Neck Beards Are Not a Thing

Growing a beard is a commitment, so you can’t allow beard grooming to fall by the wayside. Long or short, a beard can make a statement — but not if you’re allowing those hairs to gravitate toward your neck. While it’s pretty straightforward, there’s a name for it: neck beard. Here’s what it is, how to avoid it, and the beard care required to keep you looking clean and polished.

What is a Neckbeard?

A neckbeard is the excess hair growth on a man's neck. It’s essential to keep up with this area as you’re growing out a beard to avoid the appearance of patchiness. On the contrary, neckbeards that include proper grooming and beard care have increased in popularity over the years.

How to Avoid a Neckbeard

Neckbeards and other common shaving problems like nicks and cuts, ingrown hairs, and razor burn can all be prevented with a solid grooming routine.

1. Start With Clean Skin

Clean skin is the catalyst behind every close, comfortable shave — no matter the skin type. Otherwise, dirt, oil, and dead skin cells create a barrier between your blade and your facial hair, which can cause irritation and razor burn. Our Pure Clean Daily Facial Cleanser leaves skin clean, hydrated, and fresh by harnessing the power of natural, sulfate-free surfactants and organic botanical extracts, including Organic Chamomile and Aloe Leaf.

2. Prep Your Beard

You will want a protective barrier between your skin and the blade to prevent irritation. We suggest a pre-shave oil such as Jack Black’s Epic Moisture® Ultimate Nourishing Oil. Ten nourishing oils work together to help protect the skin, soften whiskers, and help prevent uncomfortable dryness from shaving — this is a particularly vital step when shaving with sensitive skin.

Jack Black Beard Lube Conditioning Shave functions as a pre-shave oil, shave cream, and an after-shave conditioner to soften facial hair for a smooth, pain-free shave. The super-light formula won't clog your blade, rinses easily, and allows you to navigate around sideburns, beards, and mustaches. Enjoy a smooth, effortless glide with this soothing, hydrating formula rich in nourishing fatty acids and phospholipids.

3. Clean the Line

Apply Supreme Cream Triple Cushion Shave Lather or Beard Lube Conditioning Shave to smooth and soften whiskers for a more effortless glide. Hold your razor at a 30° angle. Use long, even strokes and move the razor toward hair growth – aka “with the grain.”

4. Post-Shave

Applying our Post Shave Cooling Gel is one of the most effective ways to help razor burn and irritation due to shaving. It also prevents redness and heals irritated skin post-shaving. This fragrance-free and alcohol-free formula soothes razor burn and irritation due to shaving. Aloe Leaf Juice and Chamomile, natural ingredients known for their soothing benefits, help calm and hydrate.

Tame and condition your beard and reduce itching and flaking with the natural oils in our Beard Oil. Your beard — and your partner — thank you in advance.

How to Shave a Neckbeard

How do you know if you have a neckbeard? Place two fingers above your Adam’s apple for your starting point. Picture a curved line running from ear to ear. If your beard hair extends beyond this invisible line, you may want to consider a proper neckline shave and trim.

1. Find Your Beard Line

Let’s go back to that imaginary line between your jaw, under chin, and neck. Generally speaking, it lies about an inch and a half above your Adam’s apple but can vary slightly based on your facial proportions.

2. Shave Against the Grain

Next, shave off everything below this invisible line using your favorite razor and our Three You Need Shave Essentials that includes the Face Buff Energizing Scrub, Supreme Cream Triple Cushion Shave Lather, and Post Shave Cooling Gel. When shaving, be sure to carefully go with the grain and try to keep the line as tidy as possible.

3. Shape Accordingly

In terms of shaping, it really depends upon what you’re trying to achieve. To soften a square face, opt for round shaping, but to emphasize a square face, keep with a square shape. To sharpen a round face, accentuate it with a square shaping, or accentuate your natural round face with the same shaping.

How Do You Make a Neckbeard Look Good?

Some men go out of their way to grow a neckbeard. If that sounds like you, note that they’re not for everybody — you must have sufficient hair to produce one. Substantial hair growth is vital for a neckbeard. Otherwise, it will look thin and scraggly. While genetics and other factors play a role in the speed of beard growth, there are several ways you can keep your beard health.

Whether or not to grow your neckbeard is entirely up to you. One thing's for certain: Beard Care is vital for looking polished and groomed. For more tips, check out our blog post in Jack’s Manual about How to Get a Close Shave.