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Beard Culture

How to Style Your Beard: Tips, Tricks, and Tools

You've spent some time growing out your beard, and now it's absolutely glorious. But having accomplished that, now you're left wondering what else you can do with it. This, friend, sounds like the perfect opportunity for you to delve into the world of beard styling. Whether you're looking for a completely new approach or simply want to smooth out the little quirks of your facial hair, styling holds the key to getting things exactly as you want. Looking for some pointers on how to get your beard to "deity" level? We've put together the perfect step-by-step guide on how to style a beard to set you down the path to divinity.

Tools for Styling Your Beard

Before jumping into a style, first, you need to make sure your beard is well-groomed and clean. In this instance, it might be best to start with a blank canvas. Yes, we know, you just grew out your beard, so this seems a little counter-productive. But just like our friend Beard Ross here, we want to help you sculpt a masterpiece of a mane into existence. Starting fresh with a clean-shaven face will give you the best chance at bringing together the facial hair style you envision in your mind. Trying to sculpt a new look based on the growth you already have could prove trickier than you think, since you didn't grow your existing beard with this new style in mind. If that's the case, going back to babyface for a fresh start makes sense. Shave it all off, gather a few days' worth of growth, and you'll have something to work with. That's not the only big change you have in store for this adventure. Crafting a new style is going to require some changes to your usual beard care routine. It's time to shelve the old tools of the trade and get ready for the big boy toys. Starting with the essential men’s grooming products, you'll want to have some or all of the following on hand:

Beard Oil
Beard Balm
Beard Styling Wax
Beard Brush, Beard Comb, or Mustache Comb
Electric Beard Trimmer
Scissors
Mirror

You may already be familiar with items like our world-famous Beard Oils and Beard Balms, but you'll be using them a bit differently when it comes to styling your beard. Rather than putting them on before you begin your daily grooming routine, you'll want to apply at the end of your regimen to lock your new style in place. As for everything else, let's get into the nitty-gritty details.

First Steps for Styling Your Beard

Ok, next steps. Whether you've restarted from zero or building on what you have, it's time to become a peach fuzz Picasso. To start with, the first tool you'll want to use is the humble comb. Combing through your beard will help loosen it up and give you a clearer sense of its overall length and fullness. (If you have a naturally curly beard, you can probably take it easy with your comb-through.) Once you have things sorted out, consider which beard styles might interest you the most. There are countless looks to choose from, and it could be hard to envision how some of them will work with your face shape. Online image searches and men's magazines can be a great source of inspiration not only for styles to try, but also to get a sense of what might be the best beard style for your face shape. Once you've settled on a style, short beard or long beard, your scissors and trimmers will become your most trusted assets. Remember to treat both tools with respect: They can craft a masterpiece, but they can also leave you looking like a vagabond if you're not careful. Take things slow and steady as you begin to develop your look. It's not a race and you won't win a medal for finishing first here-but you definitely want to avoid a whisker mishap at all costs. Slow and steady will definitely win the day. Keep a steady eye on your beard and your movements in the mirror, and tackle the trim with well-defined movements.

Man with long beard getting a trim in a salon

Different Beard Style Categories

Hang on, let's rewind a bit. Still finding yourself stumped to nail down a perfect look? Let's break down the four unique styles of beards and learn the basics of each. This base will then help you branch out into something more personalized.

Full beards: The full beard is the most popular style, it opens up the widest range of options. Just remember that with great length comes great responsibility!
Mustache combos: This is for the hipper beard aficionados out there. A unique mustache style can be incorporated into other styles of facial hair, though this may require the use of extra product. The variety of styles you can work up to ranges from retro to timeless, from such as the Van Dyke beard and the Balbo beard.
Shaped & cut beards: Beard styles that are meant to hold a specific shape require a bit more upkeep. As long as you're willing to put in the time, the results can be amazing. From long beards to short beards, a variety of complex and intricate beard styles awaits!
Goatees: The humble goatee actually has a wide range of styles to choose from. It's a great look for the guy who can't grow a thick beard, or for someone who needs to rock a business-casual style. Whether it's on the job site or in the home office, the goatee can be your easy, low-friction go-to style.

Man with beard holding scissors in hand lifted to his face

How to Style a Full Beard & Shaped Beards

If you're aiming for a full or shaped beard, you'll obviously end up dealing with a lot of hair. Your chin-beast is going to need taming, which is why you'll need to apply beard oil liberally to your beard at least once a day. Beard Cream also works wonders for any beard bedhead you might encounter in the morning. Most full and shaped beards are built around the principle of shaping their bottom length. That can include rounding the end of your beard, braiding its length, or even training the whole thing to grow downwards in a specific direction. Whatever your approach, these styling tips can help you achieve the look you want.

Train your beard with a beard comb to force it to grow in the direction you want. Combine this process with Beard Balm to keep stray hairs from flying all over.
Training your beard may take as much as a few months, depending on your hair type and the frequency with which you groom it. Make sure to stick with your training as long as necessary in order to achieve your desired results.
Trim wiry hairs and get rid of any split ends that develop. This will help your beard grow longer as time passes.

Some of our favorite full beard styles include the ducktail beard and the Balbo beard.

How to Shape Different Goatee Styles

A goatee is a member of the circle beard family, which means there's no hair on your cheeks, and seldom any below your chin, jawline, or neck. Depending on the goatee variation you pick, that last guideline could slightly vary. Either way, the goal of a goatee is to stay within the circle style. Some guys will opt for a thin mustache that connects to the beard, while others will grow a goatee that's a bit bushier for an exaggerated look. No matter which goatee style you're going for, though, the following tips will help you along the way.

Use an electric beard trimmer or beard scissors to shear off anything outside your chin or mustache areas. It's crucial to make sure you maintain the clean look of a circle beard style in order for your goatee to look right.
A simple trick to evening out your goatee is to line it up around the lower lips. You'll want to keep things looking symmetrical for the best representation of the style.

Some of our favorite goatee beard styles include the anchor beard and the Van Dyke beard.

How to Style Unique Mustaches

Did you know that mustaches are the fastest-growing part of your facial hair? That means you'll really need to stay on top of your grooming if you're hoping to craft a great-looking mustache. Some high-quality electric clippers are critical for locking in your desired length. The usual approach is to trim the entire mustache down to one uniform length, but there are some mustache styles that let you fine-tune layering. Once you've found the perfect mustache for you, these tips will help you achieve it.

A general rule of thumb is to start growing your mustache out once it's roughly half an inch around your mouth.
Certain mustache styles do allow for a bit of overgrowth on your top lip. Research the look you want, and see where your mustache line is meant to stop.
There are some truly unique mustache styles that connect with facial hair on other areas of your face. These are bold choices that require quite a bit of mustache grooming and upkeep (and sometimes a healthy dose of self-confidence), so make sure you're prepared!

The unique handlebar, imperial, and chevron mustache styles are favorites amongst our staff.

Styled Child

Now that you've been given some tips, tricks, and guidance on the best beard products for growing and maintaining a beard style, the world is your oyster! You should have a good idea of what might work for you now, but never be afraid to experiment. You might be surprised with what looks good on your face once you give it a try. Facial hair is a great way to express yourself, and messing around with the hundreds of styles you have to choose from might help you find the new you!