The Best Beard Styles Women Love

The popularity of beards has been growing over the last 20 years. Sure, beard popularity has waxed and waned as styles changed, but has grown nonetheless. In fact, worldwide over 55% of men have some amount of facial hair. As a result, at the end of 2019 it seemed like every man was sporting some level of beard badassery. And then 2020 hit.

The start of the Coronavirus pandemic in early 2020 initially prompted men to start growing beards. As a result we hunkered down for what was supposed to be two weeks to help “flatten the curve.” Many men took that opportunity to put the razor down and see what kind of beard they could grow.

THE INFAMOUS CDC BEARD STYLES CHART

Meanwhile as a new interest in beards began, an old graphic from our friends at the CDC resurfaced. The CDC released the graphic way back in 2017, and it showed which beard styles lent themselves to wearing a respirator mask. Obviously, wearing a respirator mask differs from wearing the masks we’ve become accustomed to wearing the last two years. But that did not stop the media from reporting false and misleading articles and headlines. However, they continued to claim beards increased your risk of contracting Covid-19.

The media was obviously putting out clickbait articles, but the damage was done. Above all, why would someone keep a beard if it meant potentially contracting a serious virus. And forget about safely going to events, gatherings and functions. It started to look like 2020 was going to be the year the “beard fad” would come to standstill.

BEARD STYLES MADE A COMEBACK

But something funny happened. Instead of 2020 killing off the beard, beards become more prevalent! As men worked from home, went to school remotely and had no need to adhere to strict corporate standards of facial grooming, more men started growing out their beards. In fact, throughout 2020 #CoronaBeards started to trend as men showed off their impressive lockdown beards. Significantly, that trend extended right through 2021 as sporting a beard can almost be seen as an act of resistance and determination.

As we start 2023, beard popularity continues to grow, and there seems to be no stopping determined men. As we roll into2023 we thought it would be helpful to go through some beard styles that both men with first-time beards and men with full, healthy beards can sport. We could have easily limited ourselves to the top 20 beard styles for 2023. But, since it’s 2023, we thought “hey let’s make it 22 top beard styles for 2023!”

Jump to One of the Beard Styles

Certainly, this is a long article with all the info you need on 2023 Beard Styles. By all means feel free to jump to one of the beard styles directly below.

1. The 5 O’Clock Shadow
2. Scruffy Beard Styles
3. Corporate Beard Styles
4. Short Rounded Beard
5. Short Boxed Beard
6. Hollywoodian Beard
7. Verdi Beard
8. Coronabeard
9. The Power Beard Styles
   • Power Beard with Walrus Mustache
   • Power Beard with Trimmed Mustache
10. Spade-Shaped Power Beard
11. Yeard Beard
12. Tweard Beard
13. Terminal Beard
14. Chevron Mustache
15. Beardstache
16. Pencil Mustache
17. Patchy Beard
18. Mutton Chops
19. Goatee Beard Styles
20. Sideburns
21. Chin Strap

Also, jump down directly to find the Best Beards Styles for Your Face.

SHORT BEARD STYLES

Overall when it comes to beards, quality is more important than quantity. While the focus is often on growing a large, full beard, a short beard style can often accentuate favorable facial features. To clarify, bigger isn’t always better. Above all, go for the beard style you like best and give you the confidence you need. Even a short stubble beard can do that!

Here are our favorite short beard styles for 2023.

THE 5 O’CLOCK SHADOW

The 5 o’clock shadow, often called a stubble beard, can be considered the beginning of a beard. Basically it is a beard style nonetheless, the shortest you can grow. A 5 o’clock shadow is classic and timeless, and it is a good look for many men. Celebrities, such as David Beckham, Adam Levine, Zac Efron, and many more have sported the 5 o’clock shadow, making it a staple of men’s grooming. Certainly this beard style is here to stay due to how easy it is to grow and its low amount of upkeep.

Despite its name, most men do not see 5 o’clock shadow by the late afternoon on the day they decide to grow a beard. It is important to realize it often takes a good two to five days to grow a decent 5 o’clock shadow, depending on how dark your hair is. That is to say the darker your facial hair is, the quicker you will see a solid 5 o’clock shadow.

