How to Grow A Beard – The 42 Beard Styles (2020) [ULTIMATE GUIDE]

The Style

Realistically, sporting a clean shave is less of a style as it is a preference. The great thing about the clean-shaven approach is that it never really goes out of style. If you want to know how to shave a beard, practice the clean shave for a while. One great bonus is that the ladies typically appreciate it because it’s softer and easier to kiss than many other stubble-heavy styles.

Your Style?

If you don’t mind people seeing every aspect of your face, this may be the choice for you. A beard can hide details and shape areas that you want to improve on. Sporting a clean shave bears every detail.

Celebrity Watch

Pretty much every man wears this at some point. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson often sports the clean shave.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (or manual razor), shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm.

The Style

An untamed yet maintained stubble. Maintain the look of 24-48 hour beard growth. Shaven below the neckline. This is one of the most popular short beard styles around.

Your Style?

If you like the cool and confident look that says ‘I’m a bit of a rebel, but still clean and approachable’ then this could be the look for you.

Celebrity Watch

This is another one of those styles that never really go out of style. Most men sport this style at one time or another. Some notable celebs that love to rock the designer stubble are George Clooney, Jake Gyllenhaal, and David Beckham.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (or manual razor), electric trimmer, shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard oil, line shaping tool (optional).

The Style

This is basically a slightly more edgy version of the 5’ o’clock shadow. It’s a stubble beard that allows you to put a little more skin in the game. Use a trimmer to get the length you like; typically a nice 5-day is a standard. Tidy up the neckline (optional) with a razor or trim without the comb attachment. You can carve your cheek lines if desired as well.

Your Style?

If you like the ‘I forgot to shave, but still look like I’ve got it’ kind of approach, this style will suit you well. It’s typically the best look on a round face shape. It’s fairly low maintenance and has good leeway insofar as how often it needs to be groomed. This style looks good with nearly any fashion and can be modified to be very tidy and sharp with the right tools.

Celebrity Watch

Think Ryan Reynolds on the set of Deadpool 2. It’s a bit edgier than the 5 o’clock shadow and gives a bit more attitude to the face. Another great example is Bradley Cooper’s light stubble.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (or manual razor), electric trimmer, shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard oil, line shaping tool (optional).

The Style

This is the most aggressive of the stubble styles. It gives you the 10-15 day growth look and can be the beginning of a great relationship with your beard. It’s edgy and provocative, and the ladies really seem to love it.

Let your beard grow a little longer than you want to keep it. Set your trimmer to the highest setting (typically) and go over the whole face. Keeping the neckline tidy is key with this style as well. Again, you can use a razor or electric shaver for this or just use the trimmer without the guard/comb. If you want to get fancy, you can use a line shaping tool to get a laser-like line-up as well.  

Your Style?

If you like the ‘I’m not worried about how I look, but still look great’ kind of style, this is right up your alley. It gives you the look of just rolling out of bed, yet still hygienic and well-kept. Hot guys with beards don’t happen by accident, but this one is easy to get up and running.

Celebrity Watch

If you want to see this style red-carpet ready, have a look at Chris Hemsworth. He rocks this look like a boss. It’s little wonder they gave him Thor’s hammer.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (or manual razor), electric trimmer, shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard oil, line shaping tool (optional).

The Style

The soul patch is a beard style that goes back to the 50’s and 60’s when beatniks and hippies were all the rave. It represents a certain kind of laid-back attitude toward life. It’s easy to grow and maintain and looks great for nearly all face shapes. If you have a round face, it may give more length to your look.

To get a great soul patch going, leave the hair under your lip grow for at least 10 days. Keep the rest of the hair clean shaven. As this area grows to be a bit longer than your length preference, get out the beard comb and beard scissors and prep for a trim. Choose your desired width (not too wide as to span across the whole bottom lip) and angle each side down toward the middle of the chin. It should look like an inverted triangle when complete.

Your Style?

If you are one of those carefree, ‘life is good, things are chill, and we can all just get along’ kind of guys, this is a great style for you. It’s easy to maintain and keeps your style interesting.

Celebrity Watch

One of the most notable of soul patch sporting celebs is Howie Mandel. He sports a well-kept, longer trim soul patch that sets the bar for the iconic look.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (or manual razor), electric trimmer (optional), beard comb, beard scissors, shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard oil (optional).

The Style

The goat patch takes a soul patch and extends it down to just beneath the chin. It gives the look reminiscent of a goatsbeard, hence its name. It’s a slightly longer trim length than the soul patch and can be allowed to grow as long on the bottom as fits your personal face shape.

Growing out the goat patch is pretty straightforward. Let the hair in the area under the lip to just below the chin grow for 10-15 days. Keep the area around it cleanly shaven as you grow out the body of the patch. Once you achieve the desired length for the goat patch, use your beard comb and beard scissors (or beard trimmer) to shape it accordingly. Keep the sides slightly shorter than the center to give it a nice rounded or faded look.

Your Style?

