How to Choose the Perfect Goatee Style for Your Face Shape

One of the most common questions men ask when considering facial hair is: "Which goatee style will look best on me?" The answer isn't just about personal preference—it's about understanding how different beard shapes interact with your facial structure to create a balanced, attractive appearance.

Just as certain hairstyles complement specific face shapes, goatee styles can be strategically chosen to enhance your best features and minimize others. A well-chosen goatee can make a round face appear more angular, soften a strong jaw, or add visual interest to a longer face. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore how to identify your face shape and match it with the most flattering goatee styles.

Understanding Face Shape Fundamentals

Before diving into specific recommendations, it's important to understand the principles behind face shape and beard pairing. The goal of selecting the right goatee isn't to completely transform your appearance—it's to achieve visual balance and proportion.

Human faces naturally come in a variety of shapes, and none is inherently better than another. However, we tend to perceive faces that exhibit certain proportions as more balanced and attractive. The golden ratio, a mathematical proportion found throughout nature, often appears in faces we consider aesthetically pleasing. Strategic facial hair can help bring your features closer to these perceived ideals.

The basic principle is simple: use facial hair to add visual weight where you want more, and keep areas clean where you want less emphasis. A goatee that adds width will benefit a narrow face, while a style that creates length will flatter a rounder face. Understanding this fundamental concept will help you make informed decisions about your facial hair.

How to Determine Your Face Shape

Before selecting a goatee style, you need to accurately identify your face shape. Here's a reliable method to determine yours:

Step 1: Gather Your Tools You'll need a flexible measuring tape, a mirror, and a pen and paper to record measurements.

Step 2: Take Four Key Measurements

1. Forehead Width: Measure across your forehead at its widest point, typically between the peaks of your eyebrow arches.

2. Cheekbone Width: Measure across your cheekbones, starting and ending at the pointiest part below the outer corner of each eye.

3. Jawline Width: Measure from the tip of your chin to below your ear, where your jaw angles upward. Multiply this number by two for your total jawline measurement.

4. Face Length: Measure from the center of your hairline (or where it would be) straight down to the bottom of your chin.

Step 3: Compare Your Measurements

Now analyze your measurements to determine your face shape:

• Oval Face: Face length is greater than cheekbone width, and forehead is wider than jawline. The jaw is rounded.
• Round Face: Cheekbones and face length are similar. The jaw is soft and rounded, not angular.
• Square Face: All measurements are fairly similar. The jaw is sharp and angular.
• Rectangular/Oblong Face: Face length is the greatest measurement. Forehead, cheekbones, and jawline are similar in width.
• Heart Face: Forehead is wider than cheekbones and jawline. The chin comes to a point.
• Diamond Face: Cheekbones are the widest measurement, with a narrow forehead and jawline.

If you're still unsure, try pulling your hair back and tracing the outline of your face on a mirror with soap or a dry-erase marker. The shape that emerges will make identification easier.

Goatee Styles for Oval Faces

The oval face shape is often considered the most versatile because of its balanced proportions. The length is about one and a half times the width, with a slightly wider forehead that tapers gently to a narrower chin. If you have an oval face, consider yourself lucky—almost any goatee style will work for you.

Recommended Styles:

Full Goatee: The connected mustache and chin beard creates a frame around your mouth that complements your natural proportions without disrupting balance.

Van Dyke: The separated mustache and pointed chin beard adds artistic flair while working beautifully with oval face proportions.

Circle Beard: The round shape echoes and enhances your natural facial curves for a harmonious look.

Classic Goatee: The minimalist chin-only beard maintains your face's natural balance while adding subtle character.

Styles to Consider Carefully:

While oval faces are versatile, extremely long goatee styles might elongate your face too much. If you prefer longer styles, balance them with a fuller mustache to add some horizontal visual weight.

Styling Tips for Oval Faces:

1. Feel free to experiment with different styles—your face shape gives you maximum flexibility.
2. Consider what look fits your lifestyle and profession when making choices.
3. Use your goatee to express personality rather than correct proportions, since your face is already well-balanced.

Goatee Styles for Round Faces

Round faces have soft angles with cheekbones as the widest part. The width and length are similar, and there's typically fullness in the cheeks. The goal with a round face is to add visual length and create the impression of a more defined structure.

Recommended Styles:

Van Dyke: The pointed chin beard is your best friend. It creates visual length and adds the angular definition that round faces often lack.

