Corporate Beard Style: Growth & Trimming Guide (11 Examples)

Having a scraggly beard during a corporate event or a business situation simply won’t do.

You aren’t going to get fired because of it, but you might as well consider your career over as getting passed for promotion by somebody who is much more groomed becomes a possibility.

On the other hand, a corporate beard evokes confidence and exceptionality in a person.

Creating one will definitely make both your colleagues and clients take you much more seriously.

In order to do that you have to know what you’re doing.

To help you out, we created a guide with some corporate beard example styles that will get you on the right path.

After reading this you will not only be able to style your beard for corporate situations correctly, you will also learn the significance of it.

11 Most Popular Corporate Beard Styles

Bushy Beard

The bushy beard is one of the more mature professional corporate beard styles. It is thick, bushy and has a slightly rugged appearance.
For a more stylish and unique look disconnect the beard from the sideburns and then blend the sideburns with a fade side part hairstyle.

You can also trim the beard into a rounder shape.

Faded Beard

This is a great beard style for black men who want to look professional. It involves trimming the cheek area and shaping it into a lineup shape. You can either blend the sideburns with a Mohawk, taper fade or line up hairstyle.

Balbo Beard and Thick Mustache

This is a stylish and masculine beard style for professionals. It consists of a long mustache coupled with a full dense beard and a comb-over or side part hairstyle. This beard style goes well with clean cheek lines.

Stubble Beard (Long & Short)

The good thing about a corporate beard is that you can choose to keep it long or short. If you like a stubble beard then you can choose between a long or short stubble.

A short stubble has a graceful and professional look and goes well with a crew cut, buzz cut and other hairstyles.

A long stubble, on the other hand, looks professional when it is trimmed regularly. You may experience severe itching as the beard grows though. If your beard grows in patches, you might want to apply beard oil to make it dense.

Garibaldi Beard

This is usually a short beard style that goes well with a trimmed or thick mustache. A thick mustache, however, gives it a more professional and masculine appearance.

Tapered Beard

A tapered beard is an attractive business beard look. It is usually a combination of a circle beard, a soul patch and some cheek hair.
The cheek line and the neckline, however, look better when they are trimmed.

Boxed Beard

If you want a bolder look that still looks formal then you might want to try the boxed beard style. The beard gives off a masculine vibe and it looks better when the cheek lines and neck hair are trimmed.

The Viking Beard

A good example of a professionally looking beard is the Viking beard. The beard is bushy, with a mustache covering the lips with a more polished look than the standard Viking beard we are used to.

Hipster Beard

The hipster beard works well as a corporate beard style when it is coupled with a slick-back hairstyle. The mustache is trimmed in such a way that it blends into the beard completely. With this beard style, though you need to comb as well as moisturize it regularly.

Gentleman Look

The gentleman’s look is a polished and tamed beard style for any professional man. It is the perfect beard style for men who want to look mannish. It resembles a chin strap goatee that is combined with a mustache.

Goatee Without Mustache

This is a great beard style to wear for an office look. The cheeks are shaved clean with this style, and only a slight mustache, chin hair and soul patch remain. Coupled with a buzz cut hairstyle it’s the perfect look for a professional guy.

What Is a Corporate Beard

Years ago, if you worked in the corporate world and happened to walk into the office with a full beard you might have landed yourself in trouble with management. Fast forward to today!

Times have changed and facial hair in the corporate world is no longer frowned upon. Today as long as you keep your beard clean and tidy you are good to go. The corporate beard also referred to as the “business beard” is a fuller beard style considered office-appropriate.

It is versatile and an on-trend style that makes any man look mature and confident with a hint of mystery. This doesn’t mean scraggly bits, stray hairs here and there and unruly patchy spots. A corporate beard demands to be kept clean and well maintained.

While, unlike the past, you have a bit of flexibility with the length, you still need to keep things under control. A corporate beard style is accepted since it projects a professional image.

The style happens to be easy to maintain and enhances your appearance greatly. With a corporate beard you are representing the image of your organization professionally. The style works well with formal dressing like a suit and ties and most casual business attires.

The style is mostly worn by individuals who work in IT and those who hold managerial positions. Likewise, if you work in an organization that expects you to maintain a short beard this style will also work for you.

Besides improving your appearance, a corporate beard helps boost your confidence and reflects your age at the end of the day.

Benefits of Growing One

Enhances Your Appearance

Unlike in the past, where full beards were not acceptable in an organizational setting, that has changed and it is no surprise to see young professionals with full beards. A corporate beard is a full beard that is well kept and goes well with any formal and casual business attire.

One of the advantages of this beard style is that it enhances your appearance and it’s no wonder celebrities have adopted it.