SCRUFFY BEARD STYLES

The scruffy beard adds a bit of grit to your look and is a slightly longer variation of the 5 o’clock shadow. To be sure the cool thing with a scruffy beard is it can look great, even if your beard is patchy. If your beard comes in extremely thick, a scruffy beard can look great, too. Moreover, a scruffy beard is a beard style just about anyone can wear.

Certainly growing a scruffy beard isn’t super quick. To grow a scruffy beard, let your facial hair grow on its own for about two to four weeks. Furthermore, you may need to trim you neckline at around the three-week mark if your scruff starts making its way down toward the Adam’s apple. Most importantly, if you don’t keep your lower neckline clean, you run the risk of going down the neckbeard route.

Keep in mind the scruffy beard is known to be itchy, at least as it grows out initially. Keep your face and beard moisturized to minimize and relieve the itch. Using moisturizer and beard oil, as well as drinking plenty of water, will help keep the hair soft and the skin hydrated.

CORPORATE BEARD STYLES

Anyone who works in an office, around salespeople or anywhere where professionals works has seen a corporate beard. Firstly, the corporate beard well kept, often close-cropped to around two to three inches. At this short length many men’s beards are patchy and disconnected. So to pull off this beard style, dense beard-growing genetics is required to pull off the corporate beard.

As the name implies, the corporate beard can be worn in just about any work environment, especially today. In the past some companies discouraged facial hair altogether, but that is not the case nowadays. To be sure the corporate beard requires regular grooming to keep it tidy and presentable. There are tens of thousands of beard hairs on a man’s face. Not all grow at a uniform rate, though, and most don’t even grow in the same direction. So plan on spending some time on upkeep.

A good beard trimmer is a critical investment in your beard maintenance routine if you decide to sport a corporate beard. Also plan on learning how to maintain your neckline. Secondly, a good razor and some quality shaving cream can be helpful.

SHORT ROUNDED BEARD

The rounded beard is a slightly longer variation of the corporate beard, and it is a perfect short beard option for men with round, square, or diamond-shaped faces. Above all the rounded beard follows the natural curve of the face, without adding too much additional bulk on the cheeks. Maintaining a round beard can be pretty simple, depending on the length. A set of trimmers with a guard set for the appropriate length can provide a uniform length throughout the beard.

For those with broader face shapes, though, beware the chipmunk effect. This happens when you leave too much length on the cheeks. To grow a short, rounded beard, let your beard grow for one to two months. Again, keep everything at a uniform length, using a set of beard clippers with a guard. Beard oil is also helpful for this beard style, as it will help keep your face and beard moisturized.

SHORT BOXED BEARD

The Short Boxed Beard is another variation of the Corporate Beard. With a Short Boxed Beard, the sides are angled in, with a little more length around the chin. This helps create sharper edges at the bottom of the Short Boxed Beard and accentuates the jawline.
To grow a Short Boxed Beard, don’t shave for two to three months. Once you have a few inches of growth, whip out some good beard trimmers with guards. First, create a taper from the sideburns to the chin. Next, use a long guard on the chin area. Then taper with a shorter guard on the cheeks.
Finally, trim with an even shorter guard on the sideburns.

A Short Boxed Beard works for all face shapes. It’s especially well-suited for oval and oblong faces.

HOLLYWOODIAN BEARD

The Hollywoodian Beard Style draws attention toward the jaw and chin and away from the cheeks. The cheek line is lowered with this beard style, creating a more prominent jawline. With this purpose in mind do not trim the neckline too high, under the chin. If you do, you’ll certainly enter Chinstrap Beard territory. If you’re going for that style, great. It was all the rage in the early 2000s. However, the Chinstrap Beard is now often considered out of style.

The Hollywoodian Beard’s name is often attributed to Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale. Certainly both actors have worn a similar beard style with low cheeks. Some purists say a Hollywoodian Beard doesn’t connect at the sideburns. If you want it to connect, though, there’s nothing wrong with that. The Hollywoodian Beard isn’t limited to actors. Lebron James has been known to rock this beard style as well.

