Forms of Facial Hair For Men

In some cultures, the absence or presence of facial hair can be a mark of status for a man. For most of us, however, facial hair is a choice we make. How we grow our facial hair can have a major impact on our appearance.

Full Beard

Adrian Grenier full beard

First, men can choose whether to wear sideburns, a mustache, a goatee, a full beard, or combination of them. For most, the full beard is the most difficult to achieve and keep it trimmed and looking good. Sadly, there are few things that look worse than a full beard gone wild. It can make a man appear to be a vagrant or a hobo, despite his actual status.

Sideburns

Elvis Presley's strong sideburns

Sideburns located directly in front of the ears. If you have large ears, the right long sideburns can cover and make them look smaller. If you have a round face shape, you should avoid strong sideburns that will make the face appear larger.

Mustaches

Mustaches are generally a good, clean form of facial hair that can enhance a man's appearance with proper care. In the cases of men who have a "baby" face, a mustache can add some years to their appearance and make them look more dignified. Of course, the choice then becomes one of exactly what style of mustache to wear. This decision should be made based on a man's facial features and strengths as well as weak points.

Goatee

A goatee was a very popular item in the late 1960s. Many men still wear them, but they are not as prominent. Then is just a thin growth on the point of the chin that is trimmed much tighter than a full beard. A goatee can make a square chin looks soft.

Johnny Depp's mustache & goatee

Before deciding to grow any form of facial hair, a man must decide how he will want it to look when it is done. He will need to ensure that he is capable of growing the facial hair as desired. Some men would like to wear a full beard but find that their facial hair only grows in in patches. It will then be necessary to acquire the proper tools for keeping the facial hair trimmed and neat looking.