Beards are a fashion statement. They show off a guys confidence, style, and individuality. They’re certainly more than just facial hair. No matter if you go for a bit of stubble, stick with must a neatly trimmed mustache, or prefer a longer look, it is important to find the right beard shape to show off your facial features and attract other guys.
In this guide, we will dig into some of the best beard styles for gay men. If you are new to beards, we’re also going to dig into grooming tips, essential care products to keep everything nice and clean, and how to get the right beard for your face shape.
Ready to find your perfect beard? Let’s dive into the top styles and grooming tips to help you look your best.
What Makes Facial Hair so Attractive
Beards have been a key part of gay culture for a minute. They symbolize masculinity, personal style, and confidence. The right beard can show off your features. It can create a distinguished appearance or give you a rugged look. Beard styles help gay men create a personal style and align themselves with different subcultures in the gay community.
Beyond appearance, growing a beard and keeping it up is ritualistic. It’s also a way to indulge in self care. On the right face, any beard style creates an undeniable allure. That’s why beards will always be an important part of gay culture.
Beard Styles to Try
Beards, mustaches, and even sideburns make up a defining part of your personal style. The right beard style can highlight your face shape and enhance your best facial features. Whether you are into a short beard style to create a modern appearance or the rugged, mountain man appeal of longer beard styles, there is a look for every queer man. Take a gander at some of the best beard styles available for guys like you.
Short Boxed Beard
The short boxed beard is a great option for men who want a refined yet masculine look. This is a preferred look for men who want to keep their beard short. It consists of neatly trimmed hair following the jawline with defined cheek lines. This short beard style works well for square face shapes and round face shapes alike, giving structure without overwhelming the face. Regular use of a beard trimmer and shaving cream helps maintain its sharp, clean appearance.
Full Beard
A full beard is one of the most classic styles. Here, you grow your beard out until your side burns, cheeks, and chin are fully covered in hair without any gas. While many men emphasize beard growth and density to get that truly masculine look, you can keep your full beard short. Remember, its all about coverage, not length.
Keep in mind that beard care is a must. You’ll need beard wax and beard oil so things look soft and clean. It’s really easy to go from a manly attractive look to somebody who badly needs a shower when you have a full beard. Sorry, this isn’t a great look if your beard hair tends to be patchy. Think of the full beard as one that is meant for guys with dense beard growing genetics.
Stubble Beard
The stubble beard is a short beard style with at least some gay roots. In the 1980s, it was popularized by gay pop singer, George Michael who sported this short beard look in several of his solo music videos.
For guys who like a short beard that enhances their facial feature, a bit of stubble can do wonders. It adds texture, but does not require months of beard growth. We also like it on guys with shorter hair who are looking for something flattering without growing something too scruffy.
Ducktail Beard
The ducktail beard is popular and stylish. It has a more pointed shape that’s stylish with a bit of edge. Here, the full beard tapers down to a V at the chin. This look can balance out round face shapes. It does require regular trimming to keep its shape. Use beard oil to keep the hairs nice and supple.
Anchor Beard
This facial hair style with a thin mustache, soul patch, and a strip connecting to a pointed goatee looks like a ship’s anchor. Hence the name anchor beard. It can work well on guys who have a rounder chin or who want a polished appearance. This look can be flattering on men with both longer and shorter hair. Just know those sharp lines require regular maintenance with a good trimmer.
Circle Beard
A short beard style, the circle beard has a neatly trimmed mustache that connects with a rounded beard contouring around the chin. The look is classic, symmetrical, and clean cut. This beard fits in well at the office or in other situations where a more aggressive look might be frowned on. You’ll need a good trimmer and quality wax to keep this look up.
Handlebar Mustache
The handlebar mustache is ideal for gays who like a vintage, playful aesthetic. If you’re into the leather scene, you also know there’s nothing more attractive than a muscular daddy with a traditional or biker style handlebar. This mustache style requires regular grooming and the use of wax to curl the ends upward. It pairs well with a stubble beard if you like to keep a short beard. Conversely, try it with a full, thick beard for a true lumberjack effect.
Verdi Beard
This a retro look for men who want something that is both rugged and sophisticated. The Verdi has a full beard with a rounded shape with a sculptured mustache like a handlebar. This works well for guys with a rounder face shape because it adds definition to the jawline.
Mutton Chops
Mutton chops are thick sideburns that curve around the jawline while the chin is clean shaven. Some men grow their mutton chops only while others will connect their cheek hair to a mustache. This is a retro beard style that is often associated with bikers and leather afficianados.
