Quick Answer
The key to choosing the right beard style lies in understanding your face shape and selecting a style that enhances your natural features. Each face shape has specific beard styles that work best: oval faces suit most styles, square faces benefit from rounded edges, round faces need angular definition, and so on. Regular maintenance and proper grooming techniques ensure your chosen style remains an asset to your appearance.
Most men struggle with finding the right beard style, often experimenting with different looks that don’t complement their facial features or enhance their overall appearance.
As premium image consultants at The VOU, we frequently hear frustrated clients say: “I’ve tried growing different beards, but I’m not sure if they actually suit me. How do I choose a style that works?”
This comprehensive guide will transform your approach to beard styling from trial-and-error into a scientific method for selecting the perfect beard style for your face shape and personal brand.
Let’s make your beard journey a success with expert guidance backed by years of professional styling experience.
Step 1: Identify Your Face Shape
The foundation of choosing the right beard style lies in understanding your face shape.
Even though you might have a general idea of whether your face is round or angular, precise identification is crucial for selecting the most flattering beard style.
For accurate face shape identification, take our free face shape quiz for men.
This quick assessment will determine whether your features align with an oval face like Jake Gyllenhaal, a round face like Leonardo DiCaprio, a square face like Daniel Radcliffe, or other distinct shapes that influence your most flattering beard styles.
Understanding your face shape is the cornerstone of personal style that will influence every beard styling decision you make.
Step 2: Best Beard Styles for Your Face Shape
Oval Face Shape
Men with oval faces enjoy the most versatility in beard styling choices thanks to their naturally balanced proportions. This face shape, exemplified by Jake Gyllenhaal and Ryan Gosling, works well with various styles.
The Classic Full Beard (12-15mm) offers excellent results, as demonstrated by Jake Gyllenhaal’s well-maintained approach.
The Short Boxed Beard, like John Legend’s precise styling, provides a refined, professional appearance that enhances natural features.
Your focus should be on maintaining clean lines and balanced proportions. Avoid styles that dramatically alter your natural facial harmony.
Recommended styles include:
- Classic Full Beard (12-15mm)
- Short Boxed Beard (6-8mm)
- Heavy Stubble (4-5mm)
- Van Dyke
- Corporate Beard (8-10mm)
See more beard styles for Oval Face Shape
Square Face Shape
Men with square faces, like Daniel Radcliffe and Tom Hardy, benefit from beard styles that complement their strong, angular features and add sophistication to their look.
The Rounded Full Beard (12-14mm) helps soften sharp angles and maintain masculinity, as shown perfectly by Daniel Radcliffe.
The Faded Beard, exemplified by Tom Hardy, provides sophisticated graduation, working particularly well with square features.
Focus on styles that maintain your natural strength and introduce subtle curves to offset angular features.
Recommended styles include:
- Rounded Full Beard (12-14mm)
- Moustache with Extended Goatee (10-12mm)
- Textured Medium Beard (8-12mm)
- Subtle Stubble (3-4mm)
- Faded Beard (2-12mm graduation)
See more beard styles for Square Face Shape
Round Face Shape
Men with round faces, like Leonardo DiCaprio and James Corden, benefit from beard styles that create definition and visual length to balance softer features.
The Extended Goatee with Length (14-16mm) creates excellent vertical emphasis, as demonstrated by Leonardo DiCaprio’s styling choices.
The Angular Full Beard, as worn by Aaron Paul, introduces beneficial definition to naturally curved features.
Your focus should be on styles that add structure and angles. Avoid beard styles emphasising facial roundness.
Recommended styles include:
- Extended Goatee with Length (14-16mm)
- Angular Full Beard (12-14mm)
- Tapered Beard (6-14mm)
- Short Box Beard with Length (8-14mm)
- Vertical Growth Pattern (10-12mm)
See more beard styles for Round Face Shape
Diamond Face Shape
Men with diamond faces, characterised by prominent cheekbones and narrower forehead and chin areas, require thoughtful beard styling to create balanced proportions.
The Full Square Beard (12-14mm) offers excellent width at the lower face, as shown by Zayn Malik’s approach.
The Graduated Full Beard, demonstrated by Robert Pattinson, creates harmony through strategic length variation.
Focus on styles that add width to the lower face to balance prominent cheekbones.
Recommended styles include:
- Full Square Beard (12-14mm)
- Graduated Full Beard (8-12mm)
- Extended Chin Beard (14-16mm)
- Structured Stubble (4-5mm)
- Wide Box Beard (10-12mm)
See more beard styles for Diamond Face Shape
Heart Face Shape
Men with heart-shaped faces, like Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth, benefit from styles that add volume to the lower face and maintain balance with the wider forehead.
The Full Chin Beard (12-14mm) demonstrates excellent proportion creation, as shown by Chris Pine’s styling.
The Balbo Beard, worn expertly by Ethan Hawke, adds crucial width to the narrower chin area.
Your focus should be on adding strategic volume to the lower face.
Recommended styles include:
- Full Chin Beard (12-14mm)
- Balbo Beard (10-12mm)
- Full Beard with Tapered Sides (6-14mm)
- Defined Stubble with Fuller Chin (4-7mm)
- Shaped Full Beard (12-14mm)
See more beard styles for Heart Face Shape
Rectangle Face Shape
Men with rectangular faces, like Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill, need styles that add width and control length to create balanced proportions.
