Corporate Beard Style (What Is It and How to Get It?)
In years gone by, clean-shaven was the only truly acceptable form of office facial hair. Beards have come back into style and this is reflected in the workplace as well; however, you’re not likely to find the free-flowing natural beard in most offices. Instead, you should opt for a corner-office-friendly corporate beard.
A corporate beard is short, well-maintained, and easily fits in professional office settings. Also known as a “business beard,” this neatly groomed style is always classy and presentable. It features a short, evenly trimmed full-face beard with tidy edges. The corporate beard is never dirty, messy, or ungroomed.
Keep reading to learn more about this work-appropriate beard style.
What is a corporate beard?
Let’s face it, if you work in an office, your facial hair options are pretty limited. A corporate beard fits into any professional setting since it has to be well-groomed and isn’t very long. Clean, neat lines and edges project wisdom and maturity.
A corporate beard is good for anyone that works in an office setting where unruly facial hair is frowned upon. It allows you to utilize the fullness of your beard, while the even length and neat lines symbolize strength and sophistication.
A corporate beard is basically a full-face beard that has been tamed to a length acceptable in an office setting, usually about 1 inch. The cheeks and neck are shaved clean to maximize the clean lines and emphasize the beard itself.
The corporate beard walks the line between the appearance of wisdom endowed by a longer beard and the professionalism conveyed by a freshly shaved cheek.
Celebrities with corporate beards
Still not sure if you can sport a corporate beard?
Here are some celebrities that are rocking sharp, professional beards:
- Proof that the corporate beard never goes out of style, check out Alan Rickman rocking the professional look as the sophisticated baddie Hans Gruber in Die Hard.
- Actor George Clooney sports a gray corporate-style beard in Ticket to Paradise with Julia Roberts. You can get a full look at his beard in the trailer on YouTube.
- Actor Danny Pino as cartel boss Miguel Galindo in Mayans, M.C. Pino’s beard definitely says business as he commands his mercenaries while invoking fear in his rivals.
Still not sure how a beard can transform your look? Look at the difference between Danny Pino in his previous role on Law & Order: SVU (left) and his current look in Mayans (right).
Wow! What a difference a beard makes. Pino went from a mild mannered detective to a bearded cartel boss in “beast mode” just by growing a beard.
Corporate beard vs stubble beard
What’s the difference between a corporate beard and a stubble beard? Simply put, the length and the grooming.
A corporate beard is a full beard trimmed to about 1” with your neck and cheeks shaved clean, while a stubble beard is when you let your 5 o’clock shadow grow out to an ideal length of 2.5mm.
Your corporate beard needs to be trimmed and shaped every couple of days, which can be a daunting task if you are not clipper savvy. You’ll need to make sure it is properly groomed and trimmed. If it gets out of control, it’s no longer considered a corporate beard.
Your stubble beard won’t require nearly as much upkeep. You simply let that sucker grow.
You should trim your stubble beard some so that it doesn’t become too unruly. This look is not always suitable for the office.
How to get a corporate beard to look good
Some beard styles are much-loved for how easy they are; others clearly take a lot of effort. The point of the corporate beard style is that it’s an effortless sort of put-together. Ideally, most people will never notice the effort you put into grooming it – but that’s that point.
Getting your corporate or business beard to look good will require you to keep it trimmed and shaped to ensure it’s in tip-top shape. In addition to trimming and grooming, you will need to wash your beard, exfoliate your skin, and moisturize your beard and skin.
Maintaining a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise and sleep also affect the appearance of your facial hair.
Be kind to your skin and hair and they will be kind to you.
Best face shape for a corporate, boxed beard
As with glasses and haircuts, some beard styles look better on specific face shapes. Which face shape is best for a boxy corporate beard?
If you have a diamond, square, or triangle-shaped face, you can definitely rock a corporate beard. A corporate beard can make a square face seem softer and it hides pointy chins.
Avoid a corporate beard like the plague if you have a double chin. It’ll only exacerbate the issue.
Do’s and don’ts of a corporate beard
It doesn’t matter if you’re a beard novice or have been growing your whiskers for years, you always need to take care of it.
Dos of the corporate beard style:
- Maintain a cleaning routine to remove dirt, grime, and oils
- Trim your beard regularly to promote healthy hair growth
- Brush your beard on a consistent basis
Don’ts of the corporate beard style:
- Use hair care products on your beard
- Squeeze your ingrown hairs because it can lead to infection
How to grow a corporate beard
Before attempting to grow a corporate beard, you need to remember that grooming and upkeep of this style of beard are key. If you don’t plan on putting in the work, don’t bother.
You will need to let your beard grow for 4 to 6 weeks to let it completely fill in so there are no bald patches.
After your beard has grown out, then you can begin meticulously trimming and shaping it. You should invest in a quality razor and electric trimmer for the best results. Use a ½” or 1” guard to trim your corporate beard down to the appropriate length.
Once you get your desired look, make sure you trim it every 1 to 2 weeks depending on how fast your hair grows.
How to trim a corporate beard
As we talked about earlier, you will need to trim your beard every 1 to 2 weeks to keep it looking up to par. You will need to remove any stray hairs that grow around your cheeks and neckline.
Always keep your cheeks and neck shaved clean to avoid ruining the lines and look of your corporate beard.
You also need to remember that moisturizing is as vital to beard upkeep as trimming and shaping. Always moisturize your beard and the skin beneath it. Invest in day and nighttime moisturizers for best results.
Most importantly, don’t ever use hair products on your facial hair.
The goal is to protect your delicate facial hairs, not strip them of necessary nutrients and oils.
How to maintain a corporate beard
Maintaining a corporate or business beard is not for the lazy. You will have to remain diligent in caring for your beard to keep it “workplace appropriate.”
With that in mind you need to remember to maintain your beard you will need to:
- Remember to trim every 1 to 2 weeks, depending on hair growth
- Implement a daily maintenance routine (i.e. wash, moisturize, etc.)
- Always keep your cheeks and neck clean-shaved
A corporate beard can be a great addition to your style if you’re willing to put in the work.
