around where the sideburns would be. This section should be the shortest to create the effect of the beard fading into the head.

Long and thick beard hair in the upper part of your face should be shaved down to at least a size 3 guard length. This makes it easier to see the progress of the fade later on and helps with defining the edges of your beard.

Step 4. Defining and Blending the Fade

The next step is to define where the fade should start in your beard. The further down your face the fading starts, the more gradual the fading effect - and vice versa. 

The most natural starting point for most people is just above the cheekbone, moving up toward the temple and into the sideburn area. Work upward with your shortest guard, using short flicking motions to lift the clippers away from the skin as you reach the top of the fade. This flicking technique is what creates the gradual gradient rather than a hard line.

A size 4 or 5 guard works well through the mid-cheek area, stepping up to your full beard length toward the jawline and chin. 

Once you've established the fade on one side, switch to the other side and replicate the same motion before going back to refine either side.

Use your handheld mirror frequently throughout this step, especially when shaving the sides and the area around the ears.

Step 5. Touch Ups

Do a final check across both sides of your face using both mirrors. Look for any spots where the gradient feels uneven, where a guard line is still visible, or where stray hairs are sitting above the fade line. 

Use your precision trimmer to sharpen the edges of the beard, including the neckline and cheek line.

Finish by rinsing your face with cold water and applying a small amount of beard oil or moisturiser to the skin. Trimming exposes the skin along the fade line, and keeping it hydrated will prevent dryness and irritation in the days that follow.

 

 

What To Avoid When Fading a Beard

 

Uneven Fading on Both Sides

It's easy to lose your reference point and end up with one side of the fade sitting higher than the other.

Avoid this by trimming in small passes across both sides, checking frequently in the mirror. If you notice one side is ahead of the other, resist the urge to rush the lagging side to catch up. Small, controlled adjustments will help you address the imbalance.

Shaving Down to the Skin

Always use a trimmer guard to avoid shaving off too much of your beard than intended - this is a mistake often made by those attempting a beard fade for the first time. 

If you shave your beard down to the skin, you will need to wait for it to regrow before trying again - not to mention deal with the empty patch now sitting in your beard. 

When in doubt, keep a longer guard on and take the fade down gradually over multiple passes.