Neck Beards: Men often feel like they don’t have any options when it comes to styling themselves. And frankly – it couldn’t be further from the truth! A man can change his look right up by keeping a beard, shaving it right off, styling a moustache in one way or another etc.
Not only is this convenient, it is also extremely easy to do. Styling beards or facial hair can also be used for many purposes. A beard can make the difference between a chiselled jaw and a shapeless face. It can be used to hide patchy hair growth or as a means to soften facial features. For instance, an exceptionally large nose can be well compensated for by a large moustache, styling it in a style which is suited to the face.
What is a Neck Beard?
There are many kinds of beards that can be styled on faces – circle beards, royale beards, goatees, chevron moustaches, stubble, handlebars, horseshoe, chin straps, for instance. But the neck beard is often overlooked on the face of it because of it being associated with being untidy or unkempt.
The secret to keeping a neck beard looking clean and styled lies in the smaller details. It starts with just washing and caring for your beard hair.
The neck beard essentially starts at the base line of the ear on one side, down to the Adam’s apple, and to the other ear. All the hair that is under this line is considered to be neck beard. Some men tend to keep small, tight neck beards, whereas some other, style their neck beards long and down to the base of their necks.
Neckbeard vs beard
- A neck beard is fierce, unorthodox and completely opposed to the general science behind fashioning a beard. However, this trend has been rocked by many pop superstars, who have in turn inspired a subculture of beard styles that go below the chin. People have mimicked their idols and are buying into the aesthetic value of this style. On the other hand, normal beards are so common that one wouldn’t even notice a difference in a look if the beard was styled one way or another.
- From a barber’s perspective, this style is not as simple as it seems. One may tend to associate the look with an unkempt persona, but just like any facially defining beards, the neck beard when maintained can look dignified and sober in contrast with other flashy styles. The status quo on beard styles is nothing if not scruff. Men in the last few centuries have reduced their use of facial hair as an accessory. The dapper high society men of the past used neck beards to elevate their facial aesthetic.
- The neck beard takes the attention off the face, and instead that hair tapers the neck out onto the face, making the body look proportionate. Normal beards can, at most, make the face look fuller and more adjusted.
- Scarce neck beards are the average Joe’s model off duty look. It spells relaxed, yet maintained and can be pulled off with any looks, whether formal, casual or something in between.
- Thicker neck beards and thick eyebrows make the eyes pop. This look can help open up the face and throw some light on the cheeks. A normal beard would only serve to cover up the area under the cheek bones.
How to Grow Your Neck Beard
Growing a neck beard from scratch can seem like a daunting task, but keep in mind this is the style you prefer, and take each day at a time. When growing a beard, not only will you be required some time to groom your beard, but as time goes by, you will also face some circumstances which will leave you frustrated, or even exhausted. The end result, trust me, is worth the wait.
Step One: Growing it out
- Growing out the hair on your face should be relatively easy if you already have some beard structure to work with. However, for those who merely have stubbles, this can take up to four weeks.
- Within this time, the hair would have grown out significantly from the follicle.
Step Two: Maintain
- For the period of those four weeks, you must take exceptional care of your beard.
- Washing and conditioning the beard hair is essential.
- Use products designed for facial hair.
- Invest in a beard oil.
Step Three: Thicker and Longer
- If you want your beard to grow out long and thick with some mass, beard balms are advised.
- DIY solutions to getting thicker hair is to use coconut oil on the beard every night before sleeping, and leaving it in to soak up. It is important to push through the hair growth and reach the skin below and massage that. The strands should all be covered in the oil.
Step Three: Comb Through
- Every time that you apply coconut oil in your neck beard, make sure to use a thin toothed comb to comb through in the direction of the facial hair growth that you prefer.
- This combing will encourage the hair to grow out and take the desired shape, be it tapering or wide bottomed.