The Hollywoodian Beard works well for men having trouble filling their cheeks and sideburns. It also works great for those looking to add length and dimension to their jawline.

A good razor and quality shaving cream are must-haves for maintaining a Hollywoodian Beard. Use your razor to clean up your neckline. Also keep your cheeks crisp. A good beard trimmer will help keep the lower beard nice and tight.

VERDI BEARD

The Verdi Beard style goes way back. It was named after 19th-century Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi. Because of its long lineage, the Verdi Beard is seen as a classic style that offers a distinguished appearance. The Verdi Beard typically features a three- to four-inch beard, topped off with a handlebar mustache. Men wax the handles of the mustache and hang them over the top of the beard in a loose curl. Some variations feature a smaller mustache, separate from the beard.

The Verdi Beard takes some commitment. It’ll take about four to eight months of beard growth. And it may take longer for the mustache to reach handlebar length. We recommend a naturally rounded beard shape with the Verdi Beard style. A good pair of Beard Trimming Scissors will help maintain the beard and mustache. Conversely, a beard brush will also come in handy when styling your beard.

PRODUCTS & TOOLS FOR SHORT BEARD STYLES

Growing and maintaining a short beard style will require some trimming, shaping and shaving, depending on the beard style to choose. Here are a few products that will help maintain your short beard style. Luckily, we’re found the lowest prices on these quality products on Amazon.

#CORONABEARD

This beard style deserves its own entry. As we all know, in the first half of 2020, much of the world went on lockdown. And with that lockdown, remote work became the norm. With no need to present ourselves in an office environment, more men began growing beards. We basically set aside our razors and let our natural facial hair blossom. This became such a popular trend, the hashtag #CoronaBeards trended on Facebook, Instagram and other social media throughout the spring and summer.

Luckily the trend continued throughout 2020, into 2021. The Corona Beard is characterized by its natural, gnarly style, and it does not require much maintenance. To achieve this low-maintenance beard style, just let your beard grow. Don’t let a razor touch your face. Don’t trim your neckline, and leave your cheek lines alone. At most, run a Beard Comb through your beard every now and then to clean it out.

LONG BEARD STYLES

At about the six-inch mark, you now have an official Long Beard. Long beard styles go by many names, the most common is the Full Beard. Long Beard styles typically take quite some time to grow. Therefore, it can take a year or more. On average, hair grows relatively slowly. Expect a rate of one-half inch per month, so getting to the Long Beard stage will take a solid year of growth.

Ironically, all the steps you took to maintain a healthy environment for your beard to grow to this stage doesn’t automatically mean you’ll have the healthiest beard. As your beard grows to this long stage, it requires more and more nutrients. And the longer your beard grows, the more easily you’ll experience breakage and split ends. Longer beards also tend to become wispy. So a Long Beard may not appear as thick and full as it did at a shorter length. That said, until you grow out that bad boy, you’ll never really know what your personal experience will be. In our opinion, every man should grow out a Long Beard at least once in his life.

POWER BEARD STYLES

The Power Beard doesn’t technically fall under the Long Beard category since some men can claim a Power Beard while staying under the six-inch threshold. Due to the Power Beard’s badassery, though, it didn’t seem right to put it in the Short Beards category. Power Beards mean business. This timeless beard style perfectly toes the line between rugged and contemporary.

Power Beards are also known as Natural Beards, and they are typically between four and six inches long. It’s at this longer length that you start to see your beard’s personality. Some Power Beard are straight. Some are wavy. And some are curly. Getting a handle on beard styling techniques is crucial when it comes to Power Beards.

POWER BEARD WITH WALRUS MUSTACHE

It takes some additional mustache-growing genetics, but if you can pair your Power Beard with a bold walrus mustache. You can wear your mustache however you like to get the effect you want. Combed down and into the beard. Or even waxed and curled into a handlebar, like you would see with a Verdi Beard.

You’ll encounter some problems, like trying to eat with a mustache like that. It may not be easy, so you might want to avoid certain messy foods that are terrible to eat with a mustache and beard.

