The Top Beard Styles for 2020: How to Find the Right Style for You

by Pete Migneault April 16, 2019

Maybe you’ve been pondering it for a while -- a men’s beard style that works for you. If you’re new to testing the waters of facial hair, welcome aboard -- we’ve got lots to tell you about the best beard styles for men and how to grow a beard that looks, well, great. Not average -- far from average, in fact. There are different beard styles that suit different face types and shapes, and there are different beard styles that play toward the way your facial hair actually grows -- no two beards are alike, this is true (just take a look around your local artisan coffee shop or craft brewery the next time you visit -- that’s the power of the beard!).

We’re biased, but having a beard is an underrated, sometimes underappreciated art of sorts, and there are beard styles that work for everyone in that regard. Growing a beard might at first seem intimidating -- it’s not as simple as letting your facial hair run wild. That’s where we’re here to help. Beard styles for men are worth exploring, especially if you want to add another dimension to your look. And if you’ve been rocking the same beard for some time and want to switch it up, we think these tips are worth a second (or third, or fourth) look. Get to know the beard style that works for you.

Table of Contents:

How to Find The Best Beard Style for Your Face Shape

It’s important to keep in mind when it comes to beard styles that the same beard style doesn’t work for everyone -- just in the same way the same cut of suit or the same shirt doesn’t work for everyone. It’s all about taking a nuanced approach --- growing a beard really is a marathon, not a spring. It takes some trial-and-error, too. And while it’d certainly be fun if everyone could grow a beard that rivals Gandalf, well, that’s just not going to work.

The goal with your beard style is to pick one that accentuates your face shape, not detracts from it.

Round Face

For those with a round face, go with a beard style that lengthens your face -- that means a beard with length at the bottom and trim sideburns; this makes your face look less, well, round, elongating your appearance. Make your beard work for you! And know that it’s not all about just letting this thing grow -- you’ve got keep your beard neatly groomed (LiveBearded’s beard grooming products can help there).

Oval-Shaped Face

If, on the other hand, you’ve got an oval-shaped face, nearly any style of beard will work, from a five-o-clock-shadow beard (Jon HamIm, anyone?) to stubble to a full beard (neatly trimmed, of course). In short,, if there’s a more unique beard style out there you’ve been wanting to try, feel free to give it a whirl if you’ve got an oval-shaped face (the rest of us will be over here seething with jealousy).

Rectangular Face

A rectangular face calls for a bit of a change -- you don’t want to elongate your face, but rather, add more symmetry to your look. That means adding some girth to the sides for a fuller beard, rather than growing your facial hair out longer on the bottom (your chin, specifically -- not all the way down your neck).Keep everything well-proportioned and tidy without getting too long. Still with us? Good.

Square Face

For the guy with a square face, it’s all about, again, adding some length to your face shape with a beard that features some length at the bottom and elongated sides to give your face some shape; we’re making your beard work for you, remember?

And because there are a multitude of face shapes out there, that presents challenges along the full spectrum of growing a beard -- there really are beard styles for everyone, even if you’ve got the potentially beard-challenged triangular face. In that case, you can grow a full beard, but be sure to keep it short, trim and neatly groomed -- Live Bearded’s beard butter and other grooming essentials are going to come in mighty handy.

The Best Short Beard Styles

    • Corporate

      This beard style is a common one you’ll typically see in good ol’ Corporate America where longer beards are either banned or frowned upon. Trimmed very short and lined up nicely. It’s a clean cut beard style that is a little bit higher maintenance to keep looking sharp on a daily basis, but if you wanna beard and have to abide by the rules, it’s one of the few options.

      Photo Credit - https://www.instagram.com/nobsbeardreviews/

    • Scruff

      This beard style is pretty self explanatory...it’s the scruff you get when you first stop shaving. Some guys keep it permanently and some only have it for a few weeks on their way to a longer beard style. Either way, it can be a cool look if you have the face and chin to pull it off.

    • Chin Strap

      The infamous chin strap beard style. Closely trimmed, neatly lined, and a high jawline...much like a chin strap, lol. Personally not a fan, but sometimes yah gotta keep an open mind and let people do what makes em’ happy.

