Quick answer: Haircuts for men with beards work best when the hair and beard balance each other: short sides with a fuller beard, or more hair on top with a shorter beard. A taper or fade that steps down into the sideburn joins the two, so the haircut and beard read as one shape.
Haircuts for Men with Beards Styles at a Glance
Every style on this page with its clipper guard, top length and trim interval. Tap a name to jump to that card.
Haircuts for men with beards are really two cuts that have to agree with each other. The sides, the sideburn and the beard all meet at the same spot in front of the ear, and that join decides whether the result looks planned. Below are 65 pairings, each naming a haircut, a beard style, the fade or taper that connects them and the words to use in the chair.
What Makes a Haircut Work with a Beard?
Balance is the main rule. A beard adds visual weight to the lower half of the face, so the haircut either matches it or offsets it. Short sides and a little height on top lengthen the face and keep a full beard from looking heavy. A longer top with a short beard shifts weight upward, which suits narrow jaws. Your barber reads both at once: the width at the cheekbones, the line of the jaw and how much hair sits above the temples.
The second rule is the join. Where the sideburn meets the beard, the barber either blends the two with clipper guards or leaves a gap. A blended join, often called a beard fade, makes the haircut and beard look like one cut. A disconnected sideburn shows skin between them and suits goatees, Van Dykes and other shapes that do not cover the cheeks. Our beard fade gallery covers the blend in detail.
How Should the Fade Height Match the Beard?
The fade height on the head sets where the beard starts to look heavy. A low fade keeps hair over most of the sides, so it pairs with short beards and stubble without creating a gap in fullness. A mid fade suits medium beards and boxed shapes. A high fade or skin fade puts the contrast up near the crown, which makes a full or long beard look even fuller below it.
The table below sums up common starting points. Treat them as defaults to adjust for face shape and beard density, not fixed rules. A man with a narrow face and a full beard may still prefer a low fade, because short sides would make the face look even longer. Likewise, a dense, coarse beard can carry a skin fade at almost any length, while a sparse beard looks thinner next to bare sides. When in doubt, start one step lower on the head and go higher at the next visit.
How Should the Fade Height Match the Beard?
Beard length
Fade or taper that usually fits
Why
Stubble, under 1/4 inch
Low fade or taper
Keeps the side hair close to beard length
Short beard, 1/4 to 1/2 inch
Low or mid fade
Sideburn blends in one or two guard steps
Medium beard, 1/2 to 1 inch
Mid or high fade
Contrast on the sides keeps the jaw sharp
Full or long beard, over 1 inch
High fade or skin fade
Short sides stop the head looking wide
Goatee, Van Dyke, chin strap
Any height, often disconnected
Bare cheeks leave no sideburn to blend
Who Suits Which Haircut and Beard Pairing?
Round faces gain shape from height on top and a beard kept squarer at the jaw, such as a short boxed beard under a quiff. Square faces carry most pairings, so the choice comes down to upkeep. Long or oblong faces look better with fuller sides and a beard that adds width at the cheeks rather than length at the chin. Heart-shaped faces need beard mass at the jaw to balance a wider forehead; our best beard shapes for jawlines guide matches beards to face shapes.
Beard density matters as much as face shape. Patchy cheeks look fuller under a short, faded beard than a long one, and a goatee or Van Dyke avoids the cheek altogether. Thick, coarse beards handle length well but need a sharper neckline and more frequent trims to stay tidy. Age plays a part too: gray beards often grow wiry and look neater kept shorter, and men with thinning hair on top usually do better with a fuller beard below a short cut than with a long top.
Filter the styles
Showing all 65 styles
Fade
Hair
Length
Short Haircuts with Beards
Short cuts keep the attention on the beard and need the least styling. Most of these sit on a low or mid fade, and the beard decides how sharp the result looks. See the crew cut guide for the base cut.
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. The crew cut holds shape longer than the beard edges.
Best For:Oval, round faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
A crew cut leaves about an inch on top, tapered shorter toward the crown, with the sides at a #2 or #3 that steps down to a #1 at the nape. The Van Dyke is a pointed goatee plus a separate mustache, with the cheeks shaved clean. Because the cheeks are bare, the sideburns are trimmed short and stop above the ear lobe without joining the beard. The pointed chin adds length to a rounder face.
How to Style at Home
Rub a small amount of matte clay through the top and push it slightly forward.
Trim the mustache along the lip line with small scissors every few days.
Shave the cheeks and neck so the goatee and mustache keep a gap between them.
Ask Your Barber
"Crew cut with an inch on top and a #2 on the sides tapering to a #1. Trim the sideburns short and disconnected. Shape a Van Dyke with a pointed chin."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Stubble needs a guard trim every few days.
Best For:Oval, square faces + thick straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Point-cut texture on a one-to-two inch top falls forward into a short fringe, while a low fade starts just above the ear and runs to a #1 at the nape. The stubble is kept at a #1 or #2 on the trimmer, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch, with the cheek line left natural. Since the stubble and the lower fade share a similar length, the sideburn joins the beard with no visible step.
How to Style at Home
Work texture powder into dry roots and tousle the fringe forward with your fingers.
Run the trimmer over the stubble with the same guard every three days.
Clean only the hairs below the neckline so the stubble keeps a soft edge.
Ask Your Barber
"Textured crop with about an inch and a half on top, low fade to a #1. Blend the sideburns straight into a #2 stubble and leave the cheek line natural."
Trim:Every 2–3 weeks. The thin strap loses its line quickly.
Best For:Square, oval faces + straight or coarse hair.
About This Style
Short and blunt, the French crop has a straight fringe cut across the forehead with a mid skin fade on the sides. The chin strap is a narrow band, about half an inch wide, that runs from the sideburn along the jawline to the chin, with the cheeks and mustache area shaved. The fade drops into the sideburn at a #1 so the strap starts as one line from the temple. It sharpens a soft jaw.
How to Style at Home
Comb the fringe forward and press a little matte paste through the ends.
Shave above and below the strap every two days to keep its width even.
Check both sides in a mirror so the strap sits at the same height.
Ask Your Barber
"French crop with a blunt fringe and mid skin fade. Fade the sideburn down to a #1 and shape a half-inch chin strap along the jaw, cheeks and lip shaved."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Part line and cheek line both need upkeep.
Best For:Oval, oblong faces + straight or fine hair.
About This Style
Office dress codes rarely object to this pairing. The Ivy League is a longer crew cut, around two inches at the front, combed to a side part, with a #2 or #3 taper on the sides. A corporate beard is a short, full beard kept around 1/2 inch, with a clean cheek line and a neckline one finger above the Adam's apple. The taper blends into the beard through a #3 at the sideburn, joining hair and beard in one even line.
How to Style at Home
Blow-dry the front to the side with a round brush for light lift.
Comb a small amount of light pomade through the part to hold it.
Brush the beard downward and trim stray hairs on the cheek line weekly.
Ask Your Barber
"Ivy League with two inches at the front, side part and a #3 taper. Keep the beard at a #4, blend it into the sideburn and set a clean cheek line."
Trim:Every 2–3 weeks. The short fringe and goatee edges blur fast.
Best For:Round, square faces + coarse or curly hair.
About This Style
Expect a very short, flat look up top. The Caesar cut keeps the hair under an inch, brushed forward to a short horizontal fringe, and often sits on a low skin fade. The goatee covers the chin only, sometimes with a mustache linked to it, so the cheeks and sideburns are clean shaven or trimmed close. With no beard on the cheeks, the fade can run to skin at the sideburn without a gap showing. The chin hair lengthens a round face.