Boosts Your Confidence

If you love facial hair and work in an office setting then a corporate beard will work for you. It looks great and is a great confidence booster.

Whether you are going for an interview, meeting a client or making an important presentation at work, this kind of beard style is enough to boost your confidence.

Suits Any Face Shape

Unlike other beard styles worn depending on the face shape, a corporate beard suits a majority of face shapes.

Since a corporate beard is short and evenly trimmed down it does not emphasize any particular area of the face like other beards do, which makes it a great choice regardless of your face shape. 

Some experts suggest that it is best suited for face shapes with a pointy chin because it tends to take the attention away from that area. However, there isn’t a face shape that the corporate beard doesn’t work with at the end of the day.

How Does It Work

Since the corporate beard has a bold and boardroom-like kind of look it is perfectly suited for professionals, entrepreneurs and celebrities.

If you are into full beards but need to keep yours professional, then this is the style for you. It is great for men who want to give out the impression that they are adventurous and at the same time, humble with lots of fresh ideas and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Younger professionals are more likely to wear a corporate beard than their older counterparts, so sporting one is one of the best ways of showing those around you that you are exciting as well as unorthodox.

A corporate beard can be seen on many big names in the business world such as Steve Jobs on the cover of his self-titled biography written by Walter Isaacson. Google CEO Sergey Brin has also sported a corporate beard and so does internet entrepreneur Evan Williams.

Celebrities like Avenger’s Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans can also be seen rocking the corporate beard.
The corporate beard looks better on men with triangular faces but it can work for any face shape.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• It works well with formal business attire like a suit and tie as well as casual business looks. As such, it is perfect for any job that allows for short and well-maintained beards.
• It enhances your looks as well as age at the end of the day.
• It communicates the business image of a company when you wear it.
• It is a great confidence booster for any man working in the corporate world.

Cons

• Sometimes it can be boring in that it is contained and mild without communicating anything more about the person wearing it.
• It can be hard to maintain since you are expected to maintain the same style, which only adds to the trimming and shaping you have to do.

How to Grow It

Step 1 – Allow the beard to grow

You can’t call it a corporate beard if you don’t give it time to grow. As such, before you even think about trimming you need to let the beard grow to a considerable length. On average, a standard beard grows about 0.5 inches every month.

To get to the right corporate beard length, therefore, you need at least 1 to 2 months of growth, depending on your beard growth rate.

Step 2 – Time to start trimming

Once your beard is long enough to warrant the corporate beard status you can start trimming a well as maintaining it.

To do this, you need to find yourself a good quality grooming kit with most products and tools such as a beard trimmer, a comb suitable for all beard lengths and sizes and products like beard oil and beard balm for styling.

You can set the trimmer to your desired length and use it for daily or bi-daily trimmings. When growing and maintaining your beard you also need beard scissors to snip away the stray hairs and clean the mustache area.

To start trimming run the trimmer over the beard set to 0.5-1″, and then use the scissors to remove any stray hairs that may remain.

Step 3 – Edge out the neck area and cheek line

If you have decided to grow a corporate beard then one of the tools that you need is a premium beard shaping tool to perfectly edge out the neckline and cheek line for that crisp, clean look that is expected of a corporate beard style.

Step 4 – Use a razor to shave off any odd hairs

A corporate beard is crisp and clean and you can’t afford unruly hairs sticking out after shaping it. As such, you need to use a razor to shave any odd hairs on the neck and the upper cheeks.

You could also opt to keep stray hairs under control with a moisturizer if you fear over trimming.

How to Trim and Style a Corporate Beard

Step 1 – Decide on the beard shape

When you decide to grow any beard you need to determine the shape that you are going for to shape it accordingly.
For a professional beard you can go for any style and shape.

As such, you need to decide beforehand if you are going for a slightly pointed or bouncy shape.

Step 2 – Apply some salt spray

Apply beard salt spray to the beard and then use your fingers to distribute it evenly. Why salt spray? Unlike other beard products that tend to weigh down the hair making it look slick and heavy, a sea salt spray offers a more natural finish that you can touch up throughout the day.

A good spray should add volume, hold and texture to flat hair, which is why it’s perfect for corporate beards.
The sprays work for long and medium length beards and are very effective as pre-styling agents.

Step 3 – Blow-dry the beard

The next step is to shape your corporate beard by blow-drying and using a roller brush to brush it.

Blow-dry from an upward to downward direction unless you want to shape it like a Verdi or a full beard, in which case you need to blow-dry the hair and gather it underneath your chin.

Step 4 – Apply beard balm

Once you have shaped your beard to your desired shape use a balm that melts quickly and spreads evenly to hold the shape in place.
You can also use a mustache wax that provides a firm hold and melts easily if you want the shape to hold longer.

