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Why Balding Men Need a Beard (Now)

Beard-Styles-for-Bald-Guys
Beard-Styles-for-Bald-Guys
Beard Trends

Why Balding Men Need a Beard (Now)

Take a cue from the leading men of Hollywood to maximize your facial hair potential.

Men typically go bald due to their genetics instead of a personal style choice, and as unexpected as it is, the same hormone (DHT) that causes balding on the top of the scalp, also stimulates the growth of facial hair.

It’s almost like nature trying to tell balding men: “Hey, you might be losing some hair on the head, but here’s something better, a thick growth of beard!”

In our humble opinion, bald men with beards simply look better than bald men without beards – no matter what shape your face is.

We think that any beard style from stubble to a wizardly beard is better than being clean-shaven if you are balding.

Want some proof of that?

vin-diesel-beard-vs-no-beard
Vin Diesel no beard vs. beard (which is a fake beard, but still)
dwayne-johnson-beard-vs-no-beard
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson without and with some facial hair
bruce-willis-beard-vs-no-beard
Bruce Willis without a beard and with a beard

If by some magic you are not yet convinced that every bald man should be growing a beard, then allow us to present you with some further supporting facts…

Women Dislike Bald But Love a Beard

Although we think you should never grow a beard to please anyone else other than yourself, it’s still true that women appear to dislike hairless scalps…

But also like bearded faces.

There’s a mounting pile of evidence supporting the fact that on average, women tend to prefer bearded faces over clean-shaven faces, and even though it isn’t studied whether being bald would impact this, we like to believe that it does.

Here’s a graph from one study where women chose various lengths of facial hair to rank above clean-shaven faces in attractiveness, and the likelihood of them having a long-term or short-term relationship with them.

So instead of stacking the odds against you by being both bald and beardless, at least you can most likely grow a mean-looking beard to improve your looks.

And the fact is that bald men usually grow better-looking beards than their non-bald peers.

Why you ask?

Because balding is primarily triggered by the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in men who are genetically predisposed to losing their hair.

Yet that same hormone – DHT – also stimulates the linear beard growth, along with testosterone (another male hormone which is also often elevated in balding men).

(If that isn’t the case, then I’m sorry, but at least our guides to growing your mustache faster should be able to help you out).

“So even though you may be shedding up top, it’s likely that you can grow athick and impressive beard as a trade-off.”

Best Beard Styles for a Bald Head

Okay, so are you finally convinced that you should grow a beard to support your bald face? Great. Let’s look at some good beard styles for a bald head


Beards-for-balding-men-Tom-Hardy

Slightly Shaggy

As seen on Tom Hardy

As far as full beards go, this one is probably the easiest. You have to let the hair grow…and grow. And grow some more. You need considerable length for this, but once it’s there, upkeep is minimal. While there is an obvious shape to this beard (longer on the shin, shorter on the sides), it’s not manicured. Shape it with a trimmer about once a week and in the meantime, let it do its thing. It looks best with a very short buzz on top, but also works well with a completely bald head.


Beards-for-balding-men- Jason-Statham

Two-Day Stubble

As seen on Jason Statham

Many famous bald guys have their signature look, and Statham has rocked the two-day stubble look for as long as we can remember. If it ain’t broke, why fix it? This look is easy to get—just literally put down the razor for a few days—and maintain by using a beard trimmer regularly to keep it at the length you want. What’s great about this, though, is that it blends with the stubble on the sides of his head, which gives the whole thing a purposeful, and very cool, look.


Beards-for-balding-men-Stanley-Tucci

Stubble Goatee

As seen on Stanley Tucci

Is this a purposeful bald style or has he just not shaved in a few days? It’s impossible to tell and that’s precisely the point. The stubble provides contrast to the shiny scalp and tempers the look. There’s an ever-so-subtle shape just in the goatee area, suggesting that Tucci left that area with a day or two more growth on purpose, but it’s blended seamlessly for a casual look.


Beards-for-balding-men-Dwayne-Johnson

Classic Goatee

As seen on Dwayne Johnson

You can’t get much more traditional than a classic goatee, but that’s where the charm comes from. It’s like the blue jeans of facial hair—simple, iconic, and looks good on pretty much anyone. To get this look, keep hair confined to the chin and mustache with thin-ish lines connecting them. Keep the length the same overall and moderately short.


