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Knowing how to accurately measure your beard is important - it's a great way to monitor growth.
In this article, we look at how to properly measure your beard. This is also the accepted way beards are measured in beard contests.
How to measure the length of your beard in 4 easy steps
While measuring your beard length like in a competition sounds complicated and daunting, it's actually quite simple.
The good news is that you don't need any fancy gear.
Let's do this.
1. Assemble your team
The first step in any process, whether you're building furniture or measuring your beard, is assembling your gear.
As said, you don't need anything special to measure the length of your beard. In fact, I can guarantee that you probably already have the necessary equipment somewhere in your house.
All you need is a tape measure and a mirror.
The tape measure you use can be the exact same type that you use for your regular home improvement projects.
Here is a simple example of an in
An optional extra, if you have one laying around, is a beard comb. But that is anything but essential.
2. Consider washing and combing
If you have a beard comb, then now is the time to give it a quick brush out. You don't have to spend a lot of time on it, it just helps detangle your beard and smooth out stray hairs.
This should ensure you get the most accurate measurement for your beard as it will be the case with tangled hairkurzWhat tangled hair.
This is another reason it's usually best to measure a clean, dry beard. Greasy or damp whiskers are also shorter than clean, dry whiskers.
If you happen toSohnIf you're entering a beard contest (trust me, people do), you may want to style your beard exactly how you're going to wear it for the contest before measuring it.
This will give you a more accurate idea of how you will perform on the day.
In all beard competitions, be sure to carefully read the rules of the beard category you are entering.
But if you don't use a beard comb, you can start measuring right away.
3. Measure from the lip to the lowest point of the beard
Place your tape measure (the metal end) at the bottom of your bottom lip. This is where you start measuring.
Make sure the tape measure is parallel to your beard. Measure the longest length of your beard below your chin - this is your final measurement.
It's basically from the bottom lip to the lowest point of the beard.
Be careful not to pull your whiskers if you have curly hair. Most beard contests measure your beard without straightening it.
Even if you're just measuring your beard for your personal check, it's still good practice to follow these rules of thumb to ensure you stay consistent.
4. Repeat the process
It is recommended to repeat the measurement a few more times to reduce human error. Use your mirror to make sure you're holding your tape measure perpendicular every time.
This way you are much more likely to get an accurate result.
If you have a longer beard that has a thinner, fuzzier section towards the bottom, you can take two measurements.
In addition to measuring the overall length of your beard, including the fine tips, you can also measure where your beard is thickest.
That way, if you want to trim messy ends before race day, you'll know what length you'll be measuring.
And that's it: 4 simple steps and you've learned how to properly measure your beard length.
Beard Length: Frequently Asked Questions
Beard length is a hot topic, and besides knowing how to measure beards, men often have other questions about beard length in general.
Here we will discuss some of the most frequently asked questions men have about beard length.
Is the length or fullness of the beard more important?
In general, a full beard is more desirable than a long beard, although opinions on this can vary.
Unless you're training your beard for a competition category that prioritizes length, most people will value fullness over length.
The same applies to the hair on the head; People tend to want thick, strong looking hair, not long but thin with split ends that break easily.
A full beard is often more aesthetically pleasing. However, this is no secretManyMen struggle with erratic growth and this can be a difficult hurdle to overcome, especially during the more 'awkward' growth stages.
If this is the case, try to get through the rough patches or change style to smooth the bumps. Consider goatees, Van Dykes, and other styles that eliminate noticeably uneven areas of growth like cheekbones.
In general, one tries to achieve aabundancetending to your beard is often more appealing than trying to achieve length.
Go back to that old saying; Quality before quantity.
The risk of prioritizing length over everything else and never shortening is that you're focusing on the wrong thing. If length is everything to you, you are neglecting important principles of beard care such as:brushed,Comband fat.
So the bottom line here is, don't sacrifice beard health for beard length.
Should you measure beard growth over time and not length?
People who face certain beard growth problems often measure their growth in terms of time rather than length. People with the longest beard, on the other hand, prefer to measure growth in length.
