Growing a beard is easy. Growing the right beard is a skill. The difference comes down to three things: your face shape, the hair you can actually grow, and how much upkeep you will honestly keep up with. Get those three right and everything else is detail.
Below are 34 beard and mustache styles worth knowing, grouped by how much time and skill each one asks of you. For each, you get a description and tips for keeping the shape. Growth times are rough estimates; your pace and coverage will vary.
Find what suits you: browse all beard styles, mustache styles, or the trimming guide.
Beginner and Everyday Beard Styles
The easiest styles to grow and the most forgiving to keep. If this is your first beard, start here.
1. Light Stubble
Light stubble is very short facial hair kept even and lined up clean at the neck. It adds definition without much length. Use one short guard for an even finish; the time needed to reach it varies from person to person.
At a glance
Best for
Almost any face
Grows in
2–5 days
Upkeep
Low
Level
Beginner
Barber’s tipTrim everything with one short guard, then clear the neckline with a bare blade. That contrast is what separates deliberate stubble from a skipped shave.
2. Heavy Stubble
Heavy stubble adds more shadow than light stubble while staying short enough to need little styling. Use a guard to maintain an even length, and let your own growth rate guide the trimming schedule.
At a glance
Best for
Most faces, softens a round face
Grows in
1–2 weeks
Upkeep
Low
Level
Beginner
Barber’s tipKeep the cheek line natural and only square up the neckline. Over-shaping stubble this short makes thin spots more obvious, not less.
3. Goatee
This goatee variation pairs a small chin beard with a separate mustache while the cheeks stay clean. Concentrating growth at the chin adds length to a round face. Keep the outline tidy and preserve the gap between the mustache and chin beard.
At a glance
Best for
Round, oval
Grows in
2–3 weeks
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Beginner
Barber’s tipPick your width at the corners of the mouth and hold that line. A goatee that drifts wider every trim slowly turns into a patchy full beard.
4. Circle Beard
The circle beard connects the mustache to a rounded chin beard so the hair rings the mouth in one clean circle. It is tidy enough for any office, forgiving on thin cheeks, and simple to maintain once the shape is set. For a first shaped beard, this is the safest bet on the page.
At a glance
Best for
Oval, square, oblong
Grows in
2–4 weeks
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Beginner
Barber’s tipGrow everything out for two weeks before you carve the circle. Shaping too early leaves gaps you cannot fix without starting over.
5. Soul Patch with Mustache
A soul patch is a small tuft of hair just below the lower lip. Here it is paired with a mustache rather than worn alone. Keep the patch centered and the surrounding chin tidy.
At a glance
Best for
Most faces
Grows in
1–2 weeks
Upkeep
Low
Level
Beginner
Barber’s tipKeep it small, centered, and squared with a bare blade. The style works through restraint, and a spreading soul patch just looks missed.
6. Corporate Beard
The corporate beard is a full beard kept short and deliberately neat. It covers the jaw with a tidy outline and needs regular edging. Whether it suits your workplace depends on its grooming rules.
At a glance
Best for
Most faces
Grows in
3–6 weeks
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Beginner
Barber’s tipEdge the neckline and cheeks twice a week without fail. At this length a few stray hairs are the difference between groomed and scruffy.
7. Chin Strap
The chin strap runs a narrow band of hair along the jawline from sideburn to sideburn, cheeks and neck bare. It draws a hard outline under the face, which is why it flatters soft and round jaws. Fair warning: the entire style is one thin line, so it shows every mistake.
At a glance
Best for
Round, oval
Grows in
2–4 weeks
Upkeep
High
Level
Beginner
Barber’s tipFollow your natural jawline exactly and keep the strap width consistent. Let it climb too high on the jaw and it stops looking intentional.
8. Extended Goatee
The extended goatee stretches the classic shape outward along the jaw, partway toward the sideburns, without becoming a full beard. It keeps the low-maintenance spirit of a goatee while adding more jaw coverage and a stronger frame. It is the natural next step when a plain goatee starts feeling too small.
