If you like to look elegant while still being in style, then you’ll love these 20 haircuts. They are characterized by:
- Going great with short beards.
- Giving you a modern but elegant look.
- Being easy to comb and maintain.
- Helping bring out your character.
If you learn to choose well by using the tips and examples that we’re going to give you, you’ll always be happy with our haircut in combination with your short beard style.
Since the shave and cut of the beard are so important, let’s first give you a series of tips on how to trim and maintain a short beard.
The 20 Hairstyles For A Short Beard
1. Sideways medium quiff and mid-faced beard
This is a medium to long quiff, combed to one side, and a slightly pronounced fade on the sides. It gives both an elegant and smart touch at the same time. But the cut would be nothing without the short beard, which completes the look. The trend is to keep it neat, and you achieve this with a small amount of foam or matte or slightly glossy cream, applied over wet hair in order to maintain volume.
2. Long and messy hair over the forehead
A style that expresses rebellion and order at the same time. If your hair is of the type that grows forward, you just have to follow its logic. The haircut is a little longer than medium length but disorderly, and it falls over the forehead and ears, hiding them. This is compensated by a short beard, shaved a little higher than the Adam’s apple, which allows it to be noticed just under the stubble and gives a visual sense of stability. Always without losing its mystery.
3. High quiff combed backwards with dark fade
A haircut ideal for men who love detail. The quiff stays high and is combed backwards and slightly to the side. The fade on the sides is dark: it goes from zero to higher and higher guard numbers. The beard cut is pointed at the chin, and gives an effect of an elongated head. If you feel like your ears are big, you can compensate this effect by asking your barber to give you a lower arch.
4. A classic cut, but modern at the same time
If you have thick and strong, but neat hair, this cut will be a good option for you. The quiff is medium in height and has a part to one side. Apply cream or foam over moist hair and comb it upwards and slightly to the side opposite the part. That gives it texture and volume. The beard meats the sideburns with force and on even lines, which highlights a manly character. The modern touch is given by a dark fade with a high arch.
5. Freefall mane with bangs over the face
This is a careful cut but that gives an appearance of carefreeness. The front parts of the mane are layered, and that is what composes the bangs. Using this style goes very well with a short beard as a contrast. It expresses a bohemian and disheveled lifestyle. It goes great with bushy eyebrows, as thick as the mane itself.
6. Buzz cut and matching beard length
If your face is oval shaped, you could look good with a simple buzz cut, meaning, with the same length of hair all over the head, or maybe slightly longer on the top than on the sides, with a fade that makes the difference visible. The beard can be trimmed at the same length as the hair, or a similar one, which gives an even visual experience. The beard cut is left at the height of the Adam’s apple, so that it doesn’t visibly stick out of your stubble. If you use beauty products to lighten your hair a tone, that will highlight the natural color tone of your eyebrows and beard.
7. Long on top parted to the side with high arch
A haircut that balances youth and elegance. It goes well with sporty clothes as well as with a more formal look. The long hair is combed to one side on top starting at a part that divides the top from the side. The arch is high, well separated from the ear, and creates a dark fade from almost zero to medium-short at the part. It looks well balanced if the beard follows the natural shape of the face, it is kept well combed, and is a length similar to the hair along the side part.
8. Pulled back mane in a bun over the back of the neck
This is a neat mane, pulled back in a bun well placed in the center back of the neck. It has no layers or fades on the sides. More than a haircut, this is a way to keep the mane neat for events or more formal activities. It goes well with a neatly cut beard that follows the natural lines of the face. It gives the sensation of a passionate character that knows how to conserve the elegance of shapes.
9. Tall faux-hawk that extends down the neck
Another perfect cut for men with thick and strong hair as much on the head as in the beard. This is a tall faux or mohawk with the sides unshaven, but rather faded. The crest is higher towards the front and it dips down the back of the neck. The fade on the sides is intense: it goes from almost zero to higher numbers, according to what you yourself choose. A little gel or cream will keep the central patch firm, but for this type of cut, it will help a lot if your hair is already strong and firm by nature.
