Beard Styles for Men: 15 Styles and How to Pick Yours
The WizardA raven tapped on my shop window at dawn with a letter from The Highlander, smelling faintly of peat smoke. "The clan gathering is in three months," he wrote. "I've seen a dozen beards worth stealing on this trip and I can't pick one. Some are short, some reach a man's belt. Tell me which is mine before I do something rash with a pair of shears." I wrote back that night, and here's the short version of what I told him.
The best beard styles for men come down to four things: how long you can wait, what shape your face is, how evenly your beard grows and how much trimming you'll actually do. Stubble takes days. Short beards like the boxed beard, Van Dyke or Balbo take one to two months. A full beard or ducktail takes three to four, and long styles like the Garibaldi and Bandholz take six months to a year or more. Pick from the length you can live with first, then narrow it down by face shape. The table below has 15 of the most common types of beards, with growth time and upkeep for each.
- Start with length. It decides how long you'll wait and how much work the style takes.
- Round or square face? Keep the sides shorter and let the chin carry the length. Long or narrow face? Keep fullness on the sides and the chin shorter.
- Patchy cheeks? Heavy stubble, a circle beard or a Van Dyke look sharp without needing full coverage.
- Every style needs beard oil. Add balm once you're past about an inch, and mustache wax for any style with a shaped mustache.
15 beard styles at a glance
Growth times assume a beard that fills in at a normal pace. Facial hair grows roughly half an inch a month for most guys, but your genes set the real number, so treat these as rough targets.
| Style | Length | What it looks like | Best face shape | Growth time | Upkeep | Key product |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light stubble | Stubble (1–3 mm) | Even shadow over the whole beard area | Oval, square, triangle | 2–5 days | Medium: trim every 2–3 days | Beard oil (a few drops) |
| Heavy stubble | Stubble (3–6 mm) | Denser stubble with a clean cheek line and neckline | Most shapes; great for patchy growth | 1–2 weeks | Medium: trim twice a week | Beard oil |
| Short boxed beard | Short (about 1/2 to 1 in) | Full coverage, tight sides, sharp lines | Round, oval | 4–8 weeks | Medium: tidy lines weekly | Beard oil |
| Corporate beard | Short (about 1 in) | Neat, even full beard that looks good in a suit | Oval, square | 6–8 weeks | Medium: trim every 1–2 weeks | Beard oil |
| Circle beard | Short | Goatee joined to the mustache in a ring, cheeks shaved | Round, square | 3–4 weeks | High: shave cheeks every 1–2 days | Beard oil |
| Van Dyke | Short | Pointed chin beard plus a separate mustache | Round, square | 4–6 weeks | High: shave the gaps often | Mustache wax |
| Balbo | Short | Floating mustache over a chin beard, no sideburns | Round, square | 4–6 weeks | High: shave the gaps often | Mustache wax |
| Classic full beard | Medium (1–3 in) | Cheeks, jaw, chin and mustache all grown in | Oblong, heart, triangle, oval | 2–4 months | Medium: shape every 2–4 weeks | Oil + balm |
| Ducktail | Medium | Full beard with short sides, tapered to a point at the chin | Round, square | 3–4 months | Medium | Beard balm |
| Hollywoodian | Short to medium | Beard on the jaw and chin plus a mustache, no sideburns | Round, oval | 4–6 weeks | Medium-high | Beard oil |
| Mutton chops | Medium | Big sideburns that run to the jaw, chin shaved | Oblong, oval | 2–3 months | Medium | Beard balm |
| Garibaldi | Long (up to about 8 in) | Wide, full beard with a rounded bottom and natural mustache | Oblong, diamond, heart | 6+ months | Low trimming, daily care | Oil + balm |
| Verdi | Long (up to about 4 in) | Rounded beard with a styled mustache kept separate | Oval, oblong | 4–6 months | Medium | Balm + mustache wax |
| Bandholz | Long (6 in and up) | Long, mostly untrimmed full beard | Oval, oblong | 9–12+ months | Low trimming, daily care | Oil + balm |
| Viking beard | Long (8 in and up) | Very long, often braided or tied | Oval, oblong | 12+ months | High | Beard balm |
Stubble beard styles
Light stubble is the two-to-five-day shadow. Run a trimmer with a 1 to 3 mm guard over the whole area every couple of days so it never tips into "forgot to shave."
