Goatee vs. Beard: What’s the Difference?

The goatee and the beard have many popular styles, but they cater to different personal tastes and level of beard care. While both fall under the facial hair category, they are distinct in their coverage, styles, and grooming needs.

The primary difference? A goatee is more focused, limited to the chin and sometimes the mustache or jaw, offering a sharp, well-defined look. In contrast, a beard provides broader coverage, extending across the jawline and cheeks, with more versatility and a fuller appearance.

If you’re deciding between the two, consider how they can flatter your face shape, your ability to grow facial hair, and your commitment to grooming. That’s a whole lot to figure out, but worry not! The Beard Club is here to light the way. 

Let’s start with face shapes and then break down each style’s characteristics to help you determine which suits you best! 

Which Style is Best for Your Face Shape?

Your face shape plays a role in how well a beard or goatee may suit you. If you’re unsure which style will complement your face shape, check out this quick guide below.

• Round Face: A goatee can create the illusion of length, making the face appear slimmer.

• Square Faces: A full beard helps soften strong jawlines, while a circle goatee enhances structure.

• Oval Face: Lucky you! Both goatees and full beards work well with oval face shapes.

• Long Face: A fuller beard adds width and balances out narrow faces.

While this guide can help you decipher, don’t be discouraged from trying the style you’re most interested in. The worst-case scenario, you keep on growing or shave it off! 

What Is a Goatee?

Goatees focus on styles with your chin hair and may or may not incorporate a mustache. The facial hair generally does not extend to the cheeks or jawline like a full beard would, but there are some exceptions.

Most goatee styles are neatly groomed to maintain a particular look. Goatee-beard combos, like the anchor goatee and Van Dyke, are great options for those who struggle with patchy cheek growth. As in-between styles, they offer the best of both worlds when working to improve your beard growth for a fuller beard.

Based on your facial hair growth and goals, you can choose from several variations of goatees.

Go-To Goatee Styles

• Classic Goatee: The classic goatee is a patch of hair on the chin with no mustache. Also referred to as a soul patch.

• Full Goatees: Also referred to as a circle beard, it connects a full upper lip mustache to a chin beard.

• Anchor Goatee: This more pointed goatee extends along the jawline and may connect to your sideburns, similar to a chinstrap beard.

• Long Goatee: Extended goatee styles are grown out to create a fuller, more distinctive look. It may be worn with or without a ‘stache.

• Van Dyke: A disconnected mustache and full chin beard below the lower lip for a sharp, artistic look.

Pros & Cons of a Goatee

If you’re considering a goatee, here’s what you should know:

Goatee Pros:

• Less maintenance than a full beard.

• Ideal for men with patchy beard growth, especially on the cheeks.

• Can define the jawline and give a sharper look.

• Offers a variety of stylish modifications.

Goatee Cons:

• Not always suitable for every face shape. However, you can always try out styles regardless of your face shape. If you’re drawn to goatees, you never know how your personality and style can bring together a look!

• Requires regular trimming to keep its distinct look. When choosing your facial hair, it’s good to consider whether you’re the type to maintain upkeep with combing, trimming, and moisturizing with beard oil. For instance, fancy handlebar mustache styles aren’t for everyone! 

What Is a Beard?

Life’s short, but your facial hair doesn’t have to be! A full beard style covers the entire lower face, including the cheeks, jawline, chin, and mustache area. These styles require more maintenance and growth time but can be tailored to create many looks, like the balbo beard, anchor beard, and much more! 

Beards come in all shapes and sizes. Take a look below to explore the best beard styles based on your growth, upkeep, and desired look.

Top Beard Styles

• Short Boxed Beards: Neatly trimmed, professional-looking short beards for those who want to express their style but keep it clean-cut.

• Chin Strap Beards: Variations of chinstrap beards are good in-between options because they don’t require full beard growth and keep the cheeks clean-shaven.

• Long Beards: For those who have patience with their beard growth or quickly grow facial hair, you may opt for longer, more rugged beard looks.

• Stubble Beards: This easy-to-maintain short stubble gives a sharp, masculine appeal. Note that stubble beards are often found with more established facial hair — and no, shaving and its frequency does not affect the rate of your beard growth! However, shaving creates a blunt tip on each hair, which is what gives beards that prickly feel during regrowth — often a quintessential staple of stubble beards.

Pros & Cons of a Full Beard

Going for a full beard comes with its own set of advantages and challenges:

Beard Pros:

• They can hide imperfections and transform your overall look.

• Works well for different face shapes and enhances facial symmetry.

• Offers numerous beard styles and possibilities.

Beard Cons:

• Depending on style and length, you’ll need to maintain detangling, trimming, and moisturizing to maintain your facial hair's health and overall look. Creating a regular grooming routine, investing in a quality beard trimmer, oils, beard wash, and conditioner make a world of difference.

• Can be itchy and patchy in the early growth stages. In these instances, ensure you’re strapped with beard cream and a beard brush to soothe and moisturize thoroughly.

• They may not suit all workplaces or dress codes. This is becoming less and less, but some workplaces may limit what they consider appropriate beard styles. In this case, we recommend considering our guides to professional beard styles. 

Goatee vs. Beard: The Final Face-Off

So, should you go for a goatee or a full beard style? It all comes down to personal preference, face shape, and what you’re working with. A goatee might be your best bet if you want something lower-maintenance and sharp, whereas beards may be the way to go if you’re looking for fuller, versatile styles.

Whatever you choose, make sure you take care of your facial hair properly—after all, even the best mustache or beard needs a little TLC. Whether you're keeping things tidy with a sharp goatee or embracing the full, untamed glory of a beard, a quality beard grooming routine is what separates a distinguished look from an overgrown experiment gone wrong.

Still unsure? Give both styles a shot—you can always switch it up if your goatee isn't growing on you! And for all your beard care, be sure to join the club! The Beard Club has all the essential beard care tools and products to keep your facial hair looking sharp and stylish.