An Introduction to Beard Styles

As a man, your beard is an extension of yourself. It frames your face, it keeps you warm at night, but it also does so much more – it defines your personality.

Beards are quickly growing in popularity and with this has come a rise in demand for beard styles that will get men looking their very finest. With so many different face shapes and personality types, however, how can you be sure to pick the right one for you?

Coming from a bearded man who’s made more than one facial hair mistake in his life, trust me when I say this – there is nothing more frustrating than biding your time for 5 weeks growing out your face hugger, only to cut it into a style that doesn’t work for you. More than once I’ve made this slip-up and have had to start clean again.

Don’t Make the Same Mistakes I Made!

Don’t worry though, I’m not about to let the same thing happen to you. In this article, I’m going to give you a round-up of the different top beard styles.

We’re going to go all the way from bushy beards to thin beard styles for the slow-growing gentleman. If you’re struggling to find motivation, I’m even going to give you a few reasons why you should explore different beard styles.

Strap yourself in and read on to find your perfect look this season.

Why Should You Explore Different Types of Beard?

Far too often, the bearded male grows complacent, settling for whatever look is gracing his face at the time. It’s understandable – growing a beard takes a lot of time and dedication and, as I’ve already mentioned, changing beard styles can be a pretty risky move.

If you don’t experiment, however, how are you going to know that you’re on the top of your game? A couple of trims and a bit of shaping could have you on peak form, after making only a few minor changes.

The perfect beard styles are out there and finding the one for you will boost your masculinity, improve your confidence and ultimately, make you irresistible to the opposite sex. Take a look at some of the beard styles that your face could definitely be rocking.

This Season’s Top Beard Styles

The Bandholz

Created and aptly named by founder of BeardBrand, Eric Bandholz, this beard is an all-out war against clean shaven styles. Characterized by its bushy appearance and characteristic lack of trimming, this style is perfect for anyone looking to push their beard game to the max, without having to invest much time into maintenance.

Eric quit his job in the corporate world after receiving too many negative comments about his face mane. He’s subsequently dedicated his life to the bearded cause and has built a brand that focuses on products for bearded men.

Perfect For…

This style is perfect for the nonchalant man with fast-growing facial hair, who also isn’t afraid to take risks. If you live in a cold area too, this one is definitely going to help you out during those chilly months.

Beard styles like this are particularly well-suited to men with diamond, oval, triangle, inverted triangle and oblong face shapes.

Achieve This Beard Style By…

Letting your hormones run rampant and throwing your razor in the trash are the primary steps to this style. A two-month stint in the secluded wilderness is also an option, as Leonardo Di Caprio was sporting an impressive Bandholz in The Revenant. Hopefully you’ll manage to nail this beard style minus the bears. It’d probably help to get those hormones pumping, though.

The Bandholz requires minimal maintenance, so it can be achieved by simply leaving your genetics to do their thing. If you struggle to grow hair quickly, you might be better off checking out some thin beard styles.

The Garibaldi

Do you often find yourself struggling to make time for a morning grooming routine? You’ve come to the right beard style. The Garibaldi is a truly stylish face bush that any man would be proud to bear.

This style is slightly better kept than the Bandholz, so it will need trimming once in awhile. As a result, it’s best to hang onto that razor for now.

Perfect For…

Similar to the Bandholz, the Garibaldi is perfect for people who are time-poor but genetics-rich.

This beard style is perfectly suited for those with rectangular or oval faces.

Achieve This Beard Style By…

If you’re gifted with the power to grow, let your hormones do the talking and sit back. Minimal grooming is needed to keep this style in check, although the occasional trim will be required.

Goatee Overflow

Also referred to as the Hollywoodian, the goatee overflow is a prime combination of the goatee and an excellent mustache. If you’re looking to free up some real estate on your cheeks, this beard style is for you.

Originally made famous by Brad Pitt, this style has now left California and is being sported by men across the world.

Perfect For…

If you’re looking for a beard style without the excessive cheek hair and mutton chops, this one is for you. It’s also one of the best styles for patchy types of beards.

This look is perfect for people with an oval or square face shape. You’re probably beginning to see the trend with face shapes here. If you’ve got an oval face, lucky you. You’re going to be able to pull the majority of these styles off without looking like a mix and match Lego character

Achieve This Beard Style By…

Leave your facial hair untouched for a couple of weeks, or until a medium length stubble has cropped up. After this, begin by sculpting a tight line fitted around your jaw. Next, shave down from your cheek line until the length meets that of your lower lip. It’s up to you, but it’s usually a good idea to make sure your cheek line is shaved parallel to your jaw.

Friendly Mutton Chops

Do you want to look fun and approachable, but with a quirky, masculine edge? The friendly mutton chops will nail it for you. Also known as the sideburns, the term was coined by American Civil War general Ambrose Burnside. What a name.

Perfect For…

This beard style is perfect for those with an oval, square or circular face. It’s also ideal for men with strong chins that they don’t want to draw further attention to with facial hair.

Achieve This Beard Style By…

As with most beard styles, it starts with a period of continuous growing. Nail this style by letting your hair grow out for around 4 weeks, then shaving out your chin and lower lip. Depending on your preference, you can also trim and shave your neckline up to meet your jawline. Continue to grow your mutton chops and mustache until bushy.

Full Beard

Without a doubt the most masculine of the beard styles, the full beard is also the most popular. Whether you want to set yourself apart from the rest with a more unique style is up to you, but the full beard is a style that many can rock to perfection.

