Beard: 13 euros at the barbershop or 10 minutes at home

Beard: 13 euros at the barbershop or 10 minutes at home

Keeping a decent beard isn't free, but it doesn't have to cost 13 euros every time either. That's roughly the price at a trendy barbershop, according to figures from those who go for it. Against that, home maintenance with a trimmer and a bit of skill comes down to two weekly sessions of about ten minutes. The annual difference, for someone getting it done every two weeks, exceeds 300 euros. And it's not just the money: the barber's skill versus the bathroom mirror marks the line between a well-groomed face and an unwanted visual effect.

The real cost of a well-kept beard

The price range runs from 13 euros at a modern establishment to the 7 a neighborhood barber might charge. Some even manage to get a free touch-up with their haircut, a perk some attribute to their knack for building customer loyalty. The math is simple: at 13 euros every two weeks, the annual cost climbs above 300 euros. At 7 euros, it stays around 180. The home alternative requires an initial investment in a trimmer, but after that the marginal cost is zero.

Time matters too. A short beard, more than three days' growth, requires two days of intensive maintenance a week, never more than ten minutes per session. On those days you shave the cheek area and under the neck, and trim the corner of the upper lip if needed. Anyone keeping a fixed length, like 12 millimeters, just runs the trimmer over and done. The key is consistency, not the tool.

Barber technique versus the mirror at home

The professional finish shows, especially on the edges. Using a razor to define contours is a skill many haven't mastered, and it makes the difference between a home trim and a flawless one. Even so, with practice you can get an acceptable result. The trick is to think of the beard as an optical illusion that changes how your antiestéticatures are perceived: a round face benefits from a longer, fuller beard, while a long one calls for a cut that doesn't stretch the face further.

The neck and lower jaw are critical areas. They're kept shorter because they're seen from a different horizontal angle. Trimming the upper part isn't essential, but it adds a touch of neatness that shows. Most agree that home maintenance, done well, is enough for everyday life; the barbershop is for special occasions or for those seeking perfection.

The beard as a trick and other approaches

Not everyone sees the beard as an aesthetic asset. Some find it a chore and grow one out of laziness, while others shave clean every other day. There's also the theory that its current popularity is an attempt to disguise antiestéticatures, a kind of visual trick. At the opposite extreme, some go for a toothbrush-style mustache, always at home, or a structural fixed-length beard that barely needs attention.

The variety of approaches shows there's no single answer. From the guy with a full beard who just runs the trimmer at 9, to the one who dedicates two days a week to a ten-minute ritual. The decision depends on your time, budget and skill. What's clear is that a beard, like a haircut, is ultimately a matter of personal image and how much you're willing to invest in it.

Is it worth paying 13 euros every fortnight for a trim you could attempt yourself? The answer, as almost always, depends on your skill and how much you value your time.