When it comes to creating a masculine look for men, the beard is at the top of the list. Beards can be trimmed short or grown out long, kept thick and full or genetically limited to thin and patchy. With so many popular styles, it can be a challenge choosing from all the beard types you can grow and groom. While there are several beard ideas for every man, it’s important to pick a look and shape that will complement your face, hair growth, and hairstyle. To inspire you with design ideas, we’ve compiled a list of the different types of beards to consider right now. From scruff and stubble to full long facial hair styles, explore the best beards to find ideas you’ll love.
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Types of Beards
Scruff
Scruff is a very short beard style that only takes a few days to grow, but it can give the appearance of a full, manly beard. Also known as a light stubble beard, scruff is a low-maintenance look that can be sophisticated and formal if you’re willing to do some basic trimming. If maintenance is not your thing, the stubble beard style will give you a relaxed and rugged look.
You can grow scruff by not shaving for about two weeks or more. You will need to do some basic trimming to avoid a neck beard. Shave the bottom of the scruff whenever the hair starts growing down towards your Adam’s apple. The one problem is that like most short beards, scruff can be itchy. Beard oil and balm will help to relieve the itch and keep your skin moisturized.
Heavy Stubble
Heavy stubble is just one step above a 5 o’clock shadow on a scale of how much hair is needed. That means it’s really easy for you to grow this sexy beard. To get a heavy stubble beard, just stop shaving for over a week (somewhere between 7 and 10 days).
The beard hairs will grow quickly and you’ll end up with a handsome, masculine look that has been made famous by celebrities like Bradley Cooper and George Clooney. Heavy stubble emphasizes the jawline, so it looks best on guys with heart-shaped or square faces.
Corporate Beard
Corporate beards take time to grow out, but the end result is a clean-cut beard which works for most face shapes. As the name implies, the whole idea is that this beard is appropriate to wear at work with a suit. To get the sleek, handsome corporate beard, you’ll need a good beard product to keep the hair and skin moisturized.
The corporate beard includes a mustache and is full and thick along the jawline, but trimmed short so that it doesn’t obscure the face. The hairs should taper into the sideburn. This trendy style offers a full coverage beard with the hairs all trimmed to the same length.
Like all beards, how long it takes to grow the corporate beard depends on your genetics. Some guys will take two weeks, others two months. You need to regularly trim the hairs to the same length, as well as shaping the beard in the neck and cheek area so that it doesn’t look untidy.
Short Beard
There are two variations on the short beard: the short rounded beard and the short boxed beard. For the short rounded beard, simply grow the corporate beard but trim the hairs in the cheek area shorter. This is more flattering for dudes who have larger cheeks (with diamond, square, or round faces) because it helps to slim down the face.
The short boxed beard is a slightly longer version of the short rounded beard. As well as trimming the hairs on the cheeks shorter, you should grow longer hairs in the chin area, which will lengthen and slim the face. This flattering look creates an angular, square jawline, making it a masculine but office-friendly beard.
Long Beard
Generally, facial hair that is longer than six inches is considered a long beard. For most guys, that length of growth will take around a year to grow, so these beard styles are a lot of work. Because of the effort required to grow a long beard, there are a few things you should consider before you decide to go down that path.
Although the long beard is a unique, bold look that is fashionable at the moment, many men struggle to grow a long beard. That’s because longer facial hair is more delicate, leading to breakage and dryness or a wispy texture. So even if you have a good, thick beard at three-inches, that might not be consistent when it grows longer.
Full Beard
The full beard is a natural look that can be achieved simply by growing your beard out. As a popular long beard style, it will take you several months to grow a full beard that offers thickness and coverage. Naturally, how thick and full your facial hair looks will depend on your genetic, diet, stress, and commitment.
If you’re patient enough to wait for your beard to grow to the length of a full beard, that’s an achievement. This beard is a rugged look that will suit men who have diamond and triangle face shapes. With all the weight on the bottom, the full beard can balance out narrow foreheads and elongate the face to even out your dimensions.
