How to Trim a Fake Full Beard

A fake beard can completely transform the look of an actor on stage. It can transform a younger actor into an older character and a female actor into a male character. After being applied, a fake beard will need to be trimmed to create the desired beard shape. Read on to learn how to trim a fake full beard.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Use hair-cutting scissors to trim a fake beard. Hair-cutting scissors are sharp enough to sever each fake hair cleanly instead of shredding the hair. The blades are also slim so that they can cut a single hair at a time if needed.
2. Trim any obvious fly-away hairs. These are hairs that are noticeably longer than most of the others. Trim the hairs down to match the rest of the beard.
3. Decide the best length for the beard. A fake beard can be trimmed very close to the skin so that it looks more like long stubble. It can also be left long and flowing if desired. Take a look at the way the fake beard looks as it is and notice the areas that are longer than they should be to achieve your look.
4. Cut carefully, holding the scissors parallel to the face. This aligns the hairs so that one cut will make a straight line across the beard. Do this all over the beard so that it is all the same length. Pay special attention to the area of the beard under the chin and on the neck. This area will need to be trimmed with more cuts that the facial area because of its shape. The neck and throat are more rounded and it will be harder to keep the scissors parallel to the face to make long cuts.
5. Brush off the trimmings and look over the beard for spots that are uneven. It may take several repetitions of trimming and assessing before the beard is the length and shape you wish.