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Growing a full, glorious beard is just the start. Now you must maintain it and style it, which involves trimming it in particular shapes or along perfect lines.
However, our hands can often be unsteady when wielding our electric beard trimmers. Keeping the beard lines precisely the same on either side, even when looking in the mirror, can be trickier than you might think.
That’s why the beard shaper tool is such a great addition to any man’s beard care kit.
These versatile tools can provide physical guidelines to follow with your electric trimmer or safety razor.
They’ll let you craft a great-looking beard out of the scruff on your face, and help you get rid of errant strands of hair that ruin your aesthetic.
Best of all, they’re easy to use, and you don’t have to spend hours researching to find out which one is the best.
We’ve already done that! In our comprehensive guide, we’ll show you the best beard shaping tools no matter what kind of beard you sport or what style you go for.
We can also give you some tips to make sure you use the tools correctly.
Let’s get started.
QUICK OVERVIEW: Best Beard Shaping Tools
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 | Our Top Pick BEARDCLASS Beard Shaping Tool
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 | The Beard Black Beard Shaping and Styling Tool
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 | Gloryline Beard Shaping Tool Premium Kit for Men
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 | PILPOC Beard Shaping Tool
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 | Grow Alpha Beard Shaper Guide Template
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 | Aberlite Beard Shaper
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 | Manecode Beard Shaping Tool
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 | Aberlite Beard Shaper Kit with Barber Pencil
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 | Megan Beard Shaping Tool Kit
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 | Viking Revolution Beard Shaper Tool and Beard Shaping Template
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Use the table of contents below to jump to the sections most important to you.
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What Exactly Is A Beard Shaping Tool?
Lots of people think that a beard shaper is another term for a beard trimmer.
But in reality, a beard shaping tool (also called a beard line up tool) is best thought of as a physical template for your trimmer to follow as you carve the perfect beard shape from your existing facial hair.
As a physical guide, a beard shaping tool can be used to draw lines through your facial hair or prevent your beard trimmer from trimming too far into your existing hair.
The fact of the matter is that most men aren’t particularly skilled when it comes to freestyle trimming their beards as they’d like.
That’s alright; an excellent beard shaping tool can make it look like you expertly crafted a perfect beard from your scruff.
Most beard shapers are defined by at least a single arc on their interior, which you can use to trim the beard on your cheeks.
This arc will make a perfect line for your trimmer to follow.
Most beard shaping products also have several combs and other measuring marks to help you trim the different parts of your beard to a specific length.
Other beard shapers may have different shapes or angles that you can use in conjunction with your trimmer to shape your beard into a particular style or look.
Want a beard with a more angular twist? Want your beard to end in curved lines at the cheeks, heading down to your mouth?
At the perfect job for a beard shaping tool.
All in all, using a beard shaping tool in combination with your favorite beard trimmer can give you a trim that’s almost as good as going to a professional barber.
It’s a great way to supercharge your trimming experience and make you look even better than before.
Add to that a great beard dye, like the Just For Men beard dye, and your beard will have never looked better!
10 Best Beard Shaping Tools of 2024
1. BEARDCLASS Beard Shaping Tool
This beard shaping tool is thin, easy to use, and affordable for most.
Specs
Who Is It Best For?
It’s a great starter beard shaping tool and ideal for men with thin facial hair.
Key Features
This beard shaper tool is a super-thin plastic implement that allows you to see through the tool as you line up your trimmer for a perfect shave.
Despite being plastic, this type of material has been redesigned for increased durability and shock resistance.
We still found it to be a little brittle for our tastes, but it’s a decent tradeoff for being see-through.
It features a 1 mm thick edge, making it extraordinarily tapered and perfect for men with thinner hair.
The beard shaper features a single long comb on its straightest edge but also has dual “gaps” on either side.
These gaps can trap thicker pieces of hair and allow you to quickly sheer away thicker sections of your beard if you’re transitioning from a thick beard to a thinner style.
The beard shaper has four angles for four different tasks: neck shaping, curved cutting, step cutting, and designing a goatee.
It’s a little large to fit in your pocket, but it’s a good size for most male hands, so we’d classify it as an excellent daily shaper tool rather than a travel one.
In addition to all of these benefits, this shaper tool comes with three accessories to boost its value for money: a pair of trimming scissors that are perfect for use with the shaper tool, an extra comb with thinner teeth, and a keychain.
