For most men, a beard is more than just facial hair – it's a statement. It can define your jawline, add character, and boost your confidence.

But if you have a round face it can help you achieve a more sculpted look by creating an illusion of a slimmer face. This blog delves into the basics of how your beard does it and also gives you a list of beard styles for men that perform double duty – that of enhancing your appearance and also creating a slimmer silhouette for your face.

Let’s start.

Understanding Your Face Shape

Before we jump into the different beard styles let’s begin by first understanding your face shape. Here’s an easy guide to identify a face shape based on its most common features.

Round – Fuller cheeks, similar width and length, with a soft jawline.

Oval – Ideal proportions with a slightly narrower chin than the forehead.

Square – Strong jawline, broad forehead, and an angular appearance.

Rectangular – Similar to the square but with a longer face.

Diamond – Prominent cheekbones and a narrower forehead and chin.

To determine the best beard styles for 2024, ensure that you determine what kind of face shape you have from the ones mentioned.

For more details on how to figure out the shape of your face, read HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR FACE SHAPE!

How a Beard Creates ‘The Slimmer Face’ Illusion?

Understanding how beard styling affects facial perception is key to achieving a slimming effect. It's crucial that we understand why a face may appear fuller before we learn how strategic beard shaping can create the illusion of a slimmer one.

How Your Beard Can Make You Look Fatter

Uniform beard thickness – Surprisingly, uniformity in your beard’s length and thickness visually expands the width of the face, making it appear rounder. This means if your beard has the same length all over, your face will end up looking bulkier.

Bushy cheeks – Unruly beard shields and hides the natural contours of your jawline, thereby contributing to a fuller face impression.

How a Beard Can Create a Slimmer Look

Now, let’s come to the good part – this is how styling your beard a certain way can make all the difference in the bulk of your face.

Strategic tapering

When you trim your beard shorter on the sides and keep it fuller around the chin, you create a vertical line that draws the eyes downwards, elongating the face structure and creating a more chiselled and sharper look. This takes away the focus from your cheeks and directs it towards the chin and your jawline.

Defined jawline

One of the key elements of a “slim” and “chiselled” face is a defined jawline. A clean-shaven neckline with faded cheek-lines helps create a sharper and more defined jawline, a key element for achieving a slimmer facial appearance.

Elongated sideburns

Contrary to intuition, letting your sideburns grow below your earline can make a round face look slimmer by adding vertical length. Just make sure you have trim it close so that it doesn’t add a horizontal bulk or width to the sideburns.

Now, let’s get to the fun part – Beard Styles

Top 10 Beard Styles for a Slimmer Face

If your Google search history is filled with “How to make your face look thinner,” hang in there because the right beard style could be the game-changer.

1. The Sculpted Goatee

      Image courtesy blackcombbeards.com

For men with round or square faces, the sculpted goatee is probably the most versatile and suited option. Imagine a classic goatee but with a defined jawline. This beard style features the sides trimmed short and gradually taper the beard towards the chin area. What this does is create a “vertical line,” which, in turn, draws the eyes downwards and provides an illusion of elongation of the face, giving it a slimmer appearance.

Pro tip – Pair the sculpted goatee beard with a well-trimmed moustache for an added balance to the look.

2. The Van Dyke

      Image courtesy blackcombbeards.com

A classic Robert Downey Jr. moment, if you will. The Van Dyke is one of the perfect beard styles for a thinner face appearance. The main elements? A full goatee with a detached moustache. This kind of beard style works wonders for people with a round or oval face and chubby cheeks. It adds definition to the chin, drawing attention away from the check. The result? A more sculpted facial contour.

Pro tip – Ask your barber to contrast the goatee and shaved cheeks sharply for a more prominent impact.

3. The Anchor Beard

      Image courtesy blackcombbeards.com

Well, this particular beard style is exactly like it sounds—an anchor, but make it a beard. The style is shaped like an anchor, with the beard following the natural curve of the jawline and tapering to a point at the chin. This particular style works flawlessly for people with round or square faces as it creates a vertical line, adding length and definition to the facial contours.

Pro tip – Keep the moustache and beard separate for a sharper appearance.

4. The Balbo

      Image courtesy blackcombbeards.com

Another fairly unique beard style that works great to make the face appear slimmer is the Balbo. It features a chinstrap beard with a disconnected, trimmed moustache. The lack of sideburns in this beard style is ideal for rounder faces, drawing attention away from the cheeks for a slimmer and more contoured appearance. You can ask your barber to experiment with the chinstrap's thickness to see which best fits your facial features.

Pro tip – For a more polished appearance, maintain a clean shave on the cheeks.

5. The Extended Goatee

      Image courtesy blackcombbeards.com

If you are a fan of the sculpted goatee beard style, you will preferably like this one as well. The only difference is that the extended goatee has a slightly longer beard on the chin. So, if you have a round or oval face shape, it would compliment your face quite well, adding a vertical length and further slimming down its appearance.

Pro tip - Keep the sides trimmed short and maintain a tapered shape towards the chin for a balanced look.

6. The Verdi

      Image courtesy blackcombbeards.com

This full beard style features a pointed chin and a neatly trimmed moustache. While not ideal for very round faces, it can work for those with a slightly oval or diamond shape. The key is to keep the beard length manageable and avoid a bushy look. The highlight of this beard is hands down, the “pointy” ends of the moustache.

Pro tip - Invest in a beard brush and beard oil to maintain a healthy, well-groomed beard for this particular style.

Final Words

With the right beard style and proper maintenance, you can achieve a more sculpted and defined face, boosting your confidence and adding a touch of personal style. However, sometimes, having access to the right shaving and beard-trimming essentials can make your life easier.

Bombay Shaving Company offers 1000+ products, all dedicated to men’s grooming and hygiene. As you experiment with beard ideas, do them using the right products!