How to Style at Home
Brush the top forward with a soft brush while it is still damp.
Line the fringe with a trimmer only if you can keep it straight.
Trim the goatee to the same length all round with a #2 guard.
Ask Your Barber
"Caesar cut under an inch on top with a short straight fringe. Low skin fade, sideburns faded to skin. Keep a goatee at a #2 and shave the cheeks."
Trim:Every 3–5 weeks. Even length all over grows out slowly.
Best For:Oval, oblong faces + thick or coarse hair.
About This Style
One guard length all over defines a butch cut, usually a #3 or #4, so there is about 3/8 to 1/2 inch everywhere. Under it, a full beard of an inch or more covers the cheeks, jaw and chin. The barber tapers the sideburn from the head length into the beard so there is no jump between them. Hair and beard look like a single frame around the face, and the head stays easy to manage.
How to Style at Home
Wash the scalp, towel dry and leave the short hair as it falls.
Massage beard oil into the beard and skin after washing.
Comb the beard downward and trim the neckline every week.
Ask Your Barber
"Butch cut with a #4 all over, rounded at the back. Leave the full beard at about an inch and taper the sideburns from a #4 into the beard."
Trim:Every 1–2 weeks. Bare sides and a shaped chin both need frequent work.
Best For:Square, round faces + straight or coarse hair.
About This Style
Military in origin, the high and tight clips the sides to skin or a #0 up to the parietal ridge and leaves a short patch of about half an inch on top. The anchor beard is a chin beard shaped like a ship anchor, with a pointed bottom joined to a pencil mustache line, and no sideburns or cheek hair. That gives a disconnected look: shaved sides and cheeks with all detail at the chin and lip.
How to Style at Home
Rub a drop of scalp oil on the bare sides if the skin feels tight.
Use a detail trimmer to keep the anchor point sharp at the chin.
Shave the cheeks and sideburn area daily to keep the anchor isolated.
Ask Your Barber
"High and tight, sides to skin up to the parietal ridge, half an inch on top. Shave the sideburns and cheeks and leave an anchor beard with a thin mustache."
Recommended Products
Scalp Oil
Beard Balm
Styled Haircuts with Beards
These cuts leave two to five inches on top for a quiff, pompadour, side part or slick back. Styled tops need product, so the beard usually stays neat and medium length to match the finish.
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. The fade and pompadour shape lose structure after a month.
Best For:Oval, square faces + thick straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Height at the front and weight at the jaw is the idea here. The pompadour needs four to five inches on top, swept up and back into a rounded wave, with a mid fade or undercut on the sides. A full beard of about an inch, shaped square at the jaw, balances that volume. The barber runs the fade down through a #2 at the sideburn and into the beard, so the profile flows from the crown to the chin.
How to Style at Home
Blow-dry the front up and back with a round brush on medium heat.
Comb pomade through and shape the front into a rounded wave.
Brush the beard down and smooth flyaways with a little beard balm.
Ask Your Barber
"Pompadour with five inches at the front and a mid fade. Blend the sideburns through a #2 into a one inch full beard, square at the jaw."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Boxed lines need a home trim weekly.
Best For:Round, oval faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Rising at the front and settling toward the crown, a quiff with three inches on top looks textured rather than shiny. A low or mid fade sits underneath. The boxed beard is cut to about 1/2 inch with straight cheek lines and a squared bottom, which gives a round face corners. A #2 to #3 blend at the sideburn ties the fade into the beard, and the clean lines on the cheeks repeat the clean lines at the temples.
How to Style at Home
Blow-dry the front upward while brushing it back with your fingers.
Work matte clay through the top and shape the quiff with your fingertips.
Trim the cheek lines of the beard with a trimmer every week.
Ask Your Barber
"Textured quiff with three inches at the front and a mid fade. Blend through a #3 into a boxed beard at a #4 with straight cheek lines and a square base."
Trim:Every 4–5 weeks. The beard is long, so the cut sets the schedule.
Best For:Oval, oblong faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Classic and grown-up, the side part keeps three inches on top combed across from a part above the outer eyebrow, with a scissor taper on the sides. A Garibaldi is a wide, full beard up to eight inches long with a rounded bottom, and the mustache blends into it. The sides of the haircut are left a little longer, around a #4, so they do not look thin next to that much beard. The sideburn joins at the same length.
How to Style at Home
Comb light pomade through damp hair and set the part with a fine comb.
Brush the Garibaldi downward from the cheeks to the round base.
Work beard oil into the skin under the beard as well as the ends.
Ask Your Barber
"Side part with three inches on top and a scissor taper, #4 on the sides. Shape the Garibaldi round at the bottom and blend it into the sideburn."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. The undercut sides show regrowth first.
Best For:Oval, square faces + straight or thick hair.
About This Style
Four inches combed straight back with a shiny product sits above a disconnected undercut clipped to a #1 or #2. The facial hair is very short, a #1 trimmer setting or two to three days of growth, so it adds shadow to the jaw without changing the face shape. With the undercut sides and the stubble at a similar length, the sideburn reads as one short surface. Good for men who want a groomed top and little beard work.
How to Style at Home
Comb pomade through damp hair from the hairline straight back.
Use a fine-tooth comb to set clean lines through the top.
Run a #1 guard over the stubble every two to three days.
Ask Your Barber
"Slick back with four inches on top over a disconnected undercut at a #2. Take the sideburns down to match a #1 stubble so they look the same length."
Trim:Every 2–3 weeks. The hard part and Balbo edges both blur quickly.
Best For:Round, heart-shaped faces + straight or fine hair.
About This Style
Here the top is combed sideways from a hard part shaved into the hairline, over a low skin fade. The Balbo is a floating mustache over a chin beard that extends along the jaw, with no sideburns and no hair on the upper cheeks. That means the fade runs to skin at the sideburn and stays separate from the beard. Weight on the chin and lower jaw helps a heart-shaped face with a narrow chin.
How to Style at Home
Comb the top across from the part using a small amount of light pomade.
Trim the gap between mustache and chin hair with a detail trimmer.
Shave the upper cheeks and sideburns every other day.
Ask Your Barber
"Comb over with a hard part and low skin fade, sideburns to skin. Shape a Balbo with a separate mustache and chin beard along the lower jaw."
Best For:Round, square faces + thick straight or curly hair.
About This Style
A strip of two to three inches through the center of the head is pushed up to a ridge, with a mid or high fade on both sides. The goatee adds a second vertical line at the chin, which helps lengthen a round face. Cheeks are kept clean shaven and the sideburns fade into skin, so nothing breaks the line from the ridge on top down to the chin. Teens and younger men often choose it.
How to Style at Home
Blow-dry the center strip upward with your fingers.
Pinch texture clay through the strip to form a ridge down the middle.
Trim the goatee with a #3 guard and shave the cheeks clean.
Ask Your Barber
"Faux hawk with three inches through the center and a high fade, sideburns faded to skin. Keep a goatee at a #3 with the cheeks shaved."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Stubble edges need tidying twice a week.
Best For:Oval, long faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Two to three inches on top are brushed straight up with light hold, giving height without a defined quiff shape. A low taper on the sides keeps fullness near the ears, which suits longer faces. Designer stubble is kept at about 1/8 to 1/4 inch with a sharp cheek line and neckline, so it looks deliberate rather than unshaven. The sideburn blends from the taper into the stubble at a #2.
