Beards have been a sign of great power and masculinity in the past. During the Viking Age, Vikings were known for their thick beards that they were very proud to grow. Although no one is quite sure why they did this, some theories include protection from harsh weather or protecting themselves from being recognized in battle by having a unique identifier like an unshaven face.
Also, Viking mythology tells the story of Thor, Odin’s son. He had a beard that was short but breaded like all gods in his family. Every morning he would use his magical hammer to groom and shape it into something spectacular with braids that shined like gold or silver threads.
So as you can understand, beards were a very important aspect of a Viking’s life. In the past, it was a great honor to have a beard that symbolized greatness, power, or masculinity.
If you want to channel your inner Viking warrior, keep reading to find out how to grow a beard like the Viking warriors.
What is a biking beard?
A biking beard is a full beard that covers most of your face. There is not a specific style that a biking beard is supposed to have, but it would typically be long and thick.
So if you are thinking about growing a Viking beard, just keep in mind that it will be a long journey. It will take a while to grow out all that facial hair. But before we talk about how to grow a Viking beard, we should talk about which face shapes are best for this beard style.
Best Face Shapes for the Viking Beard
Like all full beard styles, the Viking beard style is one that can be adapted to fit almost any type of face. You just have to work on some details when shaping your beard.
Round and oval face: This beard style is perfect for round and oval faces because when you grow out the full Viking, it will make your face look longer and not so round.
The main thing you have to keep in mind is to trim your cheeks so that your face doesn’t look round and shorter than it really is.
Heart, Diamond, oblong, and triangle face: The common thing that these types of face shapes have is that they are all pointy. This beard will widen your face and make it look broader than it really is, so your beard should be rounded to the bottom to balance out your face.
Square Face Shape: To make a square face look longer and more narrow, you will need to decrease the width of the beard in order to elongate your face. Your cheeks should be trimmed because this will decrease the squareness of your face and make it shorter than it really is. Also, the bottom of your beard should be pointy because this will make your face look more narrow.
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Top 10 Viking Beard Styles
Now that you know about the face shapes let’s look at some Viking beard styles you can choose from.
1. Full Viking Beard
The full Viking beard style is when you grow out a full beard. It should be thick and full in order to fit this category. It should not be trimmed down at all but just a bit to shape it. You will need about 6 months to a year’s worth of beard growth to get this style.
2. Pointy Viking Beard
The pointy Viking beard style is pretty self-explanatory. The bottom of your beard should be trimmed so that it is pointy and not rounded out (similar to the ducktail beard). This will give off the illusion that your face is more narrow than it really is and completes the look you want to go for. Again we are talking about a full beard style so expect to wait for around 6 months.
3. The Forked Beard
If you are looking for a completely unique Viking beard style, the forked beard is perfect for you. This style of beard comes from the Norse Gods, and it is a very bold facial hair choice. The magical thing about this style of beard is that you look like a god, and it will be really unique.
4. Single braided Viking beard
If you are looking for a Viking beard style that is different but very impressive, the single braid might be right for you. It’s an extremely bold style, so don’t expect to have all your friends embracing this look right away. Just think about how awesome it will be when they start asking questions and complimenting you on your beard. To make a nice long braid, you will need to have at least a year of growth.
5. Multi-braided Viking Beard
The multi-braided is a little more complex than the single braid. This beard style will be very impressive because of all the detail that is put into it.
If you are considering trying this Viking beard style, make sure to grow your beard for at least one year before you start braiding. It would be a bit pointless to try and make the beard style look good if it’s not long enough, right?
6. Viking beard beads
Vikings really liked to decorate their beards with beads and jewels. It really adds to the masculine aspects of the Viking men because it makes them look bold, strong, and in charge. You can easily add jewelry to your beard with different beads and jewels to make some intricate designs.
7. Scraggy Viking Beard
This is a great choice for those who just want an easy Viking beard style. This style is a little easier because you don’t have to worry about styling it and making it look just right. It is a completely natural-looking style of beard that will give you the Viking kind of look that you would expect from a bearded man. You can just let your beard grow wild, or if you want to have a little bit more control over the length and shape of your beard, go ahead and trim it down, so it’s not so scruffy.
8. Super long Viking Beard
This is one of the most epic Viking beard styles you can go for. You will have to grow your beard for over a year, maybe two, before achieving this look. There is nothing quite as impressive as seeing a long mane on a bearded man, so expect some compliments when you reveal your winter warmer masterpiece!
