Beards have waxed and waned in popularity throughout the history of humanity. Russians once believed that their beards brought them closer to god and vikings used to braid their beards and put metal beads in them to look more intimidating in battle! Some cultures value a clean shaven face to represent cleanliness and professionalism, including the United States up until recently! In recent years beards have made a real comeback, especially in hipster culture, and men with beards are actually perceived to be more competent and trustworthy be others! We’ve gathered sixty photos for you that show just how much a man’s appearance can change when he grows out a good beard!
1) More than the beard
This guy could get away with pretty much any crime if he committed it with the long hair and beard and just immediately cut it all off! He doesn’t look even remotely the same. He went from a headbanger at Metallica concerts to someone who found their spirit in the mountains and now guides others to do the same! Those are some seriously thick locks!
Before and after from beards
2) Unkempt
This is a really good demonstration for how you can still have a beard but look clean cut! The before picture is really fine, but the beard is uneven and kind of messy and his hair has that messy unkempt look that works well for dates and parties. But the after elevates the look by giving him a bit more of a groomed look! The beard is suddenly a lot more even and shows off his nice jaw more and both the beard and hair are more appropriate for professional settings on top of social situations!
3) Heresy
I get why he felt like it would be heresy to cut such a majestic beard, but it seriously looks so much better in the after photo. Coupled with a crisp haircut, our boy is ready to go out and break some hearts! And he has still maintained the thickness of his beard so it still is quite impressive and would no doubt get you a highfive from any beard bro!
4) Rejuvenate
It might just be his expression and the lighting but does this guy not look so much younger with the shorter beard? We can’t chalk this one up to a haircut or even the grooming! His old beard looked quite nice and well taken care of, but he looks much more approachable with the shorter beard!
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5) Not about the cut
This guy didn’t even trim his beard for these photos! He simply groomed it between photos which CLEARLY goes a long way! He went from looking like someone who would spout crazy conspiracy theories at you to a well established beard oil salesman and upstanding citizen!
Some people don’t appreciate the work involved in a neat and tidy beard! Here is a before and after my 15 minute daily “grooming” routine. from beards
6) From hunk to hunk
I can see how the beard started to get a little unruly but it was still looking really good! He simply went from a suspiciously attractive arctic explorer to surfer dude dream boat! It really shows that it does just come down to grooming and keeping things well kept!
7) Losing inches
What a 180! He certainly had a good look before that was a little more of an alternative rocky kind of vibe, but he can fit with just about any crowd in the after shot! His head must feel so much lighter!
8) Stages of Cooper
Tame your mane indeed! What a crazy clean up! That must be years of growth cut off between the hair and the beard! They’re such different looks, but the clean cut must be so much easier to maintain. From 30 minutes in the bathroom to 5!
9) Unbelieveable
What a change! You can change your hair, you can lose weight, you can grow a beard but how do you get an icier stare? This guy actually became famous in Wales for his wild transformation! He grew his beard and hair, lost 90 pounds, got super fit and became a GQ model! His whole life turned upside down in the span of a year!
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10) Experiment
Now that’s an SO with a good eye for beards! They brought that beard back down to respectable citizen levels! It looks so much cleaner and frames his face a lot better as well! No doubt it will take some getting used to after growing a beard like that!
11) They’re a good thing
This is probably the best example yet of how a beard can seriously improve your whole look! A bit more hair on the top of his head and some further maturing of his face no doubt helped a lot, but that beard really balances his face out! It also shortened his neck a bit which was definitely for the best overall!
Before and after. If anyone tries to tell you that beards are a bad thing, look what it did for me. Left was late 2012, right was election day 2016. from beards
12) Time machine
This is crazy! The guy just went back 20 years! The huge beard made him look about 45 years old! The much shorter beard turns him into an a model and gives him a really cool look! He didn’t even have to cut his hair for this!
13) Hermit to hermfit
I get the appeal of going full mountain man and just letting your hair do whatever it’s going to do but how do you let a look like the after picture go!? It’s such a crazy difference and makes him look so much better! That barber seriously helped him out!
14) Manson fam
He really look a bit too much like ol’ Charlie Manson there. It’s not a great look to look like a crazy cult leader! The haircut is definitely the biggest change but that beard trim did absolute wonders, that fine moustache is so much more interesting!
Got a haircut and trim from The Art Of Shaving. I went from Charles Manson to Dapper Manson. from beards
15) Unique
There is such a thing as too normal! This guy changed his whole look by growing out a nice silver beard and keeping it well maintained! He has so much more personality and character to him with the beard! He looks pretty dang good for 54!
16) Stylized
Huge transformation while still keeping a cool and interesting look! This guy styling his hair is definitely a big part of it but layered beards like this are taking off right now! Having a massive moustache and a nicely trimmed beard is such a look! I’m a big fan of this transformation!
17) Big change
That’s a crazy transformation in such a short amount of time! The beard is a big change for sure, but it looks like this guy got buff and grew his hair out as well! These are pretty fundamental changes! It makes him look much more mature!
18) Classicly handsome
Cutting the hair was a great choice, it’s way easier to show off that great neck tattoo! Trimming that beard down just rounded out the whole look, giving him a really nice, fresh, clean cut. It’s much more stylish!
19) Acting
This is absolutely crazy to me. This is only a two month difference? It looks like generations between each picture! There’s method actors and then there’s this guy. Do I even need to say that the beard look is much better?
Before and After- filming for two different projects one after the other (2months)…young kid for a TV show and a ‘no-good’ lawyer. I am Polish/Korean 30yr old from beards
20) Cleaned up
This is oddly heartwarming in a photo! This guy got so cleaned up and it completely changed his look! I have no idea where the glasses came from but they seriously work for him now! I can’t imagine they would have worked that well with his older look!
