The Hollywoodian Beard: classic, masculine, and lavish. With these adjectives to describe it, there is no debate why this beard style has become widely popular among men.
But with so many beard styles in the mix, it can be difficult to find one that works for you. Specific face shapes, lifestyle, upkeep preferences, and a wide variety of other factors affect this decision. Regardless, it’s important to find a look that suits you and makes you feel confident and put together. Is the star-studded Hollywoodian Beard the style for you?
Keep reading to find out because, in this article, we’ll discuss the nuances of this artistic take on facial hair. We’ll also discuss the history and help you learn how to rock a Hollywoodian Beard yourself.
What is the Hollywoodian Beard?
The easiest way to describe the Hollywoodian Beard is that it is a very similar style to the “extended goatee”. Like the extended goatee, the upper area of the cheeks is shaved, but unlike the goatee, the Hollywoodian Beard extends across the mandible (jawline) area and has a traditional chin strap, as you can see in Leo’s photo above.
As you can imagine, it took its iconic name from its prevalence in the entertainment industry. Specifically, Hollywood actors and celebrities were sporting it in the 1960s. While the genesis of the look was way before the sixties, its mainstream popularity has grown since then.
Best Face Shapes for the Hollywoodian Beard
While the Hollywoodian Beard can be tailored and adjusted to look good on nearly every face shape, there are a few facial shapes that can be especially complemented by this style. Because of its squareness, it works well with triangular, heart, and diamond-shaped faces.
The common trait of these face shapes is their angular appearance. Angular face shapes possess narrower chins and high, defined cheekbones. The Hollywoodian Beard is a great option because it gives a fuller appearance to the jawline area and, at the same time, highlights the chiseled cheekbones (which is due to the style’s absence of sideburns), resulting in a more evened look.
Ovular-shaped faces can also work well with this style if the beard is trimmed to match and exemplify the rounder parts of the face.
Face shapes that tend to be more rounded or wide toward the jawline will find lessened aesthetic benefits. This is mostly due to the fact that the Hollywoodian beard draws the features downward. If you have a round or square-shaped face, though, fear not! Tapering the growth of the beard down to a point will restore that balance and add the lengthening effect you’re looking for.
How to Grow a Hollywoodian Beard
Growing a Hollywoodian beard requires a bit of patience. This style requires growing a full beard before you begin trimming and shaping it into its distinct Hollywoodian look. While this waiting period may sound tedious, it will be worth it! You need a long enough beard (2-4’’) before trimming and shaving to shape your beard. Budget for the margin of error. You can always trim more hair as you find your own perfect iteration of this style, but it’s impossible to grow more hair on the spot if you make a mistake!
One added perk to this beard style, though, is the lack of need for dense facial hair on the cheeks. This is a location in which many guys struggle to grow hair anyway, so those strands can be shaved away in the meantime!
How to Maintain a Hollywoodian Beard
Maintaining your Hollywoodian Beard isn’t nearly as tiresome as you might think. The biggest hurdle lies on the front end when trimming and shaping. But even that requires only a pair of steady hands and an open mind to create this classic yet contemporary look!
To begin styling your beard to Hollywoodian perfection, it is important to closely shave the hair on the upper portions of the cheeks to get a clean-cut look. This will help to define the unique shape of the beard for its debut on your face! How high the beard comes up on your cheeks is completely up to you, though. Some guys prefer a thin chinstrap, while others allow the growth to inch up a bit. One aspect of this stage is non-negotiable, though: ensure that the chinstrap hair is completely disconnected from the sideburns, with at least a few inches of distance between them. This apparent separation is what makes the Hollywoodian Beard the Hollywoodian Beard. From there, use a beard trimmer with your preferred guard length to ensure that the beard stays fully uniform throughout.
Beyond that, it is great because it allows for a little freestyling based on whoever is sporting the style. We previously described the Hollywoodian Beard as an “extended goatee.” So, while it is traditional to maintain the connection between the mustache and chin hair, you can get creative with the style therein (i.e., soul patch or fully covered chin area). The opportunities are endless here. You can trim and style these parts in whichever way makes you feel most confident!
As with any other beard upkeep, shaving around the edges, along the neckline, and on the cheekbones is key. Trimming the natural beard growth will help keep things looking healthy and fresh. You can also play around with different shapes and lengths, identifying what works for your particular face shape and lifestyle in general. Addressing flyaway beard or mustache hairs as they pop up is another way to achieve that celebrity-like, put-together vibe. As always, be sure to work in an exfoliator and beard oil. This will unveil clear skin that is free from flakes, along with moisturized and glowing beard hair!
