Beard Styles for Musicians | The Bearded Musician
You can tell a lot about a musician before they ever hit the first note.
The guitar case, the shoes, the duct-taped pedalboard… and the beard.
Beard styles are personality you can see from the back of the venue. They tell the crowd if you’re here to melt faces, make them cry into their craft beers, or quietly rearrange their feelings with a jazz solo in 7/8.
At The Bearded Musician, we believe everything starts with the grind no one sees: late-night takes, broken sticks, sore fingers, and those “is this even good?” moments. That ritual deserves real respect. You are the main attraction. Why wouldn’t your beard care routine be just as unique as you?
Let’s talk beard styles for musicians, how to keep them stage-ready, and how beard oil fits into the setlist.
Beard Styles = Personality (and musicians have lots of personality)
Your beard is basically your album cover for your face.
- Reserved short beard? You’re probably the one who actually reads the contract.
- Wild, floor-length mane? You made friends with the sound guy in 30 seconds and already know where the back exit is.
- Handlebar mustache? No one knows what decade you’re from, but everyone trusts you can play.
The point: there’s no single “musician beard.” There are genres of beards, just like genres of music, and they all deserve a proper care routine.
Why Do Musicians Grow Their Beards? (Because We Want To.)
Sure, we could say it’s about image or stage presence, but let’s be honest:
- Beards hide the “I got 3 hours of sleep” face.
- They make us look older, wiser, and occasionally like we know how to fix tube amps.
- They’re a rebellion against office life, dress codes, and mandatory shaving before 9am meetings.
Mostly? We grow beards because we can. Because we want to. And because a great beard feels like part of the instrument, an extension of the person who’s putting in the work behind closed doors.
The Rock God Full Beard
Vibe: Arena-filling riffs, big choruses, fan-favorite energy.
Look: Thick, full, covers the jawline, usually paired with some glorious hair (or a beanie pretending there’s still glorious hair).
How to Grow It
The Rock God Full Beard is all about commitment:
- Let it grow: You’ll hit the awkward “is this a beard or a mistake?” phase. Push through it.
- Trim the boundaries: Clean the cheek line and neckline so you look intentional, not abandoned.
- Fuel it right: Hydration, decent sleep, and not living on gas station snacks does help.
How to Maintain It
This is where beard oil becomes your roadie. People often ask, “How does beard oil work?” Simple: it mimics your skin’s natural oils, softening your beard, hydrating the skin underneath, and fighting itch, dandruff, and that brittle, straw-like feel.
- Apply beard oil daily once your beard has some length.
- Work it into the skin first, then pull it through the hair.
- Comb or brush it to distribute and detangle.
And yes, if you’re thinking, “How often should I use beard oil?” for a full, stage-level beard, once a day is a solid baseline. Twice if you’re gigging in dry venues, hot stages, or living in your touring van.
The Metal Viking
Vibe: Blast beats, drop-tuned chaos, and the kind of presence that makes people automatically step aside.
Look: Ultra-long beard, often braided, with beads, rings, or other “I lift amps for fun” energy.
Growing the Metal Viking
You’re in this for the long haul. This isn’t a beard, it’s a saga.
- Avoid over-trimming length, focus on shaping the sides to prevent triangle-beard.
- Be patient; this style can take years, not months.
Maintaining the Mane
- Use beard oil religiously, long beards tangle, dry out, and break.
- A light beard balm or butter can help with flyaways and shape.
- Braids? Don’t make them too tight or you’ll stress the hair and cause breakage.
If you’re wondering how long does it take beard oil to work, the feel-good part (softer, less itchy) can happen after the first few uses. The real magic, healthier, more manageable length and reduced breakage, shows up over weeks of consistent use. Just like practice.
The Jazz Maestro (Short Boxed Beard)
Vibe: Smooth, classy, knows all the weird chords.
Look: Short, neatly trimmed beard that hugs the jawline. Sharp, clean lines, everything in its place.
Why It Works
The Jazz Maestro beard says, “Yes, I can improvise a solo, but I also know what exfoliation is.”
- Perfect for players who want to look polished at weddings, cocktail lounges, or more formal gigs.
- Great if your day job still expects you to appear somewhat respectable.
Care Tips
- Trim every 1-2 weeks to maintain shape.
- Use a few drops of beard oil after showers to keep it soft and sharp instead of prickly.
- A boar bristle brush keeps everything tidy and blended.
The Hip-Hop Icon Beard
Vibe: Confidence. Presence. Mic-dominant energy.