How to Trim Neckbeard
A neck beard is trickier to trim than a normal beard because it does not grow on your face. The skin on the neck is a lot more sensitive and prone to nicks and cuts. Therefore, trimming it requires considerable skill. Once the beard has grown over four weeks, it will be ripe for trimming.
For this, you will need:
- Beard Shampoo and Conditioner
- Beard Oil
- Fine Toothed Comb
- Shaving Accoutrement
- Facial Trimmer
How to Trim:
- First, you must wash your beard thoroughly and massage the skin to get the dirt or deposit that may settle through the thick beard.
- Use shampoo and conditioner thoroughly and then pat dry with a clean towel.
- Once done, use the comb to untangle the hair and get rid of any lose hair in the beard.
- Now, apply beard oil. Take a few drops of the beard oil into your palms and rub together. Then, comb the oil through your beard hair and make sure to cover it all.
- If you intend to keep a completely clean face, and a longer neck beard, you should now prepare your shaving kit. Make a guiding line with the shaving cream on your cheek, cutting off where you want to stop using the razor. Shave in the direction of the hair growth.
Keep in mind to leave enough of a buffer between the lines where the hair is shaven and where the beard starts.
- The next step is to use the comb as a guide to check the length of the beard, and trim the excess. This should be done with the utmost precision as this is the defining line of a beard.
How to Maintain Neckbeard
Hydrating:
Nobody likes a limp and dry beard. It is very essential to beard care to keep your neck beard looking natural and manicured. Regular shampooing and conditioning is good for the hygiene of the skin, but tends to pull away some essential oils from the hair as well.
This is where beard oil comes in. it is a leave-in conditioner of sorts which balances the natural oils in the skin behind your neck beard, and the strands as well. Store bought products can many a time contain harmful sulfates and silicones.
To make beard oil at home, simply mix some jojoba, coconut and almond oils together with an essential oil of choice. This solution is bang for buck and conditions well.
Beard Balm:
A beard balm can be purchased at any utility store. This balm is a conditioning solution which when applied to the skin and beard, tames it down and makes it easier to style. A beard balm will typically contain beeswax as a main ingredient. Do not go for chemical mixtures as these can end up being sticky. The moisture of chemical balms can cause dandruff.
How to Use:
- A beard balm is best used after a shower, or after washing the beard thoroughly.
- This is a grainy mixture and so should be smoothened out between the palms before application.
- For application, comb it through the hair in the same manner as beard oil application, only making sure that the grain is dissolving in the heat of your palms.
Beard Comb:
Invest in a set of beard combs. These combs come in different sizes, from ones which can fit in your pocket, to larger ones which can help with a long beard. The durability of these combs depends on how rough or hard your neck growth is. Thin toothed combs are required during styling and cleaning.
Beard combs must be run in the direction of the hair and not the other way. If it is difficult to guide your hair in one direction, apply some serum.
Boar Bristle Brushes:
These brushes are wooden handled while the bristles are boar hair. This hair has a scaly quality which successfully dislodges any grime or build-up in the hair or skin.
Boar bristle brushes are preferred for longer beards and should be used once a day, to keep the shape. Persons with short beards tend to irritate their skin if using a boar bristle brush.
Sharp Scissors:
A set of sharp beard scissors is the quintessential tool for the bearded man. The scissor is used to shape the bottom of the beard. This part defines the look and must be kept impeccable.
Styling Wax:
A handy bottle of beard styling wax can make or break a pristine neck beard. Rub the wax into the hair and pull them open with your fingers in the direction of the desired style.
Neck Beards Suitable for Who?
A neck beard is not the most popular style of beards because of the difficulty involved in pulling it off. The most likely to carry off this look are:
- Diamond Shaped Faces: Men with diamond shaped faces tend to look more attractive with these beards. This is because the narrower jawline can be offset by the wide beard growing on the neck. The two are complementary to one another and only amp up the style.