All in all, this affordable beard shaping toolkit is perfect for men just starting to experiment with beard styles or for experienced facial hair wearers looking for a new, see-through tool for their next shave.
Check out the thousands of customer reviews here on Amazon.
Pros
Cons
2. The Beard Black Beard Shaping and Styling Tool
This shaping tool is one of the smaller ones on our list.
Specs
Who Is It Best For?
It’s an excellent pick for experienced beard-growers, as it doesn’t have a lot of elements that are friendly for beginners.
Key Features
For men looking for a more straightforward beard shaping tool, this might be a perfect choice.
It’s very affordable and is made from a durable black plastic material.
This is the tool’s only downside, as this plastic isn’t the most durable that we’ve seen.
Besides, it’s not see-through despite being plastic, which negates the only possible benefit from the material.
This beard shaping tool is still worth your time thanks to its excellent combs, one on either side of its wings, and its varied angles for cutting.
It features five different angles that are perfect for trimming various sections on your beard or styling your beard exactly the way you like it.
It doesn’t have any measuring marks, unfortunately, due to its dark color.
But there’s no doubt that this beard shaping tool is one of the most stylish on our list.
It’s also a great size that straddles the line between pocket-sized and bathroom-sized.
We’d recommend this beard shaping tool for men who need an affordable assistant for clean lines, and for men who have some experience shaping their beards already.
It doesn’t do much to assist beginners.
Check out the thousands of customer reviews here on Amazon.
Pros
Cons
3. Gloryline Beard Shaping Tool Premium Kit for Men
This beard shaping kit has everything you need to maintain your beard no matter what style it’s in.
Specs
Who Is It Best For?
It’s a great starter kit for men learning how to maintain their beards.
Key Features
This is a full-on beard shaping kit that is perfect for men just starting to practice shaping their beards.
It has everything you could need to jump straight in: a beard shaping tool, a classy wooden comb, updated to prevent hair from falling onto your shirt, and some suction cups to store the bib and/or comb.
There’s also a classy carrying bag to keep all of these accessories organized when they are not in use.
It’s a bit unfortunate that the shaping tool itself isn’t quite small enough for us to classify it as “travel-sized,” as this kit is basically an excellent traveling collection already.
But it’s still a decent tool despite its larger size.
It’s made of plastic, but it is see-through to let you keep a close eye on your progress as you trim your beard.
The shaping tool features dual combs on opposing wings, and some measuring marks to help you achieve perfect mirroring on either side of your face.
It also features six shaping lines, making it a perfect tool for trimming parts of your beard and/or facial hair.
It can even be used to trim your forehead hairline, which isn’t always covered by beard shaping tools. You can also give a try to beard shaping wax.
Check out the hundreds of customer reviews here on Amazon.
Pros
Cons
4. PILPOC Beard Shaping Tool
This beard shaping tool is a jack of all trades and ideal for most facial hairstyles.
Specs
Who Is It Best For?
It’s a perfect choice for men who could use some guided tutorials when it comes to beard maintenance.
Key Features
This versatile beard shaping tool comes with up to seven distinct angles with which to shape or style your facial hair.
It’s got several easy places to grip it, so you won’t have trouble adjusting the tool to make sure your goatee line or sideburns are misaligned.
The tool is made from durable plastic; this does a decent job of holding up after lots of us, and it’s pretty lightweight and easy to hold.
It also comes with a single narrow comb on one edge.
This comb isn’t wide enough to handle an entire cheek’s worth of facial hair, but it’s ideal for combing your chin hair or mustache.
As such, we’d recommend this beard shaping tool for men that pay special attention to the facial hair around their lips.
The teeth of the comb are particularly thin, so it’s a fine comb even for men with bushier mustaches or chin beards.
The shaper comes with a small carrying package and an e-book and instruction guide.
It’s a great pick for men getting started on facial hair trimming, as it has several handy tutorials to show you how to properly hold the tool and use it in conjunction with your favorite trimmer.
It’s also incredibly affordable.
All in all, this is a fantastic beginner’s shaping tool and has every angle you’d need to shape your facial hair for the foreseeable future.
Check out the hundreds of customer reviews here on Amazon.
Pros
Cons
5. Grow Alpha Beard Shaper Guide Template
This shaper tool looks like a “Y” rather than the traditional shaper tool template.
Specs
Who Is It Best For?
This relatively unique beard shaper tool is suitable for men who like to experiment.
