You’ve probably done this. You see a beard online, it looks great on the guy in the picture, and you want the same one.
Fair enough. The problem is the guy in the photo might have a totally different face. Same beard, different jaw, and it can look like a whole other style.
So before you pick a beard, figure out your face shape. Then pick the beard that balances it. A round face usually wants a bit more length at the chin.
A long face wants width on the sides. Square faces do well with some softness, and oval faces can get away with almost anything.
Quick guide by face shape
How to Choose The Right Beard For You!
| Face shape | How to spot it | Beard goal | Try | Skip |
| Round | Soft jaw, about as wide as it is long | Add length | Van Dyke, goatee, short sides | Wide, full beards |
| Square | Strong jaw, measurements close together | Soften the angles | Medium full beard, circle beard | Hard boxy lines |
| Oval | Longer than wide, rounded jaw | Keep the balance | Short boxed, full beard, circle | Not much |
| Long | Length is the biggest number | Add width | Short full beard, fuller sides | Long goatee, chinstrap |
How do you figure out your face shape?
Grab a soft tape measure, a mirror, and something to write on. Four measurements and you’re done.
Forehead first, across the widest part, roughly halfway between your eyebrows and your hairline. Then cheekbones, across the pointiest part, just under the outer corner of each eye. For the jaw, go from the tip of your chin back to the spot below your ear where the jaw angles up, and double that number. Last is face length, from the center of the hairline down to the tip of the chin. No hairline anymore? Just guess where it used to be. Nobody’s checking.
That’s the method FashionBeans lays out, and it’s a solid one. What you’re really looking for is which number is biggest, and whether your jaw comes to a sharp corner or rounds off.
Don’t want to measure? Ask your barber. Most can tell at a glance.
What beard suits a round face?
Length at the chin. Not much on the sides.
A round face has cheekbones and face length close to each other, with a softer jaw. If you grow a big, wide, full beard on that, you’re adding more round. Harry’s puts it well: the goal with a round face is creating the illusion of length. So keep the cheeks and sides tight and let the chin run a little longer. A Van Dyke works, and so does an extended goatee. Gillette’s style guide also points round faces toward angular shapes like the Van Dyke or the anchor beard, with the hair on the chin kept full.
One more thing. A cheek line that angles down toward the chin, instead of running flat across, helps stretch the face out too.
What beard suits a square face?
You already have a strong jaw. The beard doesn’t need to shout about it.
On a square face, the forehead, cheekbones and jaw all measure about the same, and the jaw has a real corner to it. A medium-length full beard with rounded edges is the usual pick, fuller through the sides and a touch shorter at the jaw. Harry’s warns that sharp beard lines can over-emphasize the square effect, which is why a hard, boxy shape is the one to skip here.
Want less beard? A circle beard or goatee pulls the eye down to the chin and makes the face read a bit longer, and Gillette lists both for square faces.
What beard suits an oval face?
Pretty much whatever you want. Lucky you.
An oval face is longer than it is wide, the forehead is a little wider than the jaw, and the jaw rounds off. It’s already balanced, so you’re not trying to fix anything. Short boxed beard, full beard, circle beard, a few days of stubble. Both Gillette and Harry’s say most styles work on an oval face, so this is the one shape where it really comes down to taste, how fast your beard grows, and how much time you want to spend on it.
What beard suits a long face?
Go wide, not long.
With a long or oblong face, length is the biggest measurement and everything else lines up close together. A long goatee or a chinstrap stretches it even further, which is the opposite of what you want. Instead, keep the chin fairly short and let the sides fill out from the cheeks. A short full beard does that nicely. Gillette even suggests fuller sides or mutton chops for this shape, if you’re feeling bold.
Where should the neckline go?
Higher than most guys think, but not on the jaw. Harry’s sets it at 1 to 2 finger-widths above the Adam’s apple. Trim it up along the jawline and the beard looks pasted on. Let it creep down the neck and it just looks like you stopped shaving.
The cheek line is the other one. Gillette’s advice is to keep it subtle, because a hard carved line can fight the natural shape of the face. If your beard grows in thick and high, fading the cheek line instead of cutting it sharp usually looks cleaner.
Frequently asked questions
What beard style makes a round face look slimmer?
One with more length at the chin and shorter sides, like a Van Dyke or extended goatee.
Which beard should I avoid with a long face?
Long goatees and chinstraps. They add length. Fuller sides and a shorter chin balance it out instead.
Can I bring a photo of the beard I want?
Sure. Bring it in, and we’ll talk through how it’ll work with your face shape.
Where should my beard neckline be?
About 1 to 2 finger-widths above your Adam’s apple.
Every beard service at Gentz Barber Shop starts with a consultation, so we can talk about the look you want and shape the beard around your face, not a photo of someone else’s. We’re at 10 South New Prospect Road in Jackson Township. Walk-ins are welcome, though an appointment is best, and you can book online or through the Gentz Studios app. Call 732-901-8887, see our Beard and Mustache and Shaves services, read What Products are Barber Recommended For Beard Care and How to Choose the Right Haircut for Your Hair Type and Texture, or contact us.