You may have heard of the "Yard" challenge.
The goal in the Yard Challenge is to grow a beard for a full year. This means that you let your beard grow freely for 1 year.
This is one of those situations where people tend to prioritize length over anything else.
It makes sense to measure this challenge in terms of time rather than length as this is a time-based goal. Similarly, people growing beards for the first time or experimenting with growing their beards often measure time rather than length.
Because in these situations, beard growth is seen as a kind of challenge where timestamps can be used to show others your progress.
People who have had a beard for a long time often prefer to measure the length.
This is because when you plan to have a beard for most of your life, timing becomes less important.
Bearded men may also prefer to keep their beards at a certain length.
And when they do decide to grow a longer beard, long-time beard owners often have a firm idea of what length they want.
How do I know when I've reached final beard length?
To find out the final length of your beard, avoid trimming for a while and measure your beard as soon as it seems to stop growing.
The final length of a beard is essentially the stage at which the beard stops producing additional length.
When one of the whiskers reaches its final length, it breaks out or falls off to be replaced by new growth.
Each hair has its final length. So to know when your beard has reached its final length, all you have to do is let it grow.
This means avoiding trimming for a while so you can measure the full length of the beard hair when it's untrimmed.
Of course, if you have trimmed your beard to a certain length by this point, any whiskers at the ends will be trimmed off.
Don't worry, just stop trimming and if you feel like your beard has stopped growing, look at the ends of your hair.
If most of your beard is uncut hair and you don't gain length for a while, you've probably reached your terminal beard length.
It is important that the length of the terminal beard varies greatly from person to person. It is important not to compare yourself to others.
Figuring out the finished length of your beard is often more of an academic than a practical task, as not many men choose to grow their beards to their finished length.
But if you want to know yours, you already know how.
What is the most attractive beard length?
Stubble, whether light or thick, is often considered the most attractive beard length.
this is accan Australian study from 2016who found that women found faces with light, thick beards more attractive than fully shaven faces with beards.
Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and there will be considerable disagreement: many women still prefer men who are clean-shaven or have long beards.
The good news for men with longer beards is that this study found that women generally prefer men with any amount of facial hair to clean-shaven men.
filethis articleto find out why stubble is considered the most attractive length.
At what length is my beard considered long?
A good rule of thumb is that a beard can be considered "long" if it reaches 6 inches or more.
People often ask this simply because they are monitoring their own growth.
But a small minority of people actually ask this because they are in a growth contest.
If you're entering a beard contest, it's important to check the fine print for each category to ensure you're entering at the right level.
Each category may have minimum duration requirements that you must meet before you can participate.
There are usually separate categories for short, medium and long/full beards.
When you're not competing, categorizing your beard becomes less important. While 6 inches is a good rule of thumb, it's recommended to focus less on the number and more on how your beard looks and feels.
After all, growing a beard is usually just as satisfying as (if not more)
Determination.
Conclusion
Whether you compete or not, people often have a goal in mind to have a long beard.
Measuring beard length doesn't have to be complicated and hopefully today I've shown you how easy the process is.
But remember, length isn't everything, and if you're able to grow a beard that looks good on you, then you've already won.
FAQs
How long is 1 8 inch facial hair? ›
The heavy stubble is the longest of the stubble beard styles with a length of 4-5mm (1/8 inch). It's commonly known as the 10 day beard, as it will take an average man approximately ten days to grow the amount of facial hair needed to pull off the heavy stubble beard.
How short is 3mm beard? ›Stubble (<3mm)
Stubble is essentially the name for a short beard that hasn't grown out long enough for the individual hairs to overlap each other. Skin is often still visible underneath stubble, and stubble can take anywhere from 1-7 days to grow uniformly (depending on genetics).
A number of beard lengths may be stubble. If you have 0.5mm to 1mm, you're going to have a light stubble. Guys from 2mm to 3mm have a complete stubble beard and a 4mm beard is known to be a heavy stubble. The 10mm beard length is also very popular and below is an example of what a 10mm beard looks like.
