Beard Growth Timeline

How Long Does It Take To Grow A Beard?

STAGE 1: CLEAN SHAVEN (WEEK 1)

Starting with a clean-shaven face can help encourage beard growth. How does shaving help beard growth? Giving yourself a good close shave can stimulate the hair follicles and prep your skin for the upcoming facial hair. It's best to shave right out of the shower once your pores are opened, and your follicles are soft for a cleaner cut. Massage your shaving cream into the skin with circular motions and grab your razor. Always Shave with small strokes going with the grain.

STAGE 2: STUBBLE (WEEK 2-3)

THE FIRST STAGE OF BEARD GROWTH IS STUBBLE. YOU WILL START TO SEE LIGHT TO HEAVY STUBBLE FORMING ABOVE THE LIP, ON THE SIDEBURNS, AND ALONG YOUR JAWLINE. THIS GROWTH WILL BE YOUR FIRST INDICATION OF THE AREAS YOU WILL HAVE CONSISTENT HAIRS AND THE SPOTS THAT MIGHT BE PATCHY.

Now is the time to start applying beard oil to keep your skin and facial hair moisturized to stay on top of beardruff and the dreaded beard itch. Some men prefer to keep their beards at this 5 o’clock shadow length.

STAGE 3: THE AWKWARD STAGE (WEEK 4-8)

If it is longer than an inch, it's no longer stubble. During this stage, you will have noticeable growth and potentially a little messiness. Different areas of your beard grow at different rates, so patchiness and uneven growth might start to show. Hang in there! As your beard comes in, you will begin to get an idea of your natural beard shape and growth patterns. The chin, mustache, and jawline have the most substantial growth for most men.

Start thinking about what beard style you want, but avoid the temptation to trim your beard or even out any lengths at this stage. You will likely take too much off and have to start over. Just let your hair continue to grow and fill in, making trimming and shaping easier later on.

STAGE 4: TIME TO START SHAPING (2-3 MONTHS)

Now that you are officially in short beard territory, you are ready to do your first clean-up. At this point, you can get a complete idea of your beard's strengths and natural shape. If this is your first time shaping a beard, you might want to visit your local barber so they can line you up and choose a shape that flatters your hair type and face.

If you trim at home, start with your neckline to prevent the neck beard. Depending on your chosen style, you might want to even out some length or clean up your cheeklines and backlines.

STAGE 5: MEDIUM BEARD AND BEYOND (4 MONTHS +)

You are officially on your way to a full beard. Give yourself some praise for making it through the tough beginning stages.

The longer your beard gets, the more essential it is to make beard maintenance a daily ritual. Washing and conditioning regularly and applying beard cream and beard oil will keep your beard soft and manageable. Keeping up with combing and brushing your beard will eliminate knotting and smooth and train your hairs to lay the way you want. You might notice beard growth slowing at this point.

As your beard grows, focus on making it look intentional with consistent trimming and shaping. Once you have enough length, you can start styling your beard with heat or products like Beard Thickening Cream to give it extra character and definition.