POWER BEARD WITH TRIMMED MUSTACHE

A variation of the Power Beard, for those who do not enjoy getting food stuck in their mustache is the Power Beard with Trimmed Mustache. This beard with a neatly trimmed ‘stache is a great option. Simply trim your mustache so the hair stays above the upper lip. When trimming, follow the natural curvature of your upper mouth.

SPADE-SHAPED POWER BEARD

As your Power Beard grows beyond the four- to six-inch range, you can start trimming the lower part of your beard into more defined shapes. The shovel look of a spade-shaped beard looks pretty sweet. You’ll love the fact that it creates a defined silhouette of a chiseled jawline. Who wouldn’t want that?

Trimming your beard to the perfect spade shape all by yourself isn’t easy. We recommend going to a barber to achieve this shape, especially for the first attempt. Once he or she has shaped your beard, it will be a lot easier to maintain the shape than trying to get the shape right on your own.

PRODUCTS & TOOLS FOR LONG BEARD STYLES

Longer beard styles will require less maintenance overall, but you will still want to shape and style your beard. Here are a few products that will make your longer beard style easier to maintain. And we found some good prices on these quality products on Amazon for you.

YEARDS, TWEARDS AND TERMINAL BEARD STYLES

YEARD BEARD

You have probably heard of the famous Yeard Beard. If you haven’t it’s basically a beard that has been left to grow for a full year. Remember, facial hair grows at a rate of about half-inch per month. So after a year you should have a beard that is a solid 6 inches long. Of course results may vary. Throughout the year you can lightly trim your beard to help shape your Yeard. This will not only maintain a nice shape, but also keep it healthy. For a truly badass look, pair a Yeard Beard with a buzz cut. Better yet, shave your head completely.

TWEARD BEARD

An upgrade from the Yeard Beard is the Tweard Beard. As you guessed it, a Tweard Beard is achieved by letting your beard continue to grow for at least two years. Avoid taking any length off of it,and you should have a solid 12-inch beard at the end of two years.

TERMINAL BEARD

Believe it or not, beards do not grow indefinity. In general, if left to grow a beard will stop growing once it has about six years of growth. At this point, you have reached Terminal Beard. The average Terminal Beard for men is around 36 inches. Of course, every beard is unique. Some men can grow a longer beard. Others will see a shorter Terminal Beard. It really comes down to genetic potential.

Some men are outliers. For example, Guinness World Record Holder Hans Langseth is credited with the longest male beard. His beard measured an impressive 17.5 feet long. If you’re genetically related to Langseth you may have a chance to grow a similarly impressive beard. If so, good luck at topping that world record!

PRODUCTS & TOOLS FOR YEARDS, TWEARDS & TERMINAL BEARDS

Luckily Yeards, Tweards and Terminal beards don’t require a ton of maintenance, but these products keep your beard looking its best. Most importantly, they will help keep your beard neat and tidy.

PARTIAL BEARD STYLES

As far as many are concerned, if you’ve got facial hair, call it a beard. It doesn’t matter if it’s a full Yeard Beard, a thin Goatee, or even just a Mustache or Soul Patch. Many men like partial beard styles because these styles allow men to express their personal character. Here are just a few of our favorite 2023 partial beard styles.

CHEVRON MUSTACHE

The popularity of mustaches is on the rise in a big way. In fact, it seems like they have not been this popular since Tom Selleck was at the height of his career in the 1980s. Just look around, and you’ll see more and more men sporting the Chevron Mustache. And its popularity is high for good reason. The Chevron Mustache’s natural style requires minimal grooming. It is a timeless style that looks great on many face types.

The Chevron Mustache is the archetype of mustache style. The Chevron Mustache follows the contour of the upper lip. This produces a natural mustache with a slight upside-down V shape. The origin of the Chevron Mustache’s name is not known, but some hypothesis it is based on the Chevron Corporation logo, flipped upside-down.

If you are a mustache novice, looking for your first mustache style, the Chevron Mustache is a great place to start. You can even pair the Chevron Mustache with a Soul Patch. That combination will add a bit of wild west flair to your style.