How to Style at Home
Blow-dry the top straight up with a brush on medium heat.
Mist a light hold spray or rub in matte cream to keep the height.
Edge the stubble neckline and cheek line with a detail trimmer twice a week.
Ask Your Barber
"Brush up with three inches on top and a low taper. Blend the sideburns into designer stubble at a #2, sharp cheek line and neckline."
Recommended Products
Matte Cream
Beard Oil
Long and Medium-Length Hair with Beards
Longer hair plus a beard can hide the face if both are left to grow. These pairings keep one of the two shaped, often with a clean cheek line. Our long hairstyles guide covers growing out the hair.
Trim:Every 6–8 weeks. Dusting the ends keeps long hair healthy.
Best For:Oval, square faces + wavy or thick hair.
About This Style
Long layers fall to the shoulders and frame the face, with no fade on the sides. The full beard is kept between one and two inches and shaped narrower at the cheeks than at the jaw, so the face still shows between hair and beard. The barber trims the sideburn into the beard with scissors. Too much width at the cheeks is the main risk, so the cheek line is kept clean and slightly low.
How to Style at Home
Apply leave-in to damp lengths and let the hair air dry.
Tuck the hair behind the ears to check the beard shape in a mirror.
Brush the beard with a boar bristle brush after applying beard oil.
Ask Your Barber
"Shoulder length with long layers and no fade. Trim a full beard to about an inch and a half, narrower at the cheeks, and scissor blend the sideburns."
Trim:Every 4–6 weeks. The shaved sides need regular clean-ups.
Best For:Oval, round faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Long hair on top, six inches or more, is tied into a small knot at the crown, while the sides are cut to a #1 or #2 undercut. The ducktail beard is short on the cheeks and grows longer at the chin, where it is shaped into a point like a duck's tail. The undercut runs down into the shorter cheek hair, and the pointed chin echoes the knot at the top of the head, lengthening the face.
How to Style at Home
Gather the top into a knot at the crown with a soft hair tie.
Trim the cheeks shorter than the chin using a #3 guard.
Shape the point at the chin with scissors and a fine comb.
Ask Your Barber
"Undercut at a #2 with the top left long enough for a top knot. Blend the sideburns into a ducktail beard, short at the cheeks and pointed at the chin."
Trim:Every 6–8 weeks. Long hair hides small changes in shape.
Best For:Square, oblong faces + wavy or curly hair.
About This Style
Only the top section of chin-to-shoulder length hair is pulled back into a small bun, and the rest hangs loose over the ears. With a full beard of one to two inches, this suits men who want long hair off the face but still covering the sides. The sideburns are left long and scissor blended into the beard. A neat neckline and cheek line stop the overall look from becoming shapeless.
How to Style at Home
Section the hair from temple to temple and tie it back loosely.
Scrunch curl cream through the lower lengths if they are wavy.
Apply beard balm and brush the beard into shape after washing.
Ask Your Barber
"Keep the length for a half up bun, light layers only. Scissor blend the sideburns into a full beard of an inch and a half and clean the neckline."
Trim:Every 4–5 weeks. Curtains need the length at the front kept even.
Best For:Oval, heart-shaped faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Curtains hair, parted in the center and falling to the cheekbones, is cut over a low taper at the nape and sideburns. The beard is short, around 1/4 to 3/8 inch, and keeps a soft natural cheek line. On a heart-shaped face, the curtains narrow the forehead and the beard adds width at the jaw. The taper at the sideburn is kept gentle, with a #3 that runs into the beard length.
How to Style at Home
Blow-dry from a center part, brushing each side outward.
Use a small amount of styling cream to hold the curtains in place.
Trim the beard with a #3 guard once a week.
Ask Your Barber
"Middle part curtains to the cheekbones over a low taper. Blend the sideburns at a #3 into a short beard of the same length with a natural cheek line."
Trim:Every 5–7 weeks. The shaggy layers grow out without losing shape.
Best For:Oval, long faces + wavy or thick hair.
About This Style
Choppy layers on top and around the face, plus extra length at the back, form the wolf cut, a cross between a shag and a mullet. A scruffy beard is a short, loosely shaped beard of a quarter to half an inch with no hard cheek line. Both are meant to look a little undone. The barber thins the sideburns with scissors so they fade into the beard without a visible line. Wavy hair gives the layers the most shape.
How to Style at Home
Spray sea salt spray into damp hair and scrunch the layers.
Let it air dry or diffuse on low heat for more movement.
Run a #4 guard over the beard to keep the scruff even.
Ask Your Barber
"Wolf cut with choppy layers and length at the back. Thin the sideburns into a scruffy beard at a #4 with a soft, natural cheek line."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Faded sides need regular upkeep.
Best For:Oval, round faces + straight or curly hair.
About This Style
Short at the front and sides with length at the back, the modern mullet often sits on a burst fade that curves around the ear. The goatee keeps facial hair to the chin, so the cheeks and sideburns stay bare and the fade can run to skin without a gap. That leaves two points of length on the head, the back and the chin, which suits round faces. It can look retro, so keep the goatee trimmed.
How to Style at Home
Rough dry the hair and twist the back lengths with a bit of texture clay.
Push the front forward or to the side with your fingers.
Trim the goatee with a #2 guard and shave the cheeks.
Ask Your Barber
"Modern mullet with a burst fade around the ear and length left at the back. Fade the sideburns to skin and shape a short goatee at a #2."
Trim:Every 8–10 weeks. Both the hair and beard are grown long.
Best For:Oblong, square faces + wavy or thick hair.
About This Style
Wavy hair grown past the chin is left with long layers and no fade. The Bandholz beard is a long, full beard, often six inches or more, that grows into a wide shape with the mustache blending in. With that much hair, the cheek line and neckline still get cleaned so the face shows. It fits men who want to grow both and visit the barber rarely. Hold it back in hot weather or at work if needed.
How to Style at Home
Wash the beard with a gentle shampoo twice a week, not daily.
Comb beard oil through from root to tip with a wide-tooth comb.
Scrunch leave-in through the waves and let them air dry.
Ask Your Barber
"Long layers on wavy hair past the chin, no fade. Trim the Bandholz beard ends evenly, clean the cheek line and neckline and blend the sideburns long."
Recommended Products
Leave-In
Beard Oil
Beard Brush
Curly, Coily and Textured Hair with Beards
Curly and coily hair often pairs with a dense beard, so the line-up and sideburn blend carry the look. These cuts use shorter guards near the skin. See curly hairstyles for more top options.
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Curls hide some growth but the fade does not.
Best For:Round, oval faces + curly or wavy hair.
About This Style
Defined curls of two to three inches are left on top and cut shorter at the front, over a mid fade that drops behind the ear. The short boxed beard sits at 3/8 inch with straight cheek lines and squared corners at the jaw. Coarse curls and a dense beard match well in texture, and the fade blends into the beard through a #2 at the sideburn. The squared jaw gives a round face more structure.
How to Style at Home
Apply curl cream to soaking wet hair and scrunch upward.
Diffuse on low heat or let the curls air dry without touching them.
Trim the beard with a #3 guard and keep the corners square.
Ask Your Barber
"Curly crop with two inches of curls on top and a mid drop fade. Blend through a #2 into a short boxed beard at a #3 with square corners."
Trim:Every 2 weeks. The faded sides lose contrast quickly.