At a glance
Best for
Round, square
Grows in
3–4 weeks
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Beginner
Barber’s tipTaper the extensions so they fade out along the jaw rather than stopping in a hard line. The shape should look grown, not stenciled.
9. Chin Puff
The chin puff is a narrow column of hair grown straight down from the center of the chin, no mustache required. It is smaller than a goatee and bolder than a soul patch, adding a vertical line that stretches a round face. It grows quickly and trims in a minute.
At a glance
Best for
Round, oval
Grows in
2–3 weeks
Upkeep
Low
Level
Beginner
Barber’s tipKeep the sides of the puff parallel and tight. A puff that widens at the bottom pulls the eye down instead of lengthening the face.
Beard Styles That Reward a Little Grooming
These ask for a trimmer, defined lines, and a tidy-up about once a week. The extra attention shows.
10. Full Beard
The classic full beard is even growth across cheeks, jaw, and lip, shaped to a moderate length. It is the standard by which everything else on this page gets measured, and it rewards patience more than technique. You need reasonably even cheek growth and the discipline to leave it alone through the scruffy weeks.
At a glance
Best for
Oval, triangle, oblong
Grows in
1–3 months
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Groomer
Barber’s tipFor the first month, touch nothing but the neckline. Every early trim you make to the length sets your finish date back.
11. Short Boxed Beard
The short boxed beard is a full beard trimmed into clean, angular lines with defined cheek edges and a squared finish along the jaw. All that structure is the point: where a natural beard softens the face, the boxed version sharpens it. Keep the chin longest and step the cheeks and sideburns slightly shorter.
At a glance
Best for
Oval, oblong (most faces)
Grows in
2–3 months
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Groomer
Barber’s tipSet the cheek line and neckline before you shape any length. A boxed beard lives on its edges, and clean borders do more for it than bulk ever will.
12. Van Dyke
The Van Dyke pairs a detached mustache with a pointed chin beard, cheeks fully bare. The deliberate gap between the two pieces is what defines it and separates it from a goatee. Because the cheeks stay clean, it is a strong choice for men whose cheek growth never quite fills in.
At a glance
Best for
Round, square
Grows in
3–5 weeks
Upkeep
High
Level
Groomer
Barber’s tipGuard the gap. The moment the mustache grows into the chin piece you are wearing a goatee, and the Van Dyke’s character is gone.
13. Ducktail
The ducktail is a full beard tapered to a soft point below the chin, named for the tail it resembles. It gives you genuine length and presence while the pointed finish keeps everything looking shaped and deliberate. It is the natural bridge between a tidy full beard and the long styles further down this page.
At a glance
Best for
Oval, square
Grows in
2–4 months
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Groomer
Barber’s tipComb everything downward, then trim the sides in toward the point. The tail is cut into the beard, never just grown out of it.
14. Tapered Beard
A tapered beard shifts gradually from shorter sides to a longer chin, without the skin-short blend of a full fade. The gentler transition keeps more warmth and density on the cheeks while still slimming the profile. It is the easier cousin of the beard fade and far more forgiving to maintain at home.
At a glance
Best for
Most faces
Grows in
1–2 months
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Groomer
Barber’s tipTaper with the grain and check your work dry. Wet or pressed-flat hair hides the exact steps you are trying to smooth out.
15. Sculpted Line-Up
A sculpted line-up is not a separate beard so much as the finish that sharpens whichever one you wear: razor-straight cheek lines, crisp mustache edges, and a defined front. It is the difference between a beard that looks grown and one that looks decided. Any length benefits, from heavy stubble to a full beard.
At a glance
Best for
Most faces
Grows in
Any length
Upkeep
High
Level
Groomer
Barber’s tipLet a barber cut the first line-up, then maintain it at home. Correcting a line you took too deep means weeks of waiting, not minutes of fixing.