Power Beard
It takes commitment and patience to grow a power beard. This, thick, dense beard can take months to grow in. However, if you are willing to wait, the look you get screams masculinity and confidence. You’ll need to commit to daily grooming, using oil to keep it soft and healthy.
The power beard matches well with guys who have strong facial features and square face shapes. You may need to experiment a bit to see if your hair is dense enough to pull this off.
Chin Strap Beard
A chin strap is a short beard that consists of a think line following the jaw. Everything else is clean shaven. This can emphasize facial structure without committing to a full beard. To keep those crisp lines, guys with this beard have to use a trimmer almost daily.
Classic Goatee
The goatee is a patch of hair on the chin that is often paired with a mustache. It’s a great option for men who want a beard shape that is always stylish. Many younger gays or men with slightly patchier hair will sport this look because their chin hair grows in thicker and fuller.
The goatee can be paired with a chevron mustache or a soul patch underneath for added flair. You have quite a bit of flexibility when it comes to keeping this beard short or allowing it to grow out a bit longer.
Faded Beard
The faded beard is a modern spin on beard styling that is clearly influenced by fade hair styles. It blends shorter hair on the cheeks down into longer hair on the chin and jawlines. This smooth transition can be modified to create some stylish, eye-catching looks. It can also be combined with a variety almost any beard style.
You definitely need to know what you are doing to create this look. Many guys rely on professional barbers to achieve this faded style. Keep up with trimming and maintenance to stay on top of those edges.
Hollywoodian Beard
You’ve probably seen the Hollywoodian beard on some famous actors. It features a thick full beard on the jawline, with clean-shaven cheeks. It draws attention to the lower half of the face, and works well for men with prominent chins. You may see it with a chevron mustache for a distinguished look.
Chevron Mustache
That thick mustache that contours with a guys upper lip, you know the one that screams cowboy or daddy? That’s a chevron mustache. Guys can wear it on its own, choose to pair it with some light stubble, or go for something fuller. In any case, the result is decidedly rugged and masculine.
Soul Patch
If there is one bit of hair on a man’s face that elicits strong opinions, it’s the soul patch. Guys who love them, really love them. But, we cannot deny this tuft of hair between the lip and chin has its haters.
Regardless of how anybody feels about it, it is a popular addition to the traditional goatee or mustache style. Think of it as a way to add something a little extra, even if you don’t want to grow out a full beard.
Taking Care of Your Beard
You’ve committed to growing a beard. That’s great as long as you keep it up. A beard can go from being the most attractive feature about a guy to absolutely repulsive. Ya gotta keep that thing soft, healthy, clean, and combed. This is true whether you keep your beard short like a stubble beard or have something slightly longer such as a ducktail beard.
You need regular grooming to keep your beard’s shape. This applies especially to a faded or short beard style. The right products help to keep your beard healthy as well. These tips will help you care for your beard properly.
1. Wash Your Beard Regularly
Your beard gets dirty, just like the hair on your head. It collects, dirt, oil, and product residue. Use a gentle beard shampoo or cleanser a few times a week to keep it clean without stripping its natural oils. Dont use regular shampoo as that can leave it brittle and dry.
2. Keep Your Beard Hydrated
Keep that healthy beard nice and moisturized. Use a beard oil once a day to keep it from getting dried out. That oil also protects the skin underneath from getting too irritated or itchy.
If you have longer facial hair, try beard balm or wax. This adds extra hydration and keeps unruly hair under control.
3. Trim Regularly
No matter what beard style you choose—whether it’s a short boxed beard, power beard, or corporate beard—You need to trim it regularly to keep it looking nice. Use a high-quality trimmer to keep the shape defined, pay close attention to cheek lines and your upper lip. Trimming also gets rid split ends, promoting healthier growth.
If you don’t want all that maintenance, consider a longer or more rugged style. They can be more forgiving in this area. Just know that there is no skipping out on cleaning or combing.
4. Brush and Comb Your Beard
Invest in a nice brush and comb set. Try a boar bristle brush that is designed for beards. You’ll prevent tangles, comb through natural oils, and train your hair to grow how you want it. It also keeps the crumbs out. Regular combing is an absolute must for the Verdi beard and other longer styles.
5. Shape Your Beard to Match Your Face Shape
Different beard styles work better with certain face shapes. If you have a round faerce shape, try a pointed beard, or ducktail beard to create definition. Meanwhile, men with square face shapes or diamond shaped faces sometimes like a rounded beard for balance. Regular trimming is key for ensuring that your beard works with your facial features.
