35 Salt and Pepper Beard Styles & How to Wear Them

When we guys see a strand of grey hair in our beards we immediately start saying our last goodbyes and begin making entries in our will.

For some, having grey hair is a sign that the end is near.

That our good looks are finally leaving us.

A lot of people are not fans of grey beards as they think that a Colonel Sanders look is a signal they’re getting older with each passing day.

However, things are not as grey as they seem.

A salt and pepper beard is actually a very nice and popular style for men who have grey hair.

It can actually look much more appealing than you think, but you have to style it correctly.

There are quite a few interesting salt and pepper styles out there.

All of them need you to put in a little bit of effort to trim and style them well.

But the returns are massive and you basically end up with an excellent-looking beard and a unique style.

Most Popular Salt and Pepper Beard Styles

Short Boxed Beard

A safe bet for almost all face shapes. Short boxed salt and pepper beard only need to be neatly trimmed to look astonishing. A short boxed beard is usually the first beard shape anyone tries.

French Beard

Oh-la-la. The French beard will visually enhance your chin. That’s why it is popular among slim men with smaller jawlines.
French beard demands a little more work, but the result is worth it.

Full Beard

A full beard will give you the total color mixture effect. If you shave your head it will put the beard on the frontline and give you the style of a metal bend drummer. Somewhat similar to the lumberjack beard style.

Medium Beard With Mustache

Or how to mature with style. It has class and it has shape. And Tom Hanks is the best model. A medium beard with a mustache demands often trimming. Otherwise, it will transform into Tom’s beard from Cast Away. You DO NOT want that.

Short Beard

Short salt and pepper beard are almost exclusively famous among younger men. Great if you aspire to that music producer look or have a TikTok account. Looks astounding when natural. With dye not so much.

Circle Beard

You can look at this as a variation of the French beard. Imagine a French beard but the lower part goes to your neck.
It puts your jaw in focus and corrects the first traces of a double chin.

Hard Stubble

George Clooney beard. The best way to describe it. It looks like a week-old beard but not messy. Just spikey and raw and irresistible.
Most popular salt and pepper beard among most men.

Chin Curtain Beard

Bushy, wild and messy beard. But the chin areas are neatly trimmed, so the owner has proof he takes care of its beard.
Surprisingly popular among IT guys.

For taming it the affordable solution could be a beard comb, some quality beard oil and an everyday combing that lasts 10 minutes.

Curly Beard

You need to have some luck on the genetic lottery for this one. Full-fledged, yet curly. Ruffed, yet perfectly trimmed.
Not everyone can pull this one.

Yeard or Garibaldi Beard

Perhaps the dankest expression in beardology. Yeard is a beard that is at least one year old. Of course, it is neatly taken care of.
Otherwise, it would turn into a Kraken and start devouring the neighbors and innocent bystanders.

If you ever wanted to look like a nordic sailor now you have the chance.

Bald Man With the Beard

Very easy achieved with a full beard and a hair trimmer. But other types of beards can also look great in this combination.
Just make sure you picked the right shape.

Long Beard

With a long beard you can play a little bit. For instance, dye the edges or the half of it. Skinny guys look amazing with the long beard. Chubby ones look like American wrestlers.

Evenflow Balbo Beard

It is a neverending facial hair stream that connects your hair, mustache, beard and sideburns. Suppose you run out of luck, your eyebrows too. Evenflow looks svelte on men whose facial hair is becoming gray step by step.

It gives you a chance to demonstrate all fifty shades of gray.

Lumberjack Beard

Some time ago only lumberjacks wore these beards. Now you can’t distinguish hillbilly from CEO or a neurosurgeon.
Nevertheless, it is one of the most alpha beards. It goes well with a round face and even more with a round body shape.

Wild and Carefree

Yeard, but precisely trimmed yeard. Looks even better as you grow older. Especially when the edges are silver but the roots still have some of the original colors. Imagine Karl Marx but with a Youtube channel and a personal barber.

Medium Hair and Beard

Perfect for everything. From the everyday look to business meetings or tea at five with the British queen. Easy to pair with current fashion, easy to keep looking great. A safe bet.

Chinstrap Beard and Connected Mustache

A tricky one that is not easy to master. Thin lines and it needs to be perfectly trimmed. Will highlight your jaw in an instant.
One step further from having no beard.