Key Features
This beard shaping tool is oriented in a slightly different manner than most other shaping tools.
It features a “Y” shape, with the primary cutting angle being positioned at the top of the shape.
The shaper tool is most easily held by the long neck of the device, though this can make it a little unwieldy for some users.
It’s quite a large tool, even for the hands of a typical man.
But it is quite effective, and its curve-cutting capabilities are unprecedented as far as we’re concerned.
It can lead your trimmer down a perfect arc from your temple down to your mustache.
It features five additional cutting angles to round out the tool and give it some extra versatility.
The tool is made of durable plastic and features a nonslip grip near the center of its arms.
This makes it easy to use in the shower, which is a great spot to do your trimming since you can see what you are doing in the bathroom mirror
This tool is not equipped with a comb, however, which is a rarity among beard shaping tools from all manufacturers.
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You’ll have to use your own comb in conjunction with this tool, which is a bit of a downside.
Still, this is an affordable, see-through beard shaper tool that has a lot to offer for those willing to handle its odd shape.
Check out the hundreds of customer reviews here on Amazon.
Pros
Cons
6. Aberlite Beard Shaper
This beard shaper is meant for one thing only: trimming neck hair.
Specs
Who Is It Best For?
It’s the best choice if you need the most help trimming your neck hair.
Key Features
Unlike other beard shaper tools, this one is specifically designed to help you trim your neckline to perfection.
Rather than being a handheld tool, this beard guide is attached to your head and rests at whatever preset length you want your neckbeard to stop.
It acts as a physical blocker to prevent you from trimming too close to your chin or the underside of your jaw, and it guides your trimmer or safety razor to eliminate everything else.
This allows you to shave your neck in a hands-free fashion, except for the one needed to wield your razor.
It’s made with high-grade plastic to keep it durable but flexible and comfortable at the same time.
Our testers found that it wasn’t too distracting or uncomfortable when they tested it for themselves.
You can even pick it up in three colors: green, blue, or white.
The beard shaper is also flexible thanks to the elastic headband, so you can adjust it based on the size of your head or the thickness of your neckbeard.
However, it lacks any of the other functions that most beard shaper tools bring to the table.
This is a specialty guide rather than a versatile one.
It’s great if you need extra assistance with your neckline, but we’d recommend a different beard shaper tool for everyday needs or for trimming a bigger beard.
Check out the hundreds of customer reviews here on Amazon.
Pros
Cons
7. Manecode Beard Shaping Tool
This beard shaping tool comes with accessories fit for any man on the road.
Specs
Who Is It Best For?
This is the best choice if you need a beard shaping kit to accompany you on your travels.
Key Features
This beard shaping tool kit comes with everything you need to maximize your grooming success and prepare you for handling a beard of any thickness.
It includes a beard shaping tool, a classy wooden comb, some trimming scissors, and a waterproof hygiene travel bag.
This is one of the best shaping kits for travelers, actually, due to its excellent accessories and that bag.
Everything is also affordable for a great asking price!
The shaper tool is made from durable and see-through plastic that isn’t as brittle as we thought it would be.
It only features a single comb with really fine teeth, so you’ll want to make use of the wooden comb that comes with the purchase when it comes time to prepare your beard for trimming.
The shaping tool boasts five cutting angles, including one for your forehead.
It’s an excellent shaping tool for all-encompassing beard maintenance needs.
We did find it odd that the shaping tool lacks any measuring markers to assist with making mirrored trims on either side of your face.
Still, altogether, it’s an excellent travel beard maintenance kit and one that we’d recommend for both new beard growers and experienced beard-boasters alike. This tool is helpful in long beard shaping.
Check out the hundreds of customer reviews here on Amazon.
Pros
Cons
8. Aberlite Beard Shaper Kit with Barber Pencil
This guy bar beard shaper comes with a professional barber pencil.
Specs
Who Is It Best For?
It’s an excellent choice for men who like to mark their own measurements and have ultimate control.
Key Features
Some men take the task of trimming their beards very seriously, treating it like an art rather than a chore.
This beard shaping kit is for them.
It comes with a transparent shaping tool that has a nonslip grip in the middle of its unorthodox shape.
This makes it easier to hold in the shower or in the humid environment of most bathrooms.
The shaping tool’s odd orientation is there on purpose to provide the kit with a larger than the average number of acceptable angles with which to use with your trimmer.
