A man with a pencil-thin beard style.

How to Do a Pencil Beard

If you’re ready to leave your mark on the world, the Pencil Beard may be the beard style for you. It’s a modern, youthful style named for its sharply defined lines, combining elements of the Chinstrap and Circle beards.

How to Do a Pencil-Thin Beard Step-by-Step

  • 1

    Grow your beard for 1 to 2 weeks, or until you reach a consistent growth. Then, using your Wahl trimmer, crop the entire beard down to a quarter inch (1/4").

  • 2

    With the trimmer, carve downwards along your sideburns. Continue outlining along the jawbone and around the circle beard.

  • 3

    Define the shape of your pencil-line beard by trimming around the guidelines you carved.

  • 4

    Check for symmetry and tighten lines with the edge of your Wahl trimmer. As a general rule, the Pencil Beard should maintain the width of your sideburn.

  • 5

    Using your shaver, give the rest of your face and neck a close shave to emphasize the precision of the Pencil Beard.

What to use

Lithium Ion+™ Stainless Steel Grooming Kit

Lithium Ion+™ Stainless Steel Grooming Kit

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Lithium Ion™ MultiGroom

Lithium Ion™ MultiGroom

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Lithium Ion™ Total Beard

Lithium Ion™ Total Beard

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PowerPro™ Corded Clipper/Trimmer

PowerPro™ Corded Clipper / Trimmer

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Beard & Stubble Rechargeable Trimmer

Beard & Stubble Rechargeable Trimmer

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Need help deciding what you need?

Wahl offers trimmers and grooming kits that let you achieve the look you want and keep it looking great.

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More Full Beard Tips

Combing Your Beard

A man combing his full beard.

Before trimming, comb your beard in the direction it grows so that all the hairs are at their maximum height and facing the same direction

Wahl Trimmers Have Attachment Heads

A Wahl beard trimmer next to different head attachments.

Wahl has been an innovator in beard trimming technology and offers a variety of trimmers that will get the job done

Choose the Guide Comb You Need

Someone attaching a guide comb head attachment to their Wahl trimmer.

Understand the length of beard you want and then use trimmer guide combs to achieve said length

Trim in the Direction of Growth for Long Beards

A man cleaning up his beard line with a Wahl trimmer.

Longer beards require trimming in the direction of hair growth to avoid a patchy look

Trim in Any Direction for Short Beard

A man trimming his full beard with a Wahl trimmer.

For shorter styles, you can trim in either direction depending on the look you want

Evening Out Your Beard and Neckline

A man shaping his beard with a Wahl trimmer.

To maintain an even beard with neck hair, try to keep hair length shorter than the hair growing on your chin and cheeks as neck hair tends to be thicker

Cleaning Up Your Facial Hair

A man cleaning up and shaping his mustache with a Wahl trimmer.

Always clean up loose or long hair around the lips

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