Some men can go a while without having to shave their beards, while others need to get on a regimented schedule. For those of you asking “How often should I shave my beard?” here’s our breakdown:

First and foremost, your shave schedule depends on the look you’re after. If you want a clean finish, that means you will have to shave more often than if you wanted a slight stubble.

If you prefer to keep a little stubble, we recommend shaving more often, at a frequency of 2-3 days a week. This will help you maintain some scruff while also looking cleaned and maintained. You have to test it out for yourself, as hair growth is particular to each person, so if you find that you are unhappy with your beard status, you may have to shave more frequently.

On the other hand, if you want a clean-shaven look, you may have to shave every first or second day — based on your hair growth patterns. This schedule will usually help you keep a clean-shaven look.

The rule of thumb is to first figure out what look you want to go for, and then test out your particular hair growth patterns.