Whether you're growing a beard to insulate your face against the cold winter weather or simply for the sake of fashion, you'll need to maintain it as it grows. Regular washing will keep your underlying skin clean, smooth and free of infection, while a weekly trim will encourage tangle-free growth of the hair. Evening out the hair growth on each side of your face will also help the beard look symmetrically balanced and complement your facial structure.

Lather up your beard at least twice weekly with your preferred shampoo. Work the lather into each part of your beard and massage the underlying skin with your fingertips. To soften your beard, follow with a cream conditioner. Rinse the beard thoroughly of all soap and conditioner to prevent drying out your skin.

Pat your beard dry using a clean towel. Allow the hair to dry completely before proceeding to the next step.

Comb the beard downward using a wide toothed comb. Beginning from the start of your sideburns, move the comb through the beard and trim the tufts of hair that poke through the teeth with barber's scissors. Apply more pressure to the comb as you move it through the beard to expose more hair and make larger cuts.

Treat all areas of the beard in this fashion, trimming a consistent amount of hair with each pass through with the comb. Comb the beard smooth to check for symmetry on each side of your face. For a more significant trim, set the desired length on your beard trimmer's guard and proceed.

Brush your mustache downward using a fine toothed comb. Start from one side of your mouth and trim the hairs to the desired length. For a clean look, ensure that the hairs do not extend past your top lip.