For lots of men, losing your hair feels like the end. What else can be done, now? How could you possibly salvage a respectable modicum of style from this most tragic of all fates?
Some simply give up the ghost, focus on their personality, or try to avoid reflective surfaces. But for a growing number of men, a light has appeared at the end of the hair-thinning tunnel:
We call it bald with a beard.
Now, shaving your head for the first time can be a pretty terrifying thing – what shape is my head? Can I use my normal razor?? Won’t my head just look upside down?
But most men who suck it up and shave it off suddenly find they are free: no more anxiety, no more hiding behind hats, no more shame. And they’re also privy to a whole new world of style and grooming.
Why do you need a beard? There are a lot of reasons. Maybe your balding is severe and it’s better to cover up those shiny spots than to spend hours on styling products. Maybe the people in your industry expect you to have facial hair. Or, maybe you just had a bad experience with wax strips and are tired of spending money on razors. Whatever the reason, this post will give you some top beard styles for when you’re going bald.
Growing a beard with a bald head is one of the more exciting trends in men’s style and grooming, and it’s easy to see why:
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No beard:
Beard:
No beard:
Beard:
It draws attention away from your bald head – in fact, it makes it a feature. Plus it gives you a whole new kind of masculinity and personality – not to mention providing a novel opportunity to shape your own styling destiny.
After so many months and years of increasingly little to work with on their heads, men who shave their heads and start focusing on their beard find they suddenly have incredible control over how they look and what they do with their hair.
It is easier, for example, to improve your beard growth. In fact, even men who really struggle can fix their beard growth with a little help.
With some expert guidance and the right tools, you will suddenly be able to take total control of your beard in a way few men can cut and style their own hair to perfection.
So what’s stopping you?
Well, as great as the bald with beard look can be, it isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of thing:
Every man has a different set of features, a different personality, and a different goal in mind when they’re grooming; there are a lot of beard styles for bald men to choose from – simple mustache to full-on grizzly beard.
In this article, we’re going to make sure you understand the full range of options available to the newly-shaven man and help you match your choice to your facial shape and personality.
But there’s more:
We’re also going to give you some key advice as to how you can maintain your bald head and beard effectively.
But first, let’s go into a little more detail as to why you should consider growing a beard and shaving your head, and what it will do for you.
Let’s get into it!
5 Reasons bald men need a beard
1. It makes you more attractive
Let’s be honest: this is what matters most.
What makes a bald man with a beard attractive?
The beard adds definition and balance to your face while making it appear wider, whereas hair on top would make it look narrow.
For most men, what women want to see is what men want to show. And at the moment, being bald with a beard is a big draw for the ladies.
From Tom Hardy to Vin Diesel, there are so many famously attractive men out there who are rocking the bald with beard look. It makes you look distinguished, macho and, above all, cultivated.
Women like the roughness and toughness of the look, but perhaps most importantly, they like the fact that it shows confidence.
2. It gives you more confidence
Of all the things women look for in a man, confidence is always right at the top of the list.
Whether you’re rocking a full beard or just some stubble, having facial hair is an easy way to add dimension and depth to your look—and it’s not just for guys with hair on top.
There’s no doubt that a confident man seems more in control, more competent, and is generally more attractive to be around. And the bald with beard look signals huge confidence.
Partly, this is because most men who take the plunge and get the look are more confident with it: suddenly the anxiety of thinning hair is gone and they can enjoy being themselves again.
It’s totally inevitable that this sense of freedom and confidence will be communicated to others.
The other reason the look signal confidence, however, is simply the fact that it makes a man stand out in the crowd.
3. It makes you stand out
Bald can be beautiful. But sometimes it’s hard to stand out when you’re bald
As we’ve said, the bald with beard look is in right now. But that doesn’t mean it’s saturated. In fact, there are still relatively few men who are sporting the look, and that only goes to show the bravery it takes to take the plunge.
The beauty of being bald with a beard is not just that it looks good – it also looks unusual. It will help you stand out and set yourself apart from the crowd, giving you a much more individual look.
And standing out is valuable in of itself:
It means you will be more memorable, seem more interesting, and more in control of your own destiny.
And that last part is really important: shaving your head and growing a beard really does give you more control over the overall appearance of your face.
