Ducktail Beard – How to Style, Groom It & Refresh Your Look

A number of contemporary beard styles emerged in recent times.

One of them is the ducktail beard style.

It is simple, but also unique, especially as there are a couple of variations of it.

Although it may sound simple enough to create a ducktail beard, in reality, it can be challenging to do it, particularly if you don’t know what you are doing.

The ducktail beard managed to get the most followers during the 2000s, which is when its popularity skyrocketed.

By the looks of it the interest in this style is not dissipating even now, hence the need to learn to grow, trim and maintain it.

To be able to create a perfect ducktail style just follow the instructions in this article as best as possible.

Also, keep your eyes peeled for the best styling options to pick your next look.

Let’s start with the basics.

What Is a Ducktail Beard 

Like the name insinuates a ducktail beard is a beard shaped in the form of a ducktail. It is a beard that gained popularity in the 2000s when famous people started to wear it.

You can achieve a ducktail beard by shaping your beard to the point that it seemingly extends the jaw and the chin. 
It is a full beard and can also be a goatee beard which is better groomed.

This is one of those beard styles you can adopt if you want to stand out in the crowd.

Types of Ducktail Beards

Long Ducktail Beard

A long ducktail beard is full and long and requires a lot of attention for it to look good. You will have to style it daily and use special oils, balms and waxes to hold it together. Use a moisturizing cream also to take care of the skin underneath and rock this style. 

Ducktail Beard With a Comb-Over

A ducktail beard works perfectly around the face because it creates the impression of a longer jaw and chin.
 It helps to make your face look slimmer and longer.

If you want to make the effect better go for a lifted comb-over, which makes your beard puff toward the front and accentuates your facial features. 

Pompadour Ducktail Style

If you have a bushy or puffy beard, you can also rock a ducktail beard. Ask your barber to shape yours into a pompadour ducktail style and stand out among men. If you have an oblong-shaped face, this look will help lift your facial bones to achieve a masculine and attractive look. 

Disconnected Ducktail Beard

This style is disconnected from your head hair. To achieve it, you will have to ensure that your head is well shaven and choose a bald fade that gets thicker as you go down on the chin. This look is modern and carries a sense of style and class.

Ducktail Beard With High Top Hair

This is one of the sophisticated ducktail beard styles which you can rock. If you groom it well you will keep your neckline clean and add elegance to your look. Get a top haircut with an undercut to completely ace this look.

Round Bottom Ducktail Beard

If you have a nice and tall structured face this may be the look for you. The round bottom style helps to soften your face and create a nice symmetry towards your face’s bottom area. Your strong features will be noticed while also giving a touch of softness.

Full-Grown Beard Ducktail Style

If you have a thick and straight beard, this is the ducktail style you need to wear. All you need to do is let the beard grow and ask your barber to trim it to achieve the ducktail. This has to be one of the easiest styles to achieve. 

Horseshoe-Shaped Ducktail Beard

If you like keeping a long beard, then this should be on your to-try bucket list. A long, poorly groomed beard is very unsightly, but you will be one of the best-groomed people in the room with this style.

Grow your beard and ask your barber to shape it into a horseshoe with the ducktail effect.
Take care of it by keeping it moisturized, oiling it, and using waxes to maintain the shape. 

Short Pointy Beard

This style is ideal for men above 50 years who want to maintain a modern look. The ducktail is shaped thinner and is accompanied by a mustache. Leave your mustache long and twist the tips upwards. The results will be a retro look that accentuates your masculinity. 

French-Style Ducktail Beard

It is easy to confuse this style with the ordinary French beard. However, the difference is that the French beard only grows around the chin and the lips while the French-style ducktail beard is full.

 The chin area is trimmed to become longer and pointy, giving you one of the classiest and elegant beard styles.

Thin Edged Ducktail

This style is ideal for you if you have a thin beard and want to grow a ducktail beard. It is simple to maintain or style, making it one of the most convenient beard styles to wear. Get your barber to shape your thin beard well and spot it with confidence.