10. Classic dark French cut
This is the perfect cut for the man of an elegant appearance and organized character. It’s called a ‘dark French’ due to its French origin and because the thickness and height of the hair don’t allow the skull to be seen. The hair, long on top and slightly wavy, is combed sideways without using a part (though one might form spontaneously). The sides are fadeless. The style up top matches great with a classic short beard, that just follows the natural lines of your face and is kept at a length that doesn’t overshadow the thickness of your eyebrows, so that they go well together. The sideburns join the beard smoothly.
11. Medium quiff combed to the side with a short beard
With this kind of cut, the quiff is between short and medium, and is combed upwards and slightly to one side (you have to see which way your hair tends to go on its own). The sides have a dark fade that goes quickly from zero to higher numbers. The beard cut low and tight over the lips expresses a jovial character, that is always flashing a smile while always being profound. This combination of hair and beard will make you look a few years older, which is ideal if you need to cause that impression on the job or somewhere else.
12. Upwards quiff with lightly faded sides
If you have thick and strong hair but with the tendency to for cowlicks, this cut will suit you very well. Take advantage of the natural cowlicks of the hair so as to express the intense and stable energy of your character with them. The hair is combed forward, however the quiff is combed upward, and you can keep it that way all day with a little bit of gel or cream. The similar height of the hair upward and of the beard downward give your face stability and symmetry, and they generate a sense of stableness and consistency.
13. Dark French cut in a messy version
This variation of the dark French turns out to be great for men that wish to look elegant without giving up a young vibe. If the cut and the hairstyle are done on straight hair, the hair will tend to fall to one side without the need to draw the part by hand. It’s a good choice if you don’t want to worry too much about watching your hairstyle or touching your hair up, but would rather leave it more or less to itself without it looking disorderly. The beard being shorter than the hair, following the natural lines of the face, pitches in its own towards that young but stable look.
14. High and firm quiff with stripes
This style of quiff will look better the firmer and less straight your hair naturally is. It’s not impossible to maintain it if you do have straight hair, but you will have to use an extra-strength gel to hold the waves of the quiff in place. The perfect finish of the quiff jives perfectly with a short beard that ends at a point on the china, and some ‘positive’ cat scratches on the beard and ‘negative’ ones on the back of the neck. This haircut expresses a more technological or minimalist look (with a hint of manga or anime), which works out ideally for the more contemporary or media-centered man.
15. Long hair on top with fadeless sides
A cut that expresses upright character without leaving sensitivity behind. On top the hair is long without turning into a mane or falling down, and it’s short on the sides without a fade. If your head is oval or elongated and you want it to be less notable, you can compensate it with a petty short beard, which gives the face a little volume but not too much. If you apply a little cream or gel, you’ll be achieving an ideal texture and a more durable consistency.
16. Combed-back bleached faux with contrasts
This is a haircut full of contrasts, ideal for a man with a versatile, changing, or dynamic character. The hair on top is kept with a length between medium and long, in high contrast with the shortness of the faded sides. The arch is a bit high in a lighter tone, which also contrasts with the natural color of the beard and the eyebrows. Lastly, the flattened sense of the hair on top contrasts with the termination of a rounded-tip beard at the chin.
17. Top knot with a short beard
The top knot is an ideal style for men that have straight hair, that doesn’t stand up on its own and tends more to fall. There is no fading or blending on the sides. Between the sides and the top, a part forms due to the hair being pulled back upward to a small, messy bun. The sides, the sideburns and the beard are done with the same blade guard size on the electric clippers (respecting the height of the eyebrows), in a way that everything ends up even and gives a sensation of verticality.
18. Medium cut faux with dark fade
A faux spin-off haircut with the hair between short and medium length on top, and on the sides a fade that goes from almost zero to medium length (including the sideburns), with a hard arch. Ideal for the active man, full of vitality. The beard is kept from short to medium length, in symmetry with the hair on top. If you feel like your head is small, this combination of beard and haircut will help you give a bigger appearance.
19. Undercut with very gradual fade
This style of cut is characterized by a very progressive fade between the lower sides and the high part on top. The quiff can be worn higher or lower, but it will always be more abundant than the sides. If you apply wax or lacquer, you’ll keep the elegance in order up on top for several hours. The way you comb it can be varied as well: or totally backwards or to one side with a little more volume. Without a doubt, the undercut matches finer and more intense make facial features very well.