Look: Often paired with a fade or tight haircut, with a beard that can range from short and sharp to full and sculpted. Maximum precision, minimum chaos.
Why It Hits
This style is all about lines:
- Crisp cheek line
- Clean neckline
- Beards that look lined up like your bars
Care Tips
- See your barber regularly if you want that perfect edge.
- Use beard oil daily to prevent dry, flakey facial hair, especially if you’re under stage lights or shooting videos.
- Comb it out before applying products to avoid clumps.
The Folk/Indie Scruff (3-10 Day Stubble)
Vibe: “I wrote this in a cabin,” “We tracked this live,” “Yes, I know all the deep cuts.”
Look: Stubble or short scruff that says low effort, but still curated enough to not scare the sound tech.
Why Musicians Love It
- Low maintenance, fits constant touring and weird sleep schedules.
- Looks good in blurry Polaroids and album covers photographed on expired film.
Care Tips
- Use a trimmer guard to keep it in the 3-10 day zone.
- Beard oil? Yes, even for scruff. It helps with itch and keeps the skin underneath calm, especially if you’re playing sweaty venues and washing your face a lot.
The Country Outlaw (Handlebar, Soul Patch, Chin Curtain)
Vibe: Bar stages, neon signs, and heartbreak songs with suspiciously specific details.
Look Options:
- Big handlebar mustache + soul patch
- Chin curtain with a clean upper lip
- Long mustache doing all the heavy lifting
Why It Works
This style is pure character. It screams story songs, slide guitar, and questionable life decisions that somehow made for great lyrics.
Care Tips
- Use mustache wax to curl or tame the handlebar.
- Beard oil on the mustache keeps it soft (and less annoying when you take a sip of something).
- Keep the rest of the face trimmed so the mustache stays the star.
The Drummer’s Beard (Short and Practical)
Vibe: Sweaty, locked-in, and absolutely essential, just like the groove.
Look: Short beard or tight stubble that won’t get caught in sticks, straps, or stray hardware.
Why Some Drummers Go Short
Drummers move too much for a high-maintenance beard. Shorter beards:
- Stay out of the way during headbanging.
- Are easier to manage when you’re constantly sweating.
- Don’t require high mirror time before every set.
Care Tips
- Use a few drops of beard oil after every shower to keep the skin happy and the beard soft.
- A quick comb-through is plenty, you’ve got enough to worry about with tempo, click tracks, and that one guitarist who never watches your cues.
Universal Beard Maintenance (Regardless of Genre)
No matter what you play or how wild your beard looks, some rules are universal:
-
Clean, but don’t strip
Use a beard wash or gentle cleanser 2-3 times a week. Over-washing dries everything out. -
Beard oil is your best friend
If you’ve ever asked, “How often should I use beard oil?”, think of it like tuning your instrument. Once a day is a great starting point. More if:
- You’re in dry climates
- You’re under hot stage lights
- You’re constantly sweating and washing your face
-
Comb or brush
This trains the beard to grow in the right direction, prevents tangles, and evenly spreads oil. -
Trim with intent
Even long, wild beards look better with some shape. Clean up split ends and stray hairs. -
Don’t expect overnight miracles
Wondering how long does it take beard oil to work? You’ll feel softer, less itchy beard pretty quickly, but real improvement in health, shine, and manageability takes consistent use over a few weeks, just like building muscle memory on your instrument.
Genres Don’t Dictate Your Beard Style
Here’s the thing: you don’t have to be metal to wear a Viking beard. You don’t have to be country to rock a handlebar. You can be a jazz bassist with a full wizard mane if that’s what makes you feel like the main character.
Genres can inspire you, but they don’t get to boss your face around.
If you like your beard, if it feels like you, that’s the right style. End of discussion.
The Final Riff
Your beard is part of your stage presence, part of your ritual, and part of your story. It’s with you at 2am overdubs, during nervous first gigs, and on the nights the crowd actually sings the chorus back at you.
At The Bearded Musician, we’re here for that version of you, the one putting in the work when no one’s watching. That’s why we craft beard care made for players, not boardrooms.
Whether you’re a Rock God Full Beard, a Metal Viking, a Jazz Maestro, a Hip-Hop Icon, a Folk Scruff wanderer, a Country Outlaw, or a practical Drummer with just enough fuzz to feel like yourself…
You are the main attraction. Your beard care routine should be just as unique as your sound.
We’ll meet you where the music starts!