Clean-shaven face makes one looks younger. However, a well styled mustache or a beard can you give the rugged and more mature look. The key to maintaining these looks is grooming and regular trimming coupled with good skin care regime. Keep a track of your hair growth and use the razor as and when necessary to get the style right. In the end, carrying a style successfully depends a lot on the confidence you exude.
Ever since, the ultra-clean shaved male models walked on the runway, facial hair gradually lost its importance in the eyes of young men. There came a time when unshaved stubble and partial beard were considered as the signs of scruffy and lazy young men. Sometimes, it was even presumed that the young man who was seen in this “sad” state was either going through bouts of unrequited love or was merely unlucky in the employment department.
Though several youthful men still shy away from making a commitment towards their facial hair, the new trends in beards and mustache are tempting many to sport these ultra-debonair looks. Nowadays, celebrities are happy to experiment with the hair on their face and the common folks are less reluctant to follow in their footsteps.
Facial Hairstyles For Men
Mustache
This includes hair growth in the upper lip region and optionally the area to the sides of the mouth where the lips meet, extending for about a quarter inch. A neatly groomed mustache that is not too thick and does not extend beyond your lips is the facial hair style for young men especially popular in South-East Asia. Make sure that you trim the mustache properly and don’t let it fall over your upper lip.
Follow the natural curve of your lip while you trim the mustache to get the perfect look. So do you think you can pull off a neat mustache look without looked upon by the general public with derision? Well, it depends on the type of mustache you go for. Styles like chevron, pencil and handle-bar mustache though popular in the 70’s and 80’s, now look just simply relic on young men. So beware and do a lot of research before trying something new with the razor.
Chin Whiskers
This includes hair growth in the chin region and optionally on the double chin area along the line of the jaw, on either side of the chin and the cheek area just above the jawline. Double chin area is the area between the chin and the throat. This style is also known as poet’s beard. If you are not happy with your chin, then chin whiskers is the right answer for your facial flaws.
You can use chin whiskers style appropriately to hide a wide upper lip or to strengthen a short chin. You can balance out some of the sharp features of your face like a long nose or receding hairline through this look. Young men can easily pull off a sprouting whiskers style which looks ‘scruffy in a cute way’ on them. It’s also the first step towards a beard and the solution to get rid of a baby face.
Soul Patch
Soul patch, also called attilio, is a small area below the lower lip that does not reach to the chin. This can be of varied sizes. A small-sized soul patch suits most of the young men. This style was hugely popular among the musically inspired generation of the 50’s and 60’s decade. However, jazzmen and rockers managed to revive this style back to mainstream fashion in the last decade.
Versatility holds the key to the popularity of this low-maintenance look. Just remember to trim this hair patch the moment it threatens to look like a beard. Though some people might think this look is going down the flames, some actors and musicians still stand by it.
Chops
This includes hair growth in front of the ears and on the jawline and the cheek area just above the jawline. In chops, the facial hair connects to the hairline (or potential hairline if the individual shaves his head) at the vertical “sideburn” region that extends an inch or two in front of the ears.
You can achieve chops style easily with the help of an electric razor. Being time-consuming and high-maintenance, this style is not that much in vogue. However, some young men do take efforts to don this look in order to distinguish themselves from rest of the crowd. This style came into existence in the early 19th century. Best suited for the music related line of work, this look will be frowned upon in corporate boardrooms.
Sideburns
If you want to have a facial hair style but don’t want to opt for the common beard or mustache, then give sideburns a try. Sideburns gives a completely manly rugged look. Being a prerogative of Elvis and the likes, this style has a rich history. You can experiment with the length for different types of sideburns.
Stretch them down just past your ear, or you could let them shoot till your chin. Also, you can have a variety in the ends of your sideburns. Squared-off or pointed end sideburns are also popular in the music industry. If you are not too fond of beard or mustache but still want to experiment with your look, then you can sport a new look by growing hair on your face beyond the ears.
Men’s Facial Hair Styles Combination
Chin Curtain
This is a chin whiskers and chops combination. The chin whiskers that include the hair growth on chin area and along the jawline further meeting the hairline at the sideburn area is known as chin curtains. This style of facial hair grown only along the chin and following the jawline creates a suave look.
The latest fashion in this style includes trimming the hair along the jawline to form ultra thin lines. By framing the face, it accentuates the jawline. If this beard lacks width, then it can be called chin strap. If you think chin curtain is worn only by married Amish men and Abraham Lincoln, then you are wrong. Nowadays, even R&B and hip-hop musicians prefer to sport this look.
Circle Beard
This style is a mix of chin whiskers and mustache where these two meet to form a circle. So, this circle of facial hair wraps over your lip, around your mouth and also across your chin. Goatee is a type of circle beard in which a miniature beard and a mustache combines to form a circle.
You really need to have good shaving skills to have a goatee. The goatee is amongst the most trendy facial hair styles which looks both classy and smart on young men. This is also the most coveted facial hair style by the business class.
Chin Whiskers and Mustache
This is almost same as the circle beard facial hair style. But the main difference is that here the mustache and chin whiskers do not meet. The mustache and chin whiskers together form a style that can make you look like a hipster if done right or just plain wannabee if it goes wrong.
It should focus on the good features of your face. Adding some curves, it’s most suited for oval and square shaped faces. Keep it in mind to match your chin whiskers and mustache with the smile lines to get a sleek yet cute look.
Beard or Full-beard
In general, beard means the combination of mustache, chin-whiskers and chops. A full beard style for men needs to be done and maintained properly. Young men opting for a full beard can grow the facial hair up to 1/4 inch long. This way, your facial features will not be completely masked by the beard and your face won’t look too shaggy.
Working young men who want a full beard must definitely opt for short hair length of the beard. If you have too much hair on your crown along with a beard, then you may appear like Tom Hanks of ‘Cast Away’. That’s why balance out the hair on your face and head.
Facial Hair Guidelines
Well-trimmed facial hair can turn a baby-faced guy into a perfect rugged hunk. However, you need to check whether the facial hair style you have chosen actually accentuates the good parts of your face or looks unflattering. Avoid an overly thick mustache if you have thin lips. Men with larger and thick lips must avoid pencil thin mustaches.
If you have a receding hairline, you can opt for a beard or goatee to create a balance. But, remember to closely clip the hair. Men with high foreheads, narrow lips, or a larger nose can try thin mustache or a closely clipped patch of hair underneath their lower lip.
Before you decide to “shave or not to shave”, figure out what kind of statement you are trying make. Cool, hip, carefree, party guy or business man? Though people shouldn’t pass judgments without getting to know you, the truth is that they inadvertently do it based on the looks.
If you have always been shaving off your facial hair and not sure if you want to experiment with it, then you can start with a mustache or a small patch of hair underneath the lower lip line known as the soul patch.
