Choosing your beard style to fit your face

The great thing about the abundance of hair on the male form is that there are so many ways to alter the way you look.

Which hairstyles are hot?
If you’re thinking of trying out a new hairstyle, it’s often a good idea to ask your barber for some help in choosing a style that suits you. Maybe you’ve already got a style in mind – if so, why not bring in a picture of the style you’d like to try?

What about your facial hair?
Choosing a style to wear on your face can be a bit harder, especially if you’ve never experimented much in the past. So here are a few tips on how to choose a style that suits your features from beard and moustache expert Dr Allan Peterkin*.

The right style should complement your face
“When choosing a facial hairstyle, consider the size of your facial features. If a man has a large nose, a pencil-thin moustache will look like a hairy mistake instead of a style statement. Similarly, a man with a tiny nose should avoid a big, bushy ‘stache – which will make his nose look even smaller in comparison. The right style should complement your face without overpowering it. Here are some general guidelines:

If you’ve got large facial features (mouth, nose, eyes, and chin), go for a larger, bushier moustache or beard style. It will balance out your facial features and provide a softer look.

A long, narrow face requires a narrow-to-medium-sized moustache that’s not too heavy in length or design. Stick to shorter styles and skinnier lines, such as the Clark Gable, Chaplin, or Military moustaches. Stay away from styles with vertical lines – such as the Horseshoe – that will only accentuate the length of your face.

If you’ve got an extra large mouth, choose an angular style such as the Pyramid moustache that’s narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. The variety in length and angles will minimize the size of your mouth.

Don’t overpower a smallish mouth with a big, bushy moustache. Instead, go for a shorter style. Growing the ‘stache a little past the corners of your mouth will make your mouth appear a bit larger.

If you’ve got a wide mouth with a big upper lip, consider a large, bushy moustache with a parting that divides the moustache into two sections.”

Tidy up with a quick shave
After carefully trimming the outline of whichever beard or moustache style you pick, it’s likely that you’ll need to shave the rest of your face. So why not finish off giving yourself a new look by shaving in a new way?