Beards are just as unique and unruly as the men who wear them, and sometimes they need a bit of taming.
If you’ve been paying attention in recent years, there’s been a huge resurgence on the importance of facial hair and people are sitting up and taking notice of how men choose to wear theirs.
Can you learn to shape your own beard then and what are some of the most popular styles?
Beard maintenance is an essential part of grooming that every man should have in their routine and it’s easy enough to do at home with some practice.
There are shorter styles to keep things neat and ways to maintain the volume you’ve spent so long growing, so the world is your oyster when it comes to beard grooming.
No beard or facial hair grows as it is without needing any grooming, so it’s a life skill that every man should have.
Knowing how to keep yours maintained or go a step further with styling skills to change up your look now and then is a valuable tool to have in your back pocket, and keeps your appearance on point.
Facial hair is just as important as the hair on our head, and for some men, it’s the most important of all.
With the right tools and just an ounce of know-how, you can become your very own beard groomer, giving you a chance to experiment with the latest facial hair trends and make your facial hair your best asset.
If you’d like to see a graphical breakdown of the beard styles, we got you covered:
How To Shape A Beard – 10 Beard Styles
What Do You Need to Shape a Beard at Home?
For the man who wants to learn how to shape their own beard, you need to have a lot of patience and discipline. Beard hair can be unpredictable and have a mind of its own, so what works for one man might not work for you.
Expect a lot of trial and error with different styles and products until you find that perfect fit.
As well as being open to experimentation, you need a good set of facial hair clippers and a razor.
The razor needs to be sharp and effective, and not a rusted old one you have lying around. It’s preferable to use an electric razor as they offer a gentler, close shave with less irritation, but whatever you’re comfortable working with.
Finally, you need to know what style of beard is going to suit your face. Your facial hair should be just one working part of your overall look. It needs to match your hair and eyebrows, as well as your overall appearance.
Before jumping in and shaping your beard, you should have a pretty clear picture of the look you’re going for and a frank discussion with yourself about if it’s going to work.
The one upside to learning how to shape a beard is that you have a forgiving canvas to work with. Facial hair grows fast and if you mess it up, it won’t be long before you can take what you’ve learned and try again.
Therefore, feel free to experiment but don’t rush things, as grooming a beard should be done with patience and care.
Top 6 Shaped Beard Styles
When you’re looking for a new ‘do, hairstylists recommend choosing one that complements your face shape.
The good news is, this science can be applied to beard styles as well. Take a look in the mirror to establish what your face shape is and let that lead you to a facial hairstyle that’s going to bring out your best features.
The best way to learn how to shape a beard is to check your own face for an appropriate design and style.
Different face types require a different skill set. For example, learning how to shape a pointed beard is very different from how to shape stubble.
1. Oval Face
An oval face is pretty symmetrical and considered one of the best looking shapes. It’s got oval edges without any sharp or jarring parts, and that’s precisely how your beard should be.
A man with an oval-shaped face can wear just about any beard style he wants, provided it has soft, oval-like edges. Avoid anything with sharp edges because it won’t work with your bone structure, but go as short or as long as your heart desires.
2. Round Face
If you have a round face, whether it’s due to having some extra weight on your, or just the natural shape of your face, your options are slightly limited.
The best option is something with a lot of length if you can grow it, because this will elongate your face and thin it out. The sides should be kept short so it doesn’t add to the wideness but you can go as long as possible vertically.
3. Rectangular Face
Yes, there are some faces out there that resemble a rectangle, and a quick glimpse in the mirror will confirm if you’re one of them. You’ll have a longer face with pretty straight sides and chin, and very little in the way of soft edges.
In terms of beards, you want to go the opposite to the round face and choose something shorter on the bottom but wider on the sides. This will prevent your face from looking to narrow and add some natural curves to it.
4. Square Face
Think of a man with a chiseled jaw and you get a good idea of what the square face looks like. Men with square faces should opt for long and narrow beards that’ll help stretch it out more and give it length.
The sides need to be kept short and maintained more regularly, and once it grows out a bit lengthwise you can make it into an oval shape for even better results.
5. Triangular Face
These men have faces with a wider jaw and narrower forehead, just like a triangle. As most other beards are aimed at evening out the face, this can be hard to do with a triangle, as you’re already plenty full in the chin.
The best advice is to keep your beard as short as possible, maybe with just a bit of stubble. If you really can’t live without full facial hair, you want a long and narrow beard that sculpts inwards.
It won’t work for every triangular man though, so be prepared to scrap it all and go back to nothing if you have to.
6. Diamond Face
A diamond-shaped face is one that has wide cheekbones with a jaw and forehead that gets narrower. This can be trickier to style because a few different angles are working for you.
The sides should always be short but the bottom long, paying careful attention to the chin. Keep your chin short as well as it’ll give the illusion of a softer angle from your cheeks.
10 Most Popular Beard Styles
There’s never been a better time to grow a beard, with the world having a love affair with facial hair at the moment.
If you want to shake things up and try something new, we’ve got a list of the 10 most popular beard styles of the season and how you can achieve them at home.
#1 Balbo Beard
The Balbo style beard features a full, floating mustache and beard with no sideburns. The hair is full on the chin with thinner sides, and a close angled shave on the cheekbones, so it suits people with narrow faces to round them out.
You’ll need to grow a full beard before you attempt to style it, which will take around four weeks depending on your hair growth.