Heavy stubble (sometimes called designer stubble) is the same idea with more weight, around 3 to 6 mm. The difference between it looking intentional and looking lazy is the edges. Clean up the cheek line and set a neckline about a finger or two above your Adam's apple. It's also the best friend of a patchy beard, because at this length a thin spot reads as texture, not a gap.
Stubble is short enough that guys skip care. Don't. Short, sharp hairs are what make your skin itch in week two, and a few drops of beard oil worked into the skin calms that down.
Short beard styles
The short boxed beard is full coverage kept tight: about half an inch on the cheeks, a touch longer at the chin, crisp lines all around. It looks finished, suits most jobs and slims a round face because the sides stay short.
The corporate beard is a short full beard grown a little longer and softer, around an inch, with nothing extreme. If you work somewhere with a dress code, start here.
The circle beard joins a goatee to a mustache in a ring around your mouth and shaves everything else. It's a smart pick when your cheeks fill in slowly but your chin and lip don't. The catch is shaving your cheeks every day or two.
The Van Dyke and the Balbo are cousins. The Van Dyke pairs a pointed chin beard with a mustache that doesn't connect. The Balbo floats a mustache over a wider chin beard with no sideburns. Both add length to a round face and both live or die by their mustache, which means mustache wax and a steady hand. Our guide on how to trim and wax a mustache covers that part.
Medium beard styles
The classic full beard is what most people picture when they hear "beard." Let everything grow for two to three months, then shape it. It adds width, which is good news for long, heart-shaped or narrow-jawed faces.
The ducktail is a full beard with the sides kept shorter and the chin left long and tapered to a point. That vertical line makes a round or square face look longer. It needs a little balm so the point doesn't wander.
The Hollywoodian keeps a beard on the jaw and chin, plus a mustache, but shaves the sideburns and upper cheeks. It's a good way to wear a medium beard when your sideburns grow in thin.
Mutton chops are big sideburns that sweep down to the jaw with a clean chin. They work best on longer faces since all that width sits on the sides.
Long beard styles
The Garibaldi is wide and full with a rounded bottom, up to about eight inches, and a mustache that's allowed to blend into the beard.
The Verdi is shorter, about four inches at most, rounded at the bottom, with a mustache styled separately. Think long beard with good manners.
The Bandholz is a long beard you mostly leave alone for a year or more. Low trimming, but daily oil, combing and balm, or it turns into a bird's nest.
The Viking beard is the longest of the bunch, often braided or tied off. It's for guys who have the patience, the genes and a beard that already reaches their collarbone.
One thing about long beard styles: you still trim. Taking a little off the mustache and neckline while the rest grows keeps you from looking like you gave up somewhere around month four.
How to choose a beard style
Your face shape
The rule is balance. Add length where your face is short and width where it's narrow.
- Round: short sides, longer chin. Ducktail, Van Dyke, Balbo, short boxed.
- Square: soften the corners of the jaw with a fuller or rounded chin. Circle beard, ducktail, corporate.
- Oblong or long: fullness on the sides, shorter chin. Full beard, mutton chops, Garibaldi kept wide rather than long.
- Heart or triangle (narrow chin): add bulk at the jaw. Classic full beard, Garibaldi.
- Oval: lucky you. Almost anything works.
Not sure which you are? Pull your hair back, take a straight-on photo and trace the outline. Our guide on how to shape a beard walks through each face shape in more detail.