9. Short Viking Beard
We have been talking about long beards for a while now, but do not fret if you don’t want to take the long route. You can still have a perfect Viking beard that is short and proud. You will just need to get a normal-length beard going on so you can achieve this look. It will give off a different vibe than having a long mane, but it is still an impressive look.
10. Ponytail Viking beard
If you want something really authentic and different, why not just braid it and wear it in a ponytail? This is a great way to show off your Viking pride while being completely unique. You can have some beads or other accessories attached to the braids’ end, so they look really nice.
Related Article: Coolest beard styles for men
How to grow a Viking Beard
Growing a Viking beard is not easy. You need time and patience to grow your facial hair; once you do, make sure to take care of it.
When growing a beard for many months, you’re going to go through a few different stages. You will go from the itchy stage to the hard-to-manage stage, and finally, you will get to a place where your beard is just right. Growing a Viking beard is something that should be enjoyed because you’re going through a lot of time and effort, so don’t make it miserable for yourself along the way.
Stages of Viking Beard Growth
1. The Itchy Stage
When you start off your beard-growing experience, you will have a lot of itchiness. This is completely normal, and you have this because your beard hairs are brand new! They are just starting to sprout out of your face and are a lot more coarse than the hair on your head. You can fight off the itchiness by using a beard conditioner like beard oil, which will make your beard hairs softer and easier to control. This stage will start 2 weeks after you first start growing your beard and will last for about a month.
This is the stage where most guys decide to shave their beard off because they are no longer happy with the way it looks. This is completely understandable, but you should remind yourself that the itchiness is only temporary! So release the inner Viking you have inside of you and keep your face fuzz!
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2. The Hard to Manage Stage
You will get to this stage when your beard hairs start getting longer than 1 or 2 inches. When you are at this stage, your beard will be hard to manage and won’t look good unless it’s styled just right. The best way to fight through this stage is to use beard oil and a great comb or brush that will help you style it and get the knots out.
This stage will last for about three months (from months 2 to 5), and once you get through this stage, your Viking beard will start to look great!
3. The Final Stage
After you have been growing your beard for about 6 months, you will reach the final stage of beard growth. This is when your beard hairs are long enough to style any way that you want. Also, the longer your face fuzz gets, the better it looks! So now you can enjoy all of the Viking glory that comes with having an epic beard!
Beard Care Products You will need during your Viking Beard Journey
There are some weapons that you will need to be victorious in your quest to grow a legendary beard.
Beard comb: This is the most important tool that you will use during this journey. You need to get a high-quality beard comb from the start, and I recommend the Zeus Natural Horn Beard Comb because it is made from high-quality wood, which is strong and durable for combing your beard hair.
Related Article: Best Beard Comb to Avoid Damaging your Beard
Beard oil: This product will make life much better when you are in the itchy stage mentioned above or during any other days that you feel like scratching your beard. I recommend Smooth Viking Beard Oil because it is made from natural ingredients that smell great and will be beneficial to the skin and make your beard soft. When you get some experience, you can make your own!
Beard shampoo/soap: This is a necessary product for washing your beard after you have been sweating in it all day or decide to go out and have some drinks with friends. I recommend Professor Fuzzworthy’s Beard Shampoo because it’s all natural and smells like a Viking god.
Related Article: Best Beard Shampoo for the Cleanest Beard
A good beard balm: I do not recommend using beard balm until you reach the hard-to-manage stage, but once you hit that point, I recommend using a beard balm like Honest Amish Beard Balm.
Viking Beards FAQ
Did Vikings actually have beards?
All the evidence that we have suggests that most Vikings did have beards. Most of the Vikings that lived in Scandinavia had very thick and long facial hair because they never shaved.
What kind of beards did Vikings have?
Vikings had a variety of different beard styles that were inspired by their culture and their current situation. But they were commonly known for their long, bushy, and well-groomed full beards.
What did beards mean to Vikings?
Beards were seen as a badge of honor and were often described by the Vikings as “a symbol of greatness” and “one of the valiant qualities of a warrior.” But it wasn’t just to look “badass,” they believed that your beard grew in accordance with how brave, strong, and noble you were.
Conclusion
Now you are ready to conquer the world with your amazing new beard, and if you make it to Valhalla, I will be honored to sit by your side as we eat an ox a night and drink mead out of the skulls of our enemies.
I hope you enjoyed my Viking beard guide and that it was helpful to you. If so, please share this article with your friends on Facebook or Twitter! With your help, I can spread the awesomeness of beards to all of mankind like a true Viking!
Peace out!
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.