BEARDSTACHE

Combine a full mustache with a bit of stubble, and you have the Beardstache. Overall, the Beardstache is pretty neat, and it is one of our favorite beard styles for 2023. The stubble offers a little more definition to your jawline and cheek lines. And the contrast between the stubble and the full mustache is badass. The Beardstache can grow out as quickly as a few days to a few weeks, depending on your growth rate. And plenty of mustache style work well with this combo.

PENCIL MUSTACHE

The Pencil Mustache is great, but it isn’t for everyone. Indeed, there are two important factors that make the Pencil Mustache look good: dark-brown or black hair; and not having skin that is fair. If you aren’t born with ether of these factors within your genetic makeup, unfortunately there isn’t much you can do. You could dye your mustache and hit the tanning bed, but we don’t recommend the latter.

Despite its name, the key is to keep the Pencil Mustache relatively thick. Think of a sharpie instead of a pencil. Keep the mustache neat and short. Follow the natural curve of your mouth, keeping the mustache off your upper lip.

PATCHY BEARD

Let’s face it, some guys just grow Patchy Beards. Despite their marketing claims, no “miracle beard growth pills” are going to be able to help certain men. The good news is a patchy beard doesn’t mean you’ll be relegated to a baby-face life. So if you find your beard is patchy, don’t stock up on shaving cream and razors just yet.

One of the coolest short beard styles you’ll find is the short Patchy Beard. The secret is to keep the patchy sections short while accentuating the parts that grow more thickly. For example, if you can grow a thick mustache and goatee, go for it. Grow those parts of your beard out, while keeping stubble on the cheeks. Plenty of celebrities, from Johnny Depp to James Franco, have been known to sport a Patchy Beard. If they can you cool with one, you may too.

MUTTON CHOPS

Mutton Chops were all the rage for a while, with celebrities like John Lennon and Elvis Presley helping to bring Mutton Chops mainstream. Then Mutton Chops found themselves the butt of jokes for a while. But more recently Mutton Chops have proven to be a kickass beard style. Mutton Chops were long overdue for a comeback, and they are sure to stand out in a crowd in 2023.

Famously, Hugh Jackman helped give Mutton Chops back some of their mojo in his role as Wolverine. We’ve also seen other celebrities sporting Mutton Chops as well. For example, English footballer/soccer star Andy Carroll is known to rock some serious Mutton Chops. And you can bank on the fact that styles that European footballers start rocking often catch on. So before you dismiss Mutton Chops as an older style, consider that 2023 may be their year. Start growing your cheeks out now and be ahead of the curve.

GOATEE BEARD STYLES

Some people get the Goatee Beard style a bit mixed up by assuming a mustache is required. But in fact, a standard Goatee consists of simply facial hair grown from the chin. And for added flair and style, you can also add a soul patch below the bottom lip. However, a mustache is not required required for this beard style. Men often pair their Goatee with a mustache, though, to form a Rounded Goatee. Goatees are generally shorter in length, around a half-inch to one inch long. Keeping the edges neat and tight is key with this beard style.

SIDEBURNS

Long Sideburns were a huge trend in the 80s, and they are making a comeback in 2023. The important part of having Sideburns is that they help frame your face. Sideburns can highlight certain aspects of your face, so plan accordingly.
Sideburns help frame your face and jaw line, and whether you have a Full Beard or a Goatee, they help transition from your facial hair (or bare cheeks) to your hairline. So, make sure to pick a style that fits your face shape, to make this transition seamless and to show off that chiseled jaw line.

First, decide how far down your face you want your sideburns to go. It’s important the width and hair length complements your haircut. If you have longer or shaggy hair, go with a bigger width and a bit more length. Conversely, shorter, tighter haircuts should have shorter, tighter Sideburns.

5 SIDEBURN TIPS

• Always have a Sideburn that never goes above the middle of your ear, unless you’re bald
• Pick a sideburn style and length fits your face shape, hairstyle and other facial hair
• Natural-looking width and length usually work best, unless you want to call attention to your Sideburns (if this is the case, bigger is better)
• Ear placement and height are often not symmetrical, so don’t worry about using both ears as reference
• As always trim conservatively at first and trim more as needed to match everything up. It’s easier to trim more than add more!

