So you’ve set out on the hairy yet rewarding adventure of a full beard. Otherwise known as the peak of masculinity. Now all you need are the tools to make it possible. Maintaining a beard the right way isn’t easy, but don’t sweat the details. We’re here to help on your quest for badass (and healthy) chin and cheek plumage.
One of the first purchases for your arsenal should be beard scissors. Channeling your inner zen-master and thinking of your beard style as a bonsai tree might help. You don’t want to trim a bonsai tree with a chainsaw, right? Your answer should be no.
If you need something better suited for more minor cuts, that’s what a great pair of beard scissors will get you. There’s a lot to consider when shopping for the best beard scissors, like shear length, tip type, and steel density. With all that in mind, we waded through the internet to find some of the best beard scissors on the market so you don’t have to.
Badass Beard Care Gold Series Beard Scissors at Amazon
Martino Royal Scissors at Amazon
Suvorna Condor Beard Scissors at Amazon
Badass Beard Care Titanium Series Shaping Scissors at Amazon
MÜHLE Beard, Nose & Ear Hair Scissors at Amazon
1. Best Overall Pair: Badass Beard Care Gold Series Beard Scissors
The team at Badass Beard Care is serious about ‘beardsmanship’ (yes, we made that up), as shown through the quality of their products. This company is all about bringing barber-level shears, among many other things, to amateurs like us. Sure, higher-grade steel exists, but they still won’t look much smoother than this black and gold finish. You’ll never be able tell the difference anyway.
These beard scissors have it all. Build quality, looks, and they’re just under 50$. They also have a hand-adjustable tension knob to control the scissors’ cut speed. Considering they’re more comparable to a $150-$200 pair, they’re a damn good deal.
Material: HRC 59-61 stainless steel | Blade Size: 5.25” | Features: Titanium coated, hand-adjustable tension knob, screw-on finger rest, also includes polishing cloth, scissor oil, and hard case
- Quality materials punch above their price
- Works for both large and precision bearding tasks
- What’s not to like?
2. Best Luxury Beard Scissors: Martino Royal Scissors
These hair cutting scissors have never heard the words “over-the-top,” and we love them for it. For guys who want luxury, this pair looks the part. As the name suggests, these are beard scissors that would look at home in the bathroom of any member of the royal family. Surprise, surprise, they’re also the priciest scissors on our list.
They look flashy as hell, but they’re also at the top of the hardness scale at HRC 61-64. That means they’re as hard as scissors get and razor-sharp. They’re pretty but be wise; not taking them seriously could lead to some sliced ear skin.
If you’re the type who wants to trim like a king, these shears are worth the high admission.
Material: HRC 61-64 stainless steel | Blade size: 5.5” | Features: Ultra-high quality steel, lion-head tension knob, screw-on finger rest, includes hard case
- Beautifully flashy design
- Cuts as excellent as it looks
- Too expensive for many early bearders
3. Best Budget Beard Scissors: Suvorna Condor Beard Scissors
They don’t have a witty name or the most rigid steel, but Suvorna delivers a competent all-arounder that’s feature-rich and a solid starter for any beardy on a budget. The 5” length is perfect for nimble trim work but large enough for hacking down facial forests with ease.
If cared for, the build is quality enough to last years, but you’ll probably have upgraded your beard life by then. It’s an excellent jack-of-all-trades shear that is easy to recommend for dipping your toes in the beard game.
Material: HRC 53-54 stainless steel | Blade size: 5” | Features: Hand-adjustable tension knob, micro-serrated blades, screw-on finger rest, includes soft case
4. Best Beard Shaping Scissors: Badass Beard Care Titanium Series Shaping Scissors
Badass Beard Care makes it back on the list again for good reasons. If their Gold series shears are the best all-around, these bad boys are the specialists. They’re missing a few luxuries that the Gold series affords, but they excel at what they do.
The blunt tips tell you that these scissors are built more for large trim jobs than precision sculpting. You can set the hand-adjustable tension knob loose and chip away at a big beard without worrying about accidentally poking a hole in your neck. The only issue with being a great specialist? You’ll need different scissors if you want serious precision.
They’re softer steel than their black and gold brother, but the all-black design is still smoking hot, and they’re a great addition to any growing beard care set.
Material: HRC 56-57 stainless steel | Blade size: 5.25” | Features: Hand-adjustable tension knob, finger rest, titanium coated, includes case, scissor oil, and hard case
- Perfectly designed for scruff shaping
- Signature Badass Beard Care tension knob
- Can’t be your only pair of beard scissors
5. Best Mustache Scissors: MÜHLE Beard, Nose & Ear Hair Scissors
Don’t let the small size fool you; if you sent a kid to school with these, they might lose a few digits. These are crazy sharp. Luckily, you aren’t a child. And these mustache scissors have a blunt tip to avoid giving yourself a new lip piercing.
These do great work on buff, Jason Mamoa caterpillar lips, and the more tame Chris Hemsworth mouth carpets. They work fine on the rest of the face, too, but the shorter size lends these to being best for mustache work.