      Photo Credit - https://www.instagram.com/regal.beard.balm/

    • Short Fade

      The short fade beard style can come in different shapes and sizes, but the main point is the beard fades from the top to the bottom. It’s a cool look that can make your beard appear thicker/bigger than it actually is, because the length at the bottom is longer than the top.

      Photo Credit - https://www.instagram.com/fade_and_play/

  • All Natural Short

    This beard style is simply a nicely shaped, natural beard but on the shorter side. It’s a little more rugged and natural looking than the Corporate style, for guys who don’t necessarily care about being lined up nice and neat, but don’t want to deal with a longer beard.

The Best Medium Beard Styles

  • Medium Rounded

    This beard style is a common one you’ll see in the medium length category. At around 3 inches or so of length, it has a nice rounded shape to it.

  • Medium Boxed

    Another common medium length beard style is the boxed look. If you have a round face or a small chin, or both, this look is a go to style. It will square off your face and give you some jaw length.

  • Beard Stache

    This is not a common beard style, but it’s a killer one. A shorter beard with the emphasis on a monster stashola. Welcome to the wild west. Not a beard style for the faint of heart!

  • Medium Viking

    This beard style is a cool one for sure. Typically the chin/goatee is longer than the side of the beard, so it is trimmed at an angle. It gives the beard an elongated viking’ish look.

  • Amish

    Another super cool classic is the Amish beard style. This bad boy has a nice medium to longer length, with absolutely no mustache. It takes a real man to pull this one off.

  • All Natural Medium

    It’s as simple as the title. Just let it grow to a medium length all around. No frills or maintenance, just raw beard.

  • Medium Corporate

    This is just a longer version of the short corporate. Lined up, neatly trimmed, and respectable for a stuffy workplace.

  • Medium Fade

    The short fade’s cooler cousin. Faded from the top sides into the longer medium length bottom. At a medium length, if the fade is good this style can look super cool.

  • Schnauzer

    The what?! Yeah, that’s right, The Schnauzer. This rare beard style features a big ass goatee with a clear separation from the side beard. It takes a magical human to pull this off, but it is awesome when it’s done right.

The Best Long Beard Styles

    • Long Viking

      The Long Viking beard style can work in many ways. Long and rugged, knotted, braided, the list goes on and on. One thing is for sure, you’ll look like a king slayer if you can pull it off.

    • Yeard

      Plain and simple, this your beard after straight up growing it for a year with zero trimming. Otherwise known as...The Yeard.

    • Tweard

      Plain and simple, this your beard after straight up growing it for two years with zero trimming. Otherwise known as...The Tweard.

    • Long Rounded

      This beard style is simply as long as you can go and has a rounded shape to the corners.

    • Long Boxed

      This beard style is simply as long as you can go and has sharp edges to give it a squared off, boxed look. Think ZZ Top.

      Photo Credit - https://www.instagram.com/tenplus_outdoors/

  • All Natural Long

    This one is as simple as it gets. Just let it grow as long as you can and don’t touch it. The longer, the better.

How to Care and Maintain Your Beard

Beard styles, again, aren’t just about growing out your facial hair and calling it a day. No sir, growing a beard is a commitment that requires the right beard products to sculpt, shape and care for your beard. You want a beard and skin that’s nourished and with a healthy sheen -- beard oil can help there. To sculpt and shape a longer-length beard, start with beard butter for deep conditioning.

We’ve got plenty more to say on that subject, but that’s another post for another time.

Why Grow A Beard?

At the end of the day, you might be asking yourself: Why even grow a beard to begin with? To us, that’s an easy answer -- a beard allows you to express your personality, change up your look and turn yourself into a grooming force to be reckoned with. That might seem like a lot of hyperbole, but the list of great, bearded men is long -- very long. Plus, having a beard can be plain fun! And once you figure out the right way to grow a beard style for your face shape -- and then accentuate it with the best products for your beard -- there’s no telling how you can customize it to your liking. Upkeep is crucial, knowing the right beard style for your face shape is of the utmost importance, and having some fun with it … these are all things to keep in mind as you grow your beard.

As with anything, patience and the proper approach sets apart those with good beards and those with great beards. What’s the big deal? It’s just a beard, right? Not exactly. Your beard -- and the right beard style -- can be something you experiment and change up, or something you hang onto and, nay, even cherish. Seriously. That’s what it’s all about -- let us know on social media if you think you’ve found the right beard for your face shape.

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