Beards-for-balding-men-Common

Full and Rounded

As seen on Common

You might assume that the best way to soften the look of a fully-bald head is to make your beard super angular. However, as shown here on Common, the opposite could be true. When there’s not hair on top to add height, a full beard cut in an oval can help to elongate your face and make it look taller and slimmer. It works best on thick beards, which can really show off the shape, and—heads up, it requires regular trimming.


Beards-for-balding-men-Brian-Cranston

Full Chin Cover

As seen on Brian Cranston

This style has the same structure as the classic goatee—chin, mustache, lines connecting them —but is super sized. It covers more surface area on the shin and the lines besides the mouth are slightly thicker. It’s also a little bit longer, so offers more coverage. Thanks to the wider shape and the longer length, it looks slightly less shaped than the classic, but still requires the same general upkeep.


Beards-for-balding-men- Idris-Elba

Slightly Pointed

As seen on Idris Elba

The beauty of this style is that the shape, while obviously thought through, seems organic. Cool guys like Elba favor a sort of hybrid look and this beard delivers that. There’s obvious length here, which takes a while to grow out, and he’s used a trimmer to keep it shorter on the sides and longer on his chin. But instead of crisp lines, they’re softened on the cheeks and neck to create the illusion that this is just how the beard grows.


Beards-for-balding-men-Hugh-Jackman

The Swashbuckler

As seen on Hugh Jackman

Is this style for everyone? Definitely not. It’s aggressive in the way that it’s old school and unexpected, but that’s also part of it’s charm. A style like this should not be taken lightly. You’ll definitely get attention for it (for the right guy, that’s a plus), but more than that, it takes elbow grease. The handlebar mustache alone takes trimming, shaping, and lots of product to keep it in place. The pointed goatee compounds that. But if you’re going to experiment with facial hair, go big or go home, right?


Beards-for-balding-men-John-Travolta

Manicured Stubble

As seen on John Travolta

For newly bald guys like Travolta, a completely hairless head can be a little jarring. Letting your stubble grow is a way to soften the look and make it look more rugged. It also helps soften the Mr. Clean effect and make it look more like an aesthetic choice (even if it’s not). Use a trimmer to cut the stubble, but not completely remove it, every few days but also make sure to keep your cheeks and neck lines defined.


Beards-for-balding-men-Sean-Connery

The Side/Beard Connection

As seen on Sean Connery

One of the patron saints of bald dudes, Connery unapologetically rocked his natural bald look for decades. If you still have hair on the sides of your head, resist the urge to comb it over and channel your inner Bond. Grow your beard long enough to seamlessly connect to the hair on the sides of your head, and keep both trimmed and well-shaped (not too long).


Conclusion

Should balding men go with a clean-shaven face if you shave your head completely?

We think you should not.

And above, we have presented a whole lot of evidence to support our cause that the balding men with a beard is the best choice to go for.

If you’re losing your hair and it has gotten to the point where it just makes sense to let it go, then before you buzz it all off, get a beard going so you don’t look like a bowling ball with a skin coating.

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The Executive Contour

Popular Men Hairstyle

Know it:

It’s not a cut. It’s a tool to get what you want. Rules boardrooms. Does awfully well in bedrooms, as well.

Get it:

The Executive Contour is a classic men’s cut. It’s a bit like a Hard Part Pompadour, but without the hard part and with considerably more length on the sides and back, so you can’t see scalp. Consider starting with a clipper guard of four. You can always cut it closer after that. The Executive Contour works with or without a hard part, depending on how structured you want it to appear.

Build it:

1. Scrub a towel over your hair, leaving it only slightly damp.

2. Use a comb to create a smart part, straight back from your hairline to your crown.

3. Blow the whole mess dry, maintaining the parting, using a Vent type brush to add a bit of a natural wave. 

4. When everything’s dry, smooth Reuzel Green Pomade evenly through your hair.

5. Comb The Executive Contour into place.

6. Use your fingers to create a natural curl in the bangs, laying it back against the hair on top. After all, there isn’t a single titan of industry who isn’t a bit of a rascal when he needs to be.

The Junior Contour

Popular Men Hairstyle

Know it:

Somewhere along the way, every l’il rascal starts to transform into a proper scumbag. This isn’t just a cut, it’s a rite of passage.

Get it:

Have the young gentleman tell his barber he wants his hair short on the back and sides, but rather long and thick up top. The intent is to create a natural side part.

Build it:

1. Shampoo with REUZEL 3-in-1 Men’s Tea Tree Shampoo. (Because lord knows boys don’t stand still long enough for proper conditioning.)