Best For:Round, oval faces + coily or 4C hair.
About This Style
Coily hair is left two to four inches through the center strip and picked up into a rounded ridge, while the sides are taken down with a mid or burst fade. The frohawk adds height, so a short beard of 1/4 to 3/8 inch keeps the lower face neat and does not compete. The barber fades the sideburn from skin into the beard and lines up the forehead, temples and cheek line for a crisp outline.
How to Style at Home
Pick the center strip upward from the roots with an afro pick.
Pat the sides of the strip into a rounded ridge with your palms.
Trim the beard with a #3 guard and brush it flat each morning.
Ask Your Barber
"Frohawk with three inches through the center and a burst fade on the sides. Fade the sideburns from skin into a short beard at a #3 and line it up."
Trim:Every 2 weeks. The flat top and fade need regular shaping.
Best For:Round, oval faces + coily or 4C hair.
About This Style
Tall and flat, the high top stands three to six inches above the head and is cut square, with a high or mid fade on the sides. The goatee is short and sits only on the chin, sometimes linked to a mustache. A tall, square top adds length, and the goatee adds a little more at the chin, which suits rounder faces. The sideburns are faded into skin and kept separate from the goatee.
How to Style at Home
Pick the top out from the roots with an afro pick.
Shape the flat top with a little styling cream before the barber visit.
Trim the goatee with a #2 guard and keep the cheeks clean.
Ask Your Barber
"High top four inches tall with a flat square top and a high fade. Fade the sideburns to skin and shape a short goatee at a #2."
Trim:Every 2–3 weeks. The fade grows out before the braids loosen.
Best For:Oval, square faces + coily or 4C hair.
About This Style
Square-parted braids start at the scalp and hang to chin or shoulder length, often with a low taper or fade around the edges. A short beard of 1/4 to 1/2 inch keeps the jaw clean so the braids carry the detail. The barber connects the taper to the beard at the sideburn and lines up the beard edges. Have the beard trimmed between braid installs, since the fade and beard grow faster than braids loosen.
How to Style at Home
Moisturize the scalp between braids with a light scalp oil.
Wrap the braids at night in a silk scarf or durag.
Trim the beard with a #4 guard and line it up weekly.
Ask Your Barber
"Low taper around the braids with a clean line-up. Blend the sideburns into a short beard at a #4 and sharpen the cheek line and neckline."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Retwist and goatee shaping follow similar schedules.
Best For:Oval, oblong faces + coily or 4C hair.
About This Style
Starter or grown locs, from chin length to past the shoulders, often get a tapered nape to keep the neck clean. The Van Dyke pairs a pointed chin beard with a separate mustache, cheeks shaved. Locs carry plenty of texture already, so the Van Dyke keeps the face clear and adds a sharp detail at the chin. The sideburns are tapered and do not join the beard, since the cheeks stay bare.
How to Style at Home
Retwist new growth with a small amount of loc gel.
Moisturize the locs with a light oil or water spray between washes.
Shape the Van Dyke point and mustache with small scissors.
Ask Your Barber
"Tapered nape and sideburns under the locs, clean line-up. Shave the cheeks and shape a Van Dyke with a pointed chin and separate mustache."
Trim:Every 2–3 weeks. The fade under the twists needs regular edges.
Best For:Square, oval faces + coily or 4C hair.
About This Style
Two-strand twists of two to four inches stand on top, with a low or mid fade around the sides. The circle beard is a rounded goatee joined to a mustache, forming a ring around the mouth, with cheeks and sideburns clean. It softens a square jaw while keeping the cheeks bare, which suits men who grow little cheek hair. Bare cheeks also let the barber take the sideburn all the way down to skin.
How to Style at Home
Twist damp hair in small sections using curl cream.
Let the twists dry fully before separating or touching them.
Trim the circle beard with a #3 guard and round its edges.
Ask Your Barber
"Two-strand twists on top, mid fade on the sides to skin at the sideburns. Shape a rounded circle beard joining the mustache and goatee."
Trim:Every 4–5 weeks. Loose curls hide regrowth on the fringe.
Best For:Oval, long faces + curly or wavy hair.
About This Style
Loose curls on top are left long at the front so they fall over the forehead, while a low taper keeps the sides short but not bare. Heavy stubble, kept at 1/4 inch or about a week of growth, gives a shadowed jaw without beard styling. The fringe shortens a long face and the stubble softens it. A #3 taper at the sideburn meets the stubble at nearly the same length.
How to Style at Home
Scrunch curl cream through damp hair and push the curls forward.
Air dry, then break up any stiff curls with your fingers.
Trim the stubble with a #3 guard once a week.
Ask Your Barber
"Curly fringe with three inches at the front falling forward, low taper at the sides. Blend the sideburns at a #3 into heavy stubble."
Trim:Every 2–3 weeks. The shape-up and beard edges grow out fast.
Best For:Oval, square faces + coily or 4C hair.
About This Style
A short afro of one to two inches is rounded evenly with clippers and picked out, sitting on a low taper. A full beard of about an inch, lined up at the cheeks and neck, adds mass at the jaw. Coily beards are dense, so the barber shapes them with clippers and a razor for a crisp outline. The sideburns taper into the beard through a #2 and #3, with a sharp line-up at the temple.
How to Style at Home
Pick the afro out from the roots to an even rounded shape.
Use a curl sponge on shorter hair to define the coils.
Brush beard oil through the beard and pick it out for fullness.
Ask Your Barber
"Short afro two inches all round with a low taper and line-up. Blend through a #2 into a one inch full beard with a razor-lined cheek line."
Recommended Products
Afro Pick
Curl Sponge
Beard Oil
Haircut and Beard Pairings by Face Shape and Hairline
Face shape, jaw and hairline change which pairing balances best. Use these cards to correct width, length or a thinning area. Our face shape guide helps if you are unsure.
Trim:Every 3 weeks. Height on top and beard corners need upkeep.
Best For:Round faces + straight, wavy or thick hair.
About This Style
Round faces look longer with a high fade, three inches of texture on top pushed upward, and a beard that is shorter on the cheeks and longer at the chin. The cheek hair stays at a #2 or #3 and the chin grows to around an inch, shaped slightly square. That combination draws the eye up and down. Avoid bushy cheek hair and flat, forward tops that make the face wider.
How to Style at Home
Blow-dry the top upward and set it with matte clay.
Trim the cheeks shorter than the chin using two guard sizes.
Square the chin lightly with scissors to add a corner to the jaw.
Ask Your Barber
"High fade with three inches of texture on top pushed up. Fade into a #2 on the cheeks and leave an inch at the chin, slightly square."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Fuller sides need regular shaping.
Best For:Oblong, long faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Long faces need width, not height. A low taper leaves the sides fuller, and a short fringe or side-swept top cut to two inches keeps hair close to the forehead. The beard is fuller on the cheeks, around 1/2 inch, and kept short at the chin so it does not add length. The cheek line is set a little higher than usual to widen the middle of the face.
How to Style at Home
Push the top forward or to the side, not upward.
Use styling cream for soft hold without height.
Keep the chin at a shorter guard than the cheeks when trimming.
Ask Your Barber
"Low taper with fuller sides and two inches on top worn forward. Beard at a #4 on the cheeks, shorter at the chin, cheek line set slightly high."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Stubble length is easy to hold at home.
Best For:Square faces + straight or thick hair.