4. It helps reshape your face
When a man’s hair starts to thin, it becomes increasingly challenging to achieve the kinds of looks he’s become accustomed to. For some men, their whole adult lives have been marked by a lack of control over how they look. But no more, good sirs.
By shaving your head and growing a beard, you are taking back control. You can totally reshape your face, redefining how you are perceived and accentuating features you might not even have realized you had.
The truth is, your grooming goal should always be to make the most of what you’ve got and grappled with hair that just won’t do what you want it to can make men forget their real assets.
5. It makes you look more masculine
There is nothing more masculine looking than a man with a shaved head and beard: it’s tough, refined and it lets your facial fuzz – the absolute most manly part of a man’s face – take center stage.
Even if you’re not naturally blessed with a full head of hair, you can still embrace your masculinity by growing a beard. However, if your face is as round as your head, then growing facial hair can help balance out your features.
Just looking at the pictures below, you’ll see not just how masculine men with this look are, but how much variety there is to choose from.
It is not a single approach, any more than having hair and no beard is a single ‘look’. Instead, just like masculinity, there are many ways to do it.
The best “bald with a beard” styles for your facial shape
There are two fundamental considerations when choosing what kind of beard style your newly shaved head requires: your facial shape and your personality.
Your facial shape is important because it determines which beard style will work best; your personality is more to do with matching how you look with who you are.
We’re going to delve into both, but first, we’re going to walk through the most common facial shapes and offer suggestions as to which beard style will suit them best.
If you want a truly exhaustive list of beard styles, hit up our guide here; it’s probably the most complete list you’ll find – in our humble opinion!
Oval face
Oval faces have a narrow, long bone structure. This means they don’t thrive with long beards as the face looks too long.
Instead, they need to be given a bit width with their facial fuzz; this will help create a more symmetrical appearance.
A great beard style for oval faces with a shaved head is an imperial beard:
This will make you look distinguished, charismatic,+ and just a little bit mysterious.
However, you might also go for a tougher look, and plumb for the boxed beard:
Both of these styles require a fair bit of maintenance and shaping; if you’re looking for something simpler, you could go with the slightly simpler circle beard, which is great for a slightly fuller oblong face:
Or you could just go with a little light stubble, minimizing the length at the bottom and maximizing the width to give you a cultivated look:
Round Face
Round faces have a wide jawline and are generally fairly evenly spaced; they also tend to be a little fuller.
For a round face, you want the beard to add length and make it appear slightly more angular and narrow.
The best beard style for this is probably a full, long beard:
This will give you quite a tough look, and combined with your shaved head you’ll look very traditionally masculine.
But you could also opt for a more nuanced, Hipster beard with a round face:
This tends to make the face look narrower and thinner.
And a round face can look great with any number of variations on the goatee, too:
Square Face
A square face generally needs to be made slightly smoother and less angular, and to emphasize the sharp, wide jawline it tends to feature.
The best way to do this is to cultivate a nice, full beard and then sculpt it round out your face a little.
A great beard style for square-faced men is the Chinstrap:
Equally, tactically place slight stubble can work a treat to subtly shade a square face and give a really manly, tough look with the shaved head;
An extended goatee might work for you, too:
Triangular Face
A triangular face generally needs to be given a little extra help along the jawline; sloping cheeks are a real strength of the triangular facial shape and can be emphasized with the right beard.
Ideally, you’ll go for a beard longer on the bottom and shorter on the sides, with the goal of filling in space on your chin for a more oval look.
A good choice is the Klingon beard:
Which will give your face a really striking character.
Equally, you could opt for the chin curtain:
Or even the Balbo:
Rectangular/Oblong Face
An oblong face is longer than it is wide, and therefore the goal with your beard is to broaden your face and support your chin and jaw a little.
The best way to do this is with styles that are fuller on the sides and relatively short on the bottom.
A great example is the Mutton Chops style:
A slightly more out there option might be the Winnfield:
How to match your beard to your personality
As important as your facial shape is, it should never dictate wholesale what you can and can’t do with your style.
Just as important as making the most of your facial shape is matching your beard choice with your personality and how you’d like to be perceived.
Some bald with beard looks are tough and intimidating; some are urbane and stylish.
Being clear about what sort of message you want to send with your look and whether or not it matches your personality, voice, and the rest.
Here are a few personality ‘archetypes’, and examples of the best bald with beard looks to match them:
The intellectual
You are the most interesting man in the world: you’ve read at least several libraries, and drinking nothing but Nespresso.