How do you measure terminal beard length? ›The primary factor here is the length of the individual's anagen phase. The longer the beard remains in the active growth period, the longer the maximum length. The average terminal length ranges from 12 inches to 36 inches.
What is the most attractive beard length? ›Researchers found a majority of the women preferred men with 10 days' worth of facial hair growth, which they described as “light to heavy stubble.” Next in order of preference were men with full beards, then those with light stubble.
Is a 3 inch beard long? ›Medium Length Beards (3-8 inches)
This stage is where most men begin to see their true bearded character. The facial hair really begins to take shape during this stage of growth, and some men will find they have unruly hairs they want to shape, trim and tame.
The hard part is then determining what length corresponds to what size beard. Well, let me make that easier for you, too: If you want a 5 o'clock shadow, use 1/16-inch guard, usually a #1 or a #0; if you want a short beard, try a ⅝-inch guard, or even a ¾, sometimes labeled as a #4.
How long is 1mm beard? ›1 mm Stubble: Here's Everything You Need To Know About A 1 mm Beard. “Short stubble” refers to a beard that is only 1 millimeter long. Several factors make this length of beard deserving of consideration: its adaptability, masculinity, and simple upkeep requirements.
How many inches is a short beard? ›Short beards can be pure stubble, or they can extend between 2 to 3 inches from the face. Typically, you'll find that the most length in short beard styles is isolated around the chin area. A characteristic of short beards is that the cheeks and sideburns are kept close-cropped.
How long is the average beard after 1 year? ›On average, beard hair grows half an inch (1.25 cm) per month or around six inches per year.
Does my beard have a maximum length? ›
The answer is that your beard truly never stops growing, but there is still a set length after which each isolated facial hair strand will fall out and be replaced by a new one. This phenomenon is commonly known as the moment that your facial hair reaches its terminal length and the end of its life-cycle.
How many mm is considered a beard? ›The average beard hair diameter is 0.1mm. This is almost twice the diameter of the hair on the scalp. This makes beard hair a lot coarser than scalp hair. Those strong whiskers often feel rough and prickly and look dry and wiry.
How many inches is a stubble? ›Tip: A smart stubble is normally between 1 mm and 3 mm
Trim all-over by using your beard trimmer and comb against the grain. It's best to double-check every now and again, just to make sure you've covered every inch.
Tip: A smart stubble is normally between 1 mm and 3 mm
Once you've selected a length, evening out the beard across your face will achieve that clean-looking stubble beard style.
Genetics also affect where facial hair grows and when your beard reaches its full potential. “From ages 18 to 30, most beards continue to develop in thickness and coarseness,” he says.
Do girls like beards or no beards? ›But according to a UK study covered by ZME Science, women tend to find men with beards more masculine and aggressive, both potentially strong signs to search for in a mate. Other studies have shown that women tend to rate men with beards as more attractive, or potentially better as partners or at raising offspring.
What beard length do girls like? ›Women Love Stubble
According to one study, women favor heavy stubble. Particularly the growth that equates to about ten days of not shaving. Based on this research, women rated heavy stubble as being most desirable and most indicative of maturity, dominance, and aggression.
To look your best with a beard, don't wear you hair and beard at the same length. This is especially dangerous for guys with very short, buzz-cut hair. When your hair and beard are all cut to the same length, you wind up looking like a tennis ball. You eliminate any feature-enhancing contrast.
Should beard be same length all around? ›"A beard shouldn't be one length all over," says Forbes. "Sideburns widen the face, so trimming those shorter and fading down into the jaw will give more definition. Try to leave length on the chin and the cheeks, as that's where the fullness will come from."
Are bigger beards more attractive? ›Ten-day growth rated better looking than full beard or clean-shaven looks. Men may now think twice about reaching for a razor. A new study shows that facial hair says a lot about a man and that attractiveness peaks at the "heavy stubble" phase.