About This Style
A strong square jaw needs little help, so this pairing keeps both parts simple: a mid fade with a short textured top and stubble at 1/8 inch that follows the jaw. Stubble shows the jaw angle instead of covering it. The sideburn fades from a #1 into the stubble, giving a smooth join. It is a clean option for men whose jaw already gives the face its shape.
How to Style at Home
Rub texture powder into the roots and tousle the top lightly.
Trim the stubble with a #1 guard every two days.
Shave below the jaw angle to keep the jawline crisp.
Ask Your Barber
"Mid fade with an inch and a half of texture on top. Fade the sideburns from a #1 into stubble that follows the jaw, neck shaved below."
Trim:Every 2–3 weeks. Short hair keeps the hairline looking even.
Best For:Oval, square faces + thinning or receding hair.
About This Style
When the temples recede, shorter hair on top makes the gap less obvious. A short crop at a #3 or textured inch on top, with a skin or low fade, keeps the hairline from looking uneven. A full beard of about an inch moves attention down to the jaw. The fade blends into the beard at the sideburn, so the face has a strong frame even with less hair at the front. Our receding hairline guide has more cuts.
How to Style at Home
Push the short top forward with a pinch of matte clay.
Keep the beard thick at the jaw and trim the cheek line low.
Apply beard oil daily so the beard looks dense.
Ask Your Barber
"Short textured crop about an inch on top with a low skin fade. Blend into a full beard of an inch with a low cheek line and a square base."
Trim:Every 3 weeks. Even short lengths keep thin areas less visible.
Best For:Oval, round faces + thinning or fine hair.
About This Style
Thin hair on top looks fuller when kept short, so this pairing uses a #4 to #5 on top and a #2 on the sides with a soft taper. Long hair separates and shows scalp, while short hair stays even. A short beard at 3/8 inch adds density to the lower face without competing with the top. The taper and beard meet at a #3, and a thickening powder can fill the crown.
How to Style at Home
Dust thickening powder over the crown on dry hair.
Rub a little matte paste through the top for grip without shine.
Trim the beard with a #3 guard every week.
Ask Your Barber
"Short cut with a #5 on top and a #2 taper on the sides. Blend at a #3 into a short beard of the same length."
Trim:Every 3 weeks. The neckline needs regular cleaning.
Best For:Round, oval faces + any hair type or texture.
About This Style
A beard helps hide a softer jawline when the neckline is set low and the chin is kept full. Set the neckline about two fingers above the Adam's apple, lower than usual, so the beard covers the soft area under the jaw. A mid fade with some height on top adds length to the face. The sideburns blend into a medium beard at around 1/2 to 3/4 inch for a defined jaw shape.
How to Style at Home
Style the top upward with matte clay for some height.
Trim the beard with a #5 guard, keeping the chin longer.
Shave below the low neckline only, not up into the jaw area.
Ask Your Barber
"Mid fade with height on top. Medium beard at a #5, neckline about two fingers above the Adam's apple and kept low."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Balanced proportions need only light upkeep.
Best For:Oval faces + straight, wavy or curly hair.
About This Style
Oval faces are already balanced, so the goal is to keep proportions even rather than correct anything. A mid taper with two to three inches on top and a medium beard of about half an inch to an inch, even on cheeks and chin, works on almost any texture. The taper blends into the beard at a #3. Avoid tall tops or very long chins that stretch the face.
How to Style at Home
Comb or finger-style the top with a little matte cream.
Trim the beard evenly with a #5 guard.
Comb a few drops of beard oil through the beard once a day.
Ask Your Barber
"Mid taper, three inches on top. Blend the sideburn into a #3 and keep my beard even at about half an inch all over."
Trim:Every 3 weeks. Chin fullness and fringe both need shaping.
Best For:Heart faces + straight, wavy or fine hair.
About This Style
Heart faces are wider at the forehead and narrow at the chin, so this pairing adds weight low and removes it high. A low taper and a side-swept fringe of two to three inches cover part of the forehead. A full beard about an inch long at the chin and slightly shorter at the cheeks fills out the narrow jaw. The taper connects at the sideburn.
How to Style at Home
Sweep the fringe across the forehead with a little styling cream.
Let the chin grow about half an inch longer than the cheeks.
Comb the beard forward and trim the cheeks with a #4.
Ask Your Barber
"Low taper and a swept fringe to soften my forehead. Blend into a #4 on the cheeks, an inch at the chin."
Recommended Products
Styling Cream
Beard Oil
Haircuts with Beards by Age, Color and Setting
Gray and red beards, office dress codes and different hair textures each change the pairing. These cards cover the options readers ask about most. See gray hair styles for more on silver hair.
Trim:Every 4 weeks. A scissor cut grows out gradually.
Best For:Oval, square faces + gray or silver straight hair.
About This Style
Silver or white hair is cut to a classic side part with two to three inches on top and a scissor taper on the sides. A short gray beard at about 1/2 inch matches it. Gray hair can look wiry, so a light cream on the hair and oil on the beard soften both. The barber keeps the taper and beard similar in color tone by leaving the sideburns slightly longer and blending them.
How to Style at Home
Wash with a purple shampoo once a week to stop yellow tones.
Comb a little styling cream through to set the part.
Massage beard oil into the gray beard to soften wiry hairs.
Ask Your Barber
"Side part with two and a half inches on top and a scissor taper. Leave the sideburns slightly long and blend them into a gray beard at a #4."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Short mixed-gray hair keeps shape well.
Best For:Oval, round faces + mixed gray hair.
About This Style
Mixed gray and dark hair is cut into a short textured crop with a low fade, and the beard is kept at a medium length, about 3/4 inch, so the gray shows as texture. Short cuts make salt and pepper hair look even. The low fade leaves enough side length that the gray at the temples matches the beard. The beard and sideburns blend at a #4.
How to Style at Home
Rub matte clay through dry hair and push it forward.
Brush the beard into shape with a boar bristle brush.
Trim the beard every week with a #6 guard.
Ask Your Barber
"Textured crop with an inch and a half on top and a low fade. Blend at a #4 into a salt and pepper beard at a #6."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. The quiff loses height as it grows.
Best For:Oval, square faces + red or ginger hair.
About This Style
Ginger and red hair often comes in different shades on the head and in the beard, with the beard usually lighter or brighter. A textured quiff with three inches at the front over a mid fade gives height. The red beard is cut to a short boxed shape, about 1/2 inch, with defined edges to show the color. Matte products work better than shiny ones, which can make red hair look orange.
How to Style at Home
Blow-dry the front up and back with a round brush.
Use a matte clay to set the quiff without shine.
Brush beard oil through the red beard for a softer finish.
Ask Your Barber
"Textured quiff with three inches at the front and a mid fade. Blend into a short boxed red beard at a #4 with clean edges."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. The buzzed underlayer shows growth first.
Best For:Oval, round faces + straight thick hair.
About This Style
A two-block cut leaves longer hair on top that hangs over buzzed sides at a #2 or #3, with no fade between them. Many Asian men have dense head hair but less cheek growth, so a goatee works well. The chin beard sits under the lip, sometimes with a light mustache, and the cheeks stay clean. Sideburns are buzzed short and kept separate from the goatee.
How to Style at Home
Blow-dry the top hair down and slightly forward.
Apply light pomade to shape the fringe over the forehead.
Trim the goatee with a #2 guard every few days.
Ask Your Barber
"Two-block cut, sides buzzed at a #2 with no fade, longer top over it. Buzz the sideburns short and shape a goatee at a #2 with clean cheeks."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Office styles need a tidy outline.