You can make eight different trimming lines with this tool alone.
While it doesn’t have any measurement markers, this tool comes with a barber pencil like the ones you can find at some of the highest-quality salons.
You can use the pencil to make your own custom marks on your face or the tool, and the pencil markings wash off after the application of a little water.
It’s a great way to improve your trimming accuracy if you trust your own hands and like having ultimate control.
All this being said, the shaping tool doesn’t come with any combs, so you’ll need to provide your own.
Besides, the plastic material is a little thin and brittle for our tastes.
But overall, it’s an excellent choice for men who have been trimming their own beards for a while and who like to get creative rather than follow the same lines over and over.
Check out the hundreds of customer reviews here on Amazon.
Pros
Cons
9. Megan Beard Shaping Tool Kit
This shaper tool also has a marking pencil but is in a more traditional shape than the “Y” configuration.
Specs
Who Is It Best For?
It’s a good choice if you like the pencil idea but don’t like Y-shaped shaper tools.
Key Features
This is a perfect beard shaping kit for men that need to build up their shaping tools.
It has a great shaping tool ready to go, made of a durable plastic composite that has a slick black color and sloping edges.
It’s ideal for pressing down unruly or thick beard hair.
There are plenty of angles to let you work on whatever type of beard style you prefer.
The shaping tool comes with a decently-sized comb as well.
Then there are the excellent accessories.
To start, you get a straight edge stainless steel razor.
This type of razor will help you achieve the smoothest shaves of your life; check out our guide to the best straight razors to learn more.
There’s also a pair of stainless steel trimming scissors, which can be used for your beard or head hair alike.
All of these are packaged together under an affordable asking price, so we’d be hard-pressed to not recommend this kit to any man who needs its tools.
Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this kit if you don’t have any of the above necessities.
Your styling options will skyrocket immediately.
Check out the hundreds of customer reviews here on Amazon.
Pros
Cons
10. Viking Revolution Beard Shaper Tool and Beard Shaping Template
This beard shaper tool has lots of angles for men in need of multiple trimming lines.
Specs
Who Is It Best For?
It’s an excellent choice for men with a full or dynamic beard that needs multiple angles for proper trimming.
Key Features
This is another “Y-shaped” beard shaper tool that features a much more durable plastic frame than most other competing plastic shaper tools can manage.
It also has an excellent non-slip grip in the middle that makes it easy to handle even in the ambient moisture of the shower.
The shaping tool has enough angles to allow for six different cutting lines and features some measurement markers to help you keep your step cuts in check.
The plastic material, although durable, still allows you to see-through to your beard and keep your accuracy perfect.
However, there are no integrated combs with this beard shaping tool.
Besides, the measurement markers included are woefully inadequate for most curved cuts.
Still, it’s a decent tool and an affordable one at that.
It’s a good choice if you liked the idea of the Y-shaped tool before but wanted one with a lower asking price.
Check out the hundreds of customer reviews here on Amazon.
Pros
Cons
Things To Consider When Buying a Beard Shaping Tool
We’ve found some excellent beard shaping tools for you to consider.
But let’s go over what our testers looked for to determine the best tools and separate them from mediocre products.
1. Suitable Angles
When it comes to shaping your beard, only specific tools will be able to handle every angle across your face.
There are four main areas that most beard shaping tools can handle: the cheeks, neck, jaw, and sideburns.
These areas are also the spots were most men need a little assistance shaping their beard.
But some beard shaping tools can help make your beard look as good as possible with a few extra angles derived from a creative shape or an extra comb.
Men with full beards and mustaches will want to target beard shaping tools that have as many angles as possible.
Beard shaping tools that can handle multiple angle styles are also advantageous if you like to experiment with your facial hair.
You’ll be able to style your beard in more ways if your beard shaping tool can work with additional angles.
2. Material
Of course, the material that your beard shaper is made from can have a drastic impact on its performance and how long it lasts.
Many beard shaper tools are made from plastic, which helps to keep their price down and makes them easy to use even with beards of relative thickness.
But beard shaper tools that are made from a sturdier material, like some kind of metal, will be more durable in the long run and will be more helpful if you have an unusually thick or tangled beard.
Beard shaper tools aren’t necessarily harder to handle or heavier even if they are made from metal.
Lots of metallic beard shaping tools are made of lightweight metal or transparent composite material that provides the same ease-of-use as plastic without being quite as brittle.
