10 Beards Without a Mustache, Plus Trimming & Maintenance Tips

With a company called The Beard Club, we think it’s pretty clear how we feel about having a beard. And while good beards usually require a mustache on top to round out the look, they’re definitely not a requirement. We’re definitely not the anti-mustache club; we just know a thing or two about styling your facial hair without a mustache, if that’s your thing.

Here’s everything you need to know about the best beard styles without a mustache.

Wait … Is It Cool To Grow a Beard Without a Mustache?

If there’s one thing you want to keep in mind when you’re styling your facial hair, it’s that there are really no rules. Sure, there are a few guidelines based on trends — but if you like the way your facial hair looks, that’s all that matters at the end of the day. And maybe how your significant other feels about it, too.

Best Face Types for Beards without Mustaches

It’s important to note that beards without a mustache often make a face appear a bit longer or wider, which is something that men with a more rounded face shape might want to achieve. 

Plus, not everyone has the option. Some men have patchy mustaches because of genetics, which forces them to only be able to grow hair follicles on their chin in the first place. And that’s totally cool. 

How Do You Grow a Beard Without a Mustache?

You can’t choose where hair grows on your face, but you can choose where you trim and shave. When you’re trying to grow out a beard without a mustache, you need to spend extra time grooming your upper lip.

Most people choose to shave their upper lip entirely, but some men like to keep a bit of stubble alongside their beard. The best option is the one that works best for you. Try it out with stubble first, and if you don’t like it, then you can shave it off completely with your Beard Trimmer. 

Keep in mind that if you want your beard to be the star of the show, then you need to make sure it looks like it’s in top shape. That means managing beard split ends and flyaways. This starts with using the right beard care products.

The 10 Best Beard Styles without a Mustache

Whether you have a tough time growing hair on your upper lip or you just want to try a new style, here are our top picks for beards without mustaches.

1. The Goatee

Perhaps one of the most classic beard variations out there, the goatee is the quintessential no-mustache beard. Aptly named, this style resembles the hair that grows underneath a goat’s chin.

Some men grow long goatees that shape their jaw into a point, while others keep it short and sweet and make it look a bit more like stubble. Either way, you can’t go wrong here with one of the most classic examples of a beard without a mustache.

This is the perfect beard for men with a rounded face shape who want to accentuate the jaw. It even works for men with a more oval-shaped face as it can help to round out the face and make it look a little bit less long if that’s what you’re going for.

2. The Lincoln Beard

Named after former president Abraham Lincoln, this is a fully lengthened beard with a clean-shaven mustache. It’s exactly what you envision when you picture the 16th American president in your head (minus the top hat).

Some men choose to go all out, letting this beard fully grow on the neck, chin, and sideburns. But others prefer a more groomed option with the neck, cheeks, and upper lip clean-shaven. That shorter version looks more like a long chinstrap variation.

This is perfect for those who want to keep their nice long beards despite maybe having a bit of patchiness on their mustaches.

3. The Soul Patch

Some would argue that the soul patch is barely a beard, but we like to think that any hair underneath those lips can be considered a beard. Even though the soul patch is a tiny speck of hair right underneath your bottom lip, we think it deserves a lot more time in the spotlight.

Dizzy Gillespie popularized the soul patch that spread the style among jazz groups during the 20th-century shift to the 21st. Some people would even call it the “jazz dot,” or the “jazz dab,” but soul patch took hold thanks to early issues of Rolling Stone that referenced the Blues Brothers when using the term.

We’re pretty happy that we don’t need to call it the jazz dot anymore. While the soul patch is definitely not as popular now as it once was, who says that you can’t be the one to bring it back into the mainstream?

4. Mutton Chops

Mutton chops are one of the most divisive beard types out there. You either love them or you hate them, but there’s one thing that rings true: You don’t need to be Wolverine in order to pull them off.

Hugh Jackman might’ve had the most intense mutton chops in the game, but yours don’t need to be as bold. Most men who rock mutton chops keep a thicker hair profile on their cheeks compared to the chin, giving them a more masculine and wilderness-essence look.

You can even fully shave your chin hair and get that movie-star quality mutton chop vibe to help book your next big role.

5. The Chin Puff

The chin puff is a cutely named beard without a mustache that covers the entirety of your lower chin. It’s an excellent variation for men with curly hair, helping to make your hair look more streamlined and clean. Think Will Smith or Jamie Fox.

Most men with curly beards tend to have facial hair that looks unkempt unless you use the right grooming products to tame even the most severe cases of flyaways. But if you don’t have the energy to keep up with it, this variation makes it easy to keep things looking fresh.

6. The Viking Beard

Vikings are the epitome of tough guys, but you don’t need to know how to captain a ship or build a shield in order to get the look (although that does sound awesome). Viking beards are long beards that grow out from the bottom of the chin without growing too long on the cheeks. While many people like to rock it with a mustache, most people will just let their beard steal the show.

This variation is great for older men who like to embrace that aged look, and it looks really great without a mustache at all. With that said, many men prefer to leave a sprinkle of stubble. Try out both and see which feels best for you.

Just be sure to keep the hair on your cheeks short, or it will start to look more like a Lincoln Beard.

7. The Eagle Beard

If you’re looking for a no-mustache beard that no one else around you is going to have, the eagle beard is the way to go. This is a rare beard that looks super cool when done right, but not many people know about it to begin with. 

It’s essentially a stylized goatee where the top is trimmed and shaped with two curves on each side that sort of resemble the wings and head of an eagle. It’s a handsome, unique look, making it one of our favorite beard variations without a mustache.

8. The Chinstrap

The chinstrap beard is seeing a resurgence in the modern day as one of the most common types of beard because it’s short and doesn’t take long to grow. This extends from one hairline to the other side of the face, following the jawline, like the chinstrap of a helmet.

While many men choose to represent this style with longer hair, a short chinstrap frames the face and accentuates the jawline, giving you a more chiseled look than you’d have without this beard in the first place. Other men like to rock a mustache alongside it, but it’s definitely not necessary.

9. The Square Beard

The square beard is another goatee variation that mostly resembles a chin puff. The major difference is that it’s slightly more grown out towards the bottom and squared around the edges. Despite its name, it is best for men with round faces.

10. The Chin Curtain Beard

If you’ve ever wanted to look like you were alive in the 1800s, the chin curtain beard is the choice for you. This is a traditional-looking beard that is long from the ears all the way down to the chin. It’s similar to a Lincoln beard, but the bottom is grown out more — like a curtain covering the chin.

If this beard is your cup of tea, we want to give you a high five. Though, if we could offer a word of advice: Keep it trimmed to manage flyaways to make it look clean and professional no matter what. Beard-trimming scissors are your friends. 

In Conclusion

Wearing your beard without a mustache is the best way to put the spotlight on the facial hair under your lip. And you can accomplish any of these looks with a little bit of grooming practice with high-quality grooming products.

A few of our favorite beard styles include classics like goatees, soul patches, and chinstraps. But you can stand out from the pack with unique looks like eagle beards, Lincoln beards, and square beards.

No matter what you decide, your best beard awaits. Join the club today and unlock 15% off when you take the beard quiz and get your personalized beard care plan.

Sources:

Can’t Grow a Full Beard? There’s an Explanation for That | Cleveland Clinic

Hair Follicle: Function, Structure & Associated Conditions | Cleveland Clinic

Soul patches, explained | Vox

Slideshow: 11 great beards and mustaches of 19th-century Bates | Bates College