How to Trim a Soul Patch Beard
If you can grow a beard, you can master the soul patch. It’s that simple. Subtle and clean-cut, a soul patch beard adds a dash of character to your face, without the commitment of a full beard. Team a moustache with a soul patch to create the Frank Zappa moustache, or style it out solo: either way, here’s how to trim a soul patch that speaks to your shaving expertise.
What is a soul patch?
A soul patch is a small, sharply-trimmed beard that sits just below the lips, above the chin. Soul patch facial hair styles can be pointed (also known as a ‘soul point’) or square, but they’re generally about the size of a stamp. Precision is the order of the day.
How to grow a soul patch beard
To get a solid soul patch beard, you’ll need to start off with a clean, dry beard at least 1cm long.
How to Trim a Soul Patch beard
What you will need
The soul patch is not one of the trickiest beards to shave but will need a little bit of skill with an electric shaver and beard trimmer to really pull off. Here are our five steps to follow in order to trim a soul patch beard.
Step 1: Trim your facial hair
Use a beard trimmer to bring your facial hair down to around 3-5mm, leaving the hair on the soul patch region under your lip longer.
Step 2: Precisely trim the hairs around the soul patch region
Use your precision trimmer to trim the hairs on your chin, until you’re left with a tuft of hair just under your bottom lip.
Step 3: Precisely shape the soul patch
Now for some more precision work: use your mini foil shaver to define your soul patch. Imagine a line running down the center of your face. Pointed or square, your soul patch beard needs to be evenly distributed on both sides of this line. Start 8-10 mm below the lip and stop above the dip in your chin. Beyond that, there are no rules.
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What you need
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Beardtrimmer series 7000 Vacuum Beard Trimmer
BT7204/85
Less mess vacuum trimmer
Trim your beard, mustache and sideburns while keeping tidy with this trimmer. Its powerful vacuum catches cut hair as you go along, giving you a mess-free trim.
See all benefitsUnfortunately this product is no longer available
Step 4: Now you’ve got the shape, you need to trim
The hardest part was shaping the soul patch, now you’ll need to trim your soul patch beard to your desired length. Use your beard or stubble trimmer to trim the soul patch.
Step 5: Clean up your neck and cheeks
With a rotary shaver, shave your beard cheek line and cheeks. Don’t forget to clean up your neckline too, moving in a gentle, circular motion. Go back to using the mini foil shaver when shaving the tighter areas around your soul patch. You’ve come too far to remove it now.
How to maintain a soul patch beard
Growing a soul patch is easy – but maintenance is even easier. Simply keep the rest of your face clean-shaven and use your stubble trimmer, or precision trimmer, to reshape your patch at will.
Soul patch styles have a history
Today, the soul patch beard serves no real purpose. Anyone can grow one, and they suit all face types. At some point in your life a soul patch will just feel right … and then it won’t. When the time comes to move on, think of a soul patch as training wheels for a full beard – or a holiday from a clean shave.
This relatively low-maintenance mini beard first gained popularity with beatniks and artists in the 1950s. It’s said that jazz trumpeters started the trend for soul patch styles as they enjoyed the cushioning this beard offered during mammoth jam sessions.
