There was a time when a professional man was a clean-shaven one, but gone are the days of sacrificing your beard for your job. These days, facial hair is perfectly acceptable in most work settings, as long as it's not a health or safety hazard. With the right business beard style, you can maintain that masculine edge while still keeping things strictly professional.
5 Business Beard Styles for the Office
When it comes to choosing a work-appropriate beard, the choices are vast, especially if the overall atmosphere in your office is accepting of personal style. However, if you want to stick to classic options that are sure to pass the test without going out of style, give one of these timeless yet trendy beards a try.
1. The Stubble Beard
Short and sweet, the stubble beard is a great option for virtually any setting. It's easy to grow and maintain and requires very little attention to detail, so it's a great no-fuss option if you want to keep your facial hair without spending too much time sculpting it. Stubble is a broad term that covers pretty much any type of beard measuring 3 millimeters or less. Pair this business beard style with a mustache or sculpt those edges for a cleaner, more impressive look.
2. The Boxed Beard
For a fuller look that's still neat and tidy, the boxed beard offers facial hair that feels more like a true beard but still knows its limits. Clean lines and crisp angles are the keys to this look, with a straight neckline above your Adam's apple. The overall length can range anywhere from half an inch to 4 inches or more, but it's evenly trimmed and forms a straight line across in all directions.
3. The Goatee
Perhaps one of the most controversial options for that perfect business beard style, the goatee is still a viable choice for the modern-day businessman when you sculpt it right. There are many ways to style a goatee, and the wrong approach could leave you looking a little too retro. To keep it modern, keep the beard itself short, be sure to include a mustache, and partner it with stubble on the rest of the face and neck.
4. The Chinstrap Beard
Let those sideburns flow right down to connect with your beard and form the classic chinstrap look. To make it office-friendly, keep the overall length in check; while any length will do, a stubble or faded approach can look extra sharp. This highly sculpted beard style requires a decent amount of upkeep to maintain its desired effect, but it's a great option for those who have a harder time growing a fuller beard. For an extra dose of personality, pair it with a statement mustache.
5. The Hipster Beard
If thicker, fuller facial hair is more your style, you can still make it work at work. Hipster beards are a great option because they keep things thick and usually feature a sweet 'stache. All the same, these beards are well-groomed and are carefully styled and shaped. A rounded bottom length helps give this beard a more professional edge.
Business Beard Style: Tips for Grooming and Shaping
No matter what style you choose as your office go-to, it's important that you take the time to care for it. Even short beards can look scraggly without regular grooming and cleaning. Developing a daily beard routine is a must if you want your facial hair to look professional.
Keep It Neat
How often you trim your beard can depend on a wide variety of factors. How fast facial hair grows varies from person to person, but the average is around half a millimeter every 24 hours. You'll probably have to trim it at least every other day or so to maintain a neat appearance.
More importantly, you need to keep that beard clean. Wash your beard and your face daily and gently comb through longer facial hair to prevent tangles and matting.
Keep It Healthy
To maintain a business beard style that looks impressive, you need healthy facial hair. Just like any other hair on your body, your beard can be prone to dryness and texture issues. You can prevent this by using a moisturizing beard conditioner and applying beard butter or oil on a regular basis.
Hair health relies heavily on skin health, so take steps to protect your complexion, too. Exfoliate often to remove dirt and buildup; this will clear up the pores that house your hair follicles so you can enjoy better growth overall. Also, protect your skin from sun damage by applying sunscreen. Most dermatologists recommend that everyone, even those who sit at a desk most of the day, apply a minimum SPF of 30 on a daily basis. If you're headed outdoors, reapply every two hours or less.
Keep It (Relatively) Short
If you want to achieve the perfect business beard style, remember that less is usually more. While the total length is ultimately your decision, shorter beards tend to give off a more professional vibe overall. Less than 4 inches is typically a good guideline for fuller beards. More than anything, your beard should look well-kempt. Shorter lengths typically allow for smoother, healthier-looking facial hair that helps you look more put together. In the end, it's all about finding a style that helps you feel confident in the workplace.
Achieve Your Business-Friendly Beard With Wild Willies
Whether you are trying out a new look or want to upgrade your existing beard style, you need the right tools and products to keep your facial hair in top shape. At Wild Willies, we have everything to maintain that perfect business beard style while keeping your skin and your facial hair healthy, strong, and dare we say gorgeous. No matter what the length or how detailed the grooming is, we have you covered with easy-to-use kits and individual products to build a simple, effective beard routine. Be sure to check out all of our beard grooming and styling products so you can rock a killer beard at work, at play, and everywhere in between.
