How to get perfect beard ? Jackie has you covered.
They say that your typical gay man knows more about skincare than many women, but could they also be more knowledgeable about facial volume and contouring?
When it comes to contouring palettes, knowledge is probably shared equally by all beauty lovers regardless of sex, but gay men have one edge when it comes to shade and light – the ability to grow a beard! Surveyed stylists state that #TeamBeard is still in vogue, but structured, polished whiskers (rather than bushy, ‘natural’ styles) are where it’s at. If you would like to up your sex appeal, think of facial hair as your very own permanent contouring palette. Finding the perfect style is all about analysing your face shape and adjusting volume accordingly. Because beards are a relatively permanent fixture, forego passing trends, making sure yours is 100% bespoke to your contouring needs.
How many Face Shapes are There?
You could argue that there are just about as many face shapes as there are people on the planet, but beard stylists identify seven face shapes when recommending a style: oval, rectangular, triangular, round, square, diamond, and heart-shaped. To be exactly sure about which yours is, you will need to pull out a measuring tape and measure the following: your forehead, jawline, and cheekbones, as well as the length of your face. To measure your forehead, place one end on the highest point of one eyebrow and measure until the highest point of your other brow. For the jawline, measure from the tip of your chin to below one ear, right at the point where the angle of your jaw turns upwards. Multiply this number by two to obtain your jawline measurement. For your cheekbones, just measure from the pointiest part of one cheekbone (beneath the eye area) and measure until the other cheekbone. For the face length, start at the dead centre of your hairline and measure until the tip of your chin.
Working Out Your Face Shape
If the length of your face measures more than the width of your cheekbones and your jawline is narrower than your forehead, chances are, you have an oval face shape. If the largest measurement is length, and all other measurements are more or less similar, you may have a rectangular face shape. If your jawline is wider than your cheekbones and your forehead, you may have a triangle-shaped face. Round faces have a similar facial length and cheekbone width measurement, which tends to be wider than the jawline and forehead measurements. Square faces measure similarly all round. Diamond-shaped faces have a longer length than width, with a larger cheekbone measurement than the forehead and chin. Finally, heart-shaped faces have a broader forehead than the cheeks and jawline, and a pointed chin.
Creating Your Contours
Once you know your face shape, you can grow your beard to add volume where you wish and create greater facial harmony. For a heart-shaped first, go for a long or voluminous beard or a style like mutton chops, which will lend strength to your jawline. For a diamond-shaped face, hair on the chin will harmonise your prominent cheekbones, while volume on your cheeks will strengthen your jawline. Square faces have beautifully pronounced jawlines, but rather than exaggerating this feature, use facial hair to lengthen your chin and opt for a rounded beard that does not make your jawline appear too harsh.
Contour a round face by growing a short, narrow beard with a ‘chin strap’ style. A goatee or chin-centred beard will also help lengthen your face. The key to suiting a triangle-shaped face is to add more volume to the chin area. There are many styles you can choose, including the popular chinstrap + moustache combo. For a rectangular face, a full beard and moustache will soften lines and lend grace to your face shape. If you have an oval-shaped face, then you are probably the envy of all your friends, since practically any style of beard will suit you. To enhance your fabulous proportions, grow a short, well groomed beard and goatee, pairing it with a short, clean moustache.
Once you have grown the perfect beard for your face shape, feel free to play around with a contour palette or stick to enhance or slim down specific features. If you have a round face and a short, neat beard, for instance, you can opt for a sleek, slim look by applying a contour shade that is slightly darker than your own beneath the cheekbone. If your face is rectangular, shorten it a tad by applying contour to the top of your forehead. Remember that when it comes to styling it up, facial hair isn’t everything. You should also select a hairstyle that sets off your very best features and looks as net and well-manicured as the rest of you!