Your growth pattern
Grow everything for four to six weeks before you commit. That shows you where your beard fills in and where it doesn't. Strong chin and mustache but thin cheeks? Go circle beard, Van Dyke or Balbo. Thin connectors between the mustache and chin? A Balbo hides that on purpose. Patchy all over? Heavy stubble, or give it more time. Beard oil keeps the hair and skin soft while you wait, but no oil can create new follicles, so be realistic. More on that in beard oil for a patchy beard.
Your job
Customer-facing, a uniform or a conservative office usually means short boxed, corporate or heavy stubble. Jobs with masks, respirators or helmets may limit what you can grow, so check before you start.
How much upkeep you'll actually do
Be straight with yourself here. Styles with shaved gaps (circle beard, Van Dyke, Balbo, Hollywoodian) need a razor almost every day. A full beard needs ten minutes every couple of weeks. Long beards need little cutting but daily oil and combing. Pick the routine you'll still be doing in February.
How to get there
- Grow it out first. Four weeks minimum for anything past stubble, with no trimming except the neckline. Most bad beards come from shaping too early.
- Set your lines. Neckline, cheek line and mustache line define every style on this list. Start with how to trim a beard neckline, since that's the line most guys get wrong.
- Shape the length. Use a trimmer with a guard, start one size longer than you think you need, and go shorter on the sides than the chin for most styles.
- Train the mustache. Any style with a shaped or separate mustache needs a lip line trim every one to two weeks and a little wax.
- Hold it. Oil daily, balm on days you want the shape to stay put.
Products for each beard style tier
You don't need a cabinet full of products. Match them to your length:
- Stubble and short styles: beard oil only. Three to five drops after a shower, worked down to the skin.
- Medium and long styles: oil plus beard balm. The oil softens, the balm adds light hold so your shape lasts past lunch. Not sure about the difference? See beard oil vs beard balm.
- Styled mustaches (Van Dyke, Balbo, Verdi, handlebars): add mustache wax for the tips.
The Highlander uses his own Highlander beard oil ($18.99, 1 oz), which smells like smoked firewood, Scotch and mahogany and is made with castor, coconut, sweet almond, argan and jojoba oils. For medium and long styles he adds Highlander beard balm ($23.99, 2 oz), which brings in shea butter and beeswax for hold. The Highlander Beard Oil & Balm Kit ($39.99) puts both in one box. For a styled mustache, The Barkeep mustache wax ($11.99, 1 oz) is unscented, so it won't clash with your oil. If smoke and Scotch aren't your scent, browse the full Highlander collection or the rest of our beard oils.
FAQ
What is the most popular beard style?
Short, well-kept styles like heavy stubble and the short boxed beard are the most common because they suit most faces and most jobs. They also take weeks to grow instead of months.
How do I know which beard style suits my face?
Balance your face shape. Round and square faces look best with shorter sides and more length at the chin, while long faces look best with fuller sides and a shorter chin. Oval faces can wear almost anything.
What beard style is best for a patchy beard?
Heavy stubble, a circle beard, a Van Dyke or a Balbo. Stubble makes thin spots read as texture, and the other three focus on the chin and mustache so your cheeks don't need to fill in.
How long does it take to grow a full beard?
Most guys need two to four months for a medium full beard, and some need longer for the cheeks to fill in. Give it at least four to six weeks before you judge it.
What is the most low-maintenance beard style?
A medium full beard with a clean neckline needs the least cutting, often a trim every two to four weeks. Styles with shaved gaps, like the circle beard or Van Dyke, need a razor almost daily.
Do I need beard balm for a short beard?
Usually not. Beard oil is enough for stubble and short styles. Balm starts to earn its spot once your beard passes about an inch and needs help holding its shape.
One last thing
The raven came back two weeks later. The Highlander had chosen the ducktail, he wrote, because it "points the way a good sword should." He's three months from the gathering and he's promised not to touch the chin until then. Whatever you pick from the list, give it the time it needs before you judge it.
Your beard, your story.
— The Wizard