Patchy Beard

So what if your beard grows uneven? Who cares? Wear it with pride my friend. Just take your trimmer and try to achieve some form of symmetry. Or don’t. Your beard your choice.

Wavy Salt and Pepper Beard

And let’s get back to the genetic lottery. Full beard but enriched with wavy, fluffy hair. You don’t have a beard but a masterpiece.
People want to take pictures with you. Just don’t let it tangle and you will rule the world of beards.

Gray Beard and Handlebar Mustache

We would say American poet from the 90s. Right? Well-groomed mustache pairs surprisingly well with a gray beard if you are lucky to achieve this symbiosis. Try it if your beard goes gray first. Not the other way around. It will look unusual. Not in a good way.

Hipster Beard

Combine all the styles listed above, and you will get something like a hipster beard. Messy but carefully taken care of.
Raw but sophisticated. It can be a yeard but doesn’t have to be.

What Is Salt and Pepper Beard

Use your imagination now. Or actual spices if your imagination abilities are not quite your strong side. Imagine a plate with salt and pepper mixture. Or mix them yourself. You won’t go bankrupt.

You will get a beautiful mixture of black and white accompanied by some gray nuances. That, my friend is how a salt and pepper beard looks like. That’s your black beard enriched with some gray hairs.

What Are the Benefits

Gray facial hair is nothing you should be ashamed of. It is a natural process. It also adds a large amount of mature sex appeal to your face. Salt and pepper beard style for the elegant look is for men who don’t fear getting old but embrace the maturity that comes with years.

So, the best time to try it is in your thirties. Wearing a salt and pepper beard means you mean serious, but you haven’t forgotten how to have fun. Imagine Peter Pan in a corporate suit. Or take Jim Carrey as an example.

Short History of Salt and Pepper Beards

We can rant about how salt and pepper beards are sexy AF, and they are but people want proof. How to measure the raw sex appeal?
By using the People’s magazine edition – “Sexiest Man Alive” – of course.

Let’s look at some honks who won the prestige SMA title and wear (wore) salt and pepper beard:

• Sean Connery (1989) – Oldest winner of SMA. Only Sir on the list and a true Scottish gentleman. Rest in peace legend.
• George Clooney – Double winner of SMA in 1997 and 2006. The living avatar of the salt and pepper beard.
• David Beckham (2015) – The only pro athlete with an SMA title. He grew this beard after he retired from football.
• Idris Elba (2018) – Popular British actor wears it even in his new role in The Suicide Squad.
• The Rock (2016) – Not a stone, but Dwayne Johnson. One of the most paid actors these days. Also funny, intelligent and sexy AF.
• Wolwerine (2008) – We couldn’t just write Hugh Jackman. You understand us right. He is an actor, dancer, producer, multi-instrumentalist and most badass X-men character ever.

It is a nice-looking bunch of alpha males. Right? And you are just a few silver hairs far from joining the club.

How Does It Work

Not every salt and pepper beard is born equal.

Here is the most simplistic beard division by the mixture of colors:

• A pinch of salt – You are thirty-something and perhaps wondering if your life is coming close to an end. Bien au contraire! It’s just starting.
• 50:50 ratio – Veteran of craft beers and good Scottish whiskey. This man values a good book over any movie and a pipe over that silly vape thing.
• A pinch of pepper – Your life experience is more than wondrous, and your stories are mesmerizing. We would probably follow you on an expedition to the unknown lands.
• All white beard – You are never late, nor you are early. You arrive precisely when you mean to, especially when your old friend is celebrating his birthday.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Instant wisdom. Not Gandalf level, but yes. Men with few silver hairs do look more experienced and wise. You can still be a child inside. Nobody has to know.

Trendy look. From Gerrard Butler to Idris Elba most mature, successful men wear a salt and pepper beard. Youngsters don’t.
It is, in the end, for men with some life experience.

Women love it, mainly messy, full beard. Don’t go full hobo tho. We are thinking more like Mark Ruffalo style.

Self-esteem. Nothing sexier than a man who embraces his age. Men who proudly show their silver have nothing to hide and nothing to be ashamed of.

Cons

• If you don’t have a natural salt and pepper beard coloring can be an annoying process. Not impossible tho.
• Some people feel old when they see the first sprinkle of salt in their beards. We don’t know why.

