Introduction
While the trend of owning a beard has been on and off throughout the years, men have always associated beards with masculinity and respect. And since beards are already a universal feature of men’s facial features, the focus is more on “how” rather than “if” you should grow one.
Just like how not all haircuts or hairstyles don’t fit all men, there is no specific beard cut that suits all. There are right and wrong ways to shape your beard, as maintaining a well-groomed beard will undoubtedly help you cope with the upcoming heat and humidity in the coming months.
While many of you might have tried trimming and styling your beard during the pandemic, not everyone would’ve gotten the perfect look. If you haven’t learned how to tame and shape your beard yet, now is the ideal moment to do it to upgrade your look.
What are the different types of face shapes?
Each person has a different face shape and type. The person’s haircut, beard, and other beauty grooming factors highly influence this face type.
If you feel like no haircut or beard style seems to suit you, you probably haven’t understood your face shape yet. There are totally 7 different types of face shapes. They are:
- Oval
- Round
- Square
- Rectangle/oblong
- Heart-shaped
- Triangle
- Diamond
Once you determine your face type, you can identify your features better and understand the styles that suit your personality better.
How to find your face type?
To get started, take a measurement tape and stand in front of a mirror to measure the following:
- Forehead: Take a measurement across the widest portion of your forehead and record it.
- Face length: From the centre of your hairline to the very bottom of your chin, measure straight down to find out your face length.
- Cheekbones: Starting and ending at the pointiest area below each eye’s outer corner, measure across your cheekbones.
- Jawline: From the point where your jaw begins to slant upwards (just below the ear), measure along the border of your jaw down to the middle of your chin. Measure on both sides.
Now that you have all these measurements, it’s time to find your face type!
- Round: Face length and cheekbone length are similar measurements. They are bigger than the jawline and forehead, which are around the same width.
- Oval: The forehead is longer than the jawline, and the length of the face is greater than the width of the cheekbones.
- Rectangle/Oblong: In this case, the widest measurement is face length. The size of the jawline, cheeks, and forehead are similar.
- Square: The range of measurements is quite consistent. The jaw has a sharp angle rather than a rounded one.
- Triangle: Cheekbones are more prominent than the forehead, which is then larger than the jawline.
- Heart-shaped: The size of the forehead is larger than the cheekbones and jawline. Such a face has a pointy chin.
- Diamond: The largest measurement is here face length. Following that, in decreasing order, are the cheeks, forehead, and jawline. This has a pointy chin too.
7 tips on how to style your beard that suits your face
Assuming that you are familiar with your face shape now, here’s how you can style your beard based on your face type:
1. Round face
If you have a round face, go for a long beard that is short and thick on the sides and lengthier from the chin. Thad Forrester, the owner of Hudson/Haw Barber & Shop, says, “Avoid really short beards or stubble if you have a round face. It just highlights the fact that you don’t have a chin.” Obviously, we don’t want that.
2. Oval
The easiest face shape to work with is an oval shape, as it complements practically every beard style. You can’t go wrong with a thick beard, especially if you maintain the sides short and the bottom shorter for a full appearance.
Just like we mentioned before, oval faces are the easiest to style with facial hair. Now we know why Jake Gyllenhaal looks handsome every single time.
3. Rectangle/Oblong
Oblong Rectangle
Keep the sides of your beard short and form the bottom more rounded when trimming it for these face shapes. This will soften the angles of your face and make your face appear fuller.
| Did you know? If you suffer from allergies, growing a thicker beard may shield you from allergens or pollutants entering your airway. |
4. Square
“Guys with square-shaped faces can’t go wrong with keeping their beard and hairstyle closely cropped,” says Thad Forrester.
If you’re lucky enough to have a sharp jawline, emphasize it even more with a circle beard, which can also lengthen your chin and level out the square proportions of your face.
5. Triangle
The purpose of a triangle face is to draw attention away from the prominent chin. Using a “beardstache” (a moustache with a short beard or stubble) is the simplest way to accomplish this.
Avoid anything overly big and thick on the cheeks when wearing this hybrid style as it will create the unfavourable impression of a wider jawline.
Justin Timberlake is here to slay his beardstache that is nicely groomed and cropped, perfect for this triangular face!
