7 Best Circle Beard Styles for Men

A circle beard is a moustache joined to a goatee so the hair makes an unbroken ring around the mouth, with the cheeks and neck shaved clean. It is the easiest beard style for patchy cheeks because the cheeks are not part of it. The 7 styles below range from light stubble you can trim in five minutes to a full, thick circle; pick by face shape (a circle beard lengthens a round face, a wider one balances a long face) and by how much time you will spend on lines. Keep the ring 1 to 2 cm wide, trim weekly, and oil daily so the hair lies flat.

What is a Circle Beard?

The circle beard is a now-classic beard style that combines a moustache and a goatee. The idea is that your moustache has to extend to meet your chin hair to form a continuous line of hair that completely frames your mouth.

Although it’s called a “circle” beard, the actual shape of your beard can also be designed to have some sharp edges like the chin strap beard styles. You can shape your beard in the form of a hexagon or a square. This abundance of styles can help you pick a look that enhances your facial features and fits your face shape.

💡 Looking for a quick & easy way to maintain your circle beard? Try The Beard Struggle’s beard kits for precision styling & hydration.

Types of Circle Beard Styles

Standard Circle Beard

This is the traditional circle beard that we all know and love. It requires growing a moustache and a chin beard, allowing the two to seamlessly merge and create a visually pleasing shape around the mouth. The rest of your face will be kept clean with a close shave.

Extended Circle Beard

This is the standard circle beard, but with an added bonus that we think makes a world of difference. This variation will require growing out a soul patch and letting it merge with your chin hair. Seems like such a small thing, but the effects are amazing.

Circle Beard vs. Goatee

Sometimes these two beard names are interchangeable. Indeed, in recent years the goatee has become an umbrella term that also includes the circle beard.

To give you some perspective, the classic goatee is a minimalistic style and it’s basically a patch of hair that’s limited to your chin area.

Still, the goatee term will also include beard styles without moustaches that combine the chin hair with a moustache. The upper lip hair can be disconnected from your chin hair, or it can blend into it and create the circle beard look.

💡 Pro Tip: Maintain a sharp, precise circle beard using The Beard Struggle’s Varangian trimmer for easy sculpting & trimming.

7 Best Circle Beard Styles for Men

The 7 styles at a glance, easiest first:

1. Light stubble circle: 3 to 5 mm all over, lines only. Five minutes a week.
2. Precise cut: short, even length, razor-sharp edges. Office-safe.
3. Thin circle: a pencil-width ring. Hardest to keep symmetrical.
4. Full circle: 2 to 4 cm of thick growth in the ring. Needs dense chin hair.
5. Messy circle: longer, loosely shaped, skip the close shave. Lowest maintenance at length.
6. Chinstrap circle: the ring joined to a strap along the jaw. Most trimming.
7. Fancy moustache circle: standard ring with a styled, waxed moustache on top.

The Light Stubble Circle Beard

The light stubble circle beard is simple and exciting, and we love how easy it is to grow and maintain. It is a great beard style to pick if you’re at the start of your circle beard journey. The best part is that if you get bored, you can simply let your hair grow out and turn it into another beard style altogether.

The Precise Cut

You can wear this beard with or without a soul patch. The common element is that every line you create is sharp and clean. Make sure to trim your facial hair to an equal length and keep your whiskers hydrated and healthy to avoid unruly hairs and curling. The precise cut looks professional and smart and it’s a good fit for any office environment.

The Thin Circle Beard

If you have steady hands, a good eye for symmetry, and a passion for facial hair styling, then you’re going to love this beard style. The thin circle beard requires creating a pencil-thin line of hair that outlines the mouth. It takes some serious skill, but when done right, it can be admired as an art piece.

The Full Circle Beard

Also called a thick circle beard, this beard style highlights the majestic hair growth of a full beard by giving it a shape that lovingly embraces the area around your mouth. If you are genetically blessed with a good hair follicle density, and you’re a fan of circle beards, then this can be your next go-to look.

The Messy Circle Beard

You might have noticed that messy beards are very popular nowadays. And we can all agree that longer facial hair can instantly make any face look messier, but in a good way if it’s maintained. This messy circle beard covering is an excellent option if you don’t feel like getting a close shave, especially if you can grow thick facial hair.

The Chinstrap Circle Beard

This circle beard style combines three separate beard types to create an awesome visual masterpiece. It’s a bit tricky to style and maintain, but this beautiful beard is well worth the time and effort. You’ll be creating a cool blend between an extended circle beard and a chinstrap beard. This look can highlight your features and emphasize the jawline, thus making your face look more rugged and masculine.

