Short Beard Styles: When it comes to grooming, a short beard can completely transform your appearance, adding a sharp, masculine edge without requiring heavy maintenance.
Whether you’re aiming for a clean, professional look or something a bit more rugged, the right short beard style can enhance your facial features and match your personal vibe.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through 15 of the best short beard styles every man should definitely try.
Stubble Beard
Short Beard Styles: The stubble beard is the ultimate low-maintenance style that still looks effortlessly cool.
It usually ranges between 1-5 millimeters in length and can be light, medium, or heavy depending on personal preference.
Perfect for men who don’t want the commitment of a full beard, stubble adds texture to your face while highlighting the jawline.
Regular trimming and defining the cheek and neckline can keep it sharp.
Whether you’re dressing up for a meeting or keeping it casual, stubble works for almost every occasion.
Goatee
The goatee focuses mainly on the chin area and sometimes connects with a mustache.
This style is ideal for men who want a defined and sleek appearance without growing a full beard.
It’s great for elongating round faces and adding a bit of sophistication. Maintaining a goatee requires careful shaving around the edges to keep it neat and symmetrical.
This versatile look can easily be adjusted — you can keep it small and tight or slightly broader based on your face shape and style preference.
Van Dyke Beard
The Van Dyke beard is a stylish combination of a pointed chin beard and a disconnected mustache.
Named after the 17th-century painter Anthony van Dyck, this beard style brings a sense of classic elegance to any look.
It’s perfect for men who want a sophisticated yet creative style.
The key is to keep the cheek areas clean-shaven while allowing the mustache and chin hair to grow distinctly.
Regular trimming and shaping are essential to maintain the sharp contrasts that make the Van Dyke stand out.
Balbo Beard
The Balbo beard is a trendy option for men who want a little more facial hair without looking overly rugged.
It features a mustache and a separated beard that covers the chin and jawline.
There are no connecting sideburns, making it look clean and modern.
This beard style is perfect for enhancing the jawline and giving the face a fuller look without overwhelming it.
Maintenance involves keeping the beard edges defined and the mustache sharply outlined, offering a sophisticated and stylish vibe.
Beardstache
A beardstache is a bold style that pairs a thick mustache with a short, rugged beard.
It’s a great choice for men who want a masculine, adventurous look.
The mustache remains heavier and more prominent while the beard is kept trimmed and neat.
This contrast draws attention to the center of the face, especially around the mouth.
It’s ideal for men who have strong facial features and want to create a commanding presence.
Regular grooming is crucial to maintain the balance between rugged and refined.
Short Boxed Beard
The short boxed beard is a favorite for men who want a professional, neat appearance without giving up the beard altogether.
It’s characterized by a well-defined cheek line and a short length that follows the jawline closely.
This style offers the fullness of a beard without appearing wild or untamed.
It’s great for corporate settings where a clean look is important.
Regular trimming to keep the borders tight and the beard uniform is essential for this style to look its best.
Chin Strap Beard
The chin strap beard is a unique style that frames the face by running a thin strip of hair along the jawline, from one sideburn to the other.
It gives a very sculpted and sharp look, ideal for men who have strong jawlines they want to highlight.
Maintaining a chin strap requires precision shaving to keep the lines neat and symmetrical. It’s a stylish yet bold choice that works best on men with angular or oval faces.
Regular touch-ups are necessary to keep the edges crisp.
Anchor Beard
The anchor beard combines a pointed chin beard with a mustache in a shape that resembles an anchor.
It’s a sophisticated and stylish option that suits a variety of face shapes.
This style brings attention to the mouth and chin, creating a strong focal point. Keeping the cheeks clean and the lines sharp is key to pulling off this look.
It’s especially flattering for men with square or rectangular faces as it softens the features while still looking masculine and well-groomed.
Circle Beard
The circle beard is a combination of a rounded goatee and a mustache that connects around the mouth, forming a circle.
It’s neat, compact, and easy to maintain, making it a popular choice for professional men.
This style gives a well-balanced and symmetrical appearance to the face.
It’s especially useful for men who may have patchy cheek growth but want a complete, connected beard look.
Frequent trimming and shaping will help keep the circle beard clean, tidy, and stylish.
Royal Beard
The royal beard features a chin strip that connects to a slim mustache, offering a polished and elegant look.
It’s less bulky than other beard styles and brings a touch of sophistication to the wearer’s appearance.
This style emphasizes the center of the face, drawing attention to the mouth and jaw.
Regular grooming is important to keep the lines clean and the beard looking intentional rather than messy.
It’s a great choice for men who want a distinguished but modern look.
Soul Patch
The soul patch is a small patch of hair just below the lower lip, often worn alone or paired with other styles.
It’s a minimalist option that’s easy to grow and maintain.
Though it’s small, a soul patch can add a unique flair to your face without the need for a full beard.
It works well for men who prefer a clean look but still want a hint of facial hair.
Regular trimming is necessary to keep it neat and prevent it from blending into a full beard.
Ducktail Beard
The ducktail beard is a stylish variation of a full beard where the facial hair tapers to a point at the chin, resembling a duck’s tail.
It’s a great way to combine a rugged yet refined look. The top part of the beard remains relatively short, while the chin area is longer and shaped.
This beard style can help elongate round faces and give a strong, structured appearance.
Careful trimming and shaping are necessary to maintain the ducktail’s distinctive pointed look.
Short Shaggy Beard
The short shaggy beard is all about a natural, slightly unkempt look that still appears intentional.
It’s a relaxed style that suits men who want to avoid the overly manicured appearance.
With this style, the beard is kept short but not precisely trimmed, allowing for a bit of wildness.
It works well for casual settings and gives off a laid-back vibe.
Regular maintenance involves trimming stray hairs without taking away the beard’s overall rough and free-spirited feel.
Mutton Chops
Mutton chops are a bold style where the sideburns are grown thick and extended down the cheeks, often combined with a mustache and a clean-shaven chin.
This vintage look has made a comeback among men who like to stand out.
It highlights the cheekbones and gives a very strong, masculine appearance.
Mutton chops require dedication and frequent trimming to maintain their defined edges.
This style is perfect for those who love retro or rebellious fashion statements.
Sideburns Beard
The sideburns beard focuses primarily on the sideburns, blending them slightly into the jawline while keeping the rest of the face relatively clean.
It’s a minimalist style that still adds a unique edge to your look.
Great for men who want some facial hair without committing to a full beard, sideburns can be styled thick, thin, or tapered based on personal preference.
Regular trimming and outlining are crucial to keep the look sharp and intentional rather than messy.
Conclusion
Short beard styles offer endless possibilities to elevate your look while keeping grooming easy and manageable.
Whether you prefer a classic stubble, a bold beardstache, or something unique like mutton chops, there’s a short beard style that can perfectly match your personality and face shape.
Regular trimming, shaping, and maintenance are key to keeping your beard looking fresh and stylish.
Experiment with these styles and find the one that makes you feel confident and sharp — your perfect beard is just a trim away!
