Goatee vs. Beard: Decoding the Perfect Facial Hair Choice for You

When it comes to facial hair, the possibilities are endless. The ability to grow facial hair comes with many choices on how to style it. In the modern world, the tools needed to create such masterpieces are at anyone’s disposal.  

It’s no secret that the right choice can completely change your appearance. The question remains, what type of style is best without making you look back in regret in future years?

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GOATEE, BEARD, WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Before styling your facial hair, it’s probably best that you know the difference between the types. The key distinction between them is that a goatee has hair on the chin but not the cheeks. However, what is known as a full-beard includes hair on both the chin and cheeks. In recent years, a Goatee has incorporated a mustache into its look and now is universally accepted as a new style of Goatee. 

IS FACE SHAPE IMPORTANT?

The shape of your face can dramatically impact how good your facial hair looks. Therefore, make sure to take note of the following information.

Here are our recommended face shapes for goatees:

When it comes to your chin, a goatee is an excellent choice to add strength, which can change the overall shape of your face.

Round Face – With hair on your chin it can alter your rounded shape providing precision which is typically lacking in a rounded face.

Square Face – With a chiseled jawline, a square face can sometimes be too noticeable. A goatee softens this face shape while still highlighting the outline, therefore giving it the perfect look.

Oval-Face – As many know already, an oval-face shape caters to most types of styles. A goatee can complement this face shape, therefore it would have no problem suiting you.

Do you have a different shape than those mentioned? No matter, a goatee can look impressive on many people, these are simply our recommendations. 

However, we do recommend that individuals with a rectangular face shape would be more suited for a full beard rather than a goatee. We advise this due to the long shape that comes with a rectangular face, by which a goatee would add undesirable length.

This is similar to triangular and diamond faces, that exhibit a longer looking face. Therefore the objective would be to draw attention away from the chin. A full beard can achieve this, but a goatee would not.

IS PATCHINESS AN ISSUE?

Unfortunately for many guys, a patchy beard is ordinary. Sometimes it is just a stage you go through and will eventually blossom into a full beard when you age. Although this isn’t the case always. 

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Without any question, the patchiness in a beard stems from the cheeks, not the chin. Therefore, a goatee might be the right answer if you’re desperate to change your look but can’t grow a full beard. 

WHICH GOATEE STYLE SHOULD I CHOOSE?

Before trimming your beard or crafting your goatee, you must first decide which style to have.

THE FULL GOATEE

The classic. The full goatee is the most known goatee style. Connecting the mustache and the mouth together into a circle, not extending further out than the edges of the mouth, this is the quintessential style for the every man, where you can’t go wrong.   

Favored by the likes of gentlemen such as The Rock and Kanye West, this is the most popular choice of men worldwide growing a goatee.

The Full Goatee goes well with pretty much any face, but best helps those with a more circular face for added definition.

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THE PENCIL GOATEE

Made famous by 2000’s R&B singer Craig David, the pencil goatee is a unique style that has only been worn recently by the bravest of us. Emerging into popularity in the early 2000s, this style is a rare choice best worn by those of us with a small and thin face, where a big, full goatee would look very disproportionate. 

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THE VAN DYKE

This is a timeless style of a goatee, as popular now as it was 400 years ago. First created by Anthony Van Dyck, a Flemish court painter, this style has since been worn by a myriad of famous gentlemen such as King Charles I, Vladimir Lenin, and the face of delicious fried chicken everywhere, Colonel Sanders. 

More recently it has been worn by famous Hollywood A-listers such as Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, and David Beckham. This style is characterized by the mustache being disconnected from the beard on the chin, looking like a ‘T’ shape.  This is a classic style that never goes out of fashion. This can be worn by anyone, no matter the face shape, making it the perfect choice for men everywhere.

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ANCHOR GOATEE

Similar to the Van Dyke style of a goatee, the Anchor is shaped just like an anchor on your chin. It is a longer variation of the Van Dyke, where your beard can grow longer than your mustache, giving that defined anchor shape. Worn most famously by Robert Downey Jr, this is a great look for all face shapes except long and oval faces in which it may make the chin look more pointy.

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LANDING STRIP GOATEE

This simple to keep up goatee is a fine addition to any face, especially for those who struggle with growing a beard. This utilizes a small line of the beard from the mouth to the end of the chin.  

THE STUBBLE

Crafting your goatee using only stubble is a great way to test the waters and see what it looks like before you grow out the goatee completely. If you are interested in trying out one of the less known goatee styles shown here, why not try it out first with stubble? This is also good for those of us who can only grow patchy beards as it does not take too long to grow. This style looks best when you have around 7 to 10 days worth of stubble.