This is a great style for guys with a diamond or triangular shaped face. It gives the face a bit more definition while keeping most of the face cleanly shaven. It is a more sporty or artistic look popular with American baseball players and music artists.

Celebrity Watch

Scott Spiezio of the St. Louis Cardinals sports a rockin’ goat patch. It’s rare to find celebs who wear this particular style, but there are some around. Here’s JC Chasez sporting the look.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (or manual razor), electric trimmer (optional), beard comb, beard scissors, shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard oil (optional).

The Style

The Norse Skipper is a fuller and wider version of the goat patch. The idea is to grow the patch to a length you like but keep the whisker width no wider than the corners of the mouth. Imagine an upside down teardrop shape just under your bottom lip extending just passed and under the chin.

Let your chosen area for the Norse skipper grow for at least 15 days. Keep the area around it, and the rest of the face, cleanly shaven. Once you get to the length you like, get out the comb and scissors (or trimmer) and start shaping. Like the goat patch, keep the sides slightly shorter than the center to give it a nice rounded or faded look.

Your Style?

This is a great style for your round shaped face if you want a little extra attention on your chin. It’s not a common beard style, but it does look good on the right face when done well.

Celebrity Watch

If you’re into heavy metal, then you are probably familiar with the iconic beard on Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian. It’s a bit modified, but it’s as close an example as can be seen on any celebs.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (or manual razor), electric trimmer (optional), beard comb, beard scissors, shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard oil.

The Style

Most men are currently sporting one of the sideburn styles, although perhaps unaware. They typically form the edges of the hair in front of the ear and are trimmed along with a haircut while the rest of the face is kept either clean shaven or with some kind of style that is complemented by the sideburns. Longer hairstyles typically allow for longer sideburns as they then compliment the length of the hair. They typically go well with most beard designs as well.

To maximize your sideburn appeal, the first thing to do is land on a particular style. There are short, long and tapered variations of the style that typically go with the kind of hairstyle you have. Short hair usually fits well with a short or long sideburn that is either cut to a length around mid ear (short) or around earlobe level (long). With a longer hairstyle, you can opt for a tapered look where you use clippers or beard scissors/comb to fade the sideburn from a bit longer at the hairline to your chosen shorter length at the bottom.

Keeping your sideburns in check is as easy as giving them a trim when you see them getting a bit too long. Using either your comb and scissors or your trimmer, touch them up. You can also keep the sides and bottom slightly shorter than the center to give it a nice rounded or faded look (this is especially good if you have a thicker sideburn).

Your Style?

You probably already rock some sideburns already and might not even pay them much attention. If they start to grow on you (pun intended), then you can make more of a concerted effort to maintain them as a standard part of your grooming tasks.

Celebrity Watch

Obviously, the most iconic sideburns around are those on the face of Elvis Presley. For a more modern approach, check out Kevin Jonas’s long-style sideburns.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (or manual razor), electric trimmer (optional), beard comb, beard scissors, shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard oil (optional).

The Style

The chin strap beard is typically a continuous thin strip of hair that runs down the face from the sideburns and along the jawline. There are variations of the style that can be done by adjusting the thickness in places or creating a special shape or fade kind of like David Ortiz back in the day.

The first step in achieving the chinstrap look is shaving the cheeks and neck. After growing out your stubble for a week or so, grab a high-quality trimmer and get to work on cutting the line you will reference for the strip. Use a manual razor to shave your face as it has a bit more control in the delicate area around the strips line. Be very careful around the edges of the strip. If you cut into it too far then you’ll be sporting a chinstrap with an uneven line, or worse, a chunk missing.

Your Style?

If you are into a high maintenance beard, this is the one for you. It takes a lot of work to keep a chinstrap looking great, so you need to be prepared for some extra grooming duties.

Celebrity Watch

A great example of a well-kept chinstrap can be found on Chris Daughtry. Abe Lincoln also sported a modified version as his iconic look.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Manual razor, electric trimmer (optional), shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard oil (optional), line shaping tool (optional).

The Style

Unless your Amish, it’s unlikely that you’ll be sporting a chin curtain. There are always exceptions to the rule, and you may very well be one of them. To get a great chin curtain going, you basically have to grow a full beard and shave your mustache and cheeks. Shaving the neckline is usually done as well. There is no specific limit to how long the beard gets or even the desired shape of it. The only rules are to keep the stash and cheeks shaved, and the beard as full as you like it up to the shaven neckline.

Your Style?

Again, unless you’re Amish, you’ll likely be on a different beard boat. If you are one of those that are adventurous and want to sport something many others don’t, this could be a style that suits you.

Celebrity Watch

Abe Lincoln, in his fuzzier pics, most certainly sported a chin curtain.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Manual razor, electric trimmer (optional), beard scissors (optional), beard comb, shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard oil, beard brush.

The Style

The Brett beard is basically just a chinstrap with a soul patch. It’s not a very common style in pop culture, but it can look really good if done right and cared for. Follow all the guidelines for a chinstrap only make sure to grow a soul patch where you otherwise would have shaven under the bottom lip.

