Beard Styles: The Full Beard

A luxurious beard is a thing to behold, but how do you elevate it to fashionable heights? Styling, of course. While some men prefer the rough-and-tumble, low-maintenance look, the vast majority of beards are more aesthetically pleasing when they get a bit of upkeep and attention. Styling your beard doesn't have to be a chore, though. Learning more about beard styles and how to achieve the one you want is simply a matter of doing a little research and choosing the right product for the job.

CHOOSING BETWEEN BEARD STYLES

There's more to cultivating a great beard than throwing away your razor. In fact, most beard styles will require some shaping, trimming and shaving. While there's an endless array of styling options, most are variations on two themes: the full beard, and the goatee.
Even full beards require some trimming and shaping, though you'll want to be careful to choose a shape flattering to your face while avoiding common mistakes. The neck is a crucial area for shaping and styling, as you'll want to avoid long hair growing from below your Adam's apple, but don't want to take the line all the way up to your chin. Shaving too far up the neck and flirting with the line of the chin give men with all but the very thinnest faces the look of a double chin. The lines of every man's face are different, but the ideal full beard will match the contours of your face.



The goatee can have a 90s throwback feel or look sloppy if it's not maintained, but a well-kept goatee is making a comeback and can suit your features if shaped properly, and should usually include a mustache for balance. To get the right shape, it’s best to start with about a week of full growth so you have more to work with. Once you've set in the shape you want, though, the neck and cheeks will need to be shaved regularly to avoid looking like an unkempt, unevenly shaped beard.

PERFECTING BEARD STYLES

If you have more than a few days' growth cultivated on any part of your face, you'll need to make sure your facial hair is taken care of with the right products. The longer your beard, the drier the hair and the skin beneath it, so invest in a great beard oil or beard balm to keep your skin and hair moisturized. This will help to not only keep your beard looking great, but also facilitate growth.
Choosing between beard styles requires you to take stock of your facial features, balancing the shape of your facial hair to the lines of the face itself. With some experimentation, you can find the perfect beard style to flatter your face.