2. Thoroughly towel-dry the hair.

3. Use a comb to create a side part, and then blowdry the hair on top brushing up and back as you do.

4. Scoop out a liberal amount of Reuzel Red Pomade and smooth it through the hair, working from crown to tips.

5. Now comb the whole mop back into place, sweeping the long bangs up and back over the opposite side of the head.

6. Snap a photo now, dad. Because if your lad’s anything like ours, he won’t be returning quite as clean as he left.

The Scumbag Boogie

Popular Men Hairstyle

Know it:

Calling Jay Gatsby. This is the look that flattened women’s hearts during America’s Golden Age.

Get it:

The Scumbag Boogie is in every Reuzel barber’s wheelhouse. If you find yourself elsewhere, ask for a high fade and a relatively high side part. Tell them you want enough left up top to give your hair a bit of a wave.

Build it:

1. After a nice shower and daily shampoo, dry your hair with a towel. Use a comb to establish a clean part.

2. Blow dry hair with a vent brush, without lifting or creating excessive volume. (In fact, if you aren’t headed out for a bit, you can let the hair dry on its own.)

3. Once dry, apply a liberal amount of Reuzel Blue Pomade for a firm hold, smoothing it from the part sideways. Or use Reuzel Red Pomade for a hold that’ll loosen up after a solid hour of jitterbugging, if you know what we mean.

4. Comb hair into place, letting the teeth flow naturally with the wave of your hair. Let the good times roll.

The Vanguard Hairstyle

Popular Men Hairstyle

Know it:

The full-bore slick back. No part. No fuss. Nothing standing between your face and the world about to be laid at your feet.

Get it:

A Reuzel-certified shop will clock just what The Vanguard is. But a lesser stylist, who knows? So tell them you want to comb your hair straight back, without any obvious blending or undercut.

Build it:

1. Apply a generous palm of REUZEL Grooming Tonic to clean, towel dried hair. 

2. Run a comb through your hair to make sure the tonic is spread evenly.

3. For an extra-straight look, blow dry while directing hair backward with a 7-9 row Denman type brush. If you’d rather keep just a bit of natural wave, use a vent brush instead.

4. Once that’s done, you’ll want to put in some product to lock The Vanguard down. Use Reuzel Blue Pomade, and let the pork do the work.

5. Comb everything backwards evenly, so there’s no visible part.

6. If you’d like a bit of height, use a hair pick to lift up the front and top. But in general, keep it smoothed back from your face. After all, the whole point of The Vanguard is looking like you got nothing to hide. Even if you do.

The Low Fade Pompadour

Popular Men Hairstyle

Know it:

Keep it low, buddy. Get down to the scalp around the neck and ears. Then a speedy blend to create weight on the sides and back.

Get it:

Ask your stylist for a Low Fade Pompadour. The most common question you’ll get is, “How low do you want to go?” The proper reply is that you want the fade to blend one inch above your ears.

Build it:

1. Apply Reuzel Grooming Tonic to clean, towel dried hair. This’ll make your hair easier to control, and smell very nice indeed.

2. Use a comb to create a part, pushing the hair over and back.

3. Blow your hair dry, while using a 7-9 row Denman- type brush to direct your hair. The sides go backwards. The front goes up and then back over your crown.

4. When you’re done drying, scoop out a knuckle’s worth of Reuzel Blue Pomade for a clean, high shine. Or use Reuzel Pink Pomade, which will thicken your hair into pure grease.

5. Rub the product between your palms and smooth it through the hair, petting yourself like a good doggie from front to back, away from the part.

6. Comb everything into place, lifting your bangs up and back if you want even more height up front.

The Textured Long Crop

Popular Men Hairstyle

KNOW IT:

The textured long crop is a classic shorter at the sides and back with a bit of extra length on top haircut. Enough hair on the sides and back to cover the scalp and just enough length on top to show lift and texture. 

GET IT:

Tell your barber or stylist you just saw Steve McQueen in the movie “The Great Escape” and you’ve been inspired but you want the top a bit more texturized.  If they don’t know what you’re talking about, show ’em this picture.

BUILD IT:

Clean the textured crop haircut with one of our shampoos and condition the hair. Towel dry the hair and spritz on a small amount of Reuzel Spray Grooming Tonic. Comb the hair into place on the sides and back and tussle the top with your fingers. Allow to dry naturally.

For a strong textured top – use a dab of Reuzel Extreme Hold Matte Pomade and rub it into the longer hair on top until happy with the look. For a softer more natural look – use Reuzel Matte Styling Paste instead.