Your Style?

Another one of those high maintenance beard styles due to the requirement of a chinstrap.

Celebrity Watch

Again, as imaged above, Chris Daughtry sports this style really well. He has a great example of a chinstrap, but he really sports the Brett beard. Apparently, this style was invented by some guy named Brett.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Manual razor, electric trimmer (optional), shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil (optional), line shaping tool (optional).

The Style

This is an old-school classic that is reminiscent of the chin curtain. It’s a full beard grown out about one to three inches in length connected to the sideburns and a shaven mustache. To maximize the beauty of this old-school look, start by growing out your beard to the desired length while shaving your mustache during this time. Once you have the desired length, grab a good pair of beard scissors and a beard comb and begin fine-tuning around the edges and take care of any stray hairs. Rounding the edges a bit gives this look a well cared for old-school style.

Your Style?

If you like a classic old-school backcountry look, then you’ll love the dutch beard. It’s been around a long time and will likely continue to be worn on many faces by those who appreciate a touch of the classical.

Celebrity Watch

It’s hard-pressed to find a celeb or influencer who’s sporting the old dutch. It’s just not all that common today. However, just to get some eyes on it, this is what your beard can look like.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Manual razor, electric trimmer (optional), shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil.

The Style

The old Dutch is the long version of the Dutch. Everything about the dutch is just grown out to be a long beard style with a classical twist.

Your Style?

Well, if you already like the Dutch and would prefer a longer style, you may be a great candidate for sporting an Old Dutch.

Celebrity Watch

Again, not many celebs have ever been caught sporting an old Dutch. It’s just not in vogue right now. However, here’s an example of an old Dutch gone wild.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Manual razor, electric trimmer (optional), shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil.

The Style

This is exactly as it sounds. It’s one of the classical goatee styles (with or without the mustache) with an added chinstrap. Follow the directions on how to create a great goatee, and the guidelines on what it takes to sport a chinstrap and you’re off to the races! This is one of those classical faded beard styles that are all the rave with certain guys.

Your Style?

This is a great style if you have a long or oblong shaped face. It is going to take some work though so make sure you’re prepared for extra time in the grooming room.

Celebrity Watch

There are a few celebs that sport this style regularly. AJ McLean from the Backstreet Boys is a great example of a well-worn goatee (with mustache) and chinstrap.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Manual razor, electric trimmer (optional), shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil (optional), line shaping tool (optional).

The Style

This is the foundation of one of the most popular beard styles around. The classic goatee is basically a chin beard with a shaved mustache, neck, and cheeks. If you’re wondering how to grow a goatee, there are many variations, and we will get to those in a minute.

To rock a great classic goatee, grow out your chin hair until you reach the desired length. There really is no limit to how long you let it grow. However, typically the classic goatee is kept short and well-groomed. Keep the cheeks, neck, and mustache cleanly shaven. You can use an electric razor if you wish, but a manual can do just as well. Once you achieve your desired beard length use your trimmer or beard scissors to fine-tune the style. Keeping the edges rounded rather than hard can give it a softer look

Quick tip: If you want to know how to trim a goatee like the pros, use your beard comb and beard scissors. They allow for more detail and control.

Your Style?

Anyone with a round face can sport a classic goatee (no mustache) like a champ.

Celebrity Watch

For a glance into the celebs who like this look, search no further than Benicio Del Toro. He looked great over the years with this timeless classic.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (optional), Manual razor, electric trimmer (optional), shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil (optional).

The Style

Typically when someone thinks ‘goatee,’ they are referring to the ‘full goatee.’ The full goatee (aka circle beard) has a mustache and beard combo that connects around the side of the mouth to a chin beard. There are many types of styles you can do with the goatee. It can be worn as long or as short as you desire, but usually, it is kept short and well-groomed. Follow the directions for growing a classic goatee, but grow your mustache at the same rate. There are no special conditions for the mustache, other than to keep it trimmed and neat (at least the same as your beard is), not surpassing the chin beard in width.   

Your Style?

The full goatee is one of the most worn beards to date. It’s easy to maintain, looks great on most faces, and adds a bit a maturity to your look. You’ll really love a goatee if you have a diamond shaped face as it helps to frame in your jaw and soften the edges of your chin.

Celebrity Watch

One of the nicest celeb full goatee’s around is found of the face of Will Smith. He’s been sporting a full goatee on and off his whole career, and it continues to provide a great example of how an iconic style never really dies. After all, what is a goatee good for if not to keep a man looking great?

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (optional), Manual razor, electric trimmer (optional), shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil (optional).

The Style

This is another mustache and goatee combo with an extension. The extended goatee beard is basically a full goatee that has an extended beard along the jawline. The beard extends to about the halfway point between the chin and where the corner of the jaw. There are no sideburns for this particular style. Follow the guidelines for the full goatee, but make sure to grow a bit more beard along the jaw. Keep your neckline in a U shape about two fingers from the tip of your chin curving back to the edges of your beard as it wraps around the jawline.

Your Style?