Celebrities with Hollywoodian Beards
Hollywood, baby! Actors, musicians, and public figures alike understand that this beard style lives up to its name and allure. Many celebrities switch up their looks often as trends shift and their job requirements as creatives ebb and flow, but these iconic Hollywoodian Beard cameos are unforgettable.
1. Kevin Hart
On a few separate occasions, the famed comedic genius known as Kevin Hart has sported a short Hollywoodian Beard. The chinstrap of his facial hair is usually disconnected from the sideburns. Sometimes, Hart shaves the sideburns off entirely. Hart tends to keep his beard tight along the jaw and cheeks with a little bit of length and the goatee, opting to shave his soul patch while keeping his mustache narrow. Hart has also been spotted with a longer, more tapered beard. Overall, we think it looks great on him. What are your thoughts?
2. Leonardo DiCaprio
Leo has frequented the Hollywoodian Beard style, whether it be for specific movie roles he’s landed or maybe because it looks incredible on him. DiCaprio’s approach to the Hollywoodian Beard is more rugged. There are several photographs from this DeCaprio phase where he opted not to shave the upper portions of his cheekbones as the beard grew back in. He paired this facial hair style with longer hair, likely due to the role he was cast in at the time.
3. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
When The Rock does grow out his facial hair, he tends to keep his goatees and beards very well maintained. Additionally, he keeps them at a mid-length, accentuating his defined features. When discussing a beard style that is named after Hollywood itself… it makes sense to see such a seasoned and successful actor illustrating its allure to the public.
Haircuts to Compliment Hollywoodian Beards
One beautiful aspect of the ever-evolving Hollywoodian Beard is that it works with a wide range of men’s haircuts. One of the most common hairstyles to go with this beard style is longer hair (chin to shoulder-length) that is tied back. This approach elevates the facial features while still owning the athletic yet refined nature of an abundance of hair. Celebrities like Leonardo DeCaprio, Christian Bale, and Matthew McConaughey have all demonstrated how this combination could work, perfectly upholding the traditional style that has remained prevalent throughout decades while adding their own flair to the conversation.
Bald hairstyles are also a natural preference for many Hollywoodian Beard wearers, especially due to the absence of sideburns in general… This just removes an extra step in the trimming and maintenance department!
Overall, though, the Hollywoodian Beard is timeless and loved by all because of its versatility. Any hairstyle, long or short, can elevate this look when combined with proper upkeep and shaping to complement unique facial features.
Hollywoodian Beard FAQ
Where does the Hollywoodian Beard style get its name?
The Hollywoodian Beard received its title largely because of its prevalence on the big screen (or off-screen on various Hollywood actors) for decades. Some people claim that the Hollywoodian Beard became popular as early as the 1920s. Others say its reputation grew in the 1950s and 1960s, shortly after the Pencil Mustache had its time to shine. We are not sure about it, but what we are sure about is that it is here to stay!
How much upkeep is required to maintain a Hollywoodian Beard?
The Hollywoodian Beard requires the same amount of general upkeep that any other beard style would. Its only particularity is to maintain a relatively clean and straight line along the chinstrap, making sure it never connects with the sideburns. This is the pivotal characteristic of the Hollywoodian Beard, setting it apart from other styles. Aside from that, regular shaving of the neck and cheeks is typical but not required.
How long can I grow out my Hollywoodian Beard?
The Hollywoodian Beard can be grown out a few inches or trimmed down to be somewhat tight to the jawline. The several celebrities who have sported this look on red carpets have exemplified just how customizable this look can be! If you have more rounded facial features, consider growing out your beard and tapering it. If you have an angular face shape, try shortening the length and maintaining a straight growth line.
How do you define the Hollywoodian Beard?
The Hollywoodian Beard can be defined in several different ways. Classic, timeless, masculine, refined, rugged, tailored… the list could go on.
Conclusion
The Hollywoodian Beard style is recognizable and customizable. This makes it a great option for men who are searching for a new and dynamic change to their beard-growing and styling routine. With its rich history and ability to highlight an individual’s strong facial features, it is here to stay!
Russell is the founder of themensattitude.com. He is a barber a beard enthusiast and he is obsessed with trying men’s lifestyle products and blog about them. If you have any questions you can hit him up via the contact page.