CHIN STRAP

A face full of hair isn’t the goal for every man for a variety of reasons. Some men want a cleaner look with a defined edge. Others want to highlight a naturally strong jawline. For those men, they can enjoy the manly look of a beard, without the long whiskers.

There are a variety Chin Strap beard styles to choose from. The Chin Strap is incredibly versatile. You can pair it with a variety of mustaches as well to make it your own.

The traditional Chin Strap features clean-shaven cheeks, as well as a clean-shaven upper lip and neck. The Chin Strap follows the jawline to the sideburns, or it ends at the back of the jaw. The Chin Strap can work whether you have a diamond, square, round or oval face.

PRODUCTS & TOOLS FOR PARTIAL BEARD STYLES

With partial beard styles it’s important to keep your exposed skin as healthy as possible. You’ll also need to shave parts of your face and skin. These products will help.

OTHER HELPFUL ARTICLES FROM MOSSY BEARD

We also have other articles you may find helpful as you grow and care for your beard.

• Beard without Mustache Styles and How to Rock Them
• How to Grow Beards Faster – 10 Easy Ways
• Beard Growth Stages. Loving Your Beard and Its Journey.
• Awesome Beard Types, Styles and Tools for 2021
• What is Beard Balm Used for? Unleashing Awesome!
• Beard Fade Tutorial. How to Fade Your Beard.
• Beard Balm vs. Oil. Which is Better?
• Tools for Beards Top 10 that Keep Them Awesome

BEST BEARD STYLES FOR YOUR FACE SHAPE

Usually, creating a more oval appearance of your face is the goal of choosing any hairstyle or beard style. The shape of your face can help you select the style that will work best for you. Of course, tastes and preferences vary, and these are just suggestions. Go with your own style and always grow what you want.

Typically, there are six face shapes that are taken into consideration: oval, oblong/rectangle, round, square, diamond, and triangle.

OVAL FACE SHAPE

If you have an oval face shape, that means your face is round at both the top and bottom. It is also slightly long and without too much jawline definition. The good news is an oval face can handle pretty much anything. So you can throw anything at it (and on it). We all know guys who can sport just about anything on their face and look good. You know what those guys all have in common? Oval faces.

OBLONG/RECTANGLE FACE SHAPE

This face shape is also referred to as the classic egg shape. If you have this face shape, the key is to keep your beard shorter than the hair on your head. Conversely, keep your beard longer than the hair on your heard if your jaw is narrower than your forehead. Maintain balance is the key.

SQUARE FACE SHAPE

If you have a square face shape, the best beard styles are those that feature more chin hair and a bit less on the sides and neck. If your face falls into the square face category, remember to monitor your neckline. And keep it looking tidy and focus on keeping facial hair from becoming too full on the cheeks and sideburns. This can create a block and squared look.

ROUND FACE SHAPE

Men with round faces have softer jawlines that extend to a more rounded hairline. Their jawlines are often less pointed than on men with other face shapes. Stick with styles that are shorter on the sides and longer on the bottom. And remember to keep your sideburns and cheeks neat and tidy.

DIAMOND FACE SHAPE

With a diamond-shaped face, cheekbones are the most prominent feature. The goal here should be keeping some chin hair to offset the cheekbones. But don’t let the hair on your chin get too pointy. If you do it will make the diamond aspect of your face more prominent than you might like.

TRIANGULAR FACE SHAPE

A triangular face features a narrow top and a wide jaw. As with other face shapes, balance is key. So try to take attention away from the prominent chin. A great option for this face shape is the Beardstache. But again, anything that can draw some of the focus away from the jawline and help balance things will work great.

OTHER PRODUCTS & TOOLS FOR EVERY FACE SHAPE

Regardless of your face shape and the beard style you choose, these products will also help care for and maintain your beard and mustache.

SUMMARY OF 2023 BEARD STYLES

Beards have unfairly gotten a bad rap over the last couple of years. Despite the bad press, beards are been resilient and are showing signs of a strong resurgence in 2023. We showcased 22 of the best beard styles for 2023 that cover the early stages of beard growth to full, luxurious beards. Remember, the key to growing a great beard is keeping your beard, face and body in tip-top condition. A healthy beard is a growing beard!