Throughout history, goatees and mustaches have been popular in cultures worldwide. From Ancient Egyptian goatees to the grand mustaches of the Victorian era, facial hair has not only shaped men’s faces but shaped the history of style.
Both goatees and mustaches have evolved over time and have been adopted by different cultures and generations. While they are often associated with masculinity and maturity, they can also be used to express individuality and personal style.
Today, many celebrities sport goatees and mustaches, which have inspired millions of men to follow suit.
So, what exactly is a goatee? Well, it is a type of beard that consists of hair on the chin and a small patch of hair just below the lower lip. It can be worn with or without a mustache, and can be styled in a variety of ways.
Mustaches, on the other hand, are facial hair that grows on the upper lip. They can range from thin and subtle to thick and bushy and can be shaped in various styles.
Want to know more about goatees and mustaches? In today’s full guide on goatees and mustaches, we will explore the different types of styles, as well as tips on how to grow, groom, and maintain them.
Difference Between A Goatee And A Mustache
While a goatee and a mustache are both styles of facial hair, there are some fundamental differences between the two.
Let’s start with what a goatee is. This is essentially a type of beard, but instead of consisting of a mustache and hair across the cheeks and neck that match up, a goatee is just the hair on the chin.
More often than not, a goatee also consists of a small patch of hair below the lower lip, too.
Goatees can also be worn with a mustache, but whether it matches up or has a gap between the two is up to personal preference and genetics (many men can not grow hair that links a mustache and goatee together).
The hair on the chin can be shaped in many ways, such as in a pointed tip or a square, and it can be combined with other facial hairstyles, such as a soul patch or sideburns.
A mustache, on the other hand, is facial hair that grows above the upper lip. Like goatees, a mustache can be worn with other styles of facial hair and can be shaped differently.
For example, you can choose to trim it into a pencil line, or you can grow a thick (Also check out How To Thicken A Mustache), bushy handlebar mustache, or sculpt it into a horseshoe shape.
Goatee Styles For Different Face Shapes
A-listers like Robert Downey Jr. and Johnny Depp have popularized the goatee for many years. But, growing a goatee like Captain Jack Sparrow may not suit your particular face shape.
Luckily, there are many goatee types you can try, and many can be personalized to match your personality and looks.
Here are some popular goatees that you can try growing at some point:
The Full Goatee
The full goatee is a great choice for those who want to style their goatees with other styles of beards. For men with a strong, square-shaped face, the full goatee is a must-try.
As with any goatee, this will require a certain level of maintenance and care. It combines a circle beard with a mustache and chin goatee, creating a refined, smart look.
This style of goatee can be grown thick, or kept to stubble, depending on your preference. Many men opt to go for this full goatee look after getting tired of maintaining a full beard, as it’s easier and less hassle overall.
The Van-Dyke
Here’s another goatee style that is perfect for men with strong, square jawlines. The Van Dyke goatee is one of the more distinguished styles of all goatees.
At first glance, it may look like a standard beard, but the sides of the face are either trimmed down or shaven clean. What’s left is a goatee that has longer hair protruding from the chin and shaped into a point.
The Van Dyke goatee is for men who don’t mind a little maintenance but also like to look rugged at the same time. This goatee is trimmed closer to the face than a full goatee and has neat, sharp angles.
Named after the 17th-century painter Anthony Van Dyck, this goatee will make most men look refined.
Mustache And Goatee
Sometimes, a chin goatee alone is not enough. Therefore, a mustache needs to join the party. Luckily, there are many goatee styles that can incorporate mustaches, and best of all, most suit all face shapes and sizes.
This style of goatee can be grown to whatever length you desire. You can choose to have a droopy, handlebar mustache, or a pencil-thin look, like Clark Gable.
When it comes to growing a goatee, play around with different looks to find what works best for you.
Mustache Styles
When it comes to mustaches, there are a number of styles you can try growing. Some may suit you better than others, so let’s take a look at some popular examples of mustache styles below to see if you would like to try any of them out yourself.
Standard, Original Mustache
This mustache is trimmed to sit proudly above the upper lip. It is easy to clean and maintain and is a classic look that suits many face shapes.
Pencil Mustache
This is not as popular as it once was, but the pencil mustache can make a gentleman look more refined. Popular during the earlier half of the twentieth century, the pencil mustache is thin yet sophisticated.
It helps to outline the upper lip and has been worn by famous celebs such as Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp (Also check out Best Beatles Mustaches).
Chevron Mustache
This one is simple to describe. As the name suggests, the mustache is shaped like a chevron, covering the entire top lip. Due to its longer length, this type of mustache requires strict care and a cleaning routine to remove debris from food.
Horseshoe Mustache
Horseshoes bring good luck, and maybe growing a horseshoe mustache will too! Much like a standard mustache, the horseshoe ‘tache goes further with two long bars of hair on either side of the mouth, which extend to the chin.
Think Hulk Hogan and you have yourself a classic horseshoe/handlebar mustache.
Royal Mustache/Beard
We’re back into goatee territory with this style. This is a mustache that is anchored with a chin strap of hair. This requires regular trimming but can look great on chiselled, square jaw lines.
In Summary
Above are examples of some of the most popular goatee and mustache styles. Have a read-through again to see if you’d like to try sporting any of them yourself.
If you decide to grow any type of facial hair, however, you must ensure you care for it properly with a regular washing routine, beard wax (for longer facial hair), and moisturize the skin beneath the hair frequently.
This will help prevent it from drying out and becoming flaky.
Get in touch to show us your goatee and mustache styles! We’d love to see them!
