Look, you don’t need a beard. The man-preservation police won’t come knocking if you shave. But, if you’ve ever pondered wearing one, don’t. Just let it grow. A beard is every man’s birthright. It’s not a trend to be copied, nor is it the only mark of real masculinity. It’s just evolution saying, “It’s winter, and that sucks, so, here.” And it shouldn’t go beyond that.

That said, if you’re going to do this, do it right. People still have to look at your face and take you seriously.

And even though beard maintenance is our specialty, you’ll need to keep yours in check between visits (unless you live off the grid, which, if you are, how’d you find Wi-fi?).

Here’s our simple guide to wearing a beard well.

1. Set A Goal: Seriously, act as if this is a new enterprise you’re starting, one that needs nurturing and growth (how good was that?). If you want to go low profile like, say, George Clooney, stick to that. If you want to look like the Houston Rocket’s James Harden, great. But it’ll take a bit more work. The point is, commit to a style and own it. And mind your face shape when picking (more on that in a sec).

2.  Face Shape Matters: 

Square: “A square face has lines you’d want to accentuate,” says D’Etoile. “Going on the shorter sides isn’t a bad idea for that reason, though it’s best to leave a bit more of it under the chin to keep things looking natural.”

Round: Keep the sides quite short and grow it out a little more around the chin. Elongating your face is the idea here, not widening it.

Oval: Do whatever you want, you genetic work of art, you. “Oval faces are the most versatile of shapes so any look will work well,” confirms D’Etoile. That said, no chin-straps. You’re not a leprechaun.

Diamond: These don’t suit goatees or generally anything that draws too much attention to the chin. Keep everything well-trimmed and if you can pull it off, leave a little more girth in the moustache to balance things out.

3. How to Trim: No matter what anyone says, nothing beats a good pair of scissors and a beard comb. Here’s the trick—“Comb the hair toward the direction of your nose,” says Melissa D’Etoile, one of our barbers at our Liberty location. “Hold the comb firmly, then snip.” Don’t go nuts, though, or you’ll dig a crater and ruin it all. For your moustache, comb upward starting from the top of your lip and repeat the aforesaid process. Simple.

4. Invest in the Right Product: Back when prospectors dug for gold and men fought in wars, beards were traps for filth and dead skin, and those guys never complained. So, feel lucky yours won’t suffer the same fate and make it look as good you can. We happen to stock some of the best beard brands around, so ask us about them next time you’re in.

– Always Bearded Beard Cream, $: For the man who’s averse to shine, this will solve the straggler solution while leaving a subtle, matte hold for the day.

– Always Bearded Beard Oil, $: Use no more than a nickel’s worth, or you’ll go from good to greasy like that.

5. Speaking of, Buy a Proper Beard Brush: From our experience, the ones made with boar hair are best. They’ll keep the skin underneath nice and exfoliated, as well as free of all that dead skin tat builds up every day. They’ll also do a fine job of distributing beard product though all that hair.