Be Sharp for Your Next Meeting: 5 Trendy Beards for Men
Are you interviewing for jobs? Have an important event coming up? Or maybe you just like looking sharp every day of the week. Facial hair is more and more accepted in the workplace. A perfectly groomed beard can actually allow you to be taken more seriously. It shows you care about yourself and so, will probably care about others.
We’re here to give you some tips and inspirations. Your beard has a ton of possibilities to make a statement in a professional or casual setting. Each of the 5 styles we talk about here have several options. You can decide which variation works for your skin, hair type and face shape.
Let’s start with the STUBBLE look:
In the early 1900’s, stubble was really looked down upon. It was looked at like, you can’t grow a full beard so you’ve stuck with stubble. It was also a sign of laziness or poverty, the 5 o’clock shadow.
Quite the contrary today, the stubble beard is a super cool style statement. Stubble is also the easiest beard to achieve. It might just be your next hot date look.
Maintenance:
Leaving your 2-3 day old stubble as is, is not the stubble look. It does require some attention. You don’t need a clean shave to restart your stubble each time, either. Use a 3-4mm setting on your beard trimmer to maintain length. Remove the guard or use a precision attachment to remove hair from cheeks or below your Adam’s apple. Keep your stubble soft and conditioned to reduce what’s called ‘pash rash’ on your partner while kissing. Exfoliate dead skin before moisturizing.
The pattern you choose for your stubble beard can suit your face or you can reshape your face with creative patterns. Consider fading it in. Keep the hairs on your chin longer and taper to a short stubble near your bottom lip. You can even fade past your Adam’s apple. Here are some photos that may inspire you.
The next beard is a classic, The Goatee:
Are you a rebel? A rockstar? Or maybe a refined intellectual. The goatee has classically been around to give men the desired, slightly villainous look.
It’s rebellious because it isn’t a full beard. The style features hair above the lip and on the chin only. Sometimes the two connect, creating a frame. The goatee is commonly used by men who can’t grow consistent hair around the mouth. But, it’s not exclusive to anyone. It’s good for slim faces to look a bit more plump. GREAT for baby faces to look more mature.
Maintenance:
With a great goatee, comes great responsibility. This is not your low maintenance face accessory. First, you must allow your facial hair to grow to a comfortable length, one that you can maintain with your beard trimmer. Then, use the trimmer’s edging blade to trim your mustache to sit right on or at the edge of your upper lip.
Trim down the sides of your mouth to your chin. Use your judgement on where to end the beard. Just below the jawline is recommended or, keep tapering down to the Adam’s apple. Make sure to shave all other parts of your face and neck very clean with a razor and shave gel. A little stubble can sometimes be ok but, it’s the contrast that makes your goatee stand out.
There are so many goatee types out there. Here are few that we love.
The unique, the creative, Beardstache:
The beardstache is essentially a hybrid of the stubble look and the full beard look. The purpose is to keep the mustache nice and full while keeping the beard trim and short in contrast. This look has to be done with confidence. It is sometimes accused to be equivalent to a mullet or a pornstar. But, right now it’s the hottest thing and can ooze masculinity when done right! There’s something 1970’s about it or even a bit cowboy. Either way, it’s light and practical in the summer and has a nice classic feel.
Maintenance:
Your strategy to maintain this contrasting beard should be to take the grooming strategy from the stubble and the full beard look. Keep growing your mustache and trim your big bushy ‘stache with precision scissors or trimmers to keep it at the desired length. You’ll find the beard is what takes more revisiting to keep it at the short length achieved by your 3-4mm trimmer setting. Keep your ‘stache tangle free by using a mustache comb to distribute a moisturizing wax evenly. Exfoliate and condition your beard as we described above in the stubble look.
The classy sexy beard, The Short Beard
This look is the ultimate day-to-night, less maintenance and neater version of the full beard. The short beard can really elevate a tux worn to a wedding or suit worn to work. Of course, it’s always well received after work at the pub too.
Worn by many A-list celebrities such as George Clooney and Ryan Reynolds, the short beard is really a dignified ‘007 with a scotch. Add some gravitas and insulation to your face. See where it takes you.
Maintenance:
This is not your untamed hipster beard. The short beard should be maintained with precision to show off neatness and class. You’ll need a decent beard trimmer. We recommend a wet razor as well.
The short beard length is about 1 to 2cm. Grow it out to this length and keep it trim with a good trimmer. Always trim just outside the line of your beard, leaving room to tidy up with a razor. You can use a pair of shears to trim hairs that stick out during the week.
Use a wet razor to keep your cheek and neck outside of the beard line smooth and clean. As with the other beards, end your beard just past the jawline. Taper down from there down to the Adam’s apple. This is a flattering way to accentuate the short beard. To keep your beard feeling and looking its best, use a good beard oil. You can even use the wax technique we talked about Use a comb or natural bristle brush to distribute the product evenly.
And the ultimate right of passage, The Full Beard:
The lumberjack beard might convince you that a full beard is just for those who don’t have the time for shaving and trimming. A full beard being low maintenance is a big misconception. It’s actually one of those things that is decidedly harder than it looks. The length of a fuller beard brings about more problems like dandruff, sweat, and tangles.
Maintenance:
If you decide to sport the full glory of the full beard, you will have to set aside time in your week to shampoo, condition, detangle, and moisturize your beard whenever it feels dry and ripe. Maintenance is very similar to the short beard above. Growing it out, however, will take patience as it will likely grow patchy and you’ll need to trim it even until it evenly grows to your desired length. Make sure moisturize your skin around and inside your beard. Blow dry on a cool setting for a bushy look.
In Conclusion
A man’s biggest natural fashion statement is his facial hair. Use it to your advantage. Seek a professional opinion when you have questions so you can maintain a healthy, glossy look. Have them shape it in the different styles until you find a few that work for you.
It’s not a bad idea to have different beard looks set aside for different settings. Use the short beard for formal occasions. Use the goatee when you feel a tad bit rebellious. You grow and change every day. Let your beard help you express yourself. 😉
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