Extended Goatee (Hollywoodian): The extension along the jawline adds structure and creates shadows that define and elongate the face.

Anchor Beard: The anchor shape traces the jawline, creating definition where round faces need it most. The pointed chin adds essential length.

Long Goatee: An extended chin beard draws the eye downward, creating the illusion of a longer face.

Styles to Avoid:

Circle Beard: While popular, the round shape of a circle beard can emphasize facial roundness rather than counteract it.

Full Cheek Coverage: Even if you can grow a full beard, keeping the cheeks very full will make your face appear even rounder.

Styling Tips for Round Faces:

1. Focus on creating angular lines wherever possible.
2. Keep the sides clean-shaven to maximize the slimming effect.
3. Allow the chin portion to grow slightly longer than you might with other face shapes.
4. Consider pairing your goatee with a hairstyle that adds height, further elongating your appearance.

Goatee Styles for Square Faces

Square faces feature a strong, angular jawline with relatively equal width at the forehead, cheekbones, and jaw. The face is approximately as wide as it is long. While many consider this a classically masculine shape, the strong angles can sometimes appear harsh.

Recommended Styles:

Circle Beard: The soft, rounded shape of a circle beard beautifully softens the angular lines of a square face without hiding your strong features.

Full Goatee: A connected goatee creates smooth curves that contrast with your sharp angles in a complementary way.

Goatee with Stubble: The stubble softens the cheeks and jawline while the defined goatee maintains facial interest.

Balbo Beard: The unique shape of the Balbo, with its curved elements, provides an interesting counterpoint to angular features.

Styles to Consider Carefully:

Anchor Beard: While it can work, the angular lines of an anchor beard might make already strong features appear too severe.

Chin Strap + Goatee: The defined lines along the jaw might over-emphasize your square shape rather than balance it.

Styling Tips for Square Faces:

1. Embrace curves and rounded edges in your goatee style.
2. Avoid sharp corners that mirror your natural angular features.
3. Consider keeping your facial hair slightly shorter to avoid overpowering your face.
4. A light stubble across the cheeks can soften your strong jawline effectively.

Goatee Styles for Rectangular (Oblong) Faces

Rectangular or oblong faces are longer than they are wide, with relatively straight sides. The forehead, cheekbones, and jawline are similar in width, and the face may appear narrow. The goal is to add visual width and break up the length.

Recommended Styles:

Extended Goatee (Hollywoodian): The horizontal extension along the jawline adds the width that rectangular faces need.

Balbo Beard: The wide, T-shaped chin portion creates horizontal visual weight, making the face appear less elongated.

Full Goatee: A wider, connected style adds breadth to the lower face without adding length.

Goatee with Heavy Stubble: Full stubble across the cheeks and jawline adds width and texture that breaks up a long face.

Styles to Avoid:

Long Goatee: Additional length will only emphasize the elongated nature of your face shape.

Classic Goatee (without mustache): The vertical emphasis of a chin-only beard can make your face appear even longer.

Pointed Styles: Van Dyke and similar pointed styles add unwanted vertical emphasis.

Styling Tips for Rectangular Faces:

1. Focus on horizontal lines and full coverage at the sides.
2. Keep the chin portion relatively short to avoid adding length.
3. A fuller mustache can add width to the middle of your face.
4. Consider styles that wrap around the sides of your chin for maximum width.

Goatee Styles for Heart-Shaped Faces

Heart-shaped faces feature a wider forehead that tapers to a narrow, sometimes pointed chin. The cheekbones are often prominent, and the jawline is typically narrow. The goal is to add visual weight to the lower face to balance the wider upper portion.

Recommended Styles:

Full Goatee: A robust connected goatee adds visual weight to the chin area, balancing the wider forehead.

Extended Goatee (Hollywoodian): The extension along the jawline creates width where heart-shaped faces need it most.

Anchor Beard: The jawline-tracing style adds definition and width to the lower face while complementing the natural chin shape.

Circle Beard: A fuller circle beard creates volume at the chin that helps balance the wider upper face.

Styles to Consider Carefully:

Soul Patch: The minimal coverage doesn't add enough weight to the lower face to create balance.

Classic Goatee: While not bad, a chin-only beard may not provide enough visual width for significant balance.

Styling Tips for Heart-Shaped Faces:

1. Aim for styles that add width and volume to the lower half of your face.
2. Fuller styles work better than minimal ones for creating balance.
3. Consider letting your goatee grow slightly wider than average.
4. A strong mustache can help bridge the gap between the wider forehead and narrower jaw.