Benefits of Growing One

Stylish

The main benefit of growing a ducktail beard has to be the stylish look you will achieve. A ducktail beard is one of the hardest styles to achieve and maintain. Wearing it speaks volumes about you.

You will stand out as a man who is keen on grooming himself and is not scared of taking the time and effort to achieve a stylish look.

Unique

A ducktail beard will also give you the attention you need to stand out from the crowd. It is one of the most stylish beards and has been donned by celebrities such as Brad Pitt. This beard will make you look like a celebrity, or at least a man who likes to look good.

How Does It Work

A ducktail beard will accentuate your face’s features and make you stand out from the rest of the crowd if you take care of it (or not!).

The beard requires constant attention to make sure it is well-groomed and you will have to invest in a few tools and products to maintain it. You need to visit a professional barber, buy a good set of trimming tools and products such as oil and balm to keep it in shape.

Ultimately, the ducktail beard, when well-groomed, gives you that admirable and masculine look you have been working for.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• The beard can be easy and convenient to grow and maintain as long as you can access the right tools and products.
  Once you get the hang of it, you will find the maintenance process quite manageable.
• With the right products and maintenance you will be acing this look for as long as you want to. It never goes out of fashion.
• The ducktail beard gives a slim effect to your face, making you look more attractive.
• The ducktail beard also gives an aura of maturity and masculinity, especially because mature men introduced it.
  If people do not take you seriously this beard could show them how mature you are.
• If you are an elegant man who likes to keep their style classy and casual this is the beard style for you.
  It has a laid-back aura while also giving you that classic and elegant look that you want to achieve.
• The ducktail beard is more hassle-free to maintain as compared to other full beards.
  With a nice comb, trimming razor and beard oil and balm, you can rock this style easily.

Cons

• You may need to visit your professional barber regularly because this style needs careful and professional trimming to be achieved and maintained.
• Unless you are very sure about your beard trimming skills, you might end up messing up the look.
• A ducktail beard is a full beard, requiring more products and tools to maintain than a short beard.
  You may have to dig deeper in your pocket to maintain it.

Different Face Shapes

The ducktail beard is a very versatile beard style and can go well with any face shape. However, you need to know which ducktail style goes well with your face, so you look your best.

The beard can go well with a diamond, oval, square, and round face, depending on your chosen style.

The ducktail beard will work best for you if you have a diamond or an oval face. A diamond or oval-shaped face has an equal or larger forehead when compared to the cheekbones or jaws.
You will be enhancing your chin area and create a nice balance with your cheekbones and forehead.

If you have a round face, you may want to make your chin more noticeable and make your jaws angular.
The ducktail beard is the best choice for this look.

However, if you have a triangle or heart-shaped face you might need to go slow on this one. Your chin is already well defined and you may not want to create more attention to it.

How to Grow Ducktail Beard

Step 1 – Give your beard a few months to grow

If you are looking to achieve a perfectly shaped ducktail beard, you may have to grow your beard without trimming it for a few months. 
Facial hair grows at an average of half an inch every month.

You should have grown a long enough beard by the fifth month to start trimming it into a ducktail beard.

Step 2 – Keep your beard clean

Even though you will not be trimming your beard for five months you need to keep it clean and moisturized to avoid flaking and split ends. Wash your beard at least once a week and you can rinse it daily.

Use beard oil regularly and never underestimate the hydrating properties of the beard oil of your choice.

Step 3 – Do not fall for misconceptions

One of the most misleading misconceptions is that trimming your beard will make it grow faster and longer.
Do not fall for this trap. The only way to make your beard grow is to wash it and use appropriate products on it.

How to Trim and Shape This Beard Style

Step 1 – Clean your beard

Ensure that your beard is well cleaned and moisturized before you start trimming and shaping it.
Dry hair can be brittle and painful to trim and shape.