6. Maintain Your Cheek and Necklines
A well-groomed beard has nice clean lines to add definition. Use a trimmer to kee your cheek lines and neck lines straight and even.
For a natural yet clean look, avoid shaving too high or too low on the neck. Some barbers offer this as a weekly or biweekly service for regular clients.
7. Use Beard Wax for Styling
Some facial hair styles need extra hold. If you have a chevron mustache or handlebar mustache you’re going to need to invest in wax. This will allow you to share and maintain your mustache style without flyaway hairs ruining your look.
8. Eat a Healthy Diet for Better Hair Growth
If you are sporting facial hair that is brittle or patchy, the culprit might be your diet. Eat foods that are high in protein. Get your omega-3s, and be sure you are taking in vitamins like biotin. That will help promote thicker beard hair. As always, hydration is key. Drink lots of water to keep your beard soft and healthy.
9. Avoid Overwashing and Over-Trimming
We get it. Guys worry that their beards may be dirty or smelly. You do need to keep it clean, but don’t wash it too much. It won’t get any cleaner, you’ll just strip out the oils and have a dry, itchy beard.
Also, don’t get too obsessive with trimming. Otherwise, you may not get that thick, dense look that you’re going for.
10. Patience is Key
It takes time to grow facial hair. Even if you are aiming for a short beard, it could be a few weeks before you get the shape and style you want. If you go for a terminal beard, you could be looking at months of growth to achieve your goals. Dont obsess over trimming or checking the length each day. Let it grow. You can always go back and change the shape when it’s time.
Finding Your Beard Style
Choosing the right beard style is about more than just letting your facial hair grow—it’s about finding a look that complements your facial features, hair type, and personal style. Whether you prefer a beard short and sharp or a long, rugged look, the right choice will enhance your overall appearance. Here’s how to find the best beard style for you.
Consider Your Face Shape
Your face shape is an important determining factor in picking the beard style will suit you best. If you have a round face, a longer beard with a pointed shape can add needed definition. For square face shapes, try a curly or rounded beard which can soften those strong angles. If you have an oval face, try experimenting with almost any style, from a short and neat look to a full, thick beard.
Match Your Beard to Your Hairstyle
Your beard and hairstyle should combine to create a flattering look. If you have long hair, try a longer beard style, like a ducktail or Verdi beard, which can create a bold, aesthetic. On the other hand, if you prefer shorter hair, go with a a well-groomed short boxed beard or stubble beard can enhance your jawline without overwhelming your face.
That said, just like other rules of style, nothing is written in stone. On the right face, a long, thick beard can offer a stunning contrast to a short, military-style haircut. Likewise, shorter facial hair can look amazing with a long hairstyle.
Consider Your Growth Pattern
Not all men have the same growth pattern. Some grow thick, dense facial hair, while others may thinner hair or patchy spots. If you have thick beard hair with some curls, opt for a longer, textured beard that embraces that naturally rugged look. If your beard is thinner, a shorter style like a corporate beard or just a traditional goatee can create a more structured look.
Think About Maintenance
How much time do you have to dedicate to upkeep. Some beard styles need more maintenance than others. For example a stubble beard or other short beard has to be trimmed regularly. Longer beards or curly beards need more attention to hydration and shaping.
If you have long hair and a long beard, that could mean a lot of time spent each morning on various grooming rituals. You’ll need to invest in beard oil and a trimmer. Both are essential to avoid looking too grubby.
5. Experiment and Adapt
You may not find the right beard style immediately. You may need to try different lengths and shapes to see what works best for your face. Start with a short beard before you let it grow to experiment with different styles. Pay close attention to how your curls or other natural texture affects the shape and structure of your beard.
When you consider your face shape, hair length, and growing pattern, you can find a beard style that improves your look while matching your personality and lifestyle.
The Power of Beards in Gay Culture
Beards are more than just facial hair—they’re a powerful tool for self-expression, confidence, and identity in gay culture. You might associate a long beard with bears or lumberjacks, and a short beard with younger, hipper gays. There’s just so much you can do with beard growth to express yourself and show your cultural alignment.
Of course, you should choose a beard that works with your face shape and preferred aesthetics. Still, it helps to consider what your choice in beards might be communicating. Many gay men will choose a short beard or long one to reflect their attractions.
Whether you keep your beard short like a corporate beard or longer to allow your loose curl to flow, every beard deserves to be celebrated. Experiment with different looks, consult your barber, and you will have the look you want before long.
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