20. Bowl cut with dark fade
The bowl cut was in style a few decades ago, and it’s back once again. It consists of a circular cut all around the upper part of the head (around the temple), including a straight bang line on the forehead. The upper cut contrasts with almost shaven sides, or with a very dark fade. It expresses a rebellious and passionate masculine character. It matches a short beard very nicely, more or less at the height of the bowl cut up top.
How to trim a short beard
A short beard is one that is allowed to grow no longer than 2 to 3 centimeters long on the chin. Beyond this size, the beard is no longer short, but rather medium or long. The short beard is simple in appearance, but it can be complex in trimming and shaping.
Unlike the long beard, a short beard should respect the shape of the face so as to look harmonious, and this is not always easy to achieve if you don’t have enough experience and practice.
There are many styles of short beards, however, how can you trim a beard so that it looks elegant but not flashy at the same time? Here you have a few tips in order to achieve just that.
Haircutting accessories are a huge help
It’s important to use accessories that permit exactness. You can use scissors, but also electric clippers, which is fast and precise, as well as specialty trimmers and shapers. You can use them yourself, but there is possibly no one more precise and quicker than a professional when it comes to using scissors or electric clippers.
Combing before the cut
You should lack a good combing or brushing before trimming your beard, since this will untangle the hair and make the scissor or electric clippers work easier. This will allow for a better trim in less time, and it therefore increases the precision and finishing details.
A moist beard but not wet
When being cut, it’s better that the beard be moist, but not wet. If it’s wet, imperfections can be generated. In a wet beard, the hairs stick to one another and create an apparent volume. If it’s trimmed this way, you will only see the imperfections once it dries.
Harmonize with other areas of hair
Trimming a beard implies harmonizing it in shape, length, volume, and tone with respect to other significant areas of hair on the face, such as mustache, sideburns of even eyebrows. If harmony among these areas is respected, then a short beard will always look elegant and express your character.
Harmony can also be achieved by contrast por proportion, meaning through fades in color, length, or shape between areas of hair on the face. The style counts as well: it can be orderly, but also uneven.
Don’t stop visiting your barber
Sometimes at home by yourself you won’t be able to get your short beard to look the most elegant and even as possible, or maybe it takes to long to achieve this. In that case, you can visit your barber regularly, who in a quick, short time will be able to achieve that which takes you a while, thanks to their experience and accessories.
How to make a short beard look good
In order for your beard cut to look perfect, it’s not enough to just let it grow: you have to care for it, wash it, treat it and keep it in line with your face and haircut. Here we give you some tips for your short beard to look good:
Choose your beard based on the shape of your face
One of the keys to getting a handsome and elegant beard is that, when trimming and designing it, respect the shapes that your face suggests. That creates harmony between your face, your beard, and your haircut, and it highlights your masculinity.
Sometimes you have to first let your beard grow out for a few weeks, in order to see what natural patterns in follows. Only then will you be able to do adequate cuts and profiles.
The style for your short beard will depend on whether your face is round, oval, square, rectangular, etc. There are many kinds of short beards: simple, goatee, well defined, thin or thick, with or without a mustache, etc. Some will look better on you and others less so.
Match it to the rest of your hair
In order for the short beard to look elegant, hygienic and handsome, something important to do is to match it with your haircut, with the hairstyle you use regularly, as well as with the tone and shape of your hair and the color of your eyebrows. You also have to keep in mind the kind of sideburns that you naturally form, whether it’s to trim it, shape it up or to leave it just like it is.
Beards that aren’t too long or too short
It’s important for the beard line to match the neckline. The beard shouldn’t be trimmed back to high or too low with respects to the neckline or Adam’s apple.
For example, a beard cut back to the height of the chin is too short, while if it’s down below the Adam’s apple, it’s too long and can lower elegance in certain contexts. An ideal measurement would be one finger-width above the Adam’s apple.
A symmetric beard is always elegant
Another thing that makes a beard look smarter is when it’s symmetric. If you were to draw an imaginary vertical line that went through your nose and chin and divided your face in two halves, the beard should spread identically (or almost) towards both sides of the face.
If you can’t achieve this on your own, then you might need the help of a barber. Sometimes it’s hard to get symmetry by yourself in the mirror, and on the other hand it can be easier for the barber, thanks to being able to look at you from a frontal view.
