The short-boxed beard is one of the oldest and most classic beard styles there is. The fact that it has never really fallen out of style is a testament to its universal appeal.

It’s a great way to accentuate your masculinity while still maintaining a well-groomed appearance. The short-boxed beard is also widely accepted in almost all social settings. It is highly professional and great for office settings.

The short-boxed beard is, essentially, a manicured full beard that doesn’t fall into any excesses while still exuding a masculine ruggedness. It is cleanly non-extravagant and makes a statement without stepping on any toes.

A short-boxed beard is a variant of the full beard. It’s not that long to get you confused with any mountain men but is long enough to not be considered stubble.

Short-boxed beards are closely trimmed to the face to keep a neat appearance. It works with and sculpts the way your beard hair grows in. The part of your beard that grows less densely, like on your cheeks, is trimmed away to actuate your cheekbones and to create a clear line.

The incredible versatility of the short-boxed beard makes it well suited for practically every face shape.

A better determining factor for whether this beard will work with your face shape is how it is styled. There’s no universal styling guide, so your method must match your face shape. However, the face shapes that are not suited for the short-boxed beard are suited for a longer boxed beard.

Men with round or oblong-shaped faces benefit best from this look, as it adds sharp lines and definition to their faces. The shorter length adds definition and squares their faces without adding volume.

Oval and heart-shaped faces work very well with the short-boxed beard, but it’s essential to keep it trimmed and balanced. Heart-shaped faces may prefer allowing the chin to grow out disproportionately, or even adopting a longer length altogether.

Triangle and diamond-shaped faces work well with the close cropping of this beard. However, they need to be careful with the height of the cheek line they choose. Triangle faces will likely prefer a high cheek line to create a balance between their jawlines and cheekbones. Diamond-faced men can do either. A low cheek line will accentuate the sharpness of their faces, and a high cheek line will soften their features and is probably preferred.

Square-faced men can pull off boxed beards, but they’re better suited for a longer beard length. The sharp lines of the short-boxed beard add sharp contours where they aren’t needed. A longer beard softens their angular features.

Let your beard grow for about 2 to 4 weeks. Since a short-boxed beard involves simply trimming a full beard, you may want your beard to grow unimpeded before styling. If your beard grows quickly, you can start this process in 2 weeks, though waiting 4 weeks to increase the volume of your facial hair is recommended.

To properly trim your short-boxed beard, you need to understand your neckline and cheek line.

Since many face shapes don’t have defined lines on their neck and face, you’ll need to take the time to determine yours. This is relatively simple to do and will make a huge difference in your beard styling capabilities.

To determine your neckline, tilt your head up and picture a line with 3 points, your left ear, your Adam’s apple, and your right ear. Trim the hair below that area so that it angles up towards your ear. The back edges of your jawline should line up with the back edges of your sideburns. You should trim those as you round out the edges of your beard.

Your cheek line is best determined by visualizing a line from the center of your ear to the edge of your mustache. Trim your cheek hair to match that line and create a natural slope to your face.

Some men prefer a lower, stylized cheek line to their beard. This works well in instances where the cheek hair grows in patchy.

Once you’ve determined your neckline and cheek line, trimming your beard is relatively simple. Clean and comb your beard first, then use an electric trimmer to shape your beard. Use it without a guard to shape your desired lines, but be careful not to cut too much off.

Once your beard is shaped, use a razor to shave off the excess hair to make your lines clean and crisp.

With your beard fully shaped, you can also trim down the overall length of your beard. Trim slowly and incrementally, switching back and forth on each side to make sure it stays symmetrical. Comb your cheek hair away periodically to make sure it’s uniform. Start with a bigger guard for your trimmers and shorten in stages, combing between using a shorter guard.

Making sure your beard is healthy is crucial, not only for your comfort but also for your appearance. You need to moisturize your beard regularly. Use a standard face moisturizer at first, while your beard is still short. Once it gets longer, you can start using beard oil or balm.

Apply it after washing your face with a rejuvenating face wash, massaging it into the hair and your skin; then comb your beard for uniformity. This will keep your beard softer and your skin healthier.