16. V-Shape Beard
The V-shape beard tapers the sides aggressively so the whole beard narrows to a point at the chin, forming a clear V from the front. It manufactures a jawline out of soft or wide features better than nearly any other shape. It needs solid chin growth, since all the visual weight lands there.
At a glance
Best for
Round, square
Grows in
2–3 months
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Groomer
Barber’s tipBuild the V gradually over two or three trims. Cutting the full angle in one session almost always lands past the line you wanted.
17. Chin Curtain
The chin curtain runs a band of beard along the jaw and under the chin, framing the face while the mustache stays light or disappears entirely. It is fuller and softer than a chin strap, more outline than mass. It gives jaw coverage without the weight of a full beard, and it wears especially well on long faces.
At a glance
Best for
Oval, square
Grows in
1–2 months
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Groomer
Barber’s tipDecide your mustache policy on day one, full, faint, or bare. That single call sets the character of the whole style.
18. Amish Beard
The Amish beard is a full chin and jaw beard worn with the mustache shaved completely off. Removing the mustache gives it an unmistakable old-world character and drops all the visual weight below the mouth. It is also a practical pick for men whose mustache is the weakest part of their growth.
At a glance
Best for
Oval, square, oblong
Grows in
2–4 months
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Groomer
Barber’s tipShave the lip clean to the very corners of the mouth every time. Half-grown mustache stubble is what makes this style look neglected instead of chosen.
19. Friendly Mutton Chops
Mutton chops grow the sideburns thick and wide down the cheeks toward the mouth while the chin stays clean. Connect them to a mustache and you have the friendly variation; leave the lip bare for the classic. Either way it is a statement style with real history, and it demands confident, regular edging.
At a glance
Best for
Oval, square
Grows in
1–2 months
Upkeep
High
Level
Groomer
Barber’s tipGrow a full beard first and carve the chops out of it. Growing chops in isolation takes twice as long to look intentional.
Master Styles for the Committed
Months of growth and steady care. These make the strongest impression, and they earn it.
20. Garibaldi
The Garibaldi is a broad, full beard with a rounded bottom and the mustache blended in, worn big but never wild. It looks rugged from a distance and disciplined up close, which is exactly the trick. Expect several months of growth before it reaches its true rounded shape.
At a glance
Best for
Oval, triangle
Grows in
4–8 months
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Master
Barber’s tipHold a hard neckline about two fingers above the Adam’s apple, even at this size. That one line keeps a big beard on the right side of unkempt.
21. Bandholz
The Bandholz is a long, natural full beard grown for the better part of a year with the length left completely alone. Where the Garibaldi is shaped round, the Bandholz simply becomes whatever your growth wants to be, only tidier. It asks for almost no technique and an enormous amount of patience.
At a glance
Best for
Oval, oblong
Grows in
6–12 months
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Master
Barber’s tipRestrict yourself to the neckline and mustache while it grows. Every trim to the length resets a clock that only runs in months.
22. Verdi
The Verdi pairs a rounded, tidy full beard with a styled mustache curled up and away from the lip. The contrast is the whole point: disciplined beard below, showpiece mustache above. It takes months of growth and a daily minute with wax, and it repays both with one of the most distinguished silhouettes in barbering.
At a glance
Best for
Oval, square
Grows in
4–8 months
Upkeep
High
Level
Master
Barber’s tipWax the mustache upward every morning and trim the beard round, never square. If the mustache stops being the star, it is not a Verdi anymore.
23. Long Full Beard
A long full beard keeps substantial length below the chin; there is no single minimum length for the everyday style. Washing, conditioning and gentle detangling help keep the longer hair manageable.
At a glance
Best for
Oval, oblong
Grows in
6–12 months
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Master
Barber’s tipSwap the trimmer for scissors past four inches, and only dust the ends. Long beards are maintained a few hairs at a time.
24. Lumberjack
The lumberjack is a dense, generous full beard with a worked-outdoors character, fuller and less rounded than a Garibaldi. Density is what sells it, so it favors men with thick, even growth. It looks like no work at all precisely because the work moved into conditioning and brushing instead of shaping.