Step 2 – Curve out a rough ducktail on your beard

This is the hardest part of trimming your beard, but you will whiz past the other steps once you get through it.
You need to get the ideal shape first to work your tools to get the best results. You can get a great beard shaper for this job.

Use a beard trimmer without a guard comb on it and carve out a 2-4 inch pointed ducktail shape on your mane. 
Be still and firm with your trimmer because you do not want to mess up the shape.

You want to trim and shape your beard to look its best, so take your time.

Step 3 – Clean the rough edges and shorten the sides

Brush your trimmed beard (which you have shaped into a ducktail shape) with a beard comb.
Brush downwards to get a well-defined shape of a ducktail.

Now, take your trimmer again and slowly shape the bottom part of your mane into a more defined look.

Please use high-precision beard trimmers for this job to get the best results. Be sure to achieve a sharp edge at the connection between the jawline and the face. The rest of the jawline should be trimmed into a somewhat straight edge down to the pointy part of your chin.

Please note, beard trimming scissors are not the same as regular ones. Use a beard comb to pull out the unruly beards and trim them accordingly. Trim your sideburns to about half an inch and you can use a guard comb to help you trim the sides.

Step 4 – Work on your neckline and the cheeks

Start working on your neckline from the highest point of your Adam’s apple. Create a nice neckline that follows the natural shape of your jaw. Please make sure that you do not go above Adam’s apple or you won’t achieve the desired look.

Work on the cheekbones by creating a nice and clear line on the upper cheeks. Keep the line as high as possible for the best results.
You can look up different tapering beard styles and trim your beard to the shape you like.

Step 5 – Maintain the shape

If you followed the steps above strictly, you should have your beard shaped like a ducktail now.
Now, you need to hold it down and maintain the look.

Do not allow your beard to become unruly and bushy again or you will lose the look you have worked so hard to achieve.

Get a good pair of beard scissors and a beard trimmer to work on the edges as frequently as possible.
You may need to reshape every 3-4 weeks, with weekly trims to maintain the shape.

If your beard is the curly type you may need to learn how to straighten your beard and maintain your ducktail.
Also, get the right products to keep your beard looking sharp. You can use beard oils to give you the glow you need.

Castor oil has a strong scent if you like strong scents on your beard. You can also consider decorating your beard with beard beads if you like a more informal look.

Do’s and Don’ts With a Ducktail Beard

Do’s

Keep your ducktail beard well moisturized and cleaned to maintain a well-groomed look.
Buy the necessary products to help you take care of your ducktail beard.
Get a professional barber to help you grow, trim and shape your ducktail beard.
Choose the best ducktail beard to go with your face.

Don’ts

Don’t be deceived into trimming your beard before you achieve a full length.
Don’t try to shape your ducktail beard alone if you are not a professional.
Don’t leave your ducktail beard uncleaned.

FAQ

What celebrities grow a ducktail beard?

Celebrities such as Mel Gibson, Leonardo de Capri, Jamie Foxx and Brad Pitt have spotted ducktail beards at some point in their lives and looked very fashionable.

What products are good for ducktail beard maintenance?

You will need a good beard oil, a premium beard balm, and wax to keep your ducktail beard healthy and well-groomed.
You may also need a good beard relaxer to help you take care of a curly beard.

A beard relaxer gives you a well-groomed look, especially if you have unruly and curly facial hair.

How long does it take to grow a ducktail beard?

It will take you approximately 5 months to grow a nice and full ducktail beard.

Is a ducktail beard professional?

Yes. As long as you maintain it well and keep it healthy there is nothing wrong with wearing a ducktail beard to the office.

Conclusion

Wearing a nice and well-maintained beard has continued to be one of the most masculine and attractive features for many men.
One of the beards that you can grow and achieve these qualities is the ducktail beard.

It is one of those complex yet simple looks to achieve as long as you put enough work into it.
Get that elegant and classic look with the ducktail beard.