Short beard styles can be just as dapper and alluring as longer and fuller beards, but they do require a stricter adherence to face types and shapes.
In this article:
Choose the Perfect Short Beard Styles According to Your Face Shape
The Face Shapes
To determine the best short beard style for you, you’d have to figure out your face shape first. Here are the 7 face types:
Diamond
This shape has a long face length, strong cheekbones, and a long jawline that tapers at the chin, which is the narrowest part of the face.
Heart
This face shape has a broad forehead and round cheekbones. It also usually has a slim jawline that tapers down to a small chin.
Oblong
This is one of the longer face shapes. It is long and rectangular, but with rounded corners. The forehead is broad but is more or less as wide as the cheekbones and jawline.
Round
The face is circular, with the cheekbones being the widest area of the face. The forehead isn’t very wide, and the jaw tapers into a small, rounded chin.
Oval
This is the Holy Grail of all face shapes. The forehead is somewhat broad, and cheekbones narrow into a round and tapering jawline.
Square
This face shape is wide all throughout with its prominent forehead, strong cheekbones, and a sharp, angular jaw.
Triangle
This face shape has a strong jawline that is wider than its cheekbones, but has a narrow, pointed chin and a broad forehead.
Now that you’ve figured out what kind of face you have, let’s move on to the short beard styles.
RELATED: How To Grow Sideburns For Your Face Shape
Short Beard Styles
1. Defined Lines
This short beard style consists of a closely shaved mustache and a partially shaved goatee that leaves a small soul patch. The sides are outlined to perfection. The defined lines of this short beard style aim to emphasize a strong chin and jawline.
Perfect for: Diamond, square, oval, and heart face shapes.
2. The Classic Short
This is a classic among all short beard styles and features a closely shaved beard and goatee that has a nice fade into the sideburns and hairline. As a classic cut, it suits most hairstyles but is paired best with a deep side part and fade for a modern take on a timeless look.
Perfect for: All face shapes
3. The Fuzz
This gives off a low-maintenance vibe. This is achievable for dudes with a short beard. Simply grow out your stubble so that it achieves the right level of fuzz.
Perfect for: All face shapes. This look aims to emphasize your carefree, rough-and-ready nature more than any facial feature.
4. Thick and Thin
This short beard is paired with long and thick sideburns that aren’t faded or tapered by the barber. It’s perfect for shortening a long face.
Perfect for: Diamond, oblong, and oval face shapes.
5. Chin Strap and ‘Stache
This is perfect for guys who can’t grow a full beard. It features a face that is cleanly shaved, save for the mustache and jawline. Trim and outline away so that the chin strap itself is even.
Perfect for: Round, oblong, and heart-shaped faces. The chin strap gives the illusion of a more prominent jawline.
6. Simple but Full
This short beard style consists of a full beard that is trimmed close to the face. Its goatee, however, can be kept a little longer or fuller to be more shapely and to emphasize the chin.
Perfect for: All face shapes. Simply adjust the goatee’s shape depending on how much you want to emphasize or disguise your chin.
7. Short and Tapered
This short beard style teeters along the border of fuller and longer beards. It tapers gradually into the sideburns for a great visual contrast that elongates the face.
Perfect for: Round and heart-shaped faces that seek give the illusion of a longer face.
8. Patchy Beard
This features a more prominent goatee and is ideal for those guys that grow patchy beards. The cheeks are left unshaven while the rest is bare, save for a soul patch and goatee that connects to the chin beard.
Perfect for: All face shapes
9. Circle Beard
This short beard style features a chin patch that connects to the mustache, creating a circle of facial hair.
Perfect for: Square face shapes
10. The Royale
This short beard style is a combination of a chin beard that anchors a goatee and mustache. It’s a good style for elongating the chin.
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Perfect for: Square face shapes
11. The Anchor
Named so because when you squint, it looks like an anchor made of facial hair. It features a neat and short chinstrap that outlines the jaw, and is often paired with a mustache.
Perfect for: Round face shapes
12. Short Length Classic
This is another classic among short beard styles for men. It gives the illusion of fullness and natural growth. However, it’s actually trimmed close to the face, while the parts outlining the jaw, chin, and neckline are left to grow. The sideburns and hairlines should be clean cut for a classy finish.
Perfect for: Oval, heart, triangle, and square face shapes. This haircut aims to lengthen the lower half of the face.
13. The 5 o’ Clock Shadow
This short beard style takes its cue from the classic 5 o’ clock shadow, which all guys with facial hair experience whenever they forget to shave for a few days. It takes little effort to pull this off. Simply shave your beard close to your face, defining and outlining your facial features. Let it extend to your neck if your facial hair leads there.
Perfect for: All face shapes
14. Front and Center Goatee
This lets the goatee shine by featuring it prominently on the face. Maintain a full face of hair, but trim everywhere else closely, save for the goatee. This anchors and creates the illusion of a much stronger chin.
Perfect for: Round, heart-shaped, oblong, and oval face shapes.
Watch how Max DaSilva trim his short beard:
Whatever your face shape may be, if you have the ability to grow a beard, grow it out. This list covers the basics of short style beard styles for men and is a great transition from being cleanly shaven to well into beard country. Feel free to experiment and talk to your barber on how to style your short beard to emphasize your favorite facial features.
Which short beard style works best for you? Let us know in the comments section below!
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