Trim it in an even and uniform way
To trim your beard and for it to look as uniform as possible, you can use electric clippers and the blade guards it includes. You can also rely on your barber, who will have all the possible accessories at your disposal for your beard to end up having a perfect surface and texture, in the shortest amount of time possible.
Should you remove other hair?
Now this depends on your preference. Hair in the ears, in the nose, on the sides of the neck, between the eyebrows, sideburns, areas under the eyes…they may need you to trim or shape them. When you have a short beard, it makes other hairy areas more noticeable.
If you like those other hairs just as they are, leave them be. And if you don’t like them, then shave them off with clippers designed for doing just that. Of course, it all depends on the image you’re after, or what part of the face you want to highlight or compensate for.
How To Keep A Short Beard Clean
It’s true that a short beard tends to be more hygienic than a longer beard. It picks up less residue and food, and it is more easily ventilated. Nevertheless, in order for a short beard to be elegant, it requires for you to take care of it just as if it were hair. Here we give you some advice focused on hygiene and the cleanliness of a short beard.
- If you have sensitive skin (or even if you don’t), after trimming or shaping your beard, it’s best to apply some kind of mild disinfectant in order to avoid developing acne, reddening of the skin, or to keep the small wounds and shave can provoke from getting infected.
- Keep your beard combed and free of tangles, so air can reach all of the hairs and skin. This will deter everyday dirtiness, or even can hinder the growth of bacteria or parasites.
- You should wash your beard with a mild shampoo. Wash it just like you do your head: rubbing and massaging the surface of the hair and also the underlying skin.
- After washing it, you can apply a beard conditioner. The conditioner will help you keep the beard soft, whether it’s hot or cold out. What’s more, it won’t get tangled when combing or trimming it.
- After washing and conditioning the beard, you might want to dry it as well, especially if you have a thick or shaggy type of hair. This will deter moisture and smells.
- It is worthwhile to exfoliate the skin of the face once per week, especially around the beard, with the objective of elimination dead skin, which tends to be more frequent in the case of short beards.
How To Upkeep A Short Beard
A short beard has big advantages, but it also holds its own secrets. Among the advantages of sporting a short beard are that it doesn’t require extensive care to wash it or maintain it, and that it can go well as much with informal environments as with formal or professional ones. Here you have some tips for upkeeping and caring for your short beard.
Care for your beard like you care for your hair
You should frequently wash your beard. Since it’s short, the hair roots are visible, as well as the underlying skin. Any lack of hygiene will be noticeable right away. You should also untangle it and comb or brush it. It’s never too much to protect it from weather conditions, like excess sunshine, cold or wind.
Use softening products so it won’t be scratchy
A short beard can easily be scratchier and pokier for anyone that comes near your face (your partner, for example), or it can even cause you to itch, especially if it isn’t taken care of, dries out or has just been trimmed. You can avoid this by washing your beard with a soap or shampoo of choice, and more so if you apply a softening product, such as capillary hydrating oils.
There are products designed especially for taking care of facial hair and for hydrating the skin of that area. Specifically: shampoos, conditioners, and beard oils and balms. If you don’t want your beard to offset your elegance, and to avoid acne and reddening, always choose a high-quality product, with the greatest amount of natural ingredients possible, without sulfates, silicones, or parabens.
Keep products with biotin in mind
If you feel that your beard grows very slowly, biotin can come to your aid. It’s an ingredient which is often included in supplements, and that promotes quick hair growth in a healthy way. If you combine the biotin supplement with physical exercise, a healthy diet and capillary massages, you will see your beard multiply in length and density very soon.
Brief Glossary Of Barber’s Terms
In order for you to better understand the catalog of the 20 gentlemen’s styles for men with a short bear which we will soon show you, we provide you with this glossary of barber’s terms and masculine hairdressing:
- Quiff is the portion of hair located at the front, and which is teased higher than the rest of the hair.
- Fade is the technique of achieving two different lengths of hair without being able to tell where one ends and the other begins. It is frequently used between the sides and top of the head.
- Bangs are the part of the hair that falls down over the forehead and are cut in a specific way.
- Arch is the distance between the hair line on the side of the head and the ear. The arch can be low (the haircut line is close to or just above the ear) or high (the haircut line is higher up and farther away from the ear).
Part is the line that divides hair and can be made through combing or with electric clippers. There are kinds of hair where a part is formed spontaneously.
