What’s the best beard style for you? Browse our beard style checklist

It’s Monday morning. Your alarm clock just went off, and coffee is auto-brewing in the pot downstairs. You get up, head to the mirror, rub your hands through your beard… and sigh. You’ve got stray hairs poking up and out of your chin everywhere, and your neckline’s getting seriously unruly. On top of that, your mustache is looking lopsided and flat. You pull out your electric razor, grunt, and get to work. 

Since when did maintaining your beard become a chore?

Don’t worry — even if your beard’s grown as dull as your last pack of razors, there’s ways to get excited about your facial hair again. All it takes is a fresh perspective, a fully charged trimmer, and a few of your favorite beard-styling products. So, without further ado, let’s dig into beard styles that’ll keep you excited about growing out your facial hair for months to come.

What are some popular beard styles for men in 2022?

Looking for a classic look that’s going to pair well with any outfit or hairstyle? Here are some of the top beard looks that are universally well-loved right now. The best part? Most (if not all) of these looks are deceptively easy to maintain.

  1. The Scruff

 It’s simple, it’s classic, it’s easy: the scruff beard is a great look for guys in 2022. If you’re interested in cultivating this rugged, just-got-out-of-bed look, you don’t need to do too much. Just be sure to trim your neckline and cheeks for a cleaner, less ragged appearance.

  1. The Corpo

Imagine a stubble, but thicker. That’s the essence of a corporate beard: neat and cut very close, but not so close that skin shows through. It’s essentially a very short, full beard that looks great in both meeting rooms and low-lit dining halls. 

  1. The Anchor Beard

In this business, the anchor beard is also known as the “Johnny Depp.” Made famous by the popular Pirates of the Caribbean actor, the anchor beard takes the best parts of the goatee and slims them down for a more modern, rugged and slick look.

  1. The Full Beard

 Yes, long beards had their post-2000s reckoning, but after becoming status-quo and blasé for the better part of a decade, they’ve officially found their place among the top modern beard styles. Our suggestion? A very long beard often looks best with an equally assertive hairstyle. A shaved head or long, well-kept hair with a long beard makes for an imposing, Nordic look. 

What’re some lesser known — but equally interesting — beard styles to try?

 Sometimes you don’t want to play it safe. If you’re more of a go-getter when it comes to embracing a style that’s uniquely you, try these different beards on for size. 

  1. The Beard-stache

 The beard-stache is a throwback to a more classic era of facial hair maintenance. If you want to look like an 1800s prize-fighter or a turn-of-the-century longshoreman, try this look on for size. All you have to do is shave your face and chin down to a stubble while growing out your mustache. Be sure to style your mustache with a great beard oil for a truly time-tested look! 

  1. The Van Duke

 Ever see the cult classic V For Vendetta? The beard style on the now-iconic Guy Fawkes mask is essentially what’s known as the Van Duke. By growing out your mustache and chin hair while cutting everything else short, you can achieve a unique and interesting colonial-style beard that will set you apart from most other styles on the market. 

  1. Beard Without Mustache

You’ve probably never thought of shaving your mustache while keeping the rest of your beard intact. It’s definitely a different, and interesting, look. The benefit of a beard like this is that while it’s certainly a statement piece, it still looks good with most hairstyles and in most settings.

  1. The Pointed Mustache

 Pointed mustaches might sound like they belong in a Batman villain starter kit, but the truth is, they’re completely back in style. The trick to a pointed mustache is to invest in beard products that have a lot of hold and shine without making your lip hair look greasy. 

What beard styles should be avoided?

While there’s countless beard options to choose from, a few routinely fall into our do-not-grow list. These beards are either highly unpopular, difficult to maintain, or only look good with very specific hairstyles and facial features. At the same time, don’t let our list discourage you! If any of these options speak to you, you should be the judge of what’s right for your face. 

  1. The Chinstrap

Unfortunately, as far as popularity is concerned, the chinstrap has become infamous among beard groomers for all the wrong reasons. By awkwardly accentuating your neckline while also holding flush against your chin, the chinstrap almost always looks more like a jaw-sized eyebrow than a proper facial hairstyle. We only recommend the chinstrap if you’ve got a neat, Roman-esque haircut that offsets the harshness of a standard chinstrap beard style. 

  1. The Unkempt Goatee

Goatees aren’t inherently bad — they’re just hard to keep in check. Shaving the sides of your face down to a stubble while only slightly trimming your upper lip and chin can be difficult to master. Done wrong, your facial hair can look lopsided or uneven. It’s probably a look best saved for hunters, dive bar enthusiasts and other rough-and-tumble types.

Got a style in mind? Get styling! 

Hopefully we’ve been able to help cure your beard-induced boredom with one of the styling options on our list. Before you rush off to the mirror, though, you’ll want to take a second to browse good quality beard balms, oils and soaps that’ll really make your new trim shine. With the right products and an awesome style under your belt, you’ll be showing up to your mirror the next morning with a smile — instead of a beard-hating sigh.