One of the most overlooked aspects of most men’s grooming routines is their sideburns. They may not get as much attention as a haircut or beard, but they’re just as important when it comes to framing your face the right way.

Sideburn fashions come and go, and depending on the era, they’re either full or non-existent. But, in general, it’s a good idea to have them. You just don’t want some wild muttonchops getting in the way of the rest of your facial features. 

So here’s what to know about adequately maintaining your sideburns.

How Long Should Your Sideburns Be? 

Sideburns should be influenced by the rest of your hair. If it’s on the short side, then you want your sideburns short, too. However, if your hair’s a little wilder, then you have a bit more leeway when it comes to fullness.

If your hair grows particularly fast, you’ll have to do more to stay on top of your sideburn maintenance. 

When it comes to length, it really depends on each guy’s face. However, the general rule of thumb is that you never really want to go further than your ear’s midpoint. 

You can go longer if you happen to have a longer face. But most guys will want that mid-ear look. 

5 Sideburn Rules to Follow

As you dabble in sideburn etiquette, here are some good pointers for always looking your best.

5. Always Have Sideburns

There have been periods of time where men didn’t really sport sideburns. Those were dark times. 

As of right now, sideburns are in. You always want at least a little sideburn to help give your face some more definition. 

4. Sideburns Should Be as Thick As Your Hair

You don’t want sideburns that are thicker than the hair on the top of your head. It’ll just look weird. 

Instead, keep sideburns the same thickness, if not a little thinner. Unless, of course, you’re going for a bold look with thick muttonchops, but that’s a topic for another blog. 

3. Never Trim Above the Middle of the Ear

The shortest you want your sideburns is mid-ear. As mentioned previously, you can go a little longer than that if you have a particularly long face, but that’s about it.

You never want to trim your sideburns to the point they end above mid-ear. At this position, they come across as tiny nubs.

Make sure you position them properly by each ear. It’s rare that ears are perfectly symmetrical, so keep them mid-ear to each ear they’re next to. No one will be able to tell your ears are off-kilter otherwise.

2. Keep Your Sideburns at the Same Width

Additionally, sideburns should be at the same width with one another. This is another matter of symmetry where you don’t want to draw attention to one over the other.

In general, you don’t want to exceed sideburns that are 1.5 inches in width. Going further than that is a creative choice and one that you want to be certain you can back up.

1. Keep Your Haircut Fresh to Balance Out the Sideburns

Most men will want to get a haircut once every few weeks or perhaps once a month to stay fresh. However, if you want to maintain sideburns, you may want to go a bit more frequently.

When you’re at the barber, you can have them trim up your sideburns so that they match the rest of your aesthetic. After that, you may have to do them yourself once or twice between cuts. 

Then again, if you don’t want to risk messing them up, see your barber more often. They’d be happy to get your sideburns looking sharp.

References:

“What’s the Rule for Sideburns?” Men’s Health, 14 Apr 2014. https://www.menshealth.com/style/a19532789/sideburns/

Praetorius, Stephen J. “Here’s What to Do with Unruly Sideburns.” GQ, 25 Aug. 2016. https://www.gq.com/story/how-to-take-care-of-your-sideburns-between-cuts