Goatee
The goatee is an unique beard style with just a chin and soul patch and not a mustache. For all its bad reputation, some of the most famous celebrities have grown and styled the goatee, including Leonardo Di Caprio, Brad Pitt, and Idris Elba. The goatee is perfect if you want a unique, bold look. It is a short and pointy beard that extends from the chin.
It is important to note that the goatee does not include a mustache. Growing and trimming a mustache with your goatee would create the Van Dyke. Most goatees are kept under one inch in length because anything longer would make the chin look too long. But for wide face shapes, the longer goatee can help to lengthen and slim the face.
Circle Beard
The circle beard is the most popular goatee style. Handsome and easy to wear, the circle beard grows around the mouth and connects a traditional goatee with a mustache. This is a neat look that is appropriate for the office, but it is flattering and trendy enough to wear out to dates or parties.
Generally, a circle beard will take about six weeks to grow. This facial hair style is low-maintenance but requires regular trimming and grooming for the proper look. Well-suited for square or round face shapes, it lengthens the face and draws attention to the mouth.
Van Dyke
The Van Dyke is a classic, masculine beard. The distinctive feature of this beard is that it is made up of a goatee and a mustache disconnected from each other. This creates a bold structure and will stand out from most modern beards, which tend to cover more of the face.
To style a Van Dyke, you’ll need proper care and maintenance since the beard is only bold as long as your mustache and goatee stay separate. Versatile and stylish, this look works with both short and long facial hair. You’ll want to start by growing a mustache on the top lip and a goatee on your chin.
Handlebar Mustache
The handlebar mustache is a classic manly look most recently styled by hipsters. This type of facial hair is characterized by a full mustache that grows out past the edges of the lips. Beyond that, it’s up to you how far you want to grow the hairs or how long it should be. Handlebars can look great thick or thin depending on your face, hairstyle, and fashion.
Yeard
A yeard is a beard that’s been growing for over a year and is at least 6 inches long. Like the full beard, it doesn’t require much maintenance beyond trimming the ends, shampooing and conditioning regularly, and applying oil and balm to keep the hair healthy.
The key to the yeard is letting it all go and seeing how much facial hair you can grow on your face. As such, it is generally considered too bearded and rugged for a corporate environment unless you work in a very relaxed office.
Tweard
The tweard is a really long beard that has been growing for two years and is likely at least 12 inches long. At this point, you have dedicated your life to the beard and you may as well lean into the full growth of it. As always with long beards, a tweard require good care and maintenance, including quality beard products like shampoo, conditioner, oil, and balm.
Hollywoodian
The Hollywoodian is a beard that focuses attention on the jawline and chin while trimming the facial hair on the cheeks. This beard gets its name from the countless celebrities who have sported this look. While the cheeks are shaved clean, the style grows a mustache, which distinguishes it from the chin strap.
The Hollywoodian is a sleek, stylish look that emphasizes your jawline. The styling differences are subtle, but it does require grooming to keep the cheeks trimmed for a contrasting look.
Chinstrap
The chin strap gets its name from the circle that it forms around the outside of the face. Be warned, this style places a lot of emphasis on the chin and sideburns so it is perfect for men with square, round, and long face shapes.
The chinstrap is best for guys with round faces because it balances out their full cheeks. While the look is refreshing and edgy, it does require maintenance to keep the lines of the chinstrap straight and targeted at the edges of the face.
Ducktail
The ducktail is a long beard, but it is well-groomed and styled to create the design. This makes it the perfect balance between growing a full beard and having facial hair that is appropriate in formal settings like the office.
To grow a ducktail beard, guys should trim the upper part of their beard to around one inch, while letting the lower parts of the beard grow out longer. Men with rectangular and round faces should consider growing a ducktail because it will give a masculine shape to their chin and jawline.
Mutton Chops
If you want an edgy and distinctive look, mutton chops should be high on your list. You can get this beard by growing a full beard and sideburns, and then shaving the chin area of your face. Famous people with this beard style include John Lennon and Wolverine.
It does require a bit of maintenance to keep the chin clean-shaven, but once the mutton chops are full, they will make your face look wide and masculine. Mutton chops are also a super easy style to transition into if you want to get rid of your full beard but don’t want to go completely clean-shaven.
