You may have seen this distinctive look mentioned online or in style magazines and wondered what is a Van Dyke style beard? The Van Dyke beard was once best associated with 17 century Flemish painter Sir Anthony van Dyck, who gave the style its name; today it’s often sported by Hollywood stars including Pierce Brosnan.
A Van Dyke beard is a bold look, so you need a certain amount of confidence to pull it off – not to mention a well-honed shaving technique. We’ll take you through everything you need to know about how to trim a Van Dyke beard.
This classic look also has a few Van Dyke beard variations to be aware of. We’ll cover the difference between goatee and Van Dyke styles to let you trim and style with ease.
Here’s everything you need to know about growing and styling a Van Dyke beard:
What is a Van Dyke Beard?
The Van Dyke beard style features a floating moustache with a goatee – technically, the two shouldn’t touch, otherwise that’d be a straightforward goatee. This is the main difference between the goatee vs Van Dyke style - all of the hair on your cheeks should be shaved off for an authentic Van Dyke style.
The moustache accompanying your goatee could be a classic one, or it could be a more flamboyant handlebar moustache - whatever suits your personality best.
How to Grow a Van Dyke Beard
To grow a Van Dyke beard, you need to let your facial hair grow out for a few weeks. You might have to put up with a much fuller beard than you’re used to, until your beard and moustache are both the same lengt and you’re ready for Van Dyke beard trimming.
While getting the length needed for Van Dyke facial hair wash your beard regularly – use a dedicated beard shampoo to do this. When learning how to trim a Van Dyke beard also use a beard oil to help keep it in the best possible condition.
How to Trim a Van Dyke Beard
Your styler will be your best friend when it comes to mastering the art of Van Dyke beard trimming. The Gillette All Purpose Styler features three interchangeable comb lengths (2mm, 4mm and 6mm) and lets you trim, shave and edge your facial hair, making it a great tool for learning how to trim a Van Dyke beard.
Wondering how to shape a Van Dyke beard? First use the Styler’s beard trimmer function to trim down longer hair to create a Van Dyke goatee and moustache that you’re happy with.
Every Gillette Styler comes with a ProGlide razor blade, and you can use this to shave neat gaps in between your beard and moustache to create that distinctive Van Dyke facial hair look.
If you are learning how to grow a Van Dyke beard with more sensitive skin, keep it free from razor burn and shaving rash by using the Gillette SkinGuard Sensitive Razor. This razor will provide your cheeks with extra protection during shaving for a super smooth finish. Don’t forget to change up your shaving cream too – our SkinGuard Men’s Sensitive Shaving Gel will deliver the perfect smooth razor glide for an even more comfortable shave.
Whether you prefer the close shave a Fusion5 ProGlide blade offers or want the added protection of SkinGuard Sensitive, you can sign up for a Gillette shaving subscription to make sure you’ve always got a supply of fresh, sharp blades to choose from – the best way to avoid shaving cuts and master the Van Dyke beard.
Van Dyke Beard Variations
If you’re unsure whether a Van Dyke beard is right for your face shape, there are a few variations to consider.
Try an anchor beard instead, which involves a slightly shorter goatee and moustache, with the beard tracing your jawline.
A Balbo beard is another variation on the Van Dyke style; this facial hair style features a fuller beard, detached from a floating moustache with smooth cheeks and sideburns.
Lots of men also find themselves choosing between a circle beard vs Van Dyke so you may also want to consider this style.
Whatever your face shape and personality, find the perfect beard style for you with a helping hand from Gillette.
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