- Patchy Hair Growth Patterns: Men who have faced the issues that come with patchy hair growth on the face will find that leaving the face bare, and completely clean shaven, but growing out the neck beard can give them an elegance quotient. This style takes attention from the flaws of the face growth pattern, and direct it towards the chiselled line of the jaw.
- Scanty Hair: Men who have scantier hair on their heads, but thick eyebrows can take up the challenge of a neck beard. The eternal biker dude/bad-boy look goes best with a leather jacket flung on one shoulder, and the keys to a Harley in the other!
- Taking a Risk: Growing a neck beard is not everyone’s cup of tea. This is a risk that only confident men are advised to take. The look in its entirety is a success, but the phase when the hair growth is slow and unsteady can be a turn off on social events or dates. However, the risk is worth the compliments to come.
5 Best Styles with Neckbeard
- Clean and Short
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The clean and short beard is one where the face is kept clean shaven and the beard on the neck is emphasised. Here the line below the jaw is used as a guide, and the surface area which fall in its shadow is where the beard should be grown. This can either be styled by leaving it thickly to grow, or can be trimmed close, depending on the requirement.
Best suited for: This look is for men who have patchy growth patterns on their faces but do have hair on their neck.
Commitment Required: Most men keep their beards short on the neck – this requires lesser maintenance and is easier to manage in a short time. Others who keep long neck beards can choose to grow the beards out, which can take a month to come to level.
- Barely There Neck Beard
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A peek-a-boo beard is the barely there stubble style. Easily paired with a bedhead and a 5 o’ clock shadow on the face, this beard can turn up the oomph factor on any face. This look toes the fine line between homeless and hipster, and when done well – i.e. maintaining the stubble – can give you that model off duty look.
Best suited for: This is suited for all face shapes. Men who have a lot of fat accumulation under their chin should avoid this style. Those with patchy beard growth pattern should avoid the look.
Commitment Required: three to four days depending on your hair growth pattern. Men with scantier hair growth may take longer to achieve the look.
Preferred Tools:
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- Trimmer
- Extended Chin Strap
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A chin strap is a strip of hair that extends from the sideburns to the outline of the jaw. This style circles the entirety of the jaw and is sometimes accompanied by a moustache which is joined to it from the side of the mouth. This is perfect for emphasising a perfect jawline. The look must be maintained often.
Best Suited For: Men with triangle or diamond shaped faces are most likely to be able to carry off this look because of their prominent chins. The chin strap perfectly encapsulates the sharp angles of the chin.
Commitment Required: This look requires very little commitment as the concentration has to be only on the jawline and not the cheeks or any other larger surface area.
Tools Required:
-
- Trimmer
- Shaving Cream and Razor
- Neck Strap
The neck strap is an extended version of the chin strap. This difference between the two beards is that the neck strap extends downward. Where the chin strap is limited to the skin, the neck strap doesn’t really have any boundaries. You can let it grow out grisly and style it with wax to make it look organized rather than giving you a Rubeus Hagrid vibe.
Best Suited For: This is best suited for men who have a heavy chin. This style helps in hiding the excess fat and gives the body a more proportionate look.
Commitment Required: A neck beard takes time to grow out. If you have average hair growth, this process can take up to one month to grow out enough to style.
Tools Required:
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- Trimmer
- Shaving equipment
- Scissors
- Classic Gentleman
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The Classic Gent beard is the go to style chosen by the most dignified of the world. This beard is a short, yet thick coagulate of facial hair which needs to be trimmed often. The unique feature of this beard is that it joins in on the sideburns. The extended sideburns elongate the face and the beard adds depth and elegance.
Best suited for: Persons with small, round faces or stubby chins which lack defined lines.
Commitment required: No lie, this style requires intense commitment, unless you are blessed with exceptional hair growth. Side burns require constant trimming to avoid looking like the yeti.
Most Preferred Tools:
-
- Trimmer
- Comb for guiding hair
- Beard scissors