These days, if you’re not a pogonophile yourself, chances are you know one.
(You CANGoogle it.)
Brushing off claims that peak beard has been and passed – the facial hair
trend is here to stay. And with beards now a firm part of men’s facial
furniture, the emphasis has shifted to ‘how’, not ‘if’, you should grow yours
Much the same way not every hairstyle will suit you, beards are not
one-size-fits-all. So here, with the help of London’s best barbershops, brush
up on your knowledge and trim any chance of picking an unflattering style.
But first, take a look in the mirror and use our guide below to identify
your face shape and make all future grooming decisions clean-cut.
What Face Shape Am I?
How do you determine what shape your face is? It’s simple. First, arm
yourself with a flexible tape measure. Then, take the following measurements,
recording each as you go:
Forehead: Measure across your face from the peak of one eyebrow arch to the
peak of the opposite arch.
Cheekbones: Measure across your cheekbones, starting and ending at the
pointiest part below the outer corner of each eye.
Jawline: Measure from tip of your chin to below your ear at the point at
which your jaw angles upwards. Multiply that number by two to get your jawline
measurement.
Face Length: Measure from the centre of your hairline to the tip of your
chin.
Once you’ve taken these measurements, note which is the largest of the
four, and then compare to the below profiles to see which best describes your
face shape:
Oval: Face length is greater than the width of the cheekbones, and forehead
is greater than the jawline. The angle of the jaw is rounded rather than sharp.
Rectangle: Face length is the greatest measurement. Forehead, cheekbones,
and jawline are similar in size.
Triangular: Jawline measures greater than cheekbones, which measure larger
than forehead.
Round: Cheekbones and face length have a similar measurement. They are
larger than forehead and jawline, which also have a similar measurement. The
angle of the jaw is soft and much less defined.
Heart: Forehead measures greater than the cheekbones and jawline. The chin
is pointed.
Square: All measurements are fairly similar. The angle of the jaw is sharp
rather than rounded.
Diamond: Face length measures largest. Then, in descending order:
cheekbones, forehead, and smallest is jawline. The chin is pointed.
Got it? Then read on to find the right beard for you:
Oval Face
If you recognise yourself in this shape, try not to look too smug as you
read on. With an oval face, you can get away with a variety of beard types that
other men can’t. This versatility comes from being the owner of both square and
round features, meaning you don’t really need to balance anything out. All you
need to focus on is keeping your beard looking its best.
Rather than using this as an opportunity to change styles as often as Paul
Pogba changes his hair; opt for a timeless, classic style every other face
shape wishes they could foster.
“The beard you want is squared at the jaw, with clean lines on the cheeks,
short on the sides and cut underneath,” explains Joe Mills of Joe & Co
Barbers in Soho. This look combines the weight of a full beard with the
definition too often lacking from a hipster thatch.
Rectangle Face
There’s no need for the long face. Especially when you consider that a
rectangular face shape allows you to throw caution to the wind and see just
what your facial follicles can achieve (providing it also suits your
hairstyle).
“A rectangle is a longer face shape. Therefore, having your beard styled
long, triangular or pointy at the chin will do you no favours,” says Lilybelle
Louis of Pall Mall Barbers in Bishopsgate. “Having fuller cheeks on a beard
will give the impression of a slightly wider jaw, ensuring the attention is
taken away from the length of the face altogether.”
You don’t want to exaggerate the shape you already have. So give it some
width and, if you can, let the beard grow in higher up the cheeks, too. Doing
so will stop your face looking too elongated.
Triangular Face
With a triangular face, which is essentially the opposite of a ‘heart’
shape (see below), the aim is to take the attention away from a more prominent
chin.
The easiest way to do this is with a beardstache. Once the preserve of
Victorian strongmen, now a seriously cool look that’ll draw attention higher up
the face.
With this hybrid style, avoid anything too full and thick on the cheeks,
which will give the unwanted impression of an even wider jawline. “Keeping hair
off the cheeks does allow you to bring some well-established sideburns further
down your face,” advises Mills. “I’d be loathed to go too long on the chin.
Instead, square it off at the bottom.”
Round Face
Cultivating a large, unkempt beard will, in this case, only serve to turn
your head into a bowling ball. So to combat this, you need to work the angles.
“A rounded face shape benefits from having a triangular-shaped style,”
advises Louis. “Opt for a beard that is shorter on the cheeks and longer
towards the chin for a look that’s truly flattering.”
For instance, a goatee – still with stubble on the cheeks – will create the
impression of a longer and more pronounced chin. Pensive stroking of this style
in meetings comes as standard.
Diamond Face
The diamond face shape is widest at the cheekbones, with a narrow forehead
and jawline that are approximately symmetrical in width. Therefore, the goal should
always be to keep hair on the chin to offset the cheekbones. Ideally, you want
to square off a prominent chin, to create the illusion of having more balanced
bone structure.
“Be mindful of length,” says Mills. “I wouldn’t advise going too long on
the chin – anything too pointy tends to accentuate this face shape. You can go
wider on the cheeks and wider on the edge of the jawbone, however, so it
squares off the bottom half of your face.”
Going lighter on the moustache, meanwhile, will give further emphasis to
your cheeks and jawline.