If you’re someone sporting an oblong face shape you may appreciate the way this particular style looks on you. It’s fairly easy to maintain, and there is lots of room to keep the length where you want it.

Celebrity Watch

Here’s an example of John Travolta sporting the extended goatee.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (optional), Manual razor, electric trimmer (optional), shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil (optional).

The Style

A lot of men have an issue when growing hair between the mustache and the chin beard. It seems like they just don’t want to connect. In this case, rather than catching a bad case of beard envy, it’s often a great look to instead sport a goatee and mustache combo.

Grow out both your chin hair and your mustache hair to a desired length while keeping the cheeks and chin cleanly shaven. Carve out the desired width of your goatee to match closely to where your mustache width ends. Once you find the balance, break out the beard scissors and beard comb and trim up the edges. Take care of any strays as well.

Your Style?

You’ll probably really like this look if you have a square face. It leaves a bit of ‘air’ around the beard and frames your face quite well. This can also make for a great Asian beard when styled well.

Celebrity Watch

The most popular goatee and mustache celebrity example is found on the face of Johnny Depp. It’s a perfect example of what a goatee and mustache combo can look like for the follically challenged. Another great example is worn by Orlando Bloom.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (optional), manual razor, electric trimmer (optional), shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil (optional).

The Style

Very much like the Norse skipper and the goat patch, the petite goatee is one of the goatee types that keeps the chin beard and shaves everything else. What makes it a bit different than it Norse cousin is that it starts a bit further down on the chin. Rather than starting at the bottom lip, the top of the petite starts at the crease where the bottom lip meets the chin (about two fingers under the bottom lip).

As a bit of a longer style, before shaping the petite goatee let the hair grow out to a length of one to three inches. Cleanly shave the rest of the mustache, face and the neck (with either a manual razor or electric shaver). Once you’ve achieved the desired length, shape the petite goatee by keeping the top a bit more narrow than the bottom by angling the cut from the bottom lip out toward the jawline. Using beard scissors can get a more detailed result, but a beard trimmer can be used too.

Your Style?

This is a style that goes well on someone with a square face. If you already sport a classic goatee and want a bit of a longer style, the petite goatee may be exactly what you’re looking for.

Celebrity Watch

If you’ve ever listened to the big guitar sound of the metal band Metallica, you’ve been a fan of petite goatee-sporting fretboard shredder James Hetfield.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (optional), manual razor, electric trimmer (optional), shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil (optional).

The Style

This style is called the anchor because that’s exactly what it resembles. To get a great anchor beard going, grow out your facial hair for a week or so. Get out the trimmer and carve the line where the edges of the beard, mustache and soul patch can all form a consistent anchor shape. Keeping the strip thin and well groomed is typical, although there really aren’t any limitations on how long you let it grow. Keep the rest of the face cleanly shaven.

Your Style?

This style works well on both a round and triangle face shape. It helps a round face narrow a bit and can form a great frame for the chin on a triangle face.

Celebrity Watch

It’s a bit tough to find a celeb sporting the anchor right now. There are a few close contenders, but they more or less fall into another style. Even so, you’re looking to achieve something like this.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (optional), manual razor, electric trimmer, shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb (optional), beard scissors (optional), beard oil (optional).

The Style

This is a fun style with a western feel. It’s a handlebar mustache and a goatee combination where neither one is attached to the other. To achieve a great handlebar goatee begin by growing out both your chin and mustache until it reaches between one and three inches in length. Resist the temptation to trim the mustache as it needs as much length as you can get to achieve the iconic curl. Keep the cheeks and neck cleanly shaven. Once you’ve reached the desired length, starting with the goatee, break out the beard scissors and beard comb and start detailing the edges and taking care of any stray hairs. Move on to the handlebar next. You’ll need some beard wax to get this one going, especially at the ends. But first, start by combing the handlebar in opposite directions beginning in the middle under the nose. Use some wax and begin shaping the handlebar by carefully twisting and curling in the same direction each side (your index finger would move away from your face and thumb would move toward your face while twisting). Trim to the desired length and take care of any hair that is out of place.

Your Style?

If you like to stand out from the crowd, this style will certainly get heads turning. It’s not something that is worn very often so when a handlebar goatee makes an appearance, it’s sure to be noticed. This look is especially suited for a long face shape.

Celebrity Watch

As you can imagine, there are few, if any, examples of celebrity sporting a handlebar goatee. Even so, it looks a bit like this.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (optional), manual razor, electric trimmer, shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb, beard scissors, beard wax, beard oil (optional).

The Style

Akin to the goatee and handlebar, the Norse skipper and handlebar combine to create a more narrow and long look to the chin hair, kind of like a long goatee. To achieve this style, follow the guidance on the goatee and handlebar only opt for the Norse skipper instead.

Your Style?

Like the goatee and handlebar, this is a great style if you are looking to attract some attention. If you have a square or diamond shaped face, this can work well for you.

Celebrity Watch

A fun example of a celeb sporting the Norse skipper & handlebar is this pic of Mel Gibson.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (optional), manual razor, electric trimmer, shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb, beard scissors, beard wax, beard oil (optional).

