Beards have gone unpredictably in and out of fashion throughout history; and, as you’ve probably noticed, they came back to stay. Many men love sporting one, but we are usually in the dark about the specific styles out there that may work better for us. Not every beard goes well with every face, and it’s important to know which cut is more suitable for you. Depending on what you want, different beard styles help accentuate different facial features, so you should focus on emphasizing exactly those that compliment your looks.
No matter how full or patchy your beard is, you can bet there’s at least one look for you out there. Here are the best beard styles for each and every facial structure.
Don’t forget to scroll all the way down to see the description for each style.
The Face
Round
Assuming you want a well-defined and slim-looking face, you’ll need to grow your beard at the bottom to elongate and balance your shape. Shave closely along your cheekbones since it’d give a sharp angle and definition to your jawline.
The best looks for you would be the Yeard, the Natural (Long), the Lined-Up, and the Balbo.
Rectangular
This shape requires the exact opposite of what round shapes need. If you want a well-balanced face, you should try shorter hair on your chin and fuller sides to avoid lack of definition. Shorter styles are probably the best bet to this bone structure, since long beards tend to elongate your face regardless of how you trim them.
You’ll probably want to get the Natural (Short), the Lined-Up, the Balbo, or the Scruff.
Square
As it happens with the round shape, go for a fuller chin with short sides to achieve good balance. This will help you emphasize your cheekbones, and allow you to take advantage of your jawline.
The best styles for you are the Scruff, the Circle, the Balbo, the Goatee, and the Natural (Long or Short).
Oval
The lucky ones, as almost any style will look good on you! Choose your favorite depending on season and try different styles every once in a while. Shorter shaves highlight your jawline, cheekbones and improve the looks of your nose, whereas longer facial hair will tone down your features.
Go for the Yeard, the Natural (short or long), the Lined-Up, the Balbo, the Scruff, the Goatee, or… Well, you can rock pretty much anything.
The Beard
This previous list would be awfully useless if we didn’t tell how to achieve each one of these styles. So here is a more detailed description (as well as some examples) for you to take to your barber of trust.
Yeard
This look is the result of letting your beard grow for a whole year (hence, “yeard”). It is daring and carefree; but it can really showcase your amazing beard-growing abilities. Try to keep it well-defined by losing those split-ends with a monthly trim.
Natural (Long)
Keep it causal. Let your beard grow to the extent you feel comfortable, since your genes will mostly dictate your beard’s density and volume. Nonetheless, trim it as it grows in order to get its fullest version. It works well for patchy beards too!
Lined-Up
Also called the corporate look, a lined-up beard will accentuate your jawline and tone down your pronounced forehead. As its name suggests, the key is to delineate the beard carefully. It is suitable for those that can grow fuller beards. Patchy beards have the risk to not shape this style properly. It does require some regular maintenance, as you’d constantly have to trim the hairs that stick out in order to keep a clean presentation.
Balbo
Shave your sides and separate your mustache from the rest of your beard in order to attain the balbo look. It will accentuate the bottom of your face, but, as with the lined-up style, you’ll want to keep it neatly trimmed to get the best results.
Scruff
This style —also known as a stubble— is characterized by the short time it takes to obtain, making it an easy investment for anyone who wants to experiment with their look. It works for both patchy and fuller beards, so don’t be afraid to go for it regardless of how well you think yours grows.
Natural (Short)
As its name suggests, this is a casual look that is not as long as the natural (long) style, not as short as a stubble, nor as well-trimmed as the Lined-Up look. It can also look good with patchy beards if kept on the shorter end (or on the very-long end if you go for the natural long look).
Goatee
When you only have hair on you chin, you’ve got a goatee. It’s not a look that goes on everyone, but if you can pull it off it’ll certainly give you a fascinating edge.
Circle
When you connect a mustache to your goatee, you get a circle beard. It can be a stylish and sophisticated look if well-kept, and can help accentuate the lower end of your face if you need it.
As a general tip: if you’re grooming a carefully defined beard, try to follow your jawline when shaving your cheeks; and unless you have a strong jaw keep a slight shade on your neck. If you’re going for the natural look, then trust your face shape and let it be. Long or short, the natural style is best for patchy beards; just avoid a middle length to keep attention off those empty spaces.
There are many more styles and looks, but these are the best ones to get you started. We hope you find the style you’re looking for and have fun experimenting!
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