Growing a strong beard is every gentleman’s prerogative. Whilst some may possess the natural ability greater than others, there are a huge amount of different beard styles that every man can try to achieve a look that not only suits facial structure, but also the look and feel of his facial hair. Whether it’s thin and slightly sparse or thick, bushy and just can’t be tamed, grooming your beard into a style that works for you can be easy. It’s just a matter of finding the right one…
The ‘Mutton Chops’
One generally reserved for the edgier gentleman, the mutton chops beard style can definitely make a bold statement. With a slightly vintage vibe, donning the classic side burns turned mutton chops will place you ahead of temporary trends as you quickly become walking proof that the classics exist for good reason.
If you have a particularly strong beard already or facial hair that tends to grow quickly, the mutton chops may take a little bit of maintenance if you’re wanting to keep those lines sleek and perfectly groomed. However, a mutton chop beard style crafted with critical precision (and symmetry) by a barber can look nothing short of fantastic. Do you dare?
The ‘Beard Fade’
The epitome of expert grooming, the beard fade is perfect for any man seeking an effortlessly sleek twist on his existing beard. A slick beard fade makes a regular beard appear more adventurous and once you’ve mastered the style, maintenance shouldn’t be too much of an issue with regular application of performance products.
If you’re conscious that your existing beard style doesn’t make you appear as well-groomed as you’d like, this is the perfect way of maintaining a masculine amount of facial hair whilst still looking like you match your socks. Think a finely tuned version of a full beard style that achieves the ultimate balance between macho and manicured. Who knew a chin could say so much?
The ‘Circle Beard’
It’s no secret that not all men can grow a lusciously, long, thick beard with ease and so we thought we’d throw in a great beard style better suited for shorter beards. A grand combination of the goatee and a moustache, the circle beard literally forms a circle around the mouth making for a tidy, understated yet definitely stylish beard – a great option not only for those that are lacking a little in the facial hair area, but also those that want to appear presentable without going clean-shaven – a basic win-win.
Whilst maintenance is low, you’ll need an expert barber to help achieve the initial circle shape outline, as this can be the difficult bit.
The ‘Lumberjack Beard’
In the traditional sense, the lumberjack beard is a long, luxurious, burly beard that is often seen gracing the chins of the most committed of hipsters (or indeed actual lumberjacks). However, despite it being oh so trendy, the lumberjack look is essentially just a long, thick beard that can suit pretty much any man, no matter their preferred style.
With the right tools and products created to work with facial hair's attributes (with a little bit of natural genetics thrown in) long beards are more achievable than ever and certainly look better than ever. Whilst it might be known as a ‘lumberjack’ style, it’s 2019 and beards are at peak popularity. The businessman-in-suit should be able to don a fully covered chin just as well as the fashion-forward checked shirt collector (provided he’s got a nice boss).
Whilst the look is pretty off the cuff anyway, a badly kept lumberjack style beard can soon look messy (and not in a good way). Be sure to trim your facial hair of any strays (or better yet, get a barber to look after that) and keep follicles healthy with good nutrients found in a decent Beard Oil. If you’re wanting to grow a lumberjack beard style from scratch, just remember that you will need patience - but there are some masterful tips to take on board out there that can help speed up the process.
The ‘Handle Bar’
Okay, technically a moustache rather than a beard style, but potentially too cool to ignore all the same. The handle bar moustache is a special kind of style. Known for having ‘curved extremities’, this slightly time-consuming style is definitely not for the faint hearted, but if you were to combine it with a full beard with some expert grooming, you should be able to achieve something great.
Arguably, if you get it just right, there is rarely a look more suave than a perfectly groomed handlebar and an expertly tailored suit. Despite being fairly adventurous in appearance, the handlebar is actually known to suit most face shapes, so, don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it!