Top 3 Tips for Short Beard Styles

Shorts beards are more versatile than longer beards. A short beard will fit almost any face shape, with very few exceptions. They provide a classic look that many men sport nowadays.

These beards are easy to maintain, although they will need frequent trimming to keep them in top shape. They are also a good option for men who want to grow a beard, but cannot grow a full one.

There are dozens of short beard types, ranging from subtle sideburns up to highly designed ones. Beards, no matter what length, can add dimension to your face and enhance your features.

So, how do you style and maintain a short beard? What are other things that you need to know?

The Top 3 Tips for Short Beards

There are three areas where you will need to concentrate your efforts if you decide to grow a short beard.  They are:

1. Choosing a beard style
2. Trimming your beard
3. Taking care of your beard

1: Choosing a Beard Style

The first and most important part of beard styling is to account for the shape of your face. There are seven different common face shapes: oval, heart, oblong, round, triangle, square, and diamond. You can check out how to determine your face shape in this guide. Once you have determined your face shape, you will be able to choose from the short beard styles below.

Inverted T-Beards

The inverted T-Beard family includes styles like the Balbo and anchor beards. These types are widely popular for men from all walks of life. Inverted T-beards are best for oval, heart, round, diamond, and square faces.

Boxed Beards

This type of beard is common among professional gents. It is frequently sported by men in the corporate world, as it is neater and cleaner than a full beard. Boxed beards are ideal for all face shapes.

Chin Beards

The chin beard or goatee is great for men who are just starting to grow their beards. As the name implies, this type of beard is concentrated on the chin. Some men also sport a mustache to complement the look. Chin beards are ideal for men with oval and heart-shaped faces. Diamond and square face shapes can also benefit from this style if they want to soften their look.

Circle Beards

Circle beards are similar to chin beards in some ways. The difference between the two is that circle beards are connected to the mustache. They cover the area around the mouth. You can choose to either grow sideburns or take them off. Circle beards are great for round, oval, and heart-shaped faces. Men with angular faces should avoid this beard style.

Mutton Chop Beard

Unlike circle beards, the absence of chin hair defines mutton chops. This type dates back to the 18th century but still looks cool today if trimmed properly. Mutton chops or imperial beards have facial hair that goes from the sideburns and meets the mustache. This beard style reduces facial length for the oblong face. It can also accentuate the strongest features of square and triangular faces.

2. Trimming Off the Excess Hair

Once you have decided which beard style will work best with your face, you can let your stubble grow for two to four weeks. This amount of time should fill up patches and to the point where your beard is ready for styling. To be considered short, your beard should ideally be no more than two inches in length.

Your beard will highlight all the other areas of your face. So, you will need to consider your nose hair, your cheeks, and your bushy eyebrows.

But also keep in mind that your beard style impacts the look of your neck and even your chest. So, if you want to achieve a neat and clean finish, you also need to keep your other body hair in check.

Beard Neckline

You can tame the look of your beard by clean shaving the space around it. Shorter beards need a higher neckline, so you should also learn how to trim your beard neckline. See our article, trimming the beard neckline, for more tips and information.

If nothing else, remember this tip: don’t ever let the beard connect via your neck to your chest hair.

Nose Hairs

When it comes to your nose, it’s perfectly okay to remove nose hair. But remember not to overdo it. These hairs actually act as filters to protect your lungs, so you should aim for just the protruding hair tips. You can buy lighted clippers like the Wahl Nose and Brow Trimmer for removing those stray hairs.

Eyebrows

Should you trim your eyebrows? Basically, yes. But this task is not as regimented for men as it is for women, Sania Vucetaj of Sania’s Brow Bar in New York City recommends that you concentrate on removing excess eyebrow bulk to maintain the balance in your face. This is especially true if you are wearing a short beard.

Some barbers can trim your eyebrows for you, or you can use your trimmer to reduce the bulk of your brows.

3. Taking Care of Your Short Beard

Whatever style you choose for your beard, don’t forget about beard care and maintenance. Short beards are easier to maintain than full-length beards. However, that doesn’t that you should work on it less often.

Trimming

Neaten your short beard by occasionally trimming it. You may opt to polish your look once a week or when stray hairs start showing up. This will depend on how fast your hair grows.

The first couple of times that you trim your new beard, you may want to go to the barber or the stylist.  They will be able to determine the best look for you.  Once the beard lines have been established, you can easily trim whatever errant hairs start growing.

Get yourself a quality beard trimmer like the Braun Series for handy trimming anytime.

Washing, Conditioning, Oiling

Regularly washing, conditioning, and tending to your facial hair is a must. Try to pick products that only contain natural ingredients.

A good beard wash will remove dirt, provide some shine, and nourish your hair.  Conditioners keep it hydrated by locking in moisture.

After you have washed and conditioned your beard, try applying some beard oil.  It will help to keep your beard shiny and full-bodied. Beard oil wards off itchiness, beard-druff, and split ends.

If you need to style your beard, try using a beard balm as a pomade.

Also, don’t forget to comb and brush your beard. It won’t take too long, with just a few strokes every day.

This sounds like a lot of work with a lot of expensive products, but it really isn’t that hard.  Consider buying this Beard Grooming Kit to save some money over buying each product individually.

Wrapping It Up

A short beard style is one of the most inexpensive ways to change your looks. Other than your grooming tools and a bit of time, it does not require any investment at all. Unlike tattoos, you can always re-grow a beard and start again. Beards can do a lot to change the power and aura of your personality and it is well worth your time and effort to start growing one today.