How to Grow One

Step 1 – Let nature take its course

Every man will get gray hair. Some just earlier than others. Dyeing your beard in gray doesn’t make any sense.

Step 2 – Feed and maintain your beard

It goes for any type of beard. A healthy diet, hygiene and beard cosmetics will give you the best results. Premium beard balm should also find its place in your cabinet.

Step 3 – Do not pluck the white hairs

Opposite to urban myth, you won’t grow three more. If only it were that easy. Most likely, besides a sudden spike of pain, you can damage your skin and get some pimples later as a bonus.

Step 4 – Find the right shape and style

Not everyone has the identical shape of the face or fashion style for that matter. Your barber will give you the best advice when it comes to the styling of your soon-to-be salt and pepper beard.

Step 5 – Enjoy every Halloween

With every new gray hair you will be one step closer to wizard cosplay. And as it gets even whiter, choose #TeamGandalf or #TeamSauron.

How to Style and Maintain It

Step 1 – Beard oil is your secret helper

The best time to use it was yesterday. The second best is right now.

Step 2 – Don’t go cheap with your beard equipment

After all, a good beard set costs much less than a dinner and a movie. And you won’t be getting any dinner or movie if your beard is not neat.

Step 3 – Pair your hair with your beard

Salt and pepper hair is not taboo but a trend in men’s fashion.

Step 4 – Visit your barber often

Even if you know a thing or two about beard trimming, you will need some advice at the start. It stretches from choosing the world’s best beard shampoo to some style tips.

Step 5 – Not every salt and pepper beard is good for you

We have prepared a quick guide on that too. You can find it further in the article.

How to Dye a Salt and Pepper Beard

Step 1 – Take beard dye

Wax and sprays are more for putting out the fire than actual help.

Step 2 – Choose the right color and shade

It depends on many things, from your natural beard color to the amount of gray in your beard.

Step 3 – Take a few drops of the dye

Leave it overnight to check if you have an allergic reaction to the dye. It’s not that rare.

Step 4 – Wash your beard

And we mean it. Wash all the debris, remove all the shampoo and dry the hair. Protect the skin around the beard with baby oil.

Step 5 – Put on the latex gloves and start applying a dye

If you don’t have one, a new toothbrush will serve the same purpose.

Step 6 – Be patient

Most of the famous beard dyes take around 20 minutes for you to see the results. More if your beard is thicker and darker.

Step 7 – Wash up

If you covered all the silver hair, wait a few minutes more. Then, carefully wash out the excess dye from your beard.
Use a towel to end the process. It will end up with some color stains.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

• Visit a good barbershop for the best recommendation about the beard style.
• Wait for your silver hair to appear naturally. Dyed salt and pepper beards lack certain charm.
• Maintain a healthy diet accompanied by a healthy lifestyle. That’s the only way your beard will look its best.
• Wear it with pride. Silver hair in your beard is a medal for your accomplishment, not a sign of old age.

Don’ts

• Never use low-quality beard equipment or cosmetics possibly filled with dangerous chemicals. Choosing natural beard soap is always a good option.
• Don’t try to cut or trim your beard unless you know what you are doing.
• Don’t trim your new beard too soon. Not everyone can grow a yeard, but everyone can try.
• If you are still uncomfortable with all the salt in your beard don’t push it. Dye the damn thing or shave it. You don’t have to wear it just because it’s trendy.

Quick Tips

• Natural salt and pepper beard are always better than colored ones.
• Maintaining a beard is more troublesome than growing it.
• Trim, wash and use beard oil.
• Beard is the reflection of your health. Stay healthy and keep your beard well-nourished.
• There is a thin line between glorious beard and hobo look.
• Pair your hair with your beard.

FAQ

How did a salt and pepper beard get its name?

The term was adopted to describe people whose hair started going gray. It looked like someone sprinkled salt on a pile of pepper.
In some cases, the term was almost insulting. But luckily men around the world embraced the trend and now proudly wear their silver.

Does salt and pepper beard look good on everyone?

No, and no. To wear the salt and pepper beard you need to be a man in every sense of the word. You need to have style, self-confidence, a strong personality and maturity. That comes with a certain age. Salt and pepper beard is for men in their prime, not teenagers.

How to get a salt and pepper look if I have a black beard?

You can visit your favorite barber. Discuss sport and politics while he dyes your hair with some fine silver dye.
Or you can be patient and wait for nature to take its course.