CAN I LOOK COOL ROCKING A GOATEE?

Of course! Anyone of all shapes and sizes when it comes to the face can look good with a goatee. By choosing the right goatee to match your face shape, you can highlight the best features of your face to be looking as good as ever. 

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HOW TO TRIM A GOATEE

Trimming your goatee is an absolute must in order to stop it from growing out of control. Although you can do this with a normal trimmer, this is easily done by a beard trimmer. 

Grow it out – First things first, before you do anything else, you need to start growing out your beard. Make sure your beard has grown around a week’s worth of stubble, or about 10mm before you start to trim it.

Start trimming – Start trimming around 5mm, all along the beard line. Making your beard as even as possible makes it easier to style when you get to the next step.

The Outline – Now is the time to start making your beard into a goatee. Start to make the outline of the goatee of your choice with your trimmer. Make slow, gentle movements up against the hair growth and work your way around the beard until you can start to see an outline.

Shave – Start shaving your cheeks completely clean. You should now start to see a much more defined goatee. Once you’ve finished shaving, check that the goatee is symmetrical before finishing up. 

For a goatee, you will have to do a combination of both shaving and trimming to keep your face looking presentable. This requires the normal amount of shaving when looking clean-shaven along with now and again trimming to prevent the goatee from getting out of control. 

KEEPING YOUR GOATEE LOOKING AS GOOD AS POSSIBLE

Constantly wash your goatee with shampoo and beard oil products to stop it from getting oily to make sure your goatee looks fresh all the time. Don’t forget to keep your face and skin smooth, by washing your face and using moisturizing products afterward to keep looking refreshed.

As well as this, ensure you constantly shave the outside of the goatee to keep it looking defined and clean. 

WHICH BEARD STYLE SUITS YOU?

The goatee style is not always for everyone. Some people prefer the looks of a full beard to compliment their face shape. Please read below to find out which beard style suits you. 

FULL BEARD

This style takes the longest and is the fullest beard out of all the others. This beard combines together with the mustache to create a style suitable for all face shapes and sizes whilst covering the cheeks, neck, and chin. This beard is relatively easy to maintain and is often used as a gateway to beard-growing before you move onto the crazier and less popular styles.  

SHORT BOXED BEARD

For those with a more rounded face shape, the short boxed beard is for you. This is not too different from the full beard except for the thinner trimmed sides and more length around the area of the chin. This is great for highlighting the jaw into a more defined shape for those of us not already blessed with a sharp jawline. 

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THE SCRUFFY/LOCKDOWN BEARD

Made popular this year in lockdown by many men starting to grow out their beards, this style is the easiest to replicate.

Especially great for those of us who are way too lazy to have to constantly worry about maintaining and trimming a beard, this requires extremely minimal effort to pull off whilst also being great for all face shapes.

Just let this one grow out! Make sure you wash it to stop it from getting too greasy, keeping it looking clean, but also maintaining that scruffy ‘I don’t care’ look.   

THE MUTTON CHOP/WOLVERINE BEARD

Most famously worn in the Victorian era and more recently by The Wolverine, this style is a timeless and bold look. This beard style connects the sideburns to the mustache, often used by those wanting to disguise receding hair.

Best for oblong and triangle face shapes to balance out and make your jawline look fuller, this is a reasonably easy style to achieve where you do not need to do much except shaving the chin and around the mouth to gain this look.

THE STUBBLE BEARD

Another easy to maintain style, the stubble beard is a great choice for face shapes of all ages, to look more mature and sharpen your jawline. Just wait for around 7 to 10 days of stubble to form and then continue trimming to maintain that timeless look suitable for everyone.

THE HIPSTER

The hipster beard is a great way to stand out while looking great. This well-styled beard is more or less a much longer version of the full beard. Although it might take some time to grow, the final product is perfect for all face shapes.

One of the best styles to showcase your full creativity, by styling and trimming how you would like it you can stand out from the crowd and look as stylish as possible. 

HOW TO TRIM A BEARD

Similar to the Goatee there are several steps you need to take to turn your beard from a scruffy mess to improving your face and looking great.

GROW

First, you must grow it out. As a beard is much longer than a goatee, make sure you grow it out to around 2-3 weeks worth before you begin trimming.

RELATED: HOW ARGAN OIL GIVES YOU AN AWESOME BEARD

EVEN IT OUT

Once grown, begin the trimming process to even it out. Cut back any neck or cheek hairs during this process. This is a great way to make your beard look more presentable before you start shaping it into what style you want.

START SHAPING

Once the beard is starting to look tidier, start trimming and combing out the beard on the areas you want, based on the style you have chosen. Be on the lookout to make sure your beard is always symmetrical to ensure you always keep on track to achieve the style you desire. 

