Beard Care Guide · Beard Style Glossary

Beard Styles Explained: A Glossary of the Classics and the Trends

Corporate, biker, goatee, Van Dyke, Balbo, Bandholz. Beard styles come with a lot of names, and it's not always obvious what they actually mean. This is a plain-English glossary of the most popular beard styles, split into the timeless classics and the modern trends, so you can put a name to the look you're after.

This piece is about the styles themselves. If you want to know which of them will suit your face, we cover that separately in Finding the Perfect Beard Style for Your Face Shape.

The rise of beard culture

Beards have been on a long journey from simple facial hair to a real part of men's identity and fashion. In ancient times they symbolised wisdom and dignity; the 18th and 19th centuries saw them fall out of favour; and the 21st century has brought a striking resurgence. Today a beard is a canvas for self-expression, helped along by celebrity influence, social media and shifting ideas about masculinity. Beards are no longer just for the outdoorsman; they turn up in boardrooms, creative industries and everywhere between, backed by a whole industry of beard care and a thriving world of beard clubs and competitions.

The classic beard styles

These have stood the test of time thanks to their timeless appeal and relatively easy upkeep.

• The Full Beard: a dense, all-encompassing style covering the jawline and connecting to the sideburns. Regular trimming keeps it neat. It suits most faces, and adds definition to a weaker jawline.
• The Goatee: hair on the chin, often with a moustache. Great for men with patchy cheek growth, and adds a sophisticated, intellectual touch.
• The Van Dyke: a disconnected moustache and goatee, often with a soul patch beneath the lower lip. Named after the 17th-century Flemish painter Anthony van Dyck, it's all about character and artistic flair.
• Mutton Chops: extended sideburns, often joined by a moustache, with the chin clean-shaven. A bold, vintage look that harks back to the 19th century.
• Stubble: simple and effective, a short, even few days of growth. Suits almost any face and lands somewhere between rugged and approachable.

The modern and trending styles

As beard culture evolves, newer styles have emerged that lean more toward fashion statement and individuality.

• The Corporate Beard (or Business Beard): neat, medium length, well-groomed for a professional setting. It balances personal style with a polished, boardroom-ready look.
• The Balbo: a floating moustache with a beard and no sideburns. A bold, modern choice that flatters a narrower chin by adding balance.
• The Anchor: shaped like a ship's anchor, combining a pointed beard with a pencil moustache. A sharp, deliberate style for making a statement.
• The Bandholz: popularised by Eric Bandholz of Beardbrand, this is the full, long, untrimmed beard grown out over months. It's for the committed, and it exudes a certain freedom.
• The Faded Beard: borrows barbering technique to fade the length gradually from the hair into the beard, for a sleek, modern finish. It needs precision and regular upkeep.

Why grow one at all? A few genuine benefits

Beyond looks, a beard does a bit of quiet work. It offers some protection from the elements, acting as a natural barrier against UV and helping the skin retain moisture. It can trap dust and allergens before they reach your airways, which some people with allergies appreciate. And growing one means less shaving, which means less razor burn and irritation. There's a confidence angle too: plenty of men simply feel more themselves with a beard.

Beard myths, debunked

• "Shaving makes it grow back thicker." It doesn't. Growth rate and thickness are down to genetics and hormones, not the razor.
• "Beards are dirty." No more than any other hair. With regular washing and grooming, a beard is as clean as the rest of you.
• "Beard products are a gimmick." Quality products address real needs (dry skin, itch, unruliness). The cheap, badly formulated ones give the category its bad name, which is why ingredients matter.
• "All beards are the same." Texture, growth pattern and density vary hugely from man to man, which is exactly why a personalised routine beats a one-size-fits-all approach.
• "Beards cause permanent itch." Early growth itches while the skin adjusts, but proper care (a good wash, oil and moisturiser) settles it down. More on that in our beard care guides.

Keeping any style looking sharp

Whichever style you land on, it lives or dies on upkeep. In short: trim regularly to hold the shape (when dry, since hair expands when wet), wash and condition it, use a beard oil to soften and a balm or butter for hold and moisture, and comb or brush to train it and spread the oils. A good comb or brush is the one tool worth buying early.

And one honest bit of advice: do experiment. Try different styles and lengths until you find what genuinely suits you. A beard is a slow project, so enjoy the process rather than rushing it.

FAQ

Part of the RUNESILK beard care guides. Next: which beard style suits your face shape.