Once long enough, shave the sides down and leave the bottom short and boxed. Go over the sides again with a closer shave and a straight razor so you can get the lines meticulous.
#2 Short Stubble
Take a look around the next time you’re out and about, and you’ll see just how popular the short stubble look is. This is ideal for anyone who doesn’t want to go to extremes in grooming but still likes the look that facial hair gives them.
All you have to do is keep growing your mustache and beard for a week and then continue trimming it weekly to keep it neat and tidy. Pay special attention to hair growing above the cheeks and on the neck, as these should always be clean.
#3 Long Stubble
To take things one step further, you might want to test out the long stubble look. This style suits every face shape so you can’t go wrong, but you should have enough hair to keep your face sufficiently covered.
Long stubble is considered around 6mm and needs more maintenance than its short counterpart. It should be a consistent length all around, without any hair growing above the cheeks or on the neck, so you should be trimming it once a week.
#4 Van Dyke Beard
This style is not for the faint-hearted but if you have the right face for it, it can make a huge difference. The Van Dyke beard was named after a famous painted from the seventeenth century, so it has that old-timey look that beard aficionados love.
To get the Van Dyke, let your beard grow out so it’s long. Shave the cheek, neck, and sideburns off to a close shave, and leave the chin to grow around two inches. Style the beard into a V-shape by trimming it, being careful not to rush.
#5 Circle Beard
This is the quintessential beard, probably exactly like the one your dad had in the 80s or 90s. A circle beard has both a goatee style beard with a simple mustache and is kept pretty tidy.
If you want minimal facial hair without losing the definition that a beard gives, this is the gold standard. To get a circle beard, let it grow for a few months without going nuts on trimming.
When it reaches the right length, use your electric trimmer to gently smooth out the edges to make it into a circular shape.
#6 Bandholz Beard
Eric Bandholz is a living legend in the world of facial hair, and so much so that he even has a beard name after him.
The Bandholz is one of the most popular beard types today and requires quite a bit of hair to pull off, so you need around seven months to grow it. It requires a lot of patience but allows you to use the natural shape of your beard and mustache to come through.
Once it’s at the desired length and fullness, you only want to shape it slightly to suit your face, without taking anything away from the volume.
#7 Chinstrap Beard
This is a classic beard style that’s seen a resurgence in recent times, with plenty of celebrities sporting it. The chinstrap features a clearly defined edge of hair that follows the jawline and works for any man with a round or square face.
The chair covers the entire length of the jawline and chin so hair growth must be consistent.
To get one, let your hair grow at least half an inch then use your trimmers to cut the shape and length you need. Use a razor to get a close shave to finish the look, keeping the edges neat.
#8 Garibaldi Beard
If you’re a man who loves his facial hair but just doesn’t have the time to constantly maintain it, the Garibaldi is the way to go. This beard is wide, full and scruffy, includes a mustache, and has a rounded bottom.
Let your hair grow to around 8 inches under the chin, which should take around four months, and then focus on trimming the bottom to create this roundness. It looks better unstyled so avoid the products, leaving it to fluff out on its own.
#9 Full Beard
For those of us lucky enough to grow ample facial hair, the full beard is the perfect way to show it off. This is the manliest of all the many beards and although it’s full, it should be kept well-groomed.
Better suited to men with triangle or diamond-shaped faces, it can look different on everyone depending on their hair type.
To get one, leave your beard to grow everywhere until it’s at least an inch long, and then shape it with a razor to get the desired effect. Do some regular trimming to keep it clean and be sure to condition and wash your beard as well.
#10 Goatee
Yes, there are plenty of men out there who still like the goatee. This simple facial hairstyle features a small pointed beard and can be worn with or without a mustache.
To grow yours, let the hair underneath the cheeks go long, so there’s at least an inch of hair underneath the chin. Shape it into a triangular shape and keep the neck clean for added effect.
The Ultimate Men’s Fashion Accessory
A well-groomed beard can take your overall look from drab to stylish and it can have a huge impact on your appearance.
Learning how to shape your beard and understanding what styles work for your face shape is a crucial part of looking and feeling good, and it only takes a few minutes a week.
The beard is definitely having a comeback and regardless of how you wear it, it’s something that needs constant love and attention. With the right tools and products, your beard will be clean, cut, and conditioned, giving a much-needed boost to your appearance and self-esteem.
Related Questions
Facial hair is nothing new but the way men style and care for them certainly are. There’s a lot to learn to grow the best beard possible, so if you’re just learning about facial hair we’ve answered some common questions that could quell your confusion.
How Do I Separate My Mustache From My Beard?
Facial hair grows in different patterns and thicknesses for every man, but if you want to make a clear definition between the mustache and the beard there’s a method that works for everyone.
To keep your mustache separate requires you to grow the mustache hairs longer than the beard, so they can then be twisted and separated using a styling balm.
Can I Grow a Beard Without a Mustache?
Beards can be grown without mustaches, either by choice or because your facial hair pattern goes that way.
Some people prefer to keep their mustache trimmed as it causes irritation and makes eating and drinking harder to do, and the non-technical term for a beard without a mustache is a “lion’s mane”.
Can You Make Your Beard Grow Faster?
While there’s no scientific way to make your facial hair grow faster, there are some things that can help. Keep your face clean and exfoliated to avoid dead skin cells, trim the hair regularly, apply a beard balm to condition it, and having a balanced diet and lifestyle to promote overall health.