The Style

The key to achieving a great rap industry standard is in how thin you can keep the strip and mustache (It’s one of those types of mustaches that look like a pencil thin line). This is what gives it the iconic look. It can be tricky to keep the hair lined up perfectly, but if this is your style it’s worth the efforts.

To achieve this style start by growing your facial hair for about a week or so. Get out the trimmer and start carving your line. Follow just above the jawline and chin to outline where you shave up to on the neck. Then create a line about a half inch above that one to form the upper edge of the chinstrap all the way up to the hairline. To form the mustache, trim the underside about a quarter inch above the lip for the bottom and about a half inch under the nose creating a strip about a quarter inch thick (or thinner if you’re really good with a trimmer). The soul patch is kept very thin, like AJ McLean is sporting here, and can be a line, or a patch that is kept the same length as the rest. Now break out the electric shaver or razor and clean up the rest of the face.

Your Style?

If you’re in the music industry and love yourself a bit of hip-hop, this might just be your jam, fam. It’s especially great if you have a round face as it helps to give a little more length to the face and gives the impression of a narrower cheek (makes a stronger look to the jaw).

Celebrity Watch

A lot of people have worn this over the years, especially in the rap industry, thus it’s name. You can see 50 cent rocking the style in his early days.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (optional), manual razor, electric trimmer, shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard oil (optional), line shaping tool (optional)

The Style

The Balbo beard takes your three favorite facial hair areas and brings it into one style. The mustache, the chin beard, and the soul patch all come together in harmony to create the Balbo.

There is really no limits as to how long you let the Balbo grow. However, it is typically kept short and well maintained. To grow the Balbo, let your facial hair grow for about a week. Once you have achieved a good length to work with, begin by trimming your lines. Choose one of the desired sideburn styles and square it off at the bottom. Starting at the corner of the jaw, carve a line toward the chin that will frame the beard. Now carve the line under the chin by following the jawline all the way around just under the jaw and chin (can be a width of two or three fingers if you wish). Tidy up the soul patch and mustache with beard scissors and a beard comb to get the shape you are looking for. Now shave the rest of the face with an electric shaver or manual razor.

Your Style?

This is a similar style to the anchor or extended goatee. If you have a square or diamond shaped face, the Balbo can help to frame the face quite well.

Celebrity Watch

Although it’s not really a Balbo per se, the style we’ve seen popularized by Robert Downey Jr is pretty close. A more traditional Balbo is being worn a bit scruffily by Christian Bale here.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (optional), manual razor, electric trimmer, shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil (optional).

The Style

This is kind of like a combination of a Balbo, a Norse Skipper, and a goatee & mustache. What gives the Van Dyke beard it’s characteristic look is the pointed chin beard framed by a longer mustache. The mustache can even be a handlebar if you want to reach for the wax.

To achieve a great Van Dyke, grow out your chin beard a good three to four inches in length. Keep the width about as wide as your chin (about one finger width around the side of the chin or a finger width from the side of the mouth). The mustache can be the same length or a bit shorter to suit your particular style. If going for a handlebar, avoid trimming the mustache until you’ve reached the desired length. Once you’ve grown out the chin beard to the length you like, get out the beard scissors and beard comb and begin to shape the beard into a point in the middle. The sides will be a bit shorter than the center to achieve this look. Trim the mustache as well keeping the bottom line just above the top lip. Thin it as much as required (or leave as is and curl with wax for the handlebar). Cleanly shave the rest of the face.

Your Style?

This is a tapered beard style worn by more people than you may at first assume. It can look great on a long face shape as it can give the impression of a rounder jaw.

Celebrity Watch

An excellent example of a voracious Van Dyke is worn here by Pierce Brosnan.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (optional), manual razor, electric trimmer (optional), shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil, beard wax (optional).

The Style

This a great short style that keeps the full beard. This beard line up highlights the cheekbones and keeps the hair short and manageable. The short boxed beard says ‘I get the job done, but don’t need the spotlight.’

To achieve this style fist start by growing out your beard for a week or two. Once you get to the desired length, break out the trimmer and clean up the cheeks a bit. Choose a line that works and just go with it. Don’t go so far down that you are into chinstrap territory though; you still want it to look like a beard. Go for a traditional ‘U’ shaped neckline about two fingers above the Adam’s apple and shave below.  Trim once or twice a week with an electric trimmer or beard scissors to maintain desired length and keep the cheeks and neck cleanly shaven (or trimmed with no guard).

Your Style?

This is a great style if you want to sport a beard but don’t really want to let it grow very long (a half-inch or so). It gives the impression of maturity and confidence while still keeping you looking mysterious and adventurous. This is a great beard for professionals as it keeps things clean and neat yet still communicates your inner masculine wild side (aka your ability to take a calculated risk, and win).

Celebrity Watch

If you’re into Star Trek, you may have seen Chris Pine (Captain James Kirk) around the red carpet sporting an awesome short boxed beard.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (optional), manual razor, electric trimmer, shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb (optional), beard scissors (optional), beard oil.