The Rounded Full Beard (12-15mm) offers excellent balance, as demonstrated by Ben Affleck’s approach.
The Full Beard with Angled Bottom, worn masterfully by Henry Cavill, creates beneficial width without emphasising facial length.
Focus on styles that broaden facial appearance.
Recommended styles include:
- Rounded Full Beard (12-15mm)
- Full Beard with Angled Bottom (12-15mm)
- Circle Beard (4-6mm)
- Short Boxed Beard with Fade (2-8mm)
- Designer Stubble (1-3mm)
See more beard styles for Rectangle Face Shape
Triangle Face Shape
For men with triangle faces, like Tom Cruise and Tom Holland, the goal is to avoid adding bulk at the wider jaw area and create balance in the upper face.
The Minimal Stubble with Defined Lines (3-4mm) creates excellent definition without adding width, as shown by Tom Cruise’s precise approach.
The Graduated Short Beard, demonstrated by Taylor Zakhar Perez, helps create visual balance through strategic length variation.
Your focus should be on creating definition without adding unnecessary width to the jaw.
Recommended styles include:
- Minimal Stubble with Defined Lines (3-4mm)
- Graduated Short Beard (4-8mm)
- Chin-Focused Goatee (8-10mm)
- Temple-Focused Growth (6-8mm)
- Defined Stubble with Height (4-5mm)
See more beard styles for Triangle Face Shape
Pear Face Shape
Men with pear-shaped faces, like Édgar RamÃrez and Jason Derulo, require styles that create balanced proportions without emphasising the naturally wider jaw area.
The Short Boxed Beard (5-6mm) offers refined definition, as demonstrated by Édgar RamÃrez’s precise maintenance.
The Three-Day Stubble, worn expertly by Matt Bomer, creates subtle texture without adding bulk.
Focus on styles that add definition without increasing jaw width.
Recommended styles include:
- Short Boxed Beard (5-6mm)
- Three-Day Stubble (3-4mm)
- Tapered Short Beard (5-8mm)
- Chin-Focused Growth (4-10mm)
- Minimal Line Beard (4-5mm)
See more beard styles for Pear Face Shape
Step 3: Working With Your Barber
Finding the right barber is crucial for achieving your ideal beard style. The relationship between you and your stylist is fundamental to consistently achieving the sophisticated look you desire.
When selecting a barber, consider their expertise in beard styling specifically.
A skilled beard specialist will understand the nuances of facial hair patterns, growth directions, and how to shape your beard to complement your features.
Look for barbers who demonstrate expertise in:
- Precise beard trimming and shaping
- Understanding different facial hair textures
- Knowledge of contemporary beard styling techniques
- Experience with your specific beard type
Effective Communication with Your Stylist
When meeting with your barber, share context about your professional life and lifestyle needs.
This information helps them understand how your beard style needs to perform in various situations, from board meetings to social events.
Bring reference photos of your desired style, but be prepared to discuss how these looks can be adapted to your specific features and growth patterns.
Discuss maintenance requirements openly. A precisely shaped beard might look exceptional but require frequent touch-ups, while a more natural style might offer more flexibility between appointments.
Be specific about how much time you can realistically dedicate to daily grooming—this helps your barber recommend appropriate styles and maintenance routines.
Step 4: Maintaining Your Style
A sophisticated beard requires proper maintenance to continue looking its best.
Establish a regular maintenance schedule with appointments every 2-4 weeks for structured styles, or 4-6 weeks for fuller beards.
For important events, schedule your beard trim 3-5 days in advance, allowing the style to settle naturally.
Some precise styles might benefit from fortnightly clean-up appointments to maintain their sharp lines and overall shape.
Learn proper trimming and styling techniques from your barber and invest in quality grooming products appropriate for your style.
Your daily grooming routine should align with your lifestyle and time constraints while maintaining the intended look of your beard.
Pay attention to how your facial hair responds to different products and techniques, adjusting your approach as needed.
Creating a Complete Image
While the perfect beard is essential, it’s just one element of your overall image.
Consider how your beard style works with your haircut choices, wardrobe decisions, and complete grooming routine.
Each element should complement the others, creating a cohesive look that projects success and sophistication.
Professional Styling Support
For comprehensive image development that goes beyond beard styling, The VOU offers expert styling services to ensure your complete look projects success and sophistication.
Our Professional Face Shape Analysis, Fashion Style Analysis, and Complete Image Transformation services work together to create a polished, successful appearance that commands respect in any setting.
Contact our expert stylists today for a personalised consultation that will transform not just your beard, but your entire image.
Visit our styling services page to explore how we can help you achieve the sophisticated, successful look you deserve.
With years of expertise in high-end fashion collabs and a PhD in Sustainable Fashion, Ru specialises in curating eco-luxe wardrobes for the modern gentleman seeking understated refinement.
With over twenty years of front-row fashion and styling events, collabs with haute-couture houses, and a PhD in Luxury Fashion, Laurenti is an expert in crafting personalised looks that depict old-money sophistication.