One of the best things about growing a beard is that you can change up the style at any time! And the styling options are endless. From massive full beards to short stubble and everything in between, there’s a perfect beard length for everyone.
No matter which length you choose, it’s never permanent, leaving you with the option to experiment with your beard style to determine which one suits you best. Plus, if you don’t like it, removing your beard is well within your power.
If you’re ready for a change, switching up your beard length (or growing one for the first time!) is a great way to start.
However, before starting your new beard journey, you probably want to get an idea of what your ideal length is based on your face shape, lifestyle, etc. That’s what our best beard length guide is for — let’s get started!
Related: How-to Guide: Shape Your Beard to Match Your Face
The Stubble Beard
Stubble beards, designer stubble, permanent five o’clock shadows, or whatever you prefer to call them are popular once again! Well, they never really went out of style; the rise in popularity of longer beards means we don’t see stubble beards as often.
However, they’re a great choice for many men! Stubble beards are typically between 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm.
You Should Rock a Stubble Beard If:
If your face is on the large and round side, the stubble beard is the perfect complement to your features! Most work environments don’t mind stubble beards (as long as they look neat), and they can help give softer faces a sharper, more masculine look.
Stubble Beard General Information
- Depending on your genetics, you can grow a stubble beard in under a week.
- Maintaining a stubble beard is easy — all you need is a quick, regular trim.
- The only beard products you need for a stubble beard are beard oil, beard wash, and a beard brush.
No matter what length of beard you settle on, you’ll need the right beard care products to keep it strong and healthy — Get yours here.
The Short Beard
Short beards are the next step up from stubble and work great for men that have solid coverage and even hair growth. Unfortunately, if your beard is patchy, a short beard will likely highlight those spots.
These beards also look professional in corporate environments while being easy to maintain and making you look (and feel) more masculine.
You Should Rock a Short Beard If:
Good news; no matter your face type, almost anyone can rock a short beard and look fantastic! They have a more “professional” look, and you can style them in different ways to compliment your best features while covering up your least favorite ones.
You can experiment with lengths, how high you take your cheek line, etc., to find the best ways to accentuate your features with a short beard.
Short Beard General Information
- Depending on the length you go for, you can grow a short beard in around a month.
- Short beards require slightly more maintenance than stubble — stray hairs are much more obvious.
- A typical short beard is around three to five millimeters in length.
Related: What Your Beard and Facial Hair Says About You
The Tailored Beard
Tailored beards are full, neat, and even overall. They’re a more formal version of a short beard, typically with a bit more length of around one centimeter. Professionals working 9-5 in an office often choose this style, as it’s versatile and looks more kempt than other short beard styles.
You Should Rock a Tailored Beard If:
Another good option for those in corporate environments is a tailored beard — a neat beard with a short, consistent length.
Tailored beards are a great fit for those that want to emphasize their jawline and cheekbones. They’re also fantastic at making small chins look fuller, and round faces look slimmer!
Tailored Beard General Information
- A tailored beard takes around the same time as a short beard (or a little longer); however, the maintenance is where it differs.
- Tailored beards require a lot of maintenance — if you don’t want to spend some time every day or two cleaning it up, you might want to think about a slightly messier short beard style.
- You’ll have to use a trimmer frequently to keep your desired length, and you’ll also want to use a beard balm to style it daily for that tailored look.
The Medium Beard
If you have excellent beard-growing genes, you can go for even more beard-length options! A medium beard differs from a short beard because it starts to look more three-dimensional as it grows and moves further from your face.
Growing a medium-length beard is fun and can look amazing with the right face type; however, it requires a lot more work and maintenance than shorter styles. But everyone can’t grow a beard this length — if you can, you should try it!
You Should Rock a Medium Beard If:
If you have solid, even facial hair coverage, you can probably make a medium beard work for you. With the long hair of a medium beard, you can trim it to make your face look a specific way.
For example, those with a small chin can grow their beards a little longer in the goatee area to help lengthen their look. Or, if your face is thin, you can keep your sides slightly longer to fill out your silhouette.
Medium beards are also the longest most people can get away with in their workplace!
Medium Beard General Information
- A medium-length beard can take a few months to get to the length you want — plus, you’ll be doing some maintenance and trimming along the way!
- Medium beards take effort and high-quality beard products if you want them to look like more than a scraggly mess. You’ll need beard shampoo and conditioner to keep it clean, oils to keep it moisturized, brushes and combs to keep it neat, waxes to help keep its shape, and a pair of trimming shears to keep it in line.
- With a medium beard, you have to be careful that it doesn’t get dried out by keeping it moisturized. These beards also require regular trimming and clean-up days.
From beard soap and shampoo to oils, balms, and more, we’ve got you covered. Shop beard care products here.
The Long Beard
Finally, we have the long beard. You can plait, twizzle, braid, or do anything else with this Gandalf-esque length! Long, full beards make a hell of a statement, whether you’re an outdoorsman, self-proclaimed hipster, lumberjack, or just someone with awesome genetics that wants to show them off to the world!
You Should Rock a Long Beard If:
If your genetics allow you to grow a long, full beard, you should try it once! It’s a bold style, so if you have the confidence to match it and a job that allows it, go for it!
No matter your face type, a long beard can complement your looks.
Long Beard General Information
- A long beard takes six months or longer to grow; however, there are some awkward phases while you grow out your beard. You’ll also eventually hit your terminal length, where your beard growth will slow and come to a halt.
- You have to care for a long beard like you would a medium one, but because it’s much longer, your beard maintenance routine will take more time, and you’ll go through your beard products faster.
- You’ll still need a trim here and there (unless you want the mountain man look!), but you can typically get away with not picking up the scissors for a few weeks or so.
Related: Top Long Beard Styles