Although it was one of the most misunderstood facial hair styles in the history, chinstrap is also one of the most interesting and cool beard there is.
Even president Abraham Lincoln’s style was one of the versions of today’s chinstrap style.
And when a president rocks a certain style, you know there’s something special to it.
Chinstrap beard requires precision and a bit of skill to pull off, but once you master it, it rewards you with a unique style only the most carefree and fun man dare to grow.
Did we mention it also makes your jaw look strong and sexy?
No? Well, it does.
So, if you feel brave enough and you’re ready to be the focus of attention, this article is for you.
In it, you’ll discover which chinstrap beard style is for you and how to grow and shape it.
Let’s start!
Table Of Contents
Deciding on the Right Chinstrap Beard
Because the hairline of the chinstrap is so thin, it is not advised to incorporate the mustache or goatee styles into this particular style.
If you prefer a thicker line following the jawline, then you need to forget the mustache completely because it would just resemble a full beard anyway.
The width of the chinstrap should be slighter wider than pencil thinks. The decision on how thick should be centered on the shape of the face.
The beard line needs to complement the shape while accentuating your unique features. If you have strong features, the chinstrap will help bring them out even more.
Men with round or wide faces should go thicker on the chinstrap to thin the face and give you a more masculine appearance.
Shaping The Chinstrap Beard
1. Make sure that your beard and skin are clean and dry.
2. Before trimming, your beard should be close to 1 cm long.
3. Trim your beard even with trimmer length settings of 3 – 5 mm (no more than 5mm).
4. Next, use your precision trimmer and start outlining a 1 to 2 cm wide strip (depending on the width you want) trimming from ear to ear and along the jawline. Use beard shaper to make things easier for you.
Take your time and be patient while using your precise trimmer.
5. The last step is to shave your cheeks and neck. Be extra careful while shaving because you don’t want to ruin your chinstrap beard.
If you are using an electric shaver, try to switch to a razor to be more precise when shaving near the chinstrap.
Growing and Maintaining the Chinstrap Beard
Of all the types of beard to grow, the chinstrap is going to require the most maintenance in order to keep the look precise.
Constant maintenance will allow you to properly pull off the look because it does require clean and extremely tight lines.
This is one particular style that does not look good once the hair begins to grow out. With the chinstrap style, you are going to be shaving and grooming your facial hair every other day at a minimum.
The neck and jawline need to be carefully sculpted to maintain that straight line or the look falls apart.
In addition to sculpting, you need to keep the length maintained with a stubble beard trimmer so it does not grow out too long.
Keep the cut short and try to fade it so that the sides become shorter than they do at the chin. The correct fade will accentuate the jawline.
Growing Your Chinstrap Beard Style
If you are ready to get started growing out the chinstrap, allow up to five days without any shaving to allow all the areas to fill in properly.
Start styling the hair so you have enough to play with and can slowly start shrinking down the width of the line.
Start thick and take a look, then keep trimming back the line until you reach the desired look.
This is certainly not the type of beard for every man, it really comes down to personal preference and your facial features.
Now that you know everything about maintaining and growing your own chinstrap, experiment and see how your face changes.
This might be the perfect facial hairstyle to give you that new look you have been searching for.
It can be an incredibly flattering and manly look for most men who have the right shape of the face and are committed to putting in the time that it takes to pull this look off.
Vinnie is one of the members of the Beardoholic writers team. He’s also a barber and hairstylist for 15 years now and he has a kick-ass beard of his own, so he surely knows what makes a magnificent beard and hair and how to achieve them. He’s our go-to guy for all the latest beard and hairstyle trends and he always has a tip or two on how to grow and style a thick beard fast.
Haha! I need to try this