At a glance
Best for
Oval, square, oblong
Grows in
4–8 months
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Master
Barber’s tipBrush it out daily and feed it oil or balm. A big beard that dries out frizzes wide instead of hanging full.
25. Yeard
A yeard is a beard grown for one full year, usually with little or no trimming of its length. The photo illustrates a long-beard look; a photograph cannot establish how long someone has been growing it. The final length and density vary from person to person.
At a glance
Best for
Oval, oblong
Grows in
12 months
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Master
Barber’s tipMark the calendar and keep only the neckline and mustache tidy. The awkward phase around month three is where most yeards quietly end.
26. Braided Beard
The braided beard turns long growth into one or more woven braids, sometimes finished with a bead or band. It is equal parts statement and practicality, keeping serious length controlled and out of the way. You need genuine inches before a braid will hold, and gentle hands to keep the hair healthy.
At a glance
Best for
Most faces, needs length
Grows in
6–12 months
Upkeep
High
Level
Master
Barber’s tipBraid slightly damp and conditioned, and keep the tension loose. Tight dry braiding snaps the very hairs you spent a year growing.
27. Musketeer
The musketeer matches a small, pointed chin beard with a long, flamboyant mustache swept out or curled at the ends. It is the swordsman’s look: precise, vertical, and a little theatrical. The two pieces are groomed separately and meet only in spirit, which is exactly the charm.
At a glance
Best for
Oval, square
Grows in
2–4 months
Upkeep
High
Level
Master
Barber’s tipGrow the mustache first, since it sets the whole tone. The chin point can be shaped in weeks; the mustache is the long project.
28. Bald Head with Full Beard
A cleanly shaved head over a full beard flips the usual frame: all the attention moves down to the jaw, and the contrast does the styling for you. It is one of the strongest, most deliberate looks a man can wear, and it turns a receding hairline into an asset.
At a glance
Best for
Most faces
Grows in
1–3 months
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Groomer
Barber’s tipGroom both halves with equal care. A sharp beard under a neglected scalp misses the whole point of the contrast.
Mustaches and Partial Styles
Not every great look is a full beard. These run from a one-week soul patch to a show-stopping handlebar. For the complete run-down, see all 23 mustache styles.
29. Beardstache
The beardstache runs a full, dominant mustache over short stubble across the rest of the face. The contrast does the work: the mustache takes the spotlight while the stubble quietly frames the jaw. It is one of the most patchy-friendly styles going, since the cheeks only ever have to manage stubble.
At a glance
Best for
Most faces, hides patchy cheeks
Grows in
4–8 weeks
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Groomer
Barber’s tipGrow the mustache untouched while keeping the stubble at one short guard. The gap between the two lengths is the style.
30. Handlebar Mustache
The handlebar grows the mustache long enough to sweep the ends out and curl them upward, set daily with a firm wax. It is a showpiece with a hundred years of charm behind it, and it turns heads the moment the curl holds. Budget months for the length and a minute every morning for the set.
At a glance
Best for
Most faces
Grows in
3–6 months
Upkeep
High
Level
Master
Barber’s tipPush past the awkward lip-length phase without trimming, training the hairs sideways from week one. The curl is earned before it is styled.
31. Walrus Mustache
The walrus grows the mustache long and heavy until it drapes over the top lip in one thick curtain. It is bold, old-world, and unbothered, and it needs dense mustache genetics to fill properly. Everything about it says patience, from the months of growth to living with hair at your lip.
At a glance
Best for
Most faces
Grows in
4–8 months
Upkeep
High
Level
Master
Barber’s tipComb it down daily and trim only what actually enters your mouth. Cutting a walrus back to comfort defeats the entire style.
32. Fu Manchu
The Fu Manchu grows the corners of the mustache into long strands that hang past the chin while the lip and face stay otherwise clean. It is dramatic, unmistakable, and slower than it looks, since all the length comes from two narrow strips of hair. Commit to it or skip it; there is no halfway.