Best For:Oval, square faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Workplace grooming usually calls for a tidy, conservative cut: a low taper, two inches on top combed into a soft side sweep and a neat short beard at 1/4 to 3/8 inch. The beard follows the natural cheek line with stray hairs removed. With no hard lines or skin fades, it suits office settings where the dress code is formal. See professional office haircuts for more.
How to Style at Home
Comb light pomade through the top and sweep it to one side.
Trim the beard with a #3 guard every week.
Remove stray cheek hairs with a razor or trimmer.
Ask Your Barber
"Low taper with two inches on top swept to the side. Blend at a #3 into a short beard, natural cheek line cleaned up."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Gray hair grows coarser and wiry.
Best For:Older men + gray, white or salt and pepper hair.
About This Style
Silver and white hair reads cleanest when cut short and neat, so an inch on top tapering to a #2 on the sides keeps it tidy. The white beard is kept at about half an inch with a defined neckline and cheek line, so it looks deliberate. The taper blends into the beard at the sideburn. A purple or neutral shampoo can keep yellow tones out of white hair.
How to Style at Home
Brush the top forward or to the side.
Trim the beard with a #4 and use beard oil for softness.
Clean the neckline above the Adam's apple weekly.
Ask Your Barber
"Crew cut with an inch on top, taper to a #2. Connect at the sideburn into my white beard at a #4, sharp lines."
Trim:Every 2–3 weeks. Short stubble hides patches only when trimmed.
Best For:Young men + patchy or uneven beard growth.
About This Style
Uneven beard growth is common in the late teens and early twenties. Keeping the beard at stubble length, a #1 to #2, and trimming it evenly makes thin areas less obvious. A mid fade with a short textured top keeps the haircut neat and draws attention up. The sideburn is faded into the stubble so the two meet. Letting it grow longer often makes the gaps more visible.
How to Style at Home
Trim the stubble with a #2 every four days.
Brush the beard against the grain to fill gaps slightly.
Use a matte clay to add height on top.
Ask Your Barber
"Mid fade with a textured top. Blend into my stubble at a #2 and keep the neckline clean so patches are less noticeable."
Recommended Products
Matte Clay
Beard Brush
Fade Haircuts with Beards
Each fade height meets the beard at a different point on the sideburn. These eight pair a named fade with a named beard and say whether the two connect. See skin fade for how the blend itself is cut.
Trim:Every 3 weeks. The boxed cheek line blurs after two weeks.
Best For:Oval, oblong faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Office-friendly and easy to grow into, this pairing keeps a low taper at the sideburn and nape, blended from a #1 to a #3, with about two inches on top. The boxed beard sits at a #3 to #4 with a straight cheek line and a squared jaw. Because the taper stays low, the sideburn runs straight into the beard at the same guard, so the two connect with no visible step.
How to Style at Home
Comb the top to one side with a little light pomade.
Trim the beard with a #3 guard and keep the cheek line straight.
Brush beard oil through the jaw after washing.
Ask Your Barber
"Low taper from a #1 to a #3, two inches on top. Blend the sideburn into a short boxed beard at a #4 with a straight cheek line."
Trim:Every 2–3 weeks. Skin at the temple regrows within days.
Best For:Round, square faces + thick or straight hair.
About This Style
Skin at the temple fades up through a #1 and #2 to meet two to three inches of textured hair on top. Below it, the ducktail beard keeps the cheeks short and grows the chin into a point about two inches long. The sideburn is faded down from skin into a #2 so the beard joins the haircut at the ear. The pointed chin lengthens rounder faces.
How to Style at Home
Push the top up with matte clay on towel-dry hair.
Comb beard balm down and toward the chin point.
Trim the point with scissors every two weeks to keep its shape.
Ask Your Barber
"Mid skin fade at the temple, three inches of texture on top. Fade the sideburn into a #2, short cheeks, and shape a ducktail point at the chin."
Trim:Every 1–2 weeks. Bare skin up high shows regrowth quickly.
Best For:Round, oval faces + coily, curly or straight hair.
About This Style
Clean skin runs to the parietal ridge, leaving a short top of half an inch to an inch. With so little hair on the head, a circle beard (a goatee joined to a mustache in a ring) gives the face a frame without adding width at the cheeks. The cheeks are shaved, so the fade and beard do not connect. The contrast between bare sides and a dark ring is the point of the look.
How to Style at Home
Moisturize the shaved sides with scalp oil after showering.
Shave the cheeks clean every two to three days.
Trim the ring with a #2 guard and round its corners.
Ask Your Barber
"High bald fade to the ridge, an inch on top. Shave my cheeks and shape a circle beard at a #2, rounded at the corners."
Trim:Every 2–3 weeks. The arc around the ear loses shape fast.
Best For:Oval, heart faces + curly or coily hair.
About This Style
Curved around the ear in a half circle, a burst fade leaves full weight at the back and top. Heavy stubble, about ten days of growth kept at a #1 to #2, softens the jaw without the commitment of a full beard. The burst drops into the sideburn, which is trimmed at the same length as the stubble so the two meet cleanly. Curly tops of two to three inches suit it.
How to Style at Home
Scrunch curl cream into the top while damp.
Run a #2 guard over the stubble every four days.
Clean the neckline below the jaw with a bare trimmer.
Ask Your Barber
"Burst fade around the ears, skin at the bottom, curls left on top. Blend the sideburn into heavy stubble at a #2."
Trim:Every 3 weeks. Beard shape and drop line both need checking.
Best For:Long, oval faces + straight, wavy or thick hair.
About This Style
Behind the ear, the drop fade curves down toward the nape, keeping more hair at the crown. Paired with a spade beard (full on the cheeks, squared off flat at the bottom about two inches below the chin), it gives a broad, solid frame. The fade is taken from a #1 at the ear into a #3 sideburn so it joins the beard. Medium texture on top balances the beard length.
How to Style at Home
Rough-dry the top and work in a texture clay.
Comb the beard straight down and cut the base flat.
Use beard balm to hold the square bottom corners.
Ask Your Barber
"Drop fade starting at a #1 behind the ear, curving down. Connect at a #3 sideburn into a spade beard cut flat two inches below my chin."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Only the temples and stubble grow out.
Best For:Square, oval faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Small and subtle, a temple fade clears only the corners of the hairline and the sideburn, so the rest of the sides stay full. The beardstache adds a thick mustache of half an inch or more over short stubble at a #1. Here the mustache is the focus, and the fade keeps the haircut quiet. The sideburn fades into the stubble length, so they connect.
How to Style at Home
Comb the mustache down and trim it level with the lip.
Keep the stubble at a #1 every five days.
Style the top forward with a light styling cream.
Ask Your Barber
"Temple fade at the corners only, sides left full. Fade the sideburn into a #1 stubble and leave the mustache thick, trimmed at the lip."
Trim:Every 3 weeks. Chops spread onto the chin without upkeep.
Best For:Long, oval faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Mutton chops are wide sideburns that run down the cheek and stop short of the chin, with a clean-shaven chin between them. A shadow fade suits them because it never reaches skin; the lowest guard is a #1, which leaves a gray tone that flows into the chops. That continuous coverage keeps the sideburn and cheek hair connected. A slick back or side part on top keeps the cut in a vintage register.
How to Style at Home
Shave the chin and upper lip clean every two days.
Trim the chops at a #3 and keep the lower edge level.
