Ultimate Guide to Beard Trimmer Guide Combs  

Whether you are thinking of growing a beard or already enjoying the rich and bountiful life of the bold and bearded, you might be wondering how to keep that beard always looking tip top. That is where beard guide combs (or beard trimmer guards) come in. You know—those handy accessories that come with your beard trimmer. If you’re unsure of which ones to use or how to use them, consider this your ultimate guide to beard trimmer guide combs and how to wield them for bearded glory.    

Every beard trimmer comes with a series of guide comb attachments. Each one clips onto the blade of the trimmer, allowing you to precisely trim your beard without cutting too much hair. The teeth of the guide comb direct beard hair to the blade, ensuring it cuts off only the amount of hair each guide comb is rated for. 

Once you’ve attached your guide comb onto the trimmer blade, turn on your beard trimmer. Start with the sideburns and work your way down to the chin. Make sure to go slow, allowing the teeth of the guide comb to naturally collect the beard hair and guide it to the blade. Depending on the style of beard you want to sport, you may want to use different size guide combs to help shape your beard. Note: You will cut off more hair when you trim against the direction of your beard growth versus with the direction of beard growth.  

Each guide comb has a number on it. The lower the number, the closer the cut. The higher the number, the longer the cut. Here are the guide comb numbers and sizes for each:  

Choosing your guide combs is a matter of personal style. If you aren’t sure which beard style best suits you, consider your face shape. If you have a rounder face, a longer, more tapered beard that is shorter on the sides (lower number guide combs) and longer around the chin (higher number guide combs) will look best. If you have a longer face, consider keeping the hair on the sides longer (higher number guide combs) and the hair on your chin shorter (lower number guide combs). 

It can be difficult to visualize how much hair each guide comb will trim off without seeing what it looks like on someone. Here are four of the most popular beard styles and the guide combs used for each look. You can also check out tutorials on how to achieve these looks or use the Wahl Style Selector to try on different facial hair styles virtually to see how they look on you.