At a glance
Best for
Most faces
Grows in
3–6 months
Upkeep
High
Level
Master
Barber’s tipShave the center lip clean and leave the corners strictly alone for months. Every impatient tidy-up restarts the slowest-growing hair on your face.
33. Horseshoe Mustache
The horseshoe wraps the mustache down both sides of the mouth to the jaw, forming an upside-down U. It is often mistaken for the Fu Manchu, but the horseshoe is fully connected hair, not hanging strands. It brings a tough, blue-collar edge and squares up softer faces surprisingly well.
At a glance
Best for
Oval, round
Grows in
6–10 weeks
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Groomer
Barber’s tipGrow a goatee’s worth of coverage first, then shave the chin out of it. Carving the shoe from fuller growth keeps both bars even.
34. Zappa-Style Mustache and Patch
This pairing runs a thick, slightly downturned mustache over a soul patch, with the rest of the face clean. It is relaxed, expressive, and a little artistic, and neither piece needs serious length. For a mustache-forward look with more character than a chevron, this is the one.
At a glance
Best for
Most faces
Grows in
2–4 months
Upkeep
Medium
Level
Groomer
Barber’s tipLet the mustache corners grow past the mouth before shaping. The style needs that slight droop to earn its character.
Best Beard Style for Your Face Shape
Before you commit to a style, know what your face needs. The goal is balance: add length where the face is wide, add width where it is long, and soften or sharpen the jaw as needed. Here is the short version.
| Face shape | What to aim for |
|---|---|
| Oval | Almost anything works; keep it balanced and tidy. |
| Oblong or rectangle | Fuller on the sides, shorter at the chin, so you do not add length. |
| Round | Length at the chin, short sides, to stretch the face. |
| Square | A softer, rounded chin to ease a strong jaw. |
| Diamond | Some fullness at the chin to balance wide cheekbones. |
| Triangle | Width up at the cheeks, lighter at the jaw. |
Go deeper with our guides to matching a beard to your face shape and picking the right beard length, or jump straight to styles for round, square, diamond, and triangle faces.
Maintenance and Grooming: What to Expect
Every style on this page involves growing to a suitable length and keeping its shape tidy. The times below are rough estimates, not promises: growth rate, density and trimming habits affect how quickly a style develops.
The two lines that matter most on any beard are the neckline and the cheek line. Set the neckline about two fingers above the Adam’s apple and follow the curve of the jaw; leave the cheek line mostly natural and just clear the strays, unless your style calls for a sharp edge. Our guides to trimming the perfect neckline and lining up your beard cover both step by step.
Short styles want their edges tidied twice a week; longer ones need a proper trim every week or two, moving from trimmer to scissors as the length builds. The full walkthrough is in our beard trimming guide. And if you are starting from zero, read up on the five stages of beard growth and these healthy growing habits so you know what is normal along the way.
| Length | Grow time | Trim cadence |
|---|---|---|
| Short (stubble to corporate) | Days to about 6 weeks | Tidy edges twice a week |
| Medium (full, boxed, ducktail) | 1 to 4 months | Trim every 1 to 2 weeks |
| Long (Garibaldi to yeard) | 4 to 12+ months | Shape monthly, neckline weekly |
Keep Exploring Beard Styles
Looking for something more specific? These guides go deeper.
Pair it with a haircut
Hair and beard combinations · Buzz cut with a beard · Beards for long hair · Mullet with a beard · Fade haircuts with beards
By color
Salt and pepper · Gray · White · Blonde · Brown hair, red beard · Colorful beards
By age and growth
Styles for older men · Styles for teenagers · Styles for patchy beards · Styles for thin beards
World styles
Asian · Arabic · Irish · Japanese · Spanish · Filipino
Compare the classics
Van Dyke vs Goatee · Van Dyke vs Anchor · Bandholz vs Garibaldi
Celebrity inspiration
70 celebrities with beards · Celebrities with goatees · The most famous bearded men ever
