5 Timeless Beard Styles

Classic and sophisticated the beard continues to remain popular throughout 2016. According to those who know facial hair best - the judges at The World Beard and Moustache Championship - there are 11 official categories of beard and 6 categories of moustache - wowzers! Having said that not all of them are realistically achievable or particularly relevant for the modern man. With Movember upon us once again our team of experts take a look at 5 timeless styles and reveal all about how to achieve them at home.

Full Beard The Full Beard is your beard as nature intended it and is the holy grail in facial hair. It takes time to grow so you need to be committed, but it takes barely any effort! Grow your beard until it reaches 15-20cm in length - depending on how quickly your facial hair grows this can take up to 4 months - and then let it do it’s thing. If your hair naturally extends outward you might want to trim a little on the cheeks to keep a slim line and emphasise the jaw and chin but it’s not essential.

If you want a bit more of a polished finish, slightly trim and shape the beard as it grows to create a gently rounded look. This is a versatile and easy to wear beard that offers impressive coverage with minimal effort; just bit of trimming every now and again.  Avoid over styling; the objective is to look tidy but effortless.

For the perfect Full Beard, manual tools are the name of the game. A wide-toothed beard comb, a fine-toothed moustache comb, a sharp pair of barbers scissors and a good quality beard oil will tame your beard, taking it from wild and rugged to smooth and styled in no time at all.

Tight Beard Super suave and ultra slick the Tight Beard is the perfect compromise between a full on beard and a Five o’Clock shadow. Following the same growth pattern as the Full Beard, the Tight Beard is kept short, trimmed and neatly groomed. The idea is to create coverage but keep the hair neat and tidy and following the contours of the face.

For the Tight Beard use a beard trimmer set to 2-3mm to create an even length all over your face. Then use the edge of the trimmer without the brush guide to create sharp definition, and finish with a close shave on your neck for a super polished look.

If you want a shorter length and don’t want the hassle of shaving your neck, go for a 0.5-1mm trim length and continue it down onto your neck.

Goatee The Goatee is a statement look and works best for men with a strong chin and accentuated jaw line. The Goatee is defined by the presence of hair across across the chin and upper lip, with the cheeks and sideburns shaved completely clean. There are many variations on the goatee with varying lengths and shapes so you can choose a style to suit your individual look, lifestyle and routine, from subtle to totally outrageous.

To achieve the Goatee grow a Full Beard, including a moustache for at least 4 weeks. Once you have ample facial hair for shaping use an electric shaver to remove all hair on the cheeks and sideburns and to create a gap between the hair on your chin and top lip, either side of your mouth. Finally use a beard trimmer to shape your mo and goatee into your chosen style.

Biker Another distinctive look, the Biker connects a heavy moustache to a short, thick goatee - the idea is to create a square box around the mouth and down over the chin. Hair should be be allowed to grow thick enough to create full coverage but avoid extensive length.

To achieve this look follow the instructions for the Goatee but maintain a continuous strip of hair all around the mouth rather than separating your moustache from your goatee.

Chin Strap The Chin Strap beard is a thin and highly shaped line of hair which extends from the sideburns and follows the contour of the jawline all the way around to the chin. The rest of the face and neck is shaved completely clean. When it comes to the Chin Strap the devil is in the detail so you need an exceptionally still hand and the right tools to hand.

To achieve the perfect Chin Strap you will need to first grow your facial hair out for about 4 weeks to give you the growth needed to create the strip. Use an electric shaver to shave clean your cheeks and neck, leaving the strap of hair around your jaw line untouched. Then using a precision trimmer, outline the chin strap into a smooth, even, thin continuous strip.

Whatever style you go for, you need to build a regular grooming routine into your schedule to ensure your facial hair remains fresh and fabulous. Not sure where to start? Check out our beard care article for tips on how to maintain a well groomed beard that will leave you looking the ultimate distinguished gent.

Don’t forget, your beard will only be as good as the tools you use to trim and shape it, so make sure they’re up to the job. To make it easy we have selected the best trimmers, manual tools and beard care products available in the market, offering everything you need to create your perfect look.