The Style

This is the professional brother of the short boxed beard. There is not much distinction between the two other. Where they differ is in the length options. The short boxed beard is always kept short whereas with the corporate beard you can allow it a bit more room to grow in relation to the kind of hairstyle you are sporting. The longer the hairstyle, the longer the corporate beard’s potential. Keep in mind, however, that this is a well-maintained beard. This is not a beard that is growing wild with stray hairs everywhere and a desire to be in the backcountry. Its professional look lends very well to entrepreneurs and businessmen alike.

To grow and maintain this beard follow the direction for the short boxed beard. The only modification is in the length you choose in relation to your hairstyle.

Your Style?

If you are into the full beard style and want to sport it with a well-groomed appearance, the corporate beard will work really well for you. It’s great for giving the impression that you are a go-getter, a risk-taker, and a down-to-earth confident man.

Celebrity Watch

I suppose in putting the ‘corporate’ in the corporate beard, there should be a celebrity example in the business world. The best example is the beard Steve Jobs is sporting in this iconic photo.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (optional), manual razor, electric trimmer, shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb (optional), beard scissors (optional), beard oil.

The Style

The Hollywoodian style takes a goatee and mustache and modifies it a bit. It’s like one of the full beard styles but without the sideburns and with a shaven neckline. It’s a great introduction to long beard styles while still keeping short enough to pass a beard-check.

To achieve this style grow out your facial hair for a week or two. Grab the beard trimmer and take off the sideburns. Continue down the cheek until you get to the corner of the jaw. Keep this space trimmed. Groom the beard and mustache to look neat and tidy with a sharp pair of beard scissors and a beard comb. Keep the neckline to a traditional ‘U’ shape and keep cleanly shaven.

Your Style?

Because this is a more ‘vintage’ style, you’ll likely appreciate sporting this look if you want to add an air of revival to your persona. If you have great cheekbones, then this can be a great style when paired with a square face.

Celebrity Watch

If you’re on the lookout for a celeb sporting this style, look no further than Leonardo Dicaprio.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (optional), manual razor, electric trimmer (optional), shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb, beard scissors, beard brush (optional), beard oil.

The Style

The ducktail is a full beard style with a pointed (or slightly rounded) chin beard.

To achieve this look, start by getting a full beard going. Once you’re at this stage, you can begin trimming. Using a beard comb and beard scissors begin shaping the point from the top down. Take your time. Once you have the shape you like, get on with the cheeks. Keep the cheeks shorter than the rest of the beard for a clean and tidy style. Getting the fade between the chin and the cheeks takes a bit of practice, but once you have it down, you’ll be very happy with the results.

Your Style?

If you’re looking for a sophisticated look that sports a well-groomed appearance with some flair, this is the style for you. It’s great on triangular, diamond, rectangular and round face shapes when done right.

Celebrity Watch

The ducktail is a pretty common style and can be found on many men today from athletes to celebs. Mel Gibson can be seen sporting one in this cool pic.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (optional), manual razor, electric trimmer (optional), shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb, beard scissors, beard brush, beard oil.

The Style

The French fork is basically a ducktail that shaves the cheeks a bit lower and splits the chin beard into a ‘forked’ look. To achieve this style, grow out your ducktail. Once you have a rockin ducktail, you can split the point in two with your beard comb. Use your beard scissors to trim it where needed. You may want to use a bit of beard wax to hold it in place if you have stubborn whiskers.

Your Style?

If you have a rectangular face and want to achieve a bit more of a rounded look, the French fork style can help you achieve this. You have to be able to grow a full beard for this style to work well for you though. If you’re follically challenged, you’ll want to avoid this look. To look good, your beard needs to be thick and full.

Celebrity Watch

Not a lot of celebs sport a French fork. You can get a glimpse of this style with Brad Pitt sporting his variation of look.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Electric shaver (optional), manual razor, electric trimmer (optional), shaving cream or gel, aftershave balm, beard comb, beard scissors, beard brush, beard oil, beard wax (optional).

The Style

This is the most self-explanatory of all beard style: grow hair on your face, in full. If you’ve ever wondered how to grow a full beard, unless you’re follically challenged, that’s the secret. You’ll be sporting a full beard after growing out your beard for six to eight weeks. Nice beards like this one require some attention to really look great. If you want to trim and shape the beard once it gets to length, grab a beard comb and beard scissors and take your time as you go over your facial hair. Finish with some beard oil or beard balm to give it that healthy sheen and keep a brush or comb on hand to tame it throughout the day.

Quick tip: When growing a full beard, make sure to take care of your skin. We cover that in the ‘Badass Beard Care 101’ section below. In fact, all the awesome beards in your future will benefit from this section.

Your Style?

There are so many different types of beards around, but this is the big daddy. Do you love full beards? If so, you nailed it with this one. A relatively low-maintenance beard style (insofar as carving lines and such) that makes a statement. You’ll look confident, strong, and gentlemanly while sporting this timeless look.