A shaved head with a beard is a great look for this kind of sophisticate – it can make you look more distinguished and a little mystique and gravitas to your face.
You might go for a Vandyke:
Or a pencil mustache:
Or maybe even a French fork:
Either way, you need something a little more out there, and a very neatly shaven head, to make it clear this was a choice!
The tough guy
Nobody messes with you, and for good reason: you are strong, masculine, and unafraid to stand up to bullies.
Tough guys can pull off almost any beard style with a shaved head, but a few of our favorites would be the full beard:
The heavy stubble:
And the Yeard:
Whatever style you choose, you’re likely to look even tougher with a clean-shaven head and a bit of facial fuzz.
The normal bloke
You thrive on being one of the lads: no-nonsense, no problem. You don’t love standing out, but you do like looking good.
Normal guys like this probably want to avoid some of the more outlandish styles we’ve discussed above.
In fact, a corporate beard is a great choice for keeping a relatively low profile whilst looking good:
As is a little Five O’clock Shadow:
Or the Beardstache:
The goal is to cultivate a cool but understated look – people might not even initially notice that your face is basically upside down!
The nice guy
A real softy – but in the very best way. You’re kind, considerate, and love nothing more than knowing other people are comfortable and happy.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t rock an awesome bald with beard look:
As intimidating as the look can be, if you go for something like the Old Dutch beard you’ll still retain that friendly appearance:
Or a simple chin strap that shows of your smiley cheeks:
Ultimately, your personality will shine through – you’ll just look better, that’s all!
The leader
You are naturally authoritative, confident and in control; you also love to be the most responsible and tend to know what to do in any situation.
A shaved head and beard can be great for leader-types because it’s still such an unusual, striking look. It clearly demonstrates a level of confidence and vision.
So almost any beard style will match this personality.
But a couple of the best are the classic goatee:
Or a light stubble:
The artist
You are always a little alternative: whatever is normal is boring to you, and you thrive on doing things differently and standing out from the crowd.
A shaven head is a statement of intent for you, and adding a slightly unusual beard to mix will only augment that.
A great choice would be the Dali:
Or the Fu Manchu:
Although a simple full beard with emphasis on the mustache will also serve you well.
How to maintain a “bald with a beard” look
Deciding on the look that’s best for you is important – but it’s only half the battle.
Once you’ve actually got the look, the hard part becomes maintaining it. And that requires not just tools and tricks, but a clear plan as to how and when you’re going to groom.
We’ve compiled a little list of tips and tricks for keeping everything looking tip-top:
Regularly trim
Given that you’ve likely had diminishing hair growth for a while, you might just assume keeping your head trimmed won’t be a problem.
The reality is, stubble shows up much more prominently on a shaved head than you’d expect, and you need to be regularly maintaining both your shaved head and beard.
Reshape Continually
With your head shaven, your beard’s style garners far more attention. And that’s great – it just means you need to keep it in proper shape at all times!
Even if you’re going for a full beard or a more ‘unkempt’ look, it’s important to keep your sideburns under control and your beard in exactly the right shape, as even the smallest overgrowth can totally change the shaping you’ve achieved and throw off the look.
Make sure you moisturize and stay clean
Keeping a shaved head healthy and clean is obviously incredibly important: an unhealthy, blotchy, or otherwise just unkempt head is going to attract a lot of attention, and not in a good way!
The same is true for your beard: you need to find a really good quality beard oil to make sure you stay looking and feeling fresh, and maintain proper growth.
Eat right and exercise
As strange as it might sound, how you eat, and whether or not you’re active play a huge part in keeping your beard and shaven head looking good.
Getting the right nutrients is essential for proper hair growth and keeping your skin clear and healthy.
Exercise also promotes testosterone, which is obviously pretty important if you’re trying to keep up a masculine look like this!
Conclusion
So that concludes our guide through the wonderful world of the bald with beard revolution. We’d love to hear what you think about the style:
Are you considering trying it? Or have you already made the jump?
And most importantly, what do you make of the trend?
Let us know in the comments!
We’d also love to hear if you have any extra advice we’ve missed, or need any extra tips that we might not have included.
And if you have a friend who needs a little nudge towards the dark side, please share this article with them to let them know what they have to look forward to!
