How to Trim & Style Sideburns for Men?

As the name suggests, sideburns are a strip of facial hair that men grow on the sides of their faces. This magnificent sideburn style was earlier known as burnside as it was named after American Civil War general Ambrose Burnside. He is credited to be the one who popularized this rugged yet fierce style in the late 19th century.

1. Start off with clean hair. Wash off any product that you’ve previously applied. Pat dry your face.

2. Now, comb your sideburn hair in a downward direction, which is usually the direction of the hair growth. This helps in detangling the hair which in turn gives you evenness and precision in the final picture.

3. Choose a beard trimmer, depending on the length of sideburns you wish to style. The Braun MGK5280 All-in-one Beard Trimmer is a great pick to style sideburn hair. It comes with 4 combs that help you achieve any beard length from 0.5 - 21 mm. The beard trimmer head helps you create an accurate line and edge for achieving precise sideburns. It is also washable and waterproof which makes it easy to use the shower.

4. Start combing the hair forward and trim off the excess hair that goes beyond your hairline.

5. Once the desired length is achieved, place your index finger on the end of your sideburns. This trick helps you check the evenness of your sideburns.

It might look super fun to style sideburns. However, one little mistake can make or break the look. So, before you end up with not-so-perfectly trimmed sideburns, you need to have a look at these tips:

1. Measure the evenness of your sideburns with one another and not with the evenness of your ear. There are chances that your ears might be at an uneven length which might result in odd-looking sideburns.

2. Always keep the length of your sideburns lower than the top of your ear.

3. Start with a higher numbered clipper guard, one that matches the rest of the hair length. This will keep you away from trimming excess hair and then regretting it.

Just as there are men who can't grow a full beard, there are those who face the same issues with their sideburns. But there are remedies to every situation.

For many short to medium hairstyles, the best way to cover the lack of sideburn growth is to fade or "taper" the sideburns. The taper can range from subtle to severe, depending on the preferred style. Either way, it creates a sense of individuality in an otherwise common hairstyle and camouflages a lack of sideburns.

The other option is to "grow" a pair of sideburns. This trick works best for men that enjoy wearing hairstyles anywhere from medium length to long. Here's how: Separate a small portion of hair that grows just in front of your ears and trim to your desired sideburn length.

Determining the length of sideburns should be based on two things: face shape and personality. Sideburn lengths can range anywhere from short (top of the ear), extra-long (bottom of the ear), to mutton chops, and anywhere in between. If the look is more conservative the width of sideburns shouldn't exceed 1 ½", Wider (greater than 1 ½") sideburns assume a more creative look in style - and most likely - career choice. The face shape is another factor to consider. The longer the face the shorter the sideburns should be. Consequently, the shorter the face the longer the sideburns can go (within reason). Medium-length sideburns (just above the center of the ear) and penciled (or pointed) styles are among the most common and popular. Mutton chops can be found in smaller, more creative circles. But personality is always a factor as to what look works best.

Last but not least is maintenance. Let's start with how to keep these sideburns even. My famous "pointer finger" test works flawlessly every time! Take both index fingers and place them at the bottom of your left and right sideburn. Have a look in the mirror, and take notice of which finger is higher on the side of your face than the other. If you like the length of the higher one, trim the longer one a little at a time (while continuing to use the "pointer finger" test) until it's even with the other.

The easiest way to keep them under control (no matter the shape or size), is with a pair of trimmers. These will not only let you create but also maintain your desired length. Because sideburns can be a combination of beard hair and head hair, consider trimming them every 2-3 days.

To keep them close, start with the highest number guard and work your way down the numbers to get the desired length, trimming up (jaw to temple) to remove the most bulk. To keep the bulk and remove the stray hairs, trim downward (temple to jawline), which also gives a smoother appearance.

Braun brings a range of trimming and shaving products that have ergonomic designs. Each of them delivers a precise cut and gives you your desired look in an effortless manner. If you are a beard enthusiast then the Braun Beard Trimmer BT5260 is an ideal pick for you. It comes with a precision dial which has 39 length settings in 0.5 mm step sizes. Its main beard trimmer head enables you to create precise lines and edges. This trimmer has lifetime sharp blades that easily cut through thick hair without any irritation. While we are talking about precision, the Braun Precision Trimmer PT 5010 works like a charm! Its extra small head helps you define sharp lines and shapes. It makes things easy while trimming those hard-to-reach areas like under your nose or chin. This trimmer comes with two extra combs namely 5mm and 8mm.

That’s not it, the Braun MGK7221 All-in-one trimmer is another great option. It is engineered with AutoSensing motor that adapts to any beard type and cuts with precision. It has 13 length settings and 8 attachments that provide ultimate styling experience. You can use this trimmer for beard, face, hair, beard, body, ear and nose. Lastly, its washable and waterproof, perfect for in-shower grooming.

Take a look at all our Braun Beard Trimmers Range here and enjoy precision trimming for every style.

The entire charm to style sideburns lies in the right choice of trim you choose as per your face shape and hairstyle. So, keep these tips and tricks in mind. Soon you will be a pro at trimming sideburns and acing the style!