Celebrity Watch

Lots of guys like to sport the full beard at some point in their lives. A great example in the celebrity space is Sir Ian McKellen. Another notable mention is Zach Galifianakis.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Beard comb, beard scissors, beard brush, beard oil, beard balm (optional).

The Style

The Garibaldi is a full beard that is allowed to grow out a bit with a rounded bottom and trimmed mustache. It gives the chin a fuller look and adds length to the face. To achieve a Garibaldi, grow a full beard. Once you have a full beard going, begin growing out the bottom. Keep the mustache short and the cheeks faded into the length of the beard. Trim the bottom into a rounded shape with a good pair of beard scissors and a beard comb. Wash the Garibaldi with a nice natural beard shampoo to get the softness and flake-free look you’re going for. Finally, finish with some beard oil or beard balm and brush or comb throughout the day to keep it looking fresh.

Your Style?

If you want a long-beard but still like to keep it a bit more tame, the Garibaldi can work well for you. This style works especially well on a rectangular or oval face.

Celebrity Watch

If you’re into UFC, you’re familiar with the iconic look Conor McGregor goes for with his modified Garibaldi which gives him a slightly more square jaw and intimidating look.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Beard comb, beard scissors, beard brush, beard oil, beard shampoo, beard balm (optional).

The Style

The Verdi is a modified Garibaldi that focuses a bit more on a refined mustache. To achieve this look, start growing your Garibaldi but keep the mustache separate from the beard while trimming. Do not blend them together as you would with a Garibaldi. When you achieve the desired mustache length, use your beard comb and beard scissors to shape the mustache into the style you prefer. You can even go full handlebar with the Verdi if you like. If you require a bit of wax to tame a stubborn mustache, this is fully on par with this style. A good beard shampoo can be your friend with this style, so look into one or yourself. Again, finish with some beard oil or beard balm and tame it with a brush or comb throughout the day.

Your Style?

If you love the long beard but also really like to have a defined mustache, you’ll love the Verdi. You’ll suit this best if you have a more triangular face.

Celebrity Watch

Remember the ‘modified’ Garibaldi that Conor McGregor is sporting above? This pic of him shows his appreciation of a solid Verdi.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Beard comb, beard scissors, beard brush, beard oil, beard shampoo, beard balm (optional).

The Style

The Yeard is a full beard left to grow for a year or more. That’s basically it. This is typically the one you think about when you imagine a lumberjack beard. To achieve this, grow out your beard for a year and detail (if at all) with some beard scissors and a beard comb. There is no specific thing you need to know for how to trim a long beard, except taking your time and keeping it symmetrical. As you go through the beard growth stages, to keep this wild whiskered wonder in check, opt for a good beard brush, some beard oil, and some beard balm. To avoid a scruffy beard, you’ll also do well with a good beard shampoo designed specifically for a style like this. Remember, a beard shampoo helps keep the itch down, and any beardruff can be typically kept at bay.

Your Style?

If you don’t’ have any restrictions in the workplace or any safety hazards in your lifestyle, this could be the beard for you. You’ll obviously have to be prepared for some time to pass before you can confidently boast the yeard, but the wait can be well worth it for you if this is your favorite look. If you can’t grow a beard, this is not the style for you. Check out the section on beard growth products if you have this problem.

Celebrity Watch

Jim Carrey is sporting one helluva yeard (could even be approaching a tweard – a two-year beard). This is certainly not for those who can only grow a thin beard. It’s thick, bountiful, and full.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Beard comb, beard scissors, beard brush, beard shampoo, beard oil, beard balm (optional).

The Style

The Zappa is a style that marries some light stubble with a square soul patch and a modified (shortened) horseshoe mustache. To achieve this iconic look grow out your stash and soul patch for a few weeks. Keep the cheeks and neck trimmed to a nice light stubble as you go. Knock off the ends of the mustache about halfway down the distance between the bottom lip and the chin. Trim the soul patch into a square shape. Keep the two at relatively the same length and trim as required with a beard comb and beard scissors. Cleanly shave the rest of your face and neck.

Your Style?

This is a great style if you have a square face. It helps to add some character to the lower part of your jaw and lip causing a more fun and adventurous look to arise. This is one of those classical cool beards that can stand out in a crowd, but also be humble enough to sit in on a nice dinner date.

Celebrity Watch

Well, considering this is named after the one and only Frank Zappa, it seems appropriate to use him as the celeb to watch on this particular style.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Beard trimmer, manual razor, electric shaver (optional), beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil (optional)

The Style

This is a style combines a full horseshoe mustache with a soul patch and sideburns (that don’t meet). To achieve this look, grow out your beard for a good week or two. Get out the trimmer and start with the sideburns. Cut the sideburns off about a finger width from the bottom of the jaw. Next, line-up the mustache evenly on both sides of your mouth and keep it to about a half inch in width. Now give your soul patch a trim to clean it up and give it it’s angled look. Cleanly shave the rest of your face and neck. Maintain this look by keeping all the long hair trimmed to about the same length with your beard scissors and beard comb. Keep the rest cleanly shaven.

