You might think of sideburns as something you only see in old portraits or a style that is no longer current, but nothing could be further from the truth. The famous X-Men character Wolverine has sideburns, and the singer of Triggerfinger wears them in combination with a moustache. The singer of Motörhead had sideburns with a moustache. Sideburns, also known in English as “sideburns,” are therefore still quite common.
There are also variations to wear sideburns in a more subtle way, such as only in front of the ear or just down to the cheekbones, as Elvis used to wear them.
If you want to express that same style, then sideburns are something for you. It is also important to know that the correct term is “bakkebaarden” and not “bakkenbaarden.” ;)
Fashionable sideburns
There are several ways you can wear your sideburns. For example, you can leave a patch of beard in front of your ear, making it look as though you have more hair.
You can also leave a line from your hair down to your jaw while shaving off the rest of the beard.
Or you can let the sideburn extend slightly forward so that it almost embraces your cheekbone, making it stand out more. This gives you a true Elvis look.
Do you want to appear super masculine? Then you can let the sideburns grow down to your chin.
In general, the hair on sideburns is short—like a five-day beard—but of course, you can grow it longer for a super old-school style. Just make sure you properly care for and hydrate the beard hairs so that they look well-groomed.
Shaving sideburns
How do you know which type of sideburn suits your face best? In general, men shave from the ears towards the chin. This works well to check whether a ring beard or moustache suits you, but it does nothing to determine whether sideburns are right for you.
Instead, to find your ideal sideburns, you should start shaving from the chin and slowly work your way towards the ears to see which style suits you best.
First, check whether the Triggerfinger look suits you — that is, the sideburns with a moustache. Then shave off the moustache to see whether the Wolverine look works for you. After that, move on to the cheekbone sideburns like Elvis had, and then you can consider the short sideburn that does not extend much beyond your ear.
Sideburns need sharp lines to have a good effect. Therefore, it is useful to use a classic razor, such as a double-edge safety razor. If you have a shaving set, it helps to have all the essentials for shaving and keeping your sideburns neat.
But how do you maintain your sideburns nicely?
The best way to tidy your sideburns is with small scissors or a beard trimmer. You can easily trim your sideburns if you want to make them slightly thinner. You can also trim them by using an attachment on your beard trimmer, which allows you to choose a specific length, although in many cases you will want your sideburns longer than the longest setting on a trimmer.
A comb can help to create clean lines for your sideburns. A good beard comb you can use is the one from Baxter of California. Their beard comb is made of high-quality cellulose acetate through a twelve-step process that is all done by hand. The tapered teeth of the comb make it glide smoothly through your sideburns.
The great thing is that sideburns can be ideally combined with other types of beards, such as a circle beard, goatee, or a particular moustache. This way, you can create a truly unique look if you are not afraid of a little attention.
Caring for sideburns
Although it may sometimes seem that sideburns are part of the hair on your head, they are actually beard hairs. Therefore, in terms of care, it is important to treat them as such. When you have neatly trimmed or shaved your sideburns into shape, you will want to care for them properly. You can easily do this with a beard oil, as it nourishes both the sideburn hairs and the skin underneath.
If you really want to style your sideburns, you could consider using a beard balm. A beard balm offers a bit more styling potential if you are going for more extreme sideburns.
If you only have sideburns and no moustache or beard, then beard oil may be a little unnecessary. However, your sideburns still need care, so I would simply include them when applying your moisturiser. Make sure to massage the skin beneath your sideburns properly, and then it should be fine. In this way, you also reduce the chance of white flakes or dandruff in your sideburns.
Conclusion
Sideburns are a unique part of facial hair and evoke certain associations for many people. Think of Elvis, The Blues Brothers, or Wolverine with their famous sideburns. It has to suit you to let your sideburns grow, but there are many beard styles you can combine them with. It is important to trim or shave your sideburns into shape to keep them looking neat. And a little beard oil or moisturiser certainly won’t hurt for longer sideburns. See all beard products in the Moquer shop!