The Fancy Moustache Circle Beard

One thing that can make a circle beard look more impressive is adding an imposing mustache. This beard style also allows you to take liberties with the type of moustache you pick. You can go with a more conservative style like the imperial, or go all out with a majestic Dali moustache. Your face is your literal canvas and you get to pick and choose the perfect whiskers to match your personal style.

💡 Keep your beard soft & conditioned with The Beard Struggle’s Beard Oil.

Which Circle Beard Suits Your Face Shape?

The ring around your mouth is the one part of the beard you fully control, so use it to balance the face rather than just frame the mouth.

• Round face: go longer on the chin (full circle or extended circle with a soul patch) and keep the sides of the ring narrow. Vertical length slims the face.
• Long or oval face: keep the chin short and let the ring sit wider, closer to a square or hexagon. A tall goatee makes a long face longer.
• Square face: soften the jaw with a rounded ring and a little more length under the chin. Skip the chinstrap, which sharpens the corners.
• Heart or narrow chin: a full or messy circle adds weight where the face tapers. Keep the moustache modest so the top does not dominate.
• Patchy cheeks: any circle beard works, which is the point. Shave the cheeks clean and nobody can tell what would or would not have grown there.

Not sure what shape you have? Trace your face in a mirror with a dry-erase marker and compare the outline to the list. Most men are between two shapes; pick the ring that corrects the one you like least.

How to Trim and Style a Circle Beard?

The more intricate your beard is, the more time and effort you’ll have to invest in trimming and styling. You will have to find a good balance between the time you’re willing to spend on your beard care and the type of beard style you choose. Different circle beard styles require different maintenance, but, as a rule of thumb,  natural circle beards don’t eat up too much of your time.

Styling a Circle Beard

Once your hair grows out, you will have to use a beard trimmer to even out the length of your hair fibres. The next step is to clean off the hair on your neck, cheeks, and the sides of your face. You can use a precision trimmer or a regular beard trimmer without a guard.

Next, you’ll have to create the contours of your chin beard and moustache, then slowly start trimming your hair from the sides to achieve your desired shape. Remember that your beard can form a circle, a rectangle, a square, or even a hexagon. You can reinvent a style like the thin circle beard and give it a new twist by changing its overall shape.

💡 Pro Tip: Invest in a beard shaping tool for precise contours.

Maintaining a Circle Beard

If you want your beard to look amazing, you’ll have to treat it with love and respect. Having a good beard care routine is of the utmost importance and everything starts with cleanliness. The first step is keeping your whiskers clean with a shampoo-like product designed for facial hair.

You can also pair your beard wash with a conditioner or a beard mask. Cold, or hot and dry weather can be especially harsh on our beards by sapping the moisture from inside the hair fibre.

Keep your beard and the skin underneath it moisturized with a good quality beard oil. This product will help maintain your sharp circle beard look and it will help prevent hair curling and beard dandruff.

You can end your beard care routine with a styling product that keeps every hair in its rightful place. This will be especially important if you’re adding a kickass moustache or a chin goatee in the mix. You can use a beard wax or you can use a beard balm for some extra hydration benefits.

Circle Beard FAQ

How wide should a circle beard be?

Between 1 and 2 cm (half an inch to three quarters) for the standard version. Thinner than 1 cm reads as a pencil beard and needs trimming every two days; wider than 2 cm starts to look like a short full beard with the cheeks shaved.

How long does it take to grow a circle beard?

Two to four weeks for a stubble or precise-cut version, since you only need 3 to 10 mm of growth. A full circle beard with real length in the ring takes 6 to 8 weeks. Grow the whole face for the first two weeks before you shape anything, so you can see where the moustache naturally meets the chin.

Is a circle beard the same as a goatee?

Not quite. A classic goatee is chin hair only. A circle beard is a goatee connected to a moustache so the hair forms a closed ring. In everyday use "goatee" has become the umbrella term, which is why the names get mixed up.

Does a circle beard work with a patchy beard?

Yes, better than almost any other style. The cheeks, where most patchiness shows, are shaved clean. You only need decent growth on the chin and upper lip, which are the densest areas on most faces.

How often should I trim a circle beard?

Lines every 3 to 4 days, length once a week. The clean-shaven cheeks and neck are what make the style look deliberate, so stubble creeping back is the first thing people notice.

What is the best face shape for a circle beard?

Round and square faces get the most from it, because the vertical ring adds length and softens corners. Long faces can wear it too, but keep the chin short and the ring wide.

Get the Circle Beard Right

Whether you go classic or modern, the circle beard rewards clean lines and soft hair. For the lines, the Varangian trimmer has zero-gap blades for the edges. For the hair, a daily beard oil keeps the ring flat and the skin under it calm. The beard kits put wash, oil and balm in one box, with our money-back guarantee.