What is a 5 o'clock beard? ›
five o'clock shadow (plural five o'clock shadows) A beard growth visible late in the day on the face of a man with facial hair growth that was clean-shaven in the morning.
How long is 0.5 mm beard? ›What length is the light stubble? The light stubble is about 0.5-1mm long. If it is less than 0.5mm then it is not visible and is not classified as a beard. If it is more than 1mm then it is considered a medium stubble.
How long is half inch beard? ›The short boxed beard has a length of ½ inch (1.25 cm) and it will take approximately one month to grow out (if we go by the average facial hair growth rate of half-an-inch per month). Obviously it will take longer than that to grow out the other boxed beards, the medium and the long one.
How long is a 3 day beard? ›The first step to grooming a natural looking 3-day stubble beard is to trim your beard hair to a uniform length. For a 3-day stubble look, we suggest a length of 3mm. Add approximately 1mm to your guide for every extra days length you would like to achieve.
Does a shorter beard make you look younger? ›According to studies, beards make a man look older by nearly 8 years. interestingly, the longer the beard, the older you look. So, if you want to look older, grow a beard (or a longer one). If you want to look younger, shave (or trim) your facial hair and use Volt Beard Color to help cover your grays.
How long does it take facial hair to grow 1/4 inch? ›Regardless of your shaving routine, your facial hair will grow near the same rate: About one-quarter of an inch a month. While your body does have ways of governing the maximum length of different types of body hair, all of your hair grows at roughly the same rate, no matter how often you trim.
How long should my facial hair be? ›If you want a short, subtle shadow, keep the length to less than 2 mm. If you're looking for a fashionable mid length, go for 2-3 mm, and if you want a heavier stubble, try 4-5 mm.
What length is a 3 day beard? ›The first step to grooming a natural looking 3-day stubble beard is to trim your beard hair to a uniform length. For a 3-day stubble look, we suggest a length of 3mm. Add approximately 1mm to your guide for every extra days length you would like to achieve.
What does a 2 month beard look like? ›On average, facial hair grows about half an inch every month. So a 2 month beard is typically around an inch long. That means you can start doing some light, careful trimming. But beware of going crazy - overdoing it on the trimming at this point is bad news.
What age does beard stop growing? ›While the age at which facial hair stops growing is different for everyone, the average age for beard growth to stop is around 35. For some men, this process happens gradually, with the beard becoming thinner and patchier over time. For others, it happens more abruptly, with the beard simply ceasing to grow altogether.
Does facial hair grow faster as you get older? ›
As we age, our bodies lose estrogen; testosterone, unopposed, causes us to grow more hair where men have it, on our faces (and to grow less on our heads).
Should beard be longer than hair? ›To look your best with a beard, don't wear you hair and beard at the same length. This is especially dangerous for guys with very short, buzz-cut hair. When your hair and beard are all cut to the same length, you wind up looking like a tennis ball. You eliminate any feature-enhancing contrast.
What age is facial hair thickest? ›Genetics also affect where facial hair grows and when your beard reaches its full potential. “From ages 18 to 30, most beards continue to develop in thickness and coarseness,” he says.
Should you trim your beard all the same length? ›Cutting each beard hair across your face to the same length will serve you well. This means a beard trimmer is going to give you the fastest and most consistent results. First, establish or re-establish your neck and cheek lines as discussed above.
How many inches is a stubble beard? ›Tip: A smart stubble is normally between 1 mm and 3 mm
Trim all-over by using your beard trimmer and comb against the grain. It's best to double-check every now and again, just to make sure you've covered every inch.
Most men will experience beard growth of around 3mm in a week, which equates to a growth rate of roughly 1/2 inch per month. For some men it's more like a quarter than a half inch. And for many men hair grows at different rates in different areas of the face.
Do beards get thicker overtime? ›The simple truth is: the more you let your beard grow out, the thicker it'll continue to grow. Combine that with maturation and over time many of the patches you might experience early on will slowly start to fill in and your mustache might just end up connecting with the rest of your facial hair over time.