At a glance
- Beard style
- Goatee
- Face shape
- Square
- Verdict
- Good match
- Why
- It adds length at the chin, which lengthens the outline. Watch one thing: it hardens lines on a jaw that is already angular.
- Shape it
- round the corners instead of squaring them
- Upkeep
- a shave of the cheeks every two days
Why length at the chin suits a square jaw
On a square face, the forehead, cheekbones and jaw are close in width. Look at the turn your jaw takes below your ear. That sharp corner matters as much as the width when you choose a beard shape.
A goatee leaves hair on the chin only, apart from an optional moustache. Seen from the front, the extra length sits in the middle, with no beard at the sides to make your jaw look wider. If you're unsure how the widths compare, the free face-shape finder measures jaw width against cheekbone width from one selfie on your device.
Give the lower corners a curve
Leave the length at the centre of your chin while you shape the sides. Follow each side down to the spot where it meets the bottom edge, then trim that corner into a gentle curve.
Check the result straight on. If you see a flat bar across your chin with a sharp turn at either end, work on the corners first. Taking more hair off the bottom would cost you the length that makes the style suit your jaw.
Set the outline from week two
It's tempting to grow everything out and decide on a shape later. Set your cheek and neck lines from week two, even if you still want more length at the chin.
Shave your cheeks every two days. On a cheek-shave day, follow the sides of the goatee you've already set. You can leave the rounded chin alone if it still holds its shape.
Questions people ask
- Will a goatee hide the corners of my jaw?
- No. A goatee leaves those corners visible because you shave the cheeks and keep the beard at your chin. The change you'll see is a longer outline through the centre.
- How do I ask my barber for a rounded goatee?
- Try saying, “Keep the length at my chin, shave my cheeks and round off the bottom corners.” Tell your barber whether you want to keep your moustache, too.
Written from the measurements and ingredient facts on this site, then checked for the usual mistakes. Not medical advice.
Related pages
The closest pages in this section, picked by topic rather than by date.
- Does a full beard on a square face work?A full beard on a square face adds length at the chin. Keep the sides shorter, set the lines early and follow a simple shaping routine.
- How to shape a goatee on a diamond faceA goatee on a diamond face works with a tweak. Keep the chin short and the sides fuller, with shaved cheeks, to avoid adding more length.
- Does a goatee on a heart face suit your proportions?A goatee on a heart face works with a tweak: keep the chin short and the sides fuller. Learn how to shape it while keeping your cheeks shave
- Does a goatee on an oblong face suit you?A goatee on an oblong face works with a tweak: keep the chin short and the chin patch wider. Learn the shaping approach, upkeep and common m
- Does a goatee on an oval face suit you?A goatee on an oval face gets a neutral verdict. See its modest effect on a soft jaw, what to ask your barber and the cheek-shaving routine.
- Does a goatee on a round face work?A goatee on a round face adds chin length. See why it suits a soft jaw, what to ask your barber for, and how to keep the cheeks clean.
- Does a short boxed beard on a square face work?A short boxed beard on a square face works with rounded corners. Learn how to soften the outline, shape early and keep the lines tidy.