Perfect For…

This beard style will work for pretty much everyone, as you will no doubt have seen from the sheer number of men sporting it. It is, however, best suited to men with a triangle, inverted triangle or diamond face shape.

Achieve This Beard Style By…

Your ability to command this style is, sadly, largely down to genetics. If you excel when it comes to growing hair pretty much wherever, this style isn’t going to pose too much of a problem. However, if you’re looking for beard styles for patchy beards, this one probably isn’t for you.

To get this look, stop shaving altogether for a period of 4-6 weeks. After that, style in clean lines with your razor on your neck and cheek lines. Depending on how quickly your hair grows, maintain a set length by trimming it as required. This will help to keep your beard stylish and looking tidy.

Van Dyke

Coined by the popular painter Anthony Van Dyke, this beard style has surged in and out of popularity since his life over 300 years ago. Combining two popular elements of facial hair, the Van Dyke involves a high level of styling precision and maintenance to keep both the mustache and goatee on point.

Anthony Van Dyke

Current Van Dyke Style

Perfect For…

If you have a narrow chin, this style is absolutely perfect for you. It’ll help to draw attention away from it and accentuate it, making it look larger, wider and more pronounced. Should you want to strengthen your jawline too, you can also extend this beard style with a chin strap.

Achieve This Beard Style By…

Grow your hair out until it becomes long, fine stubble. This can take anywhere from 1-3 weeks, depending on how quickly your facial hair grows. After you’ve got a good length to work with, slowly begin to sculpt your facial hair, removing it from both the left and right sides of your cheeks.

Without shaving your mustache, sculpt the soul patch under your bottom lip into the desired shape and leave the beard to grow until about 2 inches in length. Again, this is down to personal preference. If you want to become a bearded Rapunzel and push the beard length to the max, we say go for it.

Balbo

Robert Downey Jr. has been rocking this style for years and for good reason – it’s awesome. Throughout The Avengers movie series, he’s maintained this style to perfection and shown the rest of the male world how it’s done. If you like his style, why not give it a go?

Robert Downey Jr.

Perfect For…

Much like the Van Dyke, this beard style is perfect for those with a narrow chin who are looking to strengthen and pronounce it. The Balbo can also help to draw attention away from other features, such as a larger nose.

Achieve This Beard Style By…

Before beginning this beard style, you need a sufficient canvas to work from. Make sure you let your facial hair grow out for a good 4-6 weeks. If you have trouble growing hair on your cheeks and are looking for beard styles for patchy beards, the Balbo could work well for you.

After you’ve got your beard to a good length, begin to shave off any cheek, jaw and neck hair on around the center of your chin. Then, carefully shave the gaps between your mustache and goatee.

Products You’ll Need

Although beards are free and grow on their own, they unfortunately don’t groom themselves. This means that there are a few items you’re going to need to help your style along the way.

In fact, there are even some items listed below that’ll promote fuller and faster beard growth. Take a look to find out what you’ll need:

1) A Beard Trimmer

In order to perfect any of the beard styles mentioned above, you’re going to need to invest in a purpose-built trimmer for your beard. This doesn’t necessarily have to be the most expensive model on the market, but you should look for one that comes with a warranty and will last you for several years. You can usually get a good one for around $20.

One of our favorites is the Philips Norelco Multigroom. At that $20 mark you’ll get a beard trimmer from an industry-leading and widely recognized brand who produce reliable and high-performing products.

In the kit, you’ll receive the main trimmer, a travel case and several length attachments to contour your beard and get it looking its best.

2) Beard Balms and Oils

During the beard-growing process, especially if this is your first serious facial hair, your skin isn’t likely to take a pounding. In order to promote a healthy complexion, we suggest you invest in a good beard balm or beard oil.

Once again, these aren’t going to break the bank. In fact, you can pick up a good beard oil or balm for around $15. For that money, they’re well worth the purchase.

Beard balms and beard oils will help to moisturize the underlying skin on your face, reducing your chance of developing the dreaded ‘beardruff’. They’ll also reduce the chance of you developing ingrown hairs and can even work proactively to promote hair growth.

3) A Beard Brush

This one might sound a little strange, but a beard brush is a piece of kit you don’t know you need until you don’t have one. Trust us – by that point, you’re really going to need it.

In unison with beard oils and balms, a good beard brush will help with even product distribution and will massage the underlying skin to promote a healthy complexion.

On their own, they’re an essential tool to make sure your beard remains knot-free and is looking its finest at all times.​

​For an in-depth look, check out our review of the top 5 beard brushes. My personal favorite from the list is Smooth Viking beard brush. It’s made with 100% boar hair and works better than any I’ve seen before.

Keep It Clean

It might seem obvious, but be sure to work a good beard wash into your daily washing routine. Beards can help to stop any infections or viruses from entering your body, but for a short time they’re still going to be stuck within the hairs. To start with, a regular sensitive hair shampoo will work fine for your beard. If you start to experience any dry skin, it’s time to invest in a proper beard shampoo.

If this is your first beard grow, check out our guide on growing a beard. You’ll find some useful tips on how to grow a beard the right way, which will no doubt save you time and effort down the line.

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As with your dress sense, beards are a great way of defining what kind of man you are. Whether you’re going for longer or patchy beard styles, you’ve got the power to make it happen. Pick your look and start growing!