Beards come in many different shapes and styles. And what is the right beard style for me will absolutely not be the right beard style for everybody else!
first of all, growing a beard is a big decision. Kind of like having a child…ok, maybe not that big of a decision, but nonetheless, a beard will not only affect the way people view you, but also how you view yourself!
This can be an awesome thing! In fact, recent studies have shown that men with beards are more likely to make more sales and earn higher marks in service and sales-based jobs regardless of age, race, or anything else. Isn’t that wild?! for more on the study, click HERE
Either way, if you’ve made the bold decision to become a bold-faced beardsman, then this article is for you.
You may be wondering where to start on the journey of growing an awesome beard, how to shape your beard, and how to get past the “awkward growing phase” that almost ALL beardsman face in the early stages. Well, you’re in the right place because we’ll be discussing all of these points today.
Real quick, check out this VOLT video on the topic and subscribe to VOLT by clicking here!
How To Start Growing A Beard
Now, before you just all-out quit shaving, and expect nature to work it’s magic, there are some things you need to decide first.
Generally, there are three things you need to decide:
- What HAIR style do you want to rock?
- What’s your natural face shape?
- What beard style do you prefer?
Missing one of these 3 key areas can be critical in making or breaking your bearded experience. Without considering all of them at first, you’ll be throwing caution to the wind and surrendering your power to the forces of chance!
Maybe that’s a little dramatic, let’s just agree that if you don’t consider these points, the worst can potentially happen…you might have to shave …*shudders*.
Let’s start with the first point.
Hairstyle
You may be asking yourself, “Why in the world does your HAIRSTYLE matter when it comes to growing a beard?!” well, it does. Quite a lot, actually.
You see, your hairstyle is the main factor that defines the outline of your face. This is due solely to the silhouette that it causes on the top of your head!
Men with very square or flat faces, but have a long hairstyle, will end up making their faces look more slender and long. This absolutely affects the way a beard will make you look, and further affects the beard styles you should choose!
Keep this in mind, what hairstyle are you planning to rock with your beard? Is it going to change anytime soon? Are you thinking of adding a beard to the hairstyle you have, or changing your entire look all at once?
Here’s the rule, longer hairstyles make a face look slimmer.
Medium, voluminous hairstyles make a face look wider due to the hair sticking out at the sides.
Short top-focused hairstyles can be either slimming or widening, depending on how it’s styled. A tall silhouette obviously makes the face look longer, and a short silhouette makes it look wider.
Face Shape
This can be an entire article on its own, but without getting too crazy here, the point is that our goal as men is to define a face shape that works for us by using our hair and beards.
The best face shapes for men are ones that appear symmetrical, such as Oval and square face shapes. Symmetry in the face is directly linked to attractiveness, so determining what your face shape is now will help you make excellent beard and haircut decisions!
Here are the basic face types:
- Square: Very wide jaw, leading almost straight up to an evenly wide forehead.
- Oval: Round jaw, increasing in width up to your cheek and decreasing to a rounded forehead.
- Diamond: Sharp, angular jaw, straight lines to your cheek, straight lines to a sharp forehead.
- Round: Round jaw with evenly sloped lines across your cheek to your forehead and around.
- Triangle: Wide forehead, angular lines down to a pointed jaw.
- Rectangle: The Same as a square shape but longer in the vertical position.
- Heart: The same as diamond but your hair forms an obvious widow’s peak in the center.
The best way to tell what your face shape is is to stand centered in front of your mirror, grab a crayon or NON-permanent marker (like EXPO) and trace your face as still as you can. Take a step back and see what you find!
Preferred Beard Style
Last but not least, what beard style do you usually prefer? What is your image of yourself in terms of your beard and face shape? After all, all I’m doing here is giving you basic guidelines, by all means, do what you prefer first and foremost!
That being said, here are some extra tips on beards that fit certain face shapes, and when I say face shapes, I mean ALSO considering the hairstyle you’ve chosen as well:
- Square: Opt for shorter beards that further enhance your strong jawline and chin.
- Oval: Jackpot! You can rock almost any beard style due to the natural facial symmetry.
- Diamond: What is your hair doing here? To create symmetry, match your beard with your hair or vice versa to creat a full-faced look.
- Round: To avoid a babyface look, choose angular-shaped beard styles such as a short boxed beard, van dyke, or balbo.
- Triangle: You’ll want to add width and fullness to your jawline here. Choose fuller-beard styles and avoid short styles that further sharpen your chin.
- Rectangle: Same as Square (see above)
- Heart: Widen out your chin with fuller beard styles that define your jawline.
How to Avoid the Awkward Beard Growth Phase
Ah, yes. The awkward beard growth phase…
This phase has been such a detriment to the goodwill of beard growing and for far too long. Ultimately, it is actually a simple fix!
But simple does not mean easy, unfortunately. And most men definitely want a quick and easy ability to grow their beards, but to grow it evenly and to avoid that awkward phase means growing your beard slowly.
See, here’s the trick. If you are like many men, chances are that you have certain areas in your beard that do not grow as fast as other areas. In order to avoid the awkward phase where a certain length of your beard is far longer and “patchy” than another, you must consistently trim (NOT shave) the longer portions of your beard to match the shorter bits that take more time to grow.
The reason this is hard is that it takes time, for some men, a LONG time. But it is worth it if you are trying your best to avoid the patchy look altogether. This is the method I’ve chosen personally, and although it took me a total of a few more months to grow a full beard, my beard did look great all along the way.
Conclusion
Ultimately, growing a beard out is an awesome adventure, and worth every bit of effort in the end! Deciding on the factors listed above is going to give you a great headstart in the world of bearddom. And hopefully, you’ll love every moment of it!
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