How to Tie Up a Long Beard

Co-authored by Mark LoBiondo

Last Updated: April 28, 2022 References

Once you’ve successfully grown a long beard, you might be looking for ways to tie it up to hide it or get it out of the way from time to time. You might try knotting and tucking your beard into itself to give it a shorter, more tidy appearance for a day. Or, perhaps you just want to keep it tied up in a hairband so it doesn’t get in the way while you’re sleeping or traveling. You can even get creative and use different objects to tie your beard or braid it before you put on a hairband. Ultimately, whatever’s easiest and works best to achieve the look or function you’re going for is the right method!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Knotting and Tucking a Beard with a Hairband

1
Put a few drops of beard oil in your beard to make it easier to handle. Squeeze 1-2 drops of your favorite beard oil into one of your palms and rub your hands together to oil them up. Run your hands through your beard to work the oil into it until most of the oil is gone from your hands.^{[1]
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- If you don’t have beard oil handy, you can skip this step. Your beard may just be a bit harder to manage.
- Rub any oil leftover on your hands into your arm skin or anywhere else you want to moisturize. For example, if you have tattoos, the oil can moisturize them and give them a nice bright appearance.
- This method is ideal if you want to make your long beard look shorter and neater without shaving or trimming off any of the length. For example, use it if you want to look more groomed for a job interview or a special occasion.
2
Brush your beard using a hairbrush or comb to untangle it. Start at the top of your beard right below your chin. Brush or comb straight down to the tip several times until it feels straight and tangle-free.^{[2]
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- If you don’t have a comb or brush that you can use at the moment, the next best thing is to run your fingers through your beard to brush it out.
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3
Tie your beard in a single knot right below your chin. Use one hand to hold your beard together tightly just below your chin. Wrap your beard around the fingertips of that hand using your other hand, then pull the length of your beard through the loop you created to tie it in a knot.^{[3]
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- Try to pull the knot up within about 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) of your chin. If the knot is too low, you won’t be able to tuck it properly.
- If it’s your first time doing this, you might have to try a couple of times to get the hang of it. Just be patient and keep trying until you create a nice, neat knot close to your chin.
4
Wrap the bottom part of your beard around the top part above the knot. Grab your beard below the knot and start coiling it tightly around itself just above the knot. Tuck any frizzy or poofy part that you’re left with at the end behind the knot and hold everything in place between your fingers.^{[4]
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- It’s important not to let go of your wrapped beard yet because it will probably just uncoil itself.
5
Put a small hairband around your wrapped beard to secure it in place. Grab the hairband in your free hand and spread it apart using your fingertips. Slide it over the knot in your beard and on top of the wraps you made, then slip your fingers out.^{[5]
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- Any small elastic hairband will work for this.
- Avoid using any hairband that you have to twist and double up in order to make it tight enough. This will add unnecessary bulk that will make the knot harder to tuck.
- You could stop here if you just want to keep your beard in a little bun-style knot. However, if you want a neater look, continue to tuck it.
6
Make space in your beard behind the knot using your thumbs and tuck it. Press both of your thumbs into your beard behind the knot and spread it to the sides to create a little nest for the knot. Use one of your thumbs to push the knot inside the space you created while holding it open with the other thumb, then remove both thumbs^{[6]
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- You should now look like you have a shorter beard.
- If the tucked knot feels or looks too bulky in the middle of your beard, you can try sliding it over to 1 side of your chin inside your beard. Feel free to play around with the positioning of the tucked knot to find what works best for you.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using a Hair Tie in Different Ways

1
Slide a hair tie over the middle of your beard to keep it together in a pinch. Bunch your beard together in the middle using one hand.^{[7]
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Research source} Use your other hand to slip a hair tie over your beard and let go of it in the middle so it holds your beard loosely together.
- If the hair tie is too loose to hold your beard together in the middle, twist it and double it up so that it stays on.
- This technique is a super quick way to tie up your long beard and keep it from blowing around in the wind or something like that.
- Any type of stretchy hair tie you have handy will work for any of these techniques.
2
Wrap a hair tie tightly around the bottom of your beard for a bushier look. Pinch your beard together tightly about 2/3 of the way towards the bottom tip. Slide a hair tie over it and twist and double up the hair tie 2-3 times until it is nice and tight.^{[8]
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- This is another way you can quickly tie your long beard up to get it out of the way while you’re traveling or doing something outside on a windy day.
- This technique is similar to putting a hair tie loosely in the middle of your beard, but the upper section will look bigger and bushier while the lower section will be more neat and tight.
3
Fold your beard back and up and put a hair tie on it to tie it up while you sleep. Slip a hair tie around one of your wrists. Use both hands to bunch up your beard, then flip the bottom half up behind the top half and hold it in place. Slide the hair tie off your wrist and onto the middle of your folded beard to keep it like that.^{[9]
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- This is great for when you’re sleeping because it keeps you from tugging on your beard while you roll around at night.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Trying Braids, Rings, and Bows

1
Braid your beard for a cool woven look. Separate your beard into 3 equal sections and put a small rubber hair band around the tip of each section. Cross 1 of the outside sections over the middle section, then cross the opposite outside section over the middle. Repeat the weaving pattern until you braid your beard down to the bottom, then slide a hairband over the tip of the braid to keep it tight.^{[10]
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- You can try different styles of beard braiding to achieve different looks. For example, you could braid just the bottom half to keep the top half looking bushy, braid the entire thing more tightly for a neater look, or even do 2 separate braids to make yourself look like a Viking warrior!
2
Twist your beard and slide a ring over it for a unique vintage look. Choose a decorative ring, such as a chunky metal ring with a bright stone in the middle. Twist the bottom 1/3 or so of your beard until it's thin enough to slide the ring over, then slip it through the ring and let go of your beard, so it untwists itself and fills in the ring.^{[11]
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- You can add to this look by sliding a tiny rubber hair band over the bottom tip of your beard. This will tighten up the bottom underneath the ring for a neater style and keep your beard out of the way even more.
- You could also try dividing your beard in half down the middle and putting a ring on each side for a variation on this look that could look great paired with a leather jacket and a motorcycle!
3
Tie a ribbon into a bow in your beard for a fun festive style. Wrap a ribbon of the color of your choice around the middle of your beard, starting at the back. Loop and tie the ribbon into a neat bow facing towards the front.^{[12]
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- For example, you could tie your beard up with a shiny red or green bow for a winter holiday party or use an orange bow when you dress up for Halloween.

Warnings

Don’t tie your beard up so tight that it pulls on your hair. This can cause irritation and even hair loss.

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Avoid using any hair ties that have metal bands. These can snag and rip out your beard hairs.

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