David Letterman Beard: Growth, Styling & Grooming Tips

David Letterman has had a clean, baby face for quite some time now.

However, all of our fondest memories are of him with a beard.

During the later stage of his life, something happened and he decided to grow a really long, Santa Claus beard.

We may never learn the secret behind him growing it, but what we can do is give you tips on growing one if you want to give it a go.

Growing a David Letterman beard out of the blue is quite hard.

It is very impressive how he was able to do it so fast.

Doing it without some supplements and specific help is almost impossible.

Expert tips and grooming advice are key here.

Here you will get all the needed grooming advice so you can get a long and strong beard like David Letterman.

We can’t promise the fame though, you are going to handle that one yourself.

Top Beard Styles

David Letterman is a great late-night show host indeed. But we are here to marvel at his beard. The once swabbed and well-groomed host has turned into a hairy beast. He sports some different full beard styles throughout his late years, which do agree with his age.

Here are the choices he usually goes with: 

Round Full Beard

A full round beard that David Letterman sports looks good on him. But to create this style, the edges of the beard have to be rounded to be spotted from a distance.

You can’t leave any sharp flyaways as you can’t allow the beard to be pointy. Using a professional beard trimmer is the best way to style this type of beard properly.

The beard also has to be curved and arched at its very end. This gives it a sleeker look. But to maintain this beard as best as possible, regular trims are needed. You can’t have any pointy ends forming on you, so be sure to trim it from time to time.

Balbo Beard

David sometimes goes for a Balbo beard as well. It is popular among celebrities and involves separating the mustache from the beard. What makes this style perfect is its versatility, as it can go on any face type. But David Letterman has his little twist for it.

He sports a Grey Balbo beard! It looks handsome on him but using beard scissors is a must. Taming the beard and grooming it from time to time needs to be done regularly.

Long Beard

A long beard is what suits Letterman the most. He does not like going for a short type of beard. He prefers the long and bushy ones. However, the beard has to be wide besides having the length to make it work.

But growing a long beard like Letterman requires time and patience. Applying beard oil will be something that you need to get used to. To help the beard get as soft as possible and help it achieve a natural look, grooming and maintenance should be practiced at all times.

Clean-Shaven

Most of us remember David Letterman as clean-shaven. He went without facial hair for the better part of his career. Since David has a lot of grey hairs now, there is no in-between for him. He can either go with a full beard or shave everything off.

To achieve a clean-shaven look, David Letterman uses a straight razor. According to certain people’s opinion, it is the best and the only possible way to get a proper clean shave.

Tools Needed to Grow This Beard

To grow a beard similar to David Letterman, one will first need a good three to four months of beard growth. He usually carries around a long beard, so one needs to practice some patience first to have the same.

For those with problems growing a long beard, they can use some derma rollers beard promote smooth and healthy skin. A good trimmer is a primary tool you are going to need. Also, be sure to get some scissors as well.

David usually has a rounded beard, so these tools will help you maintain the necessary shape. Allowing it to become pointy will not do, so the scissors are there to help you do a quick fix.

But a long beard needs a lot of maintenance to keep a smooth texture and look all shiny. For that, you can use some oils or a premium beard balm. Applying these products is necessary for a long-style beard. It helps it be strong and allows it to be visually appealing.

How to Grow

Step 1 – Be patient

Allow your beard to grow for a good three to four months. 

Step 2 – Use trimming and shaping tools

Use an electric razor to shave off the excess beard. Use some scissors or trimers to round up the beard and its ends.

Step 3 – Don’t forget care products

Apply some beard oil and balms. Shave off the neckline parts, but not too much, and apply some aftershave. If you are in two minds about the electric razor vs blade controversy, using a combination of both is the most suitable way to go.

A trimmer works best when dealing with an excess beard, while a blade is only applied for parts you want, no facial hairs.

How to Style and Groom

It is not difficult to style a beard as David Letterman has. The hard part comes with growing it to a specific length and maintaining it later. Since this is a long beard type, it will require around four months of patient beard growth.

Those that don’t have strong facial hair might view this style as one of the beard styles to avoid. But those that have strong genetics can try it. Be sure to trim the beard from time to time, so it does not get too bushy on you.

The ends should not be pointy and you need to round things up a bit. To help it get the softness and gliss, add some oils after a shower. Good beard shampoo is also recommended.

Get a beard brush or a beard comb once you get to the desired length and style the way you want. Try to get a softer one and brush the beard from time to time. Similar to Letterman, this type of beard suits people with grey hair.

So if you are planning to grow a grandpa beard, this is a perfect choice to try out. 

Quick Growth Tips

We went through all the details about growing a proper David Letterman beard. But we still have some small tips that can prove to be valuable. Sometimes, small things are the ones that we usually disregard, while in reality, we should pay attention to those more.

• Be very patient when growing this long beard style.
• Don’t forget to trim the beard once in a while, but be careful not to overdo it.
• Wash your beard, especially once it gets long, with a beard shampoo and don’t hesitate to add some oils to your beard maintenance routine.
• Use a nice brush or comb to style the beard.

Conclusion

David Letterman’s impact on contemporary culture is much bigger than we think. Surviving so long on-air is a feat on its own, but maintaining the same level of quality is something superhuman-like.

Even at 74 years of age, David Letterman doesn’t stop amazing us. He has added a new look that will define the later part of his years and we have to confess that it looks very good on him.

Photos from: Instagram @letterman.