Comb the top back with a pomade for shine.
Ask Your Barber
"Shadow fade bottoming at a #1, no skin. Leave the sideburns long into mutton chops at a #3 and shave my chin clean."
Trim:Every 3 weeks. The mustache curl needs daily shaping.
Best For:Oval, long faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Named after the composer, a Verdi beard is a short, rounded full beard up to about four inches, with a separate mustache that is grown out and curled at the ends. With it, a taper fade at the sideburn and nape blends from a #1 into the beard. Two to three inches on top, combed into a side part, matches the beard's tidy, formal shape.
How to Style at Home
Twist the mustache ends with a small amount of beard balm.
Round the beard bottom with scissors after combing it down.
Comb the top into a side part using light pomade.
Ask Your Barber
"Taper fade at the sideburns and nape into my beard, three inches on top for a side part. Round the beard, leave the mustache long for curling."
Recommended Products
Beard Balm
Light Pomade
Beard Brush
Buzz Cuts and Shaved Heads with Beards
Very short hair puts the beard in charge of the face shape. These six combinations balance a buzz or a bare head with a beard length and outline. More options are on our bald with beard page.
Trim:Every 1–2 weeks. A #0 or #1 buzz shows growth quickly.
Best For:Oval, square faces + any hair type.
About This Style
Clipped to a #0 or #1 all over, the induction buzz is about as short as clippers go without shaving. The Viking beard opposite it is long, at four inches or more, worn full and sometimes braided at the chin. There is no fade; the sideburn is trimmed to match the head and then steps out into the beard. The short head lets the beard carry all the volume.
How to Style at Home
Run the clipper over the head at the same guard each week.
Comb beard oil through from root to tip after showering.
Braid the chin section loosely for events if you want.
Ask Your Barber
"Induction buzz with a #1 all over. Square up the sideburns and leave my Viking beard full, just tidy the neckline and cheek line."
Trim:Every 2 weeks. A burr is quick to keep even at home.
Best For:Oval, square faces + thinning or straight hair.
About This Style
Just above the scalp, a burr cut uses a #1 to #2 all over for a soft, fuzzy texture. Matching it with a short beard of about half an inch at a #4 makes the face and head read as one even shade. The sideburn is taken down from the head length to the beard length with a short blend, so they connect. It hides early thinning well.
How to Style at Home
Buzz the head with a #2 guard every two weeks.
Trim the beard with a #4 and clean the neckline.
Use scalp oil if the skin feels tight after clipping.
Ask Your Barber
"Burr cut at a #2 all over. Blend the sideburns down into a short beard at a #4 with a natural cheek line."
Trim:Every 2 weeks. Keep the buzz and the goatee edges even.
Best For:Round, oval faces + straight or coily hair.
About This Style
An extended goatee runs from the chin out along the jaw a little way, joined to a mustache, while the cheeks and sideburns stay shaved. Over a #2 buzz with a low fade into skin at the ears, the beard becomes a strong anchor that lengthens round faces. Nothing joins the fade to the beard, and the bare cheeks between them keep the outline sharp.
How to Style at Home
Shave the cheeks after a warm shower every two days.
Trim the goatee with a #3 and keep its edge straight.
Rub a little scalp oil into the faded area after clipping.
Ask Your Barber
"Buzz cut with a #2 on top, low fade to skin at the ears. Shave the cheeks and shape an extended goatee along the jaw."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. Short length grows evenly for a while.
Best For:Oval, long faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Left to grow for a month or so, a buzz becomes a soft half inch to an inch that can be pushed forward or left messy. A beardstache, thick mustache over a #1 stubble, gives it a casual, lived-in feel. The sides are tapered lightly at the ears and nape and the sideburn blends into the stubble. This is a good pairing for growing out of a shorter cut.
How to Style at Home
Work a pinch of texture powder into dry hair.
Keep stubble at a #1 and let the mustache grow.
Trim the mustache at the lip line every week.
Ask Your Barber
"Grown out buzz, about an inch on top, light taper at the ears and neck. Blend into #1 stubble and leave the mustache full."
Trim:Every 1–2 weeks. Reshave the head often; the anchor needs crisp lines.
Best For:Square, round faces + bald or shaved heads.
About This Style
Shaved smooth with a razor or foil shaver, a bald head draws attention to the jaw. The anchor beard shapes it: a pointed chin beard that runs along the jawline, with a separate mustache, roughly like a ship's anchor. Cheeks and sideburns are shaved clean, so there is no connection, only shape. Clean lines matter more than length here.
How to Style at Home
Shave the head with the grain after a warm shower.
Trace the anchor outline with a detail trimmer weekly.
Apply scalp oil to the head to reduce shine and dryness.
Ask Your Barber
"Shave my head smooth. Shape an anchor beard with a point at the chin, separate mustache, cheeks and sideburns clean."
Trim:Every 2–3 weeks. The fringe and fade both lose shape.
Best For:Round, heart faces + coily, curly or straight hair.
About This Style
Short and level on top with a straight, short fringe, the Caesar sits over a mid fade that runs to skin. A Balbo beard combines a floating mustache, a soul patch and a chin beard that spreads along the jaw without sideburns. Because the Balbo leaves the cheeks and sideburns bare, the fade ends at the ear and does not connect. The fringe and the beard form two short horizontal lines.
How to Style at Home
Brush the top forward with a soft brush.
Shave the cheeks and the gap under the mustache ends.
Trim the Balbo with a #3 guard every week.
Ask Your Barber
"Caesar cut, short level fringe, mid fade to skin. Shave the sideburns and cheeks and shape a Balbo with a separate mustache."
Recommended Products
Light Pomade
Beard Oil
Undercuts, Flat Tops and Trend Cuts with Beards
Sharper and more fashion-led haircuts need a beard that holds its own outline. These seven pair an undercut, a flat top, a perm or a spiky top with a named beard. See the undercut gallery for more tops.
Trim:Every 2–3 weeks. Undercut sides show growth and the line softens.
Best For:Oval, square faces + thick, straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Sides and back are buzzed to a #1 or #2 with a clear line where five or more inches of top hair begin. That top is slicked back or tied, and the long beard of three inches or more hangs below. Since the undercut is disconnected, the sideburn is often left a little longer and brushed into the beard rather than blended. The two long masses on top and chin frame a short middle.
How to Style at Home
Slick the top back with pomade on damp hair.
Brush the beard downward with a boar bristle brush.
Shape the beard base with scissors every three weeks.
Ask Your Barber
"Disconnected undercut at a #2, five inches on top for slicking back. Leave the sideburns slightly long into my long beard, trim the base."
Trim:Every 4 weeks. The sides and beard edges need regular cleanup.
Best For:Oval, long faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Shoulder length or longer hair is tied into a bun at the crown, with the sides either left long or undercut. A short boxed beard at about half an inch keeps the face neat under a lot of hair. If the sides are tapered, the sideburn steps into the beard at a #3. Keeping the beard short stops the look from becoming all hair.
How to Style at Home
Tie the bun loosely to protect the hairline.
Trim the beard with a #4 and shape a straight cheek line.
Smooth stray hair at the temples with a little styling cream.
Ask Your Barber
"Keep my length for a man bun, clean up the nape. Shape a short boxed beard at a #4 with a straight cheek line."
Trim:Every 4–5 weeks. Perm curls loosen and sides grow out.
Best For:Oval, square faces + straight or fine hair.