Goatee Styles for Diamond Faces

Diamond faces are characterized by wide cheekbones with a narrow forehead and narrow, sometimes pointed chin. The goal is to minimize the width at the cheekbones while adding visual weight to both the forehead and chin areas.

Recommended Styles:

Full Goatee: Adds volume to the narrow chin area, helping balance the wide cheekbones.

Extended Goatee: The horizontal lines at the chin level create balance with the width at your cheekbones.

Balbo Beard: The horizontal elements of the Balbo help widen the appearance of your chin to match your cheekbones.

Goatee with Stubble: Light stubble can help fill in the narrow areas while the defined goatee adds focus to the chin.

Styles to Consider Carefully:

Styles that Emphasize Width: While you want to add width at the chin, be careful not to extend too far along the jawline, which could emphasize the narrow lower face.

Styling Tips for Diamond Faces:

1. Focus on adding volume and width to the chin area.
2. Keep cheek areas clean to avoid emphasizing their width.
3. A fuller chin beard can make a significant difference in face balance.
4. Consider the proportions carefully—you're balancing the narrow chin with wider cheeks.

Beyond Face Shape: Other Factors to Consider

While face shape is crucial in choosing a goatee style, several other factors should influence your decision:

Hair Growth Patterns

Not everyone can grow every style. Before committing to a look, honestly assess your facial hair coverage. Some areas may grow thicker than others, which can make certain styles easier or harder to achieve.

Hair Texture

Straight, wavy, and curly facial hair all behave differently. Curly hair may appear shorter than it is and can create more volume, while straight hair lies flat and may require more length for the same visual impact.

Hair Color

Lighter facial hair is less visible and may need to be grown longer to make an impact. Darker hair shows more prominently, so you might be able to achieve your desired look with less growth.

Lifestyle and Profession

Consider where you'll be wearing your goatee. Some professional environments expect more conservative grooming, while creative industries might welcome more distinctive styles.

Maintenance Commitment

Be honest about how much time you're willing to invest in grooming. Some styles require daily attention, while others are more forgiving.

Using Technology to Find Your Perfect Goatee

In the past, finding your ideal goatee style meant weeks of experimentation, growing out facial hair, trying a look, and starting over if it didn't work. Today, technology offers a much easier path.

AI-powered goatee simulators like Goatee.io allow you to upload a photo and instantly preview how different styles would look on your specific face. This takes the guesswork out of the process and lets you compare multiple styles side by side before committing to any growth.

Here's how to get the most from a goatee simulator:

1. Use a Clear Photo: Choose a well-lit, front-facing photo without glasses or accessories that might obscure your face.

2. Try Multiple Styles: Don't just test one or two options. Try all available styles to discover unexpected matches.

3. Compare Carefully: Look at each simulation critically. Does it balance your face? Does it enhance your features?

4. Consider Real-World Factors: Remember that simulations show ideal versions. Consider your actual hair growth patterns and maintenance abilities.

5. Share for Feedback: Get opinions from friends, family, or your barber before making a final decision.

Making Your Final Decision

After analyzing your face shape, considering additional factors, and perhaps using a simulator to preview options, you should have a good idea of which goatee styles will work best for you. Here are some final tips:

1. Start Conservative: If you're new to goatees, start with a style that's easy to maintain and modify. You can always grow into something more dramatic.

2. Give It Time: Even the perfect style needs time to grow in and settle. Give any new goatee at least two to three weeks before making a final judgment.

3. Be Open to Change: Your perfect style today might not be your perfect style forever. As your face changes with age, or as trends evolve, don't be afraid to adapt.

4. Seek Professional Help: A skilled barber can help you achieve the precise shapes and clean lines that make a goatee look its best.

Conclusion

Choosing the right goatee style for your face shape is both an art and a science. By understanding your facial proportions and how different styles interact with them, you can select a goatee that enhances your appearance and expresses your personality.

Remember that while these guidelines are based on aesthetic principles, personal preference always plays a role. If you love a style that isn't traditionally recommended for your face shape, try it anyway—confidence and personal style often trump conventional rules.

Use the tools available to you, from measuring tapes to AI simulators, to make an informed decision. And most importantly, have fun with the process. Finding your perfect goatee style is a journey of self-expression, and the destination is a look that makes you feel confident and authentic.

Start exploring your options today, and discover which goatee style will become your signature look.