How often have you wished that your head was detachable and that you could place it on the table and give your beard the perfect ‘salon-like’ trimming! Well, things don’t have to get so graphic when trying to achieve a well-groomed look. Most Beard Trimmers offer you a set of trimmer combs or guards as attachments to keep things under control. All you need is the right information and some expert tips on how to use them.

WHAT IS A TRIMMER COMB?

A trimmer comb is a simple attachment that can be mounted on top of the trimmer blades to create a gap between the blades and the skin, so that you can control the length of the beard on your face. It’s made with smooth edged plastic, which makes gliding them along or against your beard smooth & easy. Seemingly simple, trimmer combs do evoke some questions that keep the gent population perplexed. Let’s answer all of them here for your benefit:

Can I use my trimmer comb to actually comb my beard?

No. Even though they’re called combs, these attachments are not designed to comb your beard and so can’t replace traditional beard combs or brushes. While the purpose of combing your beard is to untangle hair strands and stimulate the skin underneath for better blood circulation, trimmer combs should never be pressed against the skin with as much pressure. They are used to straighten the hair strands evenly and offer the desired distance from the blades, so that a balanced hair length can be achieved throughout.

What do the different numbers on trimmer combs mean?

That’s a million-dollar question. Trimmer combs come in varying sizes and usually mention the length of the cut they promise to provide, like 3mm, 6mm, 9mm, 12mm, and so on. What it means is that depending on the trimmer comb size you’ve chosen, it will trim anything beyond the mentioned length. For example, if you use a 12mm trimmer comb, it will leave 12mm of the beard on your face and trim anything above that. So, the smaller the number on the trimmer, the smaller the beard on the face.

How do I attach and detach a trimmer comb?

While all trimmers have customized trimmer combs, the mechanism to attach and detach them is usually the same. Trimmer combs have sliding groves built in their design where the trimmer head (the side with blades) can easily slip into. All you have to do is simply slide the trimmer into a comb and press the rear side till you hear a ‘click’.  While detaching it, you unhinge the rear side from the body of the trimmer with a similar ‘click’ sound and remove.

What is the direction that I should be trimming my beard in?

When using a trimmer comb, you have the liberty to use your trimmer in both the directions of growth and against it, to quite contrary results.

 In the direction of beard growth

If you don’t want to mess too much with the current length of your beard, attach a high numbered comb and trim in the direction of the growth. The key is to first brush your beard well so that all hair strands are well settled. This will only cut stray hair that may be making your beard messy, and not interfere with your overall look.

In the opposite direction of beard growth

If you want to cut your beard short to the length mentioned on the trimmer comb, attach the desired comb and trim in the opposite direction of the growth. You can use a mix of these two styles by customizing your look with the popular ‘thicker on the chin and thinner on the sides’ look.

What are the most popular looks I can achieve by using trimmer combs?

1. Faded

A faded beard merging into faded hair, creating a super cool look. Works even better with a shaved head.

2. Ducktails

A full beard style with longer chin hair, usually pointy in shape and trimmed cheeks

3. Classic Full

A smartly trimmed beard with all the natural contours kept intact

4. Long Stubble

A rugged looking, well maintained stubble achieved with combs above 3mm

5. Extended Goatee

Combination of a goatee and a moustache with the sideburns removed

6. Mutton Chops

Basically a pair of sideburns that are allowed to grow onto the cheeks to the edge of the mouth

IN SHORT…

Trimmer combs are great customization tools that give you a lot of scope to be creative. Keep remember a piece of advise… If you’re using a trimmer with comb for the first time, you might want to begin with a longer comb, as you don’t want to cut too much hair in the first go and regret.