About This Style
Straight hair given a loose perm on top, three to four inches long, gets curl and volume it does not have naturally. Sides are usually a low taper, blending from a #1 to a #3 at the sideburn, into a short beard at a #4. The beard adds weight at the jaw so the curly top does not make the face look soft. Perms last about two to three months.
How to Style at Home
Scrunch curl cream into damp hair and air dry.
Avoid brushing the curls once they dry, or they turn to frizz.
Trim the beard with a #4 every week.
Ask Your Barber
"Low taper from a #1 into a #3 sideburn, four inches of permed curls on top. Blend into a short beard at a #4."
Trim:Every 2 weeks. The flat top loses its level surface quickly.
Best For:Round, oval faces + coily or thick hair.
About This Style
Standing an inch or two tall with a level, squared surface, the flat top sits over a high fade or skin taper. A full boxed beard about an inch long with a sharp cheek line mirrors the top's squared edges. The sideburn is faded into the beard at a #2 so the head and jaw share one outline. Coily hair holds the flat surface best.
How to Style at Home
Pick the top up and out before the barber visit.
Press the top level with your palm and a light gel.
Line the cheek with a trimmer every week.
Ask Your Barber
"Flat top two inches tall with a high fade. Fade the sideburn into a #2 and square my full beard at an inch, sharp cheek line."
Trim:Every 2 weeks. The straight fringe line blurs fast.
Best For:Oval, round faces + thick, straight or coarse hair.
About This Style
Common in Mexican-American barbershops, the Edgar cut has a blunt, straight fringe line across the forehead, a short textured top and a high skin fade. A thin chin strap traces the jaw from ear to ear, about a quarter inch wide. The fade runs into the sideburn and then the chin strap, so it connects. Both lines are sharp, which suits thick, coarse hair.
How to Style at Home
Push the fringe down with a little matte paste.
Trace the chin strap edges with a detail trimmer.
Keep the forehead line sharp between visits with an edge brush.
Ask Your Barber
"Edgar cut, straight fringe line, high skin fade. Fade the sideburns into a thin chin strap along my jaw, quarter inch wide."
Trim:Every 3 weeks. Spikes need length kept even to stand.
Best For:Round, oval faces + thick or straight hair.
About This Style
With about one and a half to two inches on top, separated into spikes with a strong clay, and a mid fade on the sides, this look leans young. A soul patch, the small tuft under the lower lip, keeps the face mostly clean-shaven. There is no connection at the sideburn; it ends at the fade. Spiky tops add height that slims round faces.
How to Style at Home
Twist small sections of the top between fingers with clay.
Shave the face clean around the soul patch.
Trim the patch to a small square with scissors.
Ask Your Barber
"Mid fade with two inches on top for spikes. Clean sideburns, shave the face, and leave a small soul patch under my lip."
Trim:Every 3–4 weeks. The fringe grows into the eyes quickly.
Best For:Long, oval faces + straight or wavy hair.
About This Style
Two to three inches of choppy hair fall forward over the forehead in a textured fringe, with a low taper on the sides. On its own, a full chevron mustache gives the face character while the cheeks and chin stay shaved. The taper ends at a short sideburn that does not meet the mustache. Covering part of the forehead takes length off a long face, and the mustache adds a horizontal line.
How to Style at Home
Rough-dry the fringe forward with your fingers for loose texture.
Add a small amount of sea salt spray before drying.
Trim the mustache along the lip line every week.
Ask Your Barber
"Low taper, three inches of choppy texture falling forward. Short sideburns, and clean up my chevron mustache along the lip."
Recommended Products
Sea Salt Spray
Matte Clay
How Do You Ask for a Haircut and Beard Trim Together?
Name the haircut first, then the beard, then the join. For example: low fade starting above the ear, two inches on top pushed forward, short boxed beard at a #3, blended at the sideburn through a #1 and #2. Give the beard length as a guard number or in inches, and say where the cheek line and neckline should sit. The neckline usually sits about one finger width above the Adam's apple; how to shape a beard neckline shows the method.
Bring a photo that shows both hair and beard from the side, because the join is easiest to judge from there. If you want the sideburn left disconnected for a goatee or Van Dyke, say so clearly, or the barber may fade the sideburn into nothing and leave a gap you did not expect. Mention how often you can come back, too. A barber who knows you visit once a month will usually leave the bottom of the fade at a #1 instead of skin and keep the beard edges a little softer.
Clipper Guards Used in Haircuts for Men with Beards Styles
A clipper guard is the plastic comb that clips onto the blade and sets how much hair is left: a #1 leaves 3 mm (1/8 inch), each step up adds about 3 mm. The right column lists the cards on this page that call for each guard. See the full clipper guard numbers guide for the complete chart.
Clipper guard sizes for haircuts for men with beards styles
How Do You Keep a Haircut and Beard Looking Fresh?
Book the haircut on the schedule the fade needs, usually every two to four weeks, and trim the beard at home between visits. A trimmer with the same guard the barber used keeps the length even, and a quick neckline clean-up every few days holds the shape. Beard oil softens the hair and the skin under it; balm adds light hold for flyaways. The beard oil vs beard balm guide explains which to use.
The most common mistake is growing the beard while the haircut stays the same, which slowly shifts the balance. Every few months, check the pairing from the side in a mirror and adjust one of the two lengths so they still match. Another is trimming the cheek line higher each week, a few hairs at a time, until the beard looks thin. Follow the line your barber set, and if the shape drifts, let it grow for a week and have it reset at the next visit rather than chasing it at home.
Which Haircuts for Men with Beards Is Right for You?
Pick your hair type and how much upkeep you will put in. The matches below come from the Best For and Maintenance notes on each card. Upkeep follows the Maintenance badge: low means a cut every 3 to 6 weeks and almost no daily styling, high means weekly line-ups or daily product.
Haircuts for Men with Beards by hair type and upkeep
A high fade, skin fade or undercut with some length on top suits most full beards. Short sides stop the head from looking wide, and the hair on top balances the weight of the beard. Ask for the sideburn to be blended into the beard so the cut and beard read as one shape.
Q2: Should my beard be longer than my hair?+
It depends on the look and your face shape. Many men keep the sides shorter than the beard and the top longer, which balances the head. On a shaved or buzzed head, a beard longer than the hair adds definition to the jaw. Round faces usually need some height on top as well.
Q3: Should the beard connect to the haircut?+
Full beards, boxed beards and stubble usually look best connected, with the sideburn blended through a few guard lengths. Goatees, Van Dykes, chin straps and Balbo beards leave the cheeks bare, so the sideburn is trimmed separately or shaved. Tell your barber which you want before the clippers start.
Q4: What haircut suits a round face with a beard?+
Pick a haircut with height on top and short sides, such as a quiff, faux hawk or textured crop with a mid or high fade. Keep the beard shorter on the cheeks and slightly longer at the chin, so the face looks longer. Avoid round, bushy beards that add width at the cheeks.
Q5: How often should I trim my beard and get a haircut?+
Most fades need a barber visit every two to four weeks. Beards grow about half an inch a month, so a light trim with a guard every week or two keeps the length steady. Clean the neckline and cheek line every few days if you prefer a sharp edge.
Q6: Can you have a long haircut and a beard together?+
Yes. Shoulder-length hair, man buns and long waves all pair with beards. The beard usually stays a little shorter than the hair, and the barber keeps the cheek line clean so the face does not disappear inside the hair. A medium or full beard with a defined neckline works for most.