Your Style?

This can give you one of those looks that are often found worn by the guy on a motorcycle with a black leather vest deafening you with his massive exhaust pipes while he rides by seemingly unaware of his betrayal of your quietude. It’s testament to the idea that bad beards don’t actually exist, it’s all in how you wear them. Also, if you’ve got a diamond face, you may appreciate how this one frames you.

Celebrity Watch

When you think of the Winnfield, you think of the character Jules Winnfield (played by Samuel L Jackson) in the pop culture classic Pulp Fiction.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Beard trimmer, manual razor, electric shaver (optional), beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil (optional), shaving cream or gel, aftershave lotion.

The Style

Muttonchops are basically a massive full set of sideburns. To achieve the mutton chops beard look, let your beard grow for a couple weeks. Once to length (at least a couple of inches), grab your trimmer and carve a line angled toward the chin about a finger width from the edges of your mouth. Trim the rest of the area (chin, neck, and mustache) to give it a light stubble look. Trim your muttonchops with a good trimmer or a pair of beard scissors and beard comb. Finish up with some beard oil to give this look its final sheen.

Your Style?

If you have a pointy chin, you’ll probably want to avoid this look. It works really well on guys with a more round or oval face as it plays to the natural curvature of the chin and cheekbones.

Celebrity Watch

John Lithgow has recently been spotted sporting a nice set of muttonchops. John Lennon was also a supporter of this look.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Beard trimmer, beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil (optional).

The Style

The Wolverine beard is a style that mixes up a full beard with a set of muttonchops. It’s kept shorter than what traditional muttonchops are. To achieve this look, grow muttonchops but keep them trimmed to about an inch or less in length.

Your Style?

If you like the look of muttonchops but find them a bit too scraggly, this is the one for you. Don’t be alarmed if people start comparing you to their favorite superhero.

Celebrity Watch

The obvious answer here is to go check out Hugh Jackman playing the part of the conic superhero Wolverine.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Beard trimmer, beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil (optional).

The Style

This is another one of those self-explanatory styles: it’s muttonchops and a mustache combined as one seamless look. To achieve this style, grow your beard for a week or two. Once a good length is achieved (about an inch or so) you can start shaping the style. Follow the same guidelines as you would for muttonchops only this time you’re keeping the stash as well. Keeping the whole thing about the same length is the standard. However, you can play around with fades and lengths to suit your facial structure and preferred style. You can also opt to clean shave the rest of the face with this style to give it that ‘friendlier’ appearance (although not necessary).

Your Style?

When people think of muttonchops, it’s usually including the stash. Even so, that’s not traditional muttonchops and adding the stash is adding some flair. If you have a round or oval face, you’ll sport this style well.

Celebrity Watch

Here’s Bill Murray rocking a wicked mustache and muttonchops combo.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Beard trimmer, manual razor (optional), electric shaver (optional), beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil (optional), shave cream or gel (optional), aftershave lotion (optional).

The Style

The Hulihee is a set of muttonchops left to grow wild. To achieve this look, grow a pair of muttonchops and only trim to create shape while keeping them growing forever and ever… and ever.

Your Style?

If you want to achieve the look that screams ‘my face is an airplane,’ then this will suit your needs well, especially if you have an oval face.

Celebrity Watch

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a celeb sporting a Hulihee any time soon, However, here is what you can achieve with a bit of patience.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Beard trimmer, manual razor (optional), electric shaver (optional), beard comb, beard scissors, beard brush, beard oil (optional), shave cream or gel (optional), aftershave lotion (optional).

The Style

The sparrow is certainly a beard like no other. This mix of a soul patch, extended goatee (trimmed at sides, and grown long enough on the bottom to braid), and mustache is an iconic look and can be achieved with some patience. To achieve this look, grow out your beard for a week or two. Once an inch or so in length begin the process of shaping the overall form. Shape the goatee, neckline, and cheeks as you would for an extended goatee only leaving the chin hair to continue growing. Form the mustache just over the edges of the lip but don’t breach the bottom lip too much. Let the soul patch grow a bit and shape it to meet your stylistic preferences. Shave the rest of the face and neck.

Your Style?

Put it this way; if you want to look like a modern pirate, this is your style. You’ll certainly grab some attention with this proven crowd-pleaser.

Celebrity Watch

Captain Jack Sparrow (played by Johnny Depp) is the model after which this iconic style is grown.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories

Beard trimmer, manual razor, electric shaver (optional), beard comb, beard scissors, beard oil (optional), shave cream or gel, aftershave lotion, hair ties (for braids), hair beads (optional bling).

The Style

Just as the name suggests, this style is modeled after one of the extra-terrestrial characters of Star Trek, the Klingon. What it really is, though, is a full beard with a shaved mustache all kept at the same length. To achieve this look, grow a full beard and shave the mustache.

Your Style?

Sport this style if you’re a fan of Star Trek and have a diamond-shaped face.

Celebrity Watch

It’s all about those Klingons.

Recommended Tools, Products, and Accessories