The Van Dyke beard is one of the most popular beard styles for men. By pairing a goatee with a mustache, the Van Dyke beard style creates classic, masculine facial hair. If you’re curious about the style and want to learn how to grow, trim and shape your Van Dyke goatee and mustache, here’s everything you need to know about getting the look.
What Is The Van Dyke Beard?
The Van Dyke beard is a full goatee with a floating classic mustache that keeps the mustache and chin beard separate and disconnected at the corners. Furthermore, what makes the Van Dyke beard style unique is the fact that both the mustache and facial hair on the chin are pointy and long. Naturally, men can grow different variations of the style and still pull off virtually the same look.
Brief History of the Van Dyke Beard Style
The Van Dyke is a facial hair style named after Anthony van Dyck, a Flemish painter. Van Dyck wore the beard style, but it did not become popular until he painted it in a portrait of King Charles I of England.
This cool beard style originally gained popularity in the 17th century, but quickly faded during the restoration, which is when wigs and other French styles came into fashion in Europe. The Van Dyke goatee and mustache made its way into American culture in the 19th century, but many associated the style with evil personalities. For instance, some famous Van Dyke beards in history include Vladimir Lenin and General Custer.
In recent years, the Van Dyke beard has become a trendy idea. Celebrities from David Beckham to Johnny Depp, Jeremy Renner, Christian Bale, and P. Diddy have grown and shaped this style of facial hair. Whether you wear it clean with sharp edges or surrounding stubble, the stylish Van Dyke beard is sure to stand out.
Goatee vs Van Dyke
While some guys mistake the Van Dyke beard for a goatee, the truth is that this facial hair idea is a variation of the goatee style. Technically, a goatee is characterized by facial hair that grows only on the chin, sometimes called a chin beard. Goatees do not include a mustache, and don’t include the connective trail of hair between the chin and mustache, either.
With that said, any beard style that includes a mustache is technically not a goatee; instead, as long as the cheeks are clean-shaven or have thick stubble, you can call it a Van Dyke. Sideburns can be integrated into the Van Dyke facial hair as well.
How To Grow The Van Dyke Beard
The modern Van Dyke comes with a mustache that varies in size and thickness, although the classic beard style involved designing curls into the mustache. In fact, the Van Dyke beard tends to look more hipster and cool now as a short beard. If you’re interested in growing the Van Dyke beard, it’s easier to do than you might think. Beard growth simply takes a little patience and commitment.
- To get started, you’ll want to grow your facial hair out (including the hair on your upper lip) until it is at least an inch long. As you grow your beard thicker and longer, start to use a good beard shampoo and conditioner. You’ll want to have a full beard all over your face.
- Determine how long you want your mustache to extend. On average, most guys allow about 3/4 of an inch of hair to each side of their lips.
- Shave the rest of your facial hair on your cheeks completely bare, leaving only a mustache, soul patch and long pointy chin beard.
You can slowly shape the Van Dyke beard style as your hair grows, or you can leave the full beard until you are ready to trim your hair down to the specific design.
For the former, continue to shave the sides and keep your mustache trimmed. As the weeks go by, you will start to see your style take shape, and you will need to invest in the right tools for maintaining your new beard.
Beard Care Products You Should Use
If you want to get the Van Dyke beard, you’ll need to have good beard care products. Here are some of the best beard grooming products on the market.
- Beard Soap
- Razor or Safety Razor
- Shaving Cream
- Beard Comb
- Beard Oil
- Beard Balm
- Beard Trimmer
To stimulate growth and maintain a healthy, shiny, and soft beard, we highly recommend a combination of these beard products for men! A simple solution may be a top-rated beard grooming kit.
How To Shave and Shape The Van Dyke Beard
The Van Dyke beard does require a bit of maintenance, but fortunately, a good beard trimmer can make grooming and shaping your facial hair quick and easy.
After you grow your Van Dyke, you will need to keep it trimmed to an ideal length. To highlight your beard style, keep the hair on your neck and cheek short, although guys have the option of leaving stubble or going clean-shaven. Also, trimming hairs with a machine before shaving with a razor and cream can minimize pulling.
You may choose to keep your mustache short, but some men grow them out at the ends to add flair. If necessary, use scissors to cut stray strands.
However, once a week, depending on how fast your beard grows, you’ll need to use a trimmer with a comb and clean up your mustache and goatee. For the old school version, make sure to gradually fade the chin beard as you get closer to the middle of your mouth, leaving this area the longest.
The end result should be a beard that resembles an imperial goatee and mustache.
Ultimate, learning how to grow, shave and groom a Van Dyke beard isn’t tough. With the right care and styling tools, it’s actually one of the simplest and coolest beard styles to get.