Beard Styles | 10 popular beards under the microscope with Merkur

Your own beard styles are more than just your facial hair; they are an expression of your character, your sense of style and a lot of personal grooming. If you want to style your beard with flair, MERKUR STAHLWAREN has everything a man needs for a close shave: high-quality safety razors, the finest shaving oils and sophisticated shaving care products, developed for precision, durability and comfort, and for over 125 years in Solingen.Ladies, if you are still looking for birthday or Christmas gifts for your husband, partner, colleague, acquaintance or family member, you are sure to find something in the Merkur Stahlwaren online shop.

The 10 most popular beard styles in 2025

1. Boxed Beard (contoured full beard)

The ideal full beard style for business types is called the ‘boxed beard’. This beard style gives the face clear lines, defined contours and a neat length. These factors give your beard a professional look that radiates seriousness and style. With a safety razor from Merkur Stahlwaren, you can precisely trace the contours for a clean result without skin irritation.

Style: Well-groomed & professional
Care: Medium (regularly trace contours)
Why it’s popular: Ideal for business types, clean and modern

2. Goatee

The goatee is a timeless classic. It is particularly popular with men who want to emphasise their chin. It makes the face appear more distinctive and requires only moderate care.

Style: Distinctive & confident
Care: Moderate (define the chin area, keep clean)
Why it’s popular: Emphasises the chin, looks edgy and creative

3. Circle Beard

The circle beard combines a moustache and chin beard to form a closed circle. It offers an elegant look that appears subtle and well-groomed.

Style: Well-groomed & modern
Care: Medium (pay attention to contours and symmetry)
Why it’s popular: Elegant, subtle and easy to maintain

4. Schnurrbart / Moustache

Der Schnurrbart feiert 2025 ein starkes Comeback. Ob Chevron-, Handlebar- oder Pencil-Mustache: der Oberlippenbart ist wieder angesagt und steht für Retro-Charme mit Stil.

Stil: Retro & charmant
Pflege: Mittel (Wachs/Öl, gleichmäßiges Trimmen)
Warum beliebt: Modisches Statement

5. Balbo / Anchor Beard

The Balbo beard combines a narrow moustache with a separate anchor-shaped chin beard.

Style: Extravagant & modern
Maintenance: High (precise parting lines, clean edges)
Why it’s popular: Iconic (Robert Downey Jr., among others), very stylish

6. Ducktail beard

The ducktail beard is a striking variation on the classic full beard. Its V-shape at the chin gives it a powerful yet elegant look. This beard is a real eye-catcher for men with strong beard growth.

Style: Elegant & masculine
Maintenance: High (regularly trim to maintain shape)
Why it’s popular: Mix of wildness and a well-groomed look

7. Hipster beard

The hipster beard stands for individuality and self-confidence. This long, well-groomed full beard makes a real statement and fits perfectly with a modern lifestyle.

Style: Individual, modern, trend-conscious
Care: High (oil, brush/comb, regular trimming)
Why it’s popular: Expression of lifestyle & individuality

8. Henriquatre (French Beard)

The Henriquatre, often referred to as the French Beard, frames the mouth and chin area with a closed contour moustache and goatee, while the cheeks remain clean-shaven. The look is neat, sophisticated and timeless, and is particularly suitable for men who want to look well-groomed but not overstyled in their everyday working life. It harmonises with oval and elongated face shapes.

Style: Well-groomed & elegant
Maintenance: High (continuous contour maintenance)
Why it’s popular: Classic, charming – looks sophisticated

9. Soul Patch

It draws attention to the mouth and chin, works even with minimal beard growth and suits almost any face shape. It looks particularly striking with a clean-cut look (short sides, contoured beard line) or as a subtle accent to a moustache.

Style: Subtle & individual
Care: Low (just keep it neat)
Why it’s popular: Minimalist and ideal for a subtle accent

10. Handlebar moustache

The handlebar moustache is the epitome of vintage elegance. With waxed tips and curved ends, it is reminiscent of classic gentlemen.

Style: Extravagant & striking
Care: High (beard wax, daily shaping)
Why it’s popular: Classic gentleman look for retro/fashion fans

Beard care: the foundation of every beard style

A beautiful beard style stands and falls with the right care. Whether it’s a full beard, goatee or moustache: without care, even the coolest look appears unkempt.

Care tips for well-groomed beard styles:

Wash your beard regularly with mild beard shampoo
Use high-quality beard oil for shine and smoothness
Use safety razors from Merkur Stahlwaren for precise contours
Style with a beard brush or comb
Ensure clean transitions and neat lines

Merkur Stahlwaren has stood for quality and tradition in wet shaving for decades. Our safety razors, shaving oils and care products combine classic craftsmanship with modern technology.

All beards at a glance

To help you compare the different beard styles even better, here is an overview of the care required, style and Merkur rating. From the classic full beard to the distinctive Henriquatre beard to the iconic moustache, there is a suitable beard style for every man.

Our rating describes how demanding it is to maintain a beard style: in other words, how much care is required, how precisely contours need to be trimmed on a regular basis and how easy it is to keep the overall look clean at all times. Merkur Stahlwaren products (safety razors, oils & care products) help you achieve this.

The Merkur beard care scale:

1 – Low: little effort, few tools, quick to maintain

2 – Medium: Noticeable effort, precise contouring recommended

3 – High: Regular, precise contouring with safety razor, oil & care products necessary

Beard Style	Type	Grooming	Merkur-Rating (1–5)
Boxed Beard	Professional & well-groomed	Regularly trace contours	3
Ziegenbart	Distinctive & confident	Define the chin area, keep it clean	2
Circle Beard	Gepflegt & modern	Regularly trace contours	2
Schnurrbart	Retro & charming	Wax/oil, trim evenly	2
Balbo Bart	Extravagant & modern	precise dividing lines, clean edges	3
Ducktail Bart	Elegant & masculine	Regularly trace contours	2
Hipster-Bart	Individual, modern, trendy	Oil, brush/comb, regular trimming	2
Henriquatre	Well-groomed & elegant	Regularly trace contours	3
Soul Patch	Decent & Individual	just keep the form clean	1
Zwirbelbart	Extravagant & distinctive	Beard wax, daily styling	3

This allows you to see at a glance which beard style suits your everyday life, your style and your grooming needs.

Conclusion: The right beard style for your type

The variety of beard styles in 2025 shows that every man can create his own individual look. Whether masculine and striking, elegant and well-groomed or casual and natural. The important thing is that your beard suits you.

With the right care and a style that emphasises the shape of your face, your beard will become a real eye-catcher and an important part of your personal grooming routine.
With the care products and safety razors from MERKUR STAHLWAREN, you can get the best out of your beard.