For a glossier appearance keep your beard looking great with quality beard oil.

Step 5 – Comb the beard

Once you have applied your beard styling products comb the beard for a finishing touch using a good quality beard brush.
A boar hair bristles beard brush with an ergonomic grip is preferred.

Additionally, use a lightweight comb for your mustache to keep it in shape.

How to Maintain One

Step 1 – Decide on the length beforehand

A corporate beard can either be short or long but well-trimmed and shaped. Therefore, you need to decide on the length you think will suit you best unless your workplace expects you to keep a short beard.

If you are going for an ultra-masculine look then a medium or long beard will do.

Step 2 – Allow it to grow

Once you have decided on the length it’s time to allow your beard to grow to that length. When it comes to beard growth patience is key if you want a thick and even beard.

If by any chance your beard doesn’t grow to the right length or grows in patches you might want to use a derma roller to increase beard growth. Additionally, take a proper diet and supplements since beard growth is tied to what you eat.

Step 3 – Washing the beard

Now you have come to the final stage which is trimming your corporate beard. Before you trim you need to give your beard a good wash with a quality beard shampoo to get rid of any dirt and oils.

When you try to maintain a corporate beard washing is a must since nothing screams unprofessional like a dirty beard.

Step 4 – Conditioning

Once you have cleaned your beard you need to use a good conditioner to soften the beard so that the trimming process can be as easy as possible. Go for conditioners that contain jojoba oil. Likewise you could also opt for any other world’s best beard softener to do the job.

Step 5 – Trim the beard carefully

If you want a professional look I would recommend that you go to a professional for trimming. If you want to cut on the cost and trim at home you are free to do so as long as you know what you are doing.

However, it would help that you pay attention to your neckline and trim it accordingly. Avoid trimming above the neckline zone as the shape will not be corporate beardy and you may end up having a double chin appearance.

Rather, when you are trimming, comb the beard first in an upward and downward direction to achieve an even as well as uniform trim.
Trim the sideburns also in such a way that they blend into your chin hair smoothly.

Lastly, shape the beard in a round, square or any other shape that gives prominence to your facial features and chin.
Next, apply some beard oil for a polished and glossy appearance.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

• Do ensure that you clean your beard for a more professional look. Besides looking neat, a corporate beard needs to be clean.
• Do use beard products such as beard oil to give your beard a shiny and glossy appearance.
• For a firm hold either use beard balm or beard wax, especially if you will be having a long day in the office.
  The last thing you want is your style coming apart in the middle of the day, leaving you with a rugged beard.
• For a uniform and even trim do comb the beard first in an upward and downward direction using a wide comb.

Don’ts

• Don’t force a corporate beard style if your beard grows in patches or doesn’t grow to the right thickness.

FAQ

Are long beards unprofessional?

Beards are not considered unprofessional always and the same goes for a long beard. What makes beards unprofessional is if they are unkempt or dirty. However, a beard that grows beyond 1/2″ to 1″ doesn’t pass as professional.

What is the best length for a corporate beard?

The corporate beard is a short full beard that is usually 1/2″ to 1″ in length and is evenly trimmed at the edges.

Which beard style is perfect for a corporate look?

When it comes to the perfect corporate beard look no one style suits everyone. The key is to keep the beard short and clean with a clean mustache and sharp edges.

There are so many corporate beard styles that you can choose from depending on what you want to communicate.

How long does it take to grow a corporate beard?

A normal beard grows 0.5 to 1 inch every month, depending on your genes. For this reason a nice corporate beard can take anywhere between a month to two to grow to the acceptable corporate beard style length.

What face shape best fits the corporate beard?

The good thing about a corporate beard is that it goes with any face shape. This is because it is short and well-trimmed enough not to draw attention to any particular point on the face.

However, most experts say that the style is best suited for face shapes with pointy chins such as heart, diamond and triangular face shapes.

Conclusion

Gone are the days when a full beard in a corporate setting was frowned upon and men were expected to clean-shave their faces.

The corporate world has had to adapt to so many changes and one such change is that having a beard doesn’t make you look messy or unprofessional. The corporate beard style is a great look for men of all ages who work in a corporate setting.

The look is, however, more likely to be adopted by younger professionals than older ones. There are so many corporate beard styles to choose from depending on what you feel suits you better.

All in all, regardless of the style, ensure that your beard is well trimmed, clean and looks great, something that you can only achieve if you use the right tools and beard products.

If you’ve always shied away from growing a beard because you have no idea how your boss or colleagues will perceive you, you can put all those worries to rest with a crisp-clean full corporate beard from now on.