A beard is much easier to control once grown. With an average trimmer, you can keep the length to the desired amount you want. For a great trimmer click here.

THE DIFFERENCES IN MAINTAINING A BEARD AND GOATEE

The general rule for facial hair is that the longer the hair, the harder it will be to maintain. There are multiple products required to keep it looking desirable, they include the following:

• Brush 
• Comb
• Balms, Pomades, and Waxes

If your accessories need improving, click here for an amazing grooming kit.

For the different beard types, the goatee is much easier to maintain. It’s pretty simple really, the less hair involved the less you have to do which is unlike normal beards that require constant grooming on the cheeks to ensure it’s neat and tidy. 

WHICH STYLE IS LESS IRRITATING?

For individuals that haven’t grown a full beard or goatee before will most likely feel a certain level of discomfort. Don’t be disheartened as there are different techniques to help lessen the irritation. 

Firstly, a goatee will be less noticeable due to the reduced amount of high causing issues, so would be the clear winner when it comes to avoiding itchiness. A normal beard is more problematic when it’s long but a combination of brushing, combing, and beard oils can help immensely. 

To reduce the amount of irritation caused by a goatee or a beard, ensure you always wash your face and your beard every day. A lot of the time, dry skin can develop in the heat of summer or the cold of winter. The dry skin reacts badly against the beard hairs causing it to itch. By hydrating and washing your face and beard every day, you can stop this. 

WILL MY NEW LOOK COST MUCH?

Like with most things the price that you spend can vary depending on the quality of items you buy. To give your facial hair the best possible look, whether you choose a normal beard or a goatee, there are quite a few accessories you will need. 

Some of the items that can significantly increase the quality of your look include the following:

• Beard Brush
• Beard Comb
• Waxes
• Balms
• Pomades 
• Oils

All item prices mentioned can change dramatically. Our recommended approach when buying these items is to not worry about buying expensive brushes or combs but focus more on high-grade oils, pomades, balms, and waxes. They can make a massive difference to your beard or goatee to make it look healthy. 

WHICH IS BEST FOR SHORT HAIR OR A BALD HEAD?

When you age there is no way to avoid some hair loss. An answer to this for many men is to completely shave their heads or have a short hair cut. But the question is, which facial style looks best for this look?

Research shows that a full beard suits this look more. With thick hair around your cheeks, lip, and chin, you can draw people’s attention away from your head to provide great contrast. 

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HOW TO KEEP YOUR BEARD LOOKING CLEAN

As previously discussed, there are many products you can use to keep your goatee or beard looking its best while being clean. None compare to the basic requirement of washing it regularly, just like your hair! Make sure to incorporate cleaning your facial hair into your shower routine for the best possible effect. 

REALITY VS EXPECTATION

Be sure not to be too disappointed when growing a beard or goatee if it doesn’t look as you expected. With the right routine and perseverance, you can achieve the style you want. Almost always guys feel insecure and unsure about their new look, remember facial hair can make a huge impact on your face and may take time for you to adjust to it.  

WHAT STYLE DO WOMEN PREFER?

Throughout all the different facial hair trends, it’s safe to say women have their clear favorites when it comes to what they prefer. However, it’s worth mentioning that even if some women don’t prefer your look, if it brings you confidence, that’s all that should matter!

According to many studies carried out, a lot of women love stubble. Specifically, stubble that has built up after around 10 days of not shaving. The study results also included the reason women find this look desirable, which include: Maturity, Dominance, and Aggression. Therefore, if you like the stubble ‘tough’ look and you’re single, this might be the answer for you.

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However, before you put down the shaving cream, listen to this. Other research also suggests that women are heavily influenced by men that don’t fit into the ‘norm’ look. This basically means that if everyone has a beard and you’re clean-shaven, the chances are higher that women will be more interested in you. This makes sense if you consider how often trends change when it comes to facial hair. 

Now when it comes to a full beard or goatee, this is what we found out. Most women prefer the traditional full beard look when it comes to most faces, it’s simplistic but also compliments a lot of faces.

However, if it’s patchy then their opinions can change. With a goatee, it definitely fits a certain niche that it appeals to. For example, a goatee has long been associated with the slam poetry scene back in the 1970s which certain women would have a great interest in. 

TO SUM UP

We’ve touched on a lot of different aspects when it comes to choosing between a goatee or a beard. The information provided isn’t to influence you one way or the other but to provide you with all the necessary information when making your choice. 

Hopefully, you have gained some inspiration on what style will be best for you. With the right tools in your hand, your new look is just around the corner. 

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