Transparent shaper tools can be of help if you struggle with creating the perfect beard shape each time you use the tool.
Transparent tools can let you keep an eye on your work as you move the shaving tool across your beard.
Then there are wooden beard shaping tools.
While these can look classy, they have a bit of a weakness.
They can heat up after a short while near your electric razor or trimmer.
Wooden beard shaping tools may scratch or scuff from the edge of your trimmer, marking the material as it trims your beard.
Keep this in mind if you think a wooden shaping tool appeals to your rustic aesthetic or sensibilities.
We also really appreciate beard shaping tools made from stainless steel.
Stainless steel is a hypoallergenic material, meaning that it won’t irritate or inflame your skin, and it won’t cause an allergic reaction if you can’t use products with nickel.
Nickel is often found in regular metallic beard shaping tools, so keep this in mind if you do have this allergy.
Stainless steel beard shaping tools are also great because they are resistant to corrosive damage.
Bathrooms are naturally a lot more humid than the rest of your home.
This ambient humidity can lead to rust on your beard shaping tool if you don’t thoroughly dry it after using it or keep it in a cool and dry place.
But stainless steel beard shaping tools aren’t at risk for corrosive damage.
You can safely leave them just about anywhere without worrying about them becoming damaged over time.
Overall, the right material for your beard shaping tool may be different from another man’s.
But consider which material you think would work best before finalizing any purchase.
3. Size
The size of your beard shaping tool matters a great deal, as well.
Small shaping tools aren’t necessarily less useful than large ones.
Smaller beard shaping tools are perfect for putting in your bag and taking with you to a social event or during a business trip.
These are easy to use and often have the same number of combs as a larger beard shaping tools.
They tend to be lighter in weight and are also often more affordable.
However, many small beard shaping tools don’t have as many operational angles as larger shaping tools and may be made from a cheaper material.
Large beard shaping tools are better for guys with huge beards that reach past their chin, or who like to have more creative angles when it comes time to trim their facial hair.
Large shaping tools are also easier to use with most beard trimmers since trimmer heads are often almost as broad as the combs on smaller tools.
Once again, there’s no perfect size for every man.
4. Comb Number
Beard shaping tools primarily hold your beard or style it through the use of one or more combs.
These combs can be used to keep your beard in the perfect position for trimming with your favorite beard trimmer.
They can also help smoothen your beard out and make it look superb by eliminating tangles and forcing your hair to relax in one direction.
Not all shaping tools have the same number of combs, however.
Every shaper will have at least one by default, but most shaping tools come with a pair of combs on either side or on each pair of wings.
Many of the best beard shaping tools will have more than two combs, each with teeth of different sizes or in various lengths.
These give you additional styling options and can help you shape your beard in the exact orientation you desire.
However, the number of combs on a beard shaping tool isn’t as crucial as some other aspects.
Why is this?
You can always purchase an excellent beard shaping tool with a single comb and use another comb of a different size if the included comb isn’t ideal for a small section of your beard.
This heavily depends on you having extra combs, of course.
But we think that the best beard shaping tool for your needs will only have as many combs as necessary.
It doesn’t do you any good to pick up a beard shaping tool with too many combs if you aren’t going to use them.
They just take up space and make the tool harder to handle.
In general, shaping tools with only one or two combs are more comfortable to use than beard shaping tools with three or more.
5. Accessories
Finally, don’t forget to consider any accessories that might come with your shaping tool purchase.
Lots of the best beard shaping tools will come in kits or packages designed to include all the things you need to take care of your beard for the foreseeable future.
These can include scissors that you can use to trim up any trouble spots which resist cutting from your trimmer.
Other beard shaping tools will come with carrying cases or other goodies.
All in all, accessories aren’t necessary for a beard shaping tool to be worth your time.
But they do make a deal better and improve a product’s value for money.
They can also be especially valuable for men who are just starting to build their beard maintenance tool collection.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beard Shaping Tools
Now that we’ve shown you the best beard shaping tools on the market, let’s go over any last-minute questions you might still have and make sure you know how to use your new tool correctly!
1. How To Shape Your Beard?
Beard shaping tools don’t look very intuitive, we admit. But using them is a lot easier than you might think.
- Find your beard shape.
- Brush your beard hair all in the same direction.
- Shape your sideburns and remove any hairs that appear on your cheeks above your beard line.
- Define your neckline with a razor or extremely close-cutting beard trimmer.
