2017 has been a great year for beards. Celebrities, self-proclaimed hipsters and ordinary blokes alike have opted for the sophistication, finesse or rugged charm that a beard can bring depending on the style. The facial hair trend began growing a few years ago and shows no sign of cutting down its pace yet (pun intended). At The English Shaving Company, we love beards. To honour man’s long-standing style companion and to celebrate all the facial follicle diversity of 2017, we’ve put together our favourite beard styles of the year.
The Geometric Shave
This beard is cool and modern. It isn’t hard to grow facial hair ready for this look, as it’s both short and with no set required thickness. Men with more defined facial features often opt for this look as it is shaped around the features and contoured to match the face. It’s practical, but does require maintenance to prevent it growing too long and losing the crisp edging. You can easily create this look at home with a razor and good quality shaving soap or cream. Don’t forget aftershave to soothe your skin post-shave. (Read more about shaving cream on our blog or scroll through our guide to choosing the best shaving soap. We've got loads of tips!)
The Rustic Country-Man
The aim of this beard is effortless ruggedness. It’s a natural and carefree look that is as at home in the cold alps as in the modern city. Despite the effortless appearance, you need to maintain it reasonably well in order to create a style that isn’t completely wild. This means keeping it clean with beard shampoo and using a beard comb or brush every now and again to encourage growth in the right direction. Careful and frequent trimming, however, is not a requirement for this style.
The Gentleman Hipster
This beard is the height of hipster sophistication. While it features in our 2017 beard styles, this classic look has been around for centuries. The popularity of beards has seen it make a full comeback in recent years.It features a full and styled moustache alongside a trimmed full beard. Beard products are vital to keeping all beard types in the best condition, but none quite as much as this style. For this look, your beard should feel soft and cared for, which requires shampoo intended for facial hair, and a beard oil or beard balm. Moustache wax is also a requirement to get the signature twirl on the ‘tash. All this care and attention shows; this beard is the crème de la crème of beard styles.
The Handsome Statement
This beard creates a dashing and attractive look that was very popular throughout 2017. It’s one of the easier beards to grow as it doesn’t require a lot of length to create the intended look. It’s defining features are a good thickness and bold appearance. From here, you can tweak it in different ways to create the exact look you want. If you’re wanting to head into 2018 with this beard style, we recommend using a beard balm to keep your hair soft, and to comb it frequently to ensure control and sophistication. For the best ‘Handsome Statement’ beard, make sure it doesn’t get too long.
The Wolverine
With the release of 20th Century Fox’s Logan back in March, the Wolverine beard had to be included on our list. This style focuses on long sideburns, while the moustache and under-lip area are both shaved. It’s a look that blends both wild and controlled to create a particularly masculine aesthetic, reminiscent of the classic mutton chop style.
The Two Tone
This look is rising in popularity. While most of the beard is a dark colour, a small midsection is lighter, usually white or grey. A lot of men used to fret as this occurred naturally with age, but not to worry; it’s in style this year! Even the likes of Hollywood star Chris Pine have worn this beard style in 2017.The English Shaving Company specialise in top of the range products, bringing class and sophistication to any and every beard style. You can shape and style your beard from home, creating the perfect look. If in doubt, we recommend getting the initial style shaped by a professional barber which will make it a little easier for you to maintain in your own bathroom in the long run.We would love to see your 2017 beard styles and to hear your thoughts. What beard will be popular next year? Will the beard remain strong in 2018 or have we passed peak beard? Given that beards have lasted over centuries, we’ve no doubt they’ll be popular for many years to come.