6. Heart-shaped
Since you have a smaller face, the beard will only emphasize this fact. A beard will simply emphasise how small your face already is because you have a smaller face shape.
Choose designer stubble on the sides to avoid overpowering your bone structure. In the meantime, grow your chin and moustache longer to give your jawline additional depth and fullness.
| Fun fact: Abraham Lincoln was the first US President to grow a beard. He grew it after receiving advice from an 11-year-old girl who wrote to him that a beard would enhance his thin face. |
7. Diamond
Wide cheekbones with a thin jaw and brow lines are the features of men with diamond-shaped faces. A wide, well-groomed beard can broaden a diamond-shaped face’s narrow jawline.
When you pair that with a haircut that widens your forehead, your face’s diamond shape begins to look better.
5 best beard Instagram influencers to follow right now
If you are keen on growing out your beard and want some serious styling and beard care advice and inspiration, these are the folks you need to follow!
1. Nitin Mehta
Nitin is an ex-army officer who is now a grey model, actor, and biker. He’s got some serious beard goals for someone who’s over 50!
2.Billy Huxley
This popular British model and actor has appeared in campaigns for Adidas, Vagabond and ASOS. His impressive beard and a ton of epic tattoos have gotten him some of the best modelling gigs out there!
3. Artez L. Irvin (Dr. EPIC)
Irvin is a highly talented photographer, actor and model. He’s got a stylish and well-groomed beard, one of his major style factors. He has also worked with big brands like Mercedez-Benz and other events like America’s Next Top Model and New York Fashion Week.
4. Nitin Chauhan
Nitin is a popular actor, model, traveller, and photographer based in Mumbai. He’s commonly associated with Raymond and Splitsvilla 5. If you love a short beard that compliments long hair, he’s the one for you!
5. Lane Toran
Popular for being a voice actor in the 90s show ‘Hey Arnold!’, Lane Toran has a hipster vibe to his style and Instagram profile. You can follow him if you’re looking for some cool beard photos and other aesthetics complimenting his style.
Leave it to our beard experts at Toni&Guy!
Toni&Guy is a well-known beauty and wellness brand across the country with multiple outlets in many cities.
From haircuts to beard trims, we have a skillful and professional team of hair and beauty experts who will take care of all your hair and beauty needs with the help of top-quality products and equipment.
Whatever stage your beard is in, our haircare experts will assess your needs and provide you with the best advice and recommendations on what kind of beard and hairstyle would complement your face shape and appearance.
Book an appointment or visit your nearest Toni&Guy outlet to get a new and fresh look!
The Bottom Line
We hope you are now quite familiar with the concept of face shapes and how they can affect your beard styles.
Determining your face shape is the first step in assessing which beard style suits you best. Everyone has a different face shape, and if one particular beard style suits you, it doesn’t mean it will look good on your friend too!
And once you are sure of your face type, you can go ahead and experiment with the existing beard styles to pick out the perfect one.
With the right beard care tools and some help from your barber, you are now ready to rock your beard look!
FAQs
1. What type of beard is the most attractive?
It is said that stubble beards are the most attractive kind of beard. According to a study by ScienceShot, women ranked stubbled faces as most attractive in men. Though clean-shaven men looked handsome and attractive, those with stubble beards were perceived to have parenting skills.
2. Does a beard change your face shape?
Simply put, yes. Your face’s shape can definitely change if you grow a beard. Depending on the desired outcome, your face might appear longer, narrower, shorter or wider. After all, this is the whole concept behind facial hair shaping.
3. At what age does your beard fully grow?
Normal beard growth can begin at the age of 18, but for many men, that period may not come even when they are 30. So in cases like these, you need to understand that your beard growth has more to it than just your age factor.
4. How do I know my face shape?
Your face is oval-shaped if you have a broad forehead; round or heart-shaped if your cheekbones are the widest point; and square-shaped if your face is evenly proportioned in width.
5. How can I thicken my beard?
You can follow a lot of hygiene and grooming tips to grow a fuller and thicker beard. Some of them include- having a good skincare routine, using proper beard care products, drinking enough water and taking your vitamins.
