Have you ever seen Ryan Gosling with a beard and thought, “that looks good I want to do that.” Yup. We all have. But whether you’re exploring a Viking beard or something a little more subtle, not all beards look good once you’ve grown them in.

Just like haircuts, different beard staples accentuate different face shapes and features. That’s why in this blog, we will explore the best beard shape for your face. Let’s check it out.

Know Your Face Shape

Before we get started on finding the right style, it’s important to get a sense of your face shape first. This is done easiest when you don’t have any facial hair that can shape the symmetry of your face. If you have to do a quick shave and start from scratch.

Measurements

To be super specific, knowing the measurements of key areas can help line up your facial hair. A flexible tape measurer will do the trick.

Face Length is from the bottom of your chin to the center of where your hairline starts.
Jawline will have you measure from the side of your chin to just below your ear before your jaw goes up. Multiply it by two since you need both sides.
Cheekbones start right at your hairline next to your eye, where you squint. Carry that across to the other side near your nose.
Forehead measurements go from the arch of one eyebrow to the other.

Using Measurements For These Face Shapes

Diamond face shapes are the longest in face length. Then the cheekbones are the longest, followed by the forehead and jawline. The chin is more pointed.
Heart face shapes have a pointed chin like a diamond, but the forehead and cheekbones are longer than the jawline.
Square faces have equal measurements in length.
Round faces are different from squares because the cheekbones and face length have similar measurements. Both of these are longer than the forehead and jawline. Jawline and forehead are also similar in length.
Oval face shapes feature a face length that is greater than the cheekbones. The forehead is also greater than the jawline. But instead of a sharp jawline, it’s more rounded.
Rectangle face shapes have long face lengths, and the rest of the measurements are relatively the same.
Triangular faces have a jawline that is greater in measurement than the cheekbones. And the cheekbones are greater than the forehead.

Styles That Work For Face Shapes

Now that we know what face shape we are working with, we can explore a few styles that accentuate our best features. Some face shapes may have crossover because of their elongated features. But just because some styles crossover doesn’t mean all of them do. Let’s take a look:

Oval Face Shapes

Oval face shapes, in general, are lucky because a lot of styles work with their face shape thanks to their longer chin.

Full Beards

A full beard, whether it’s thick, short, or long, looks best on people who have an oval face shape. Using a good quality wax for beards to style a full beard look. This style features a beard, mustache, and whiskers that come together to cover the cheeks, chin, and neck completely.

Soul Patch Beard

Another great option is the soul patch beard. Its name is self-introducing, as it adds a little flair to your look in a minimal way. The patch is usually square or triangular-shaped and sits just below the center of your bottom lip.

Triangular Face Shapes

Ryan Gosling is a great example of someone who rocks a beard with a narrow jawline. The idea is to add width to a pointier chin but not extend already wide cheekbones. You’ll find that triangular and oval shapes can suit a lot of similar styles.

5 O’Clock Shadow

The 5 O’Clock Shadow is a popular option. It’s a scruffy look that features a little bit of stubble all over the face. Once it starts to fill in, you’re beyond the shadow.

The Olde English

The Olde English beard provides the full beard look but highlights the cheekbones by keeping the sideburns distinct; It’s a mix between a full beard, the Door Knocker, and Mutton Chops.

Heart Face Shapes

Heart faces have soft features, so you don’t want a beard that softens your edges even more. That’s why avoiding a full beard is important.

Classic Sideburns

Stubble and sideburns are the best options to bring out your nose and eyes and make your features feel a little more distinct. It also offers a clean look that goes well for any occasion.

The Verdi Beard

The Verdi Beard is a unique style that focuses on having a beard with a thick mustache as its centerpiece to draw attention. The beard itself is medium length, so you still have some hair without losing your face.

Square Face Shapes

We love a good goatee, and so do the square-face shapes of the world.

The Full Goatee

A full goatee with a mustache helps lengthen your chin. The style has the hair surrounding the mouth blending in with the mustache and the soul patch to cover the chin area.

The Chevron Mustache

And if you don’t feel like doing a full goatee, then you can opt for a Chevron mustache. This style features a mustache that angles down toward the corners of your lips.

Round Face Shapes

Round faces will try to make their face appear slimmer.

The Van Dyke Beard

With wider cheekbones, the best beard to try is the Van Dyke Beard. Some people mistake this for a goatee, but that isn’t the case. In this style, you will have shorter sideburns along the jawline and longer hair around the chin. This elongates the face. Too much hair on the sides makes your face wider.

Diamond Face Shapes

Diamond face shapes are interesting because they aren’t quite like an oval but have some similarities. The priority becomes trying to elongate the chin a little, but not too much. This is why you don’t want the Van Dyke beard because it’s too long on the chin.

The Garibaldi Beard

The Garibaldi Beard is a nice option for this face shape. While it’s a little longer on the chin, it’s rounded out, which takes away some of the pointiness. Since your cheekbones are the widest part of your face, it’s important not to have fluffed-out sideburns.

Experimenting is Key

Now our faces aren’t geometrically perfect. That means a little experimentation can go a long way. Learn how to keep your hair and beard well maintained especially when you are on the move.

Our faces fall into these general categories of measurement, and that’s why a beard that is a half inch longer on you may look better than your friend with the same face shape.

Experimenting also means learning how to use different tools to trim and cut your beard properly. For instance, understanding the difference between a beard comb & brush can be the make or break of your beard style. Quality tools can make all the difference.