Material: matte stainless steel | Blade size: 4” | Features: Tension screw, blunt tip
- Shorter blade perfect for mustache sculpting
- Blunt tips to avoid painful mistakes
- Metal could be harder
6. Best Set: Beardoholic Beard Balm, Comb, and Scissor Set
Beard Scissor sets are ideal for starting out on your fur-filled journey and make a perfect gift for any young beardsman. It comes with three beard care essentials: beard balm for its health, a comb or brush for taming, and scissors for trims. Coupled with the disposable razor you almost definitely have, you can grow and maintain a healthy beard solely with this trio.
It comes with a pretty decent pair of scissors for a starter set. They’re not the best-looking or most feature-rich shears, but they do all the basics well and don’t fall apart.
A sweet pearwood comb and fan-favorite beard balm make this a winning set.
Material: Japanese stainless steel | Blade size: 6” | Features: Tension screw, finger rest, includes beard balm and beard comb
- Great starter scissors
- Awesome set for the price
- Scissors aren’t exceptional
What to look for in beard scissors
Build Quality
Beard scissors all look like the same little bits of steel, minus a few color changes here and there, but that doesn’t mean they are. The types of steel used in facial shears can vary more than you might think. Lower-quality shears won’t be as sharp and might yank some beard hairs out before cutting them. Sounds like a crap ex-beard-ience (see what we did there?).
The harder the steel, the sharper the blade, and the longer it will take to dull. Make sure you buy carefully; you don’t want to end up with a pair of rusty twigs instead of shiny shears after some years of use.
Price
One of the first things you’re going to look at is probably the price. It might shock you that prices for beard scissors can run sky high. You can spend well over a thousand dollars on ultra-high quality beard scissors. But you’re probably not a barber, so there are plenty of great options for way less than a grand.
Unless you’re the type to use money as toilet paper, you probably don’t want the most expensive scissors. $300 was the most we’d recommend, and that will get you a damn good pair of beard shears.
Size & Shape
5-6” total length with a 2” blade is standard for regular beard scissors. Past 6” and you’re venturing into hair scissor territory, and that is not where your face wants to be. For beard scissors, longer = less precise. So don’t you dare try trimming with those poultry-rending shears from the kitchen. You might unintentionally lop off more than an extra chunk of facial hair.
Also, keep in mind that if you’re limited to one pair of beard scissors, make it the kind with the pointed tip. A Round tip won’t get you the level of precision you need when you want to get fancy with your hair art.
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How to trim a beard with scissors
Trimming a beard with scissors takes practice to master but is worth the practice. Get talented enough with beard scissors, and you can sculpt some true body-hair masterpieces. Hell, maybe even become an amateur stylist in your spare time.
Not everyone can go to the barber weekly (or more). Get your scissors, a comb, and either a trimmer or a razor for detailing to pull it off at home. Then follow our step-by-step guide. Don’t blame us if you mess it up, though. We can’t give you steady hands.
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Know your style
Don’t just rush in scissors blazing. You need a plan. It might seem like common sense, but have a style in mind when you start snipping to avoid sabotaging yourself.
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Bathe that beard
Don’t expect to dive into this trim with a haggard hermit beard. Not only will your mug fuzz be less pliable and coarse, but that’s just gross. You should probably shower more often, man.
1. Comb your beard
Some of you might be impatient, but you need to go slow here. Rushing through this can damage your beautiful, budding beard. You want your man-fur to have every advantage it can in life.
Comb it away from the body until it is tangle-free, and keep it moving.
2. Trim that base
You’ll need a well-defined beard foundation to start, so trim down the hairs at the tip of your beard (or trim it down to your desired length), and make sure all the hairs are the same length.
All the hair at the bottom should be the same length now.
3. Neck cleanup time
Unless you’re going for wizard-chic, you’ll need to clean up your neck. Any razor will do the job, but guys with sensitive skin might want to seek an electric trimmer for this. It won’t cut as low, but you’ll avoid razor burn and bumpy necks.
Trim everything from your Adam’s apple down, and you’ll stay golden ponyboy (sorry, couldn’t resist).
4. Clean your cheeks
It’s time to take care of the wild hairs poking out from your fresh beard. You know the ones I mean. Snip every rogue hair you see to keep yourself looking suave and stately, not unkempt and lazy.
5. Handle the mustache
You can skip this step if you’re going for the untamed walrus look. For everyone else, trim the stache using your top lip as a reference. Keep the sides growing if you want to begin forming mustache handlebars.
Either way, you’ll probably want to clear out the front of your mouth. It’s tough to eat with a mouth full of hair.
6. Pamper your creation
Congratulations. You trimmed your own beard and hopefully didn’t screw it up. Even if you did, no one would notice (probably). Just be sure to treat you and your beard with the care you both deserve.
Massage in some of the best beard balms or beard oils to keep any dander snowstorms and the dreaded itchy-hot beard at bay. Skipping this crucial step can lead to face blizzards and all-day neck-scratching fests. You’ve been warned.
Congratulations, you trimmed your beard correctly and made it out alive. Keep up with this routine, and that beard will stay looking and feeling fresh.
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