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21) Drastic switch
This is when a transformation actually kind of works against you! A quick look and you would assume these two people are completely different, but anything longer and you can see that his pretty unique, definitive eyes are the same! He has definitely upgraded his look, but at what cost?
I was stopped at customs at the boarder because they did no believe I was the beardless guy on my passport. from beards
22) Youngify
This one is almost cheating but the beard is a huge part of it! Trimming it up and dying it gives it a much more youthful look! And cleaning up all those lines after the hair prosthesis makes him look so sharp all over again! You’d never be able to guess his age!
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23) Swift changes
Going from the emo scene kid look to a well bearded hipster is a huge change, but a very welcome one! That’s a pretty massive difference for only six years! Who knows how he’ll look next year at the next six year mark? What about six years after that? Fashion is always changing!
24) Give it care
A great example of how the grooming of a beard can change its whole look! He looks much softer and more approachable somehow after the routine! Twirly moustaches simply aren’t as intimidating somehow!
25) How to age
This guy somehow aged ten years in 50 days! He’s so much more serious with the beard and longer hair but I can see why! He looks so much more professional and calmed down! He must feel the change as well!
26) Go big or go home
This isn’t quite a fair comparison, his eyes are so nice in the second picture while you can’t really make them out in the first picture! Still, moustaches are pretty hard to pull off and you often just look like a wannabe army dad by trying to make it work. This guy definitely found the better look by growing his beard out! Can’t wait to see the after picture where he has trimmed it down and cleaned it up after growing it out for a while!
27) Losing depth
That was one sharp beard before! Look how far that thing juts out from his face! That’s a lot of growth out rather than down! The trim up makes him look really nice for sure, and being able to see his mouth again is probably nice for whoever he’s kissing!
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28) Filled out
Only 7 weeks later but you can already see the effect on his confidence! He looks buffer and he has better posture! If that’s what works for you then keep on rocking it, pal!
My first time ever growing out my facial hair. Just turned 28 and shaved regularly. Now I’m 7 weeks into this and everyone seems to like it from beards
29) Slim down
Im glad the lads of Reddit were able to provide this guy with some good advice on trimming his beard! Trimming the sides down like that gives his face much less of a round look and slims him down as a whole! The change in glasses is unrelated but were also a much nicer choice!
Before and after. Thank you, guys, for all the tips and suggestions, couldn’t have done it without you all here. from beards
30) Change is good
Trying something new is good! Especially when your default is to shave your head, if you don’t like the look you can just cut it all off! It’s not like you have to wait to grow it out again! But the hair and beard have completely changed this Reddit user’s look and it looks so much better!
For most of my adult life I’ve had a shaved head and face, within the past 6 months I’ve decided to try something new. from beards
31) Small scale everything!
This guy went to the right Gentlemen’s Shop! They turned him from a fun loving crazy uncle into a fine, respectable gentleman who will discuss with you at great length the intricacies of international naval trade. The moustache twirl really takes it to the next level with his shorter, classic cut hair!
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32) A look!
This is probably my favourite yet! The bald head with the massive beard is such a great look! It definitely needed a trim in the before picture but it was still a really good look! He went all in on the beard! I’m happy they kept the length for the after picture but it looks so good and so much more well taken care of! But he didn’t have to sacrifice his interesting alt look! A+.
33) Beard beats stache
The grown out beard does a lot for this guy. I respect the big moustache but the beard seriously elongates his face and makes the moustache fit his face better! He looks like a man now rather than a little boy with a dollar store disguise!
34) Santa’s own present
This is a really great trim because it’s nice and subtle! It maintains his look but cleans it up pretty flawlessly! It looks like in the grooming process they even gave his beard an interesting design just below his mouth, which really works unexpectedly! He looks so happy with his new cut!
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35) Thassa thicc beard
This is a really intersting one because this man’s beard actually looks much thicker after it got trimmed! Without the hairs fraying out in any which direction, there’s a harder edge to the beard, giving it that thick look! Getting rid of the hair on his head was a good choice as well, it makes his look more cohesive!
View this post on InstagramA post shared by 🧔🏻 ⓀẸｖίη Ҝ𝐑ùᎶ 🧔🏻 (@kevin_posted_this) on
36) Patchy to full
This is perseverence at its finest! And the reward was well worth the wait, look at how thick that beard is! He looks absolutely great, and his new haircut matches the beard very well!
A little late, but here’s my yeard with a before and after pic. I’m so glad I didn’t let the early patches stop me. from beards
37) Tough guy look
That is one scraggly look beforehand! The very definition of unkempt! But what a switch! He has that great, rough around the edges look after the cut so he can maintain that tough guy look and attitude! The only difference is that he’s super attractive now!
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38) The journey
He looks like a completely different person! The beard really suits him, and somehow makes his eyes pop a whole lot more! His look as a whole really improved after his time spent in India!
39) Half to whole
This is a HUGE difference in just one year! But I’m a big fan! He really learned what works for him, and his hair is a lot nicer now! The facial hair isn’t even a contest, what was a half-assed little moustache became a majestic and massive beard! This guy could be the poster boy for some of these beard oil companies you see!
Compared to last year’s militarily restricted attempt, my participation in Movember has… grown. from beards
40) Clean lines
Some sharp lines make all the difference! A crisp fade and a cleaned up beard completely changes this guy’s whole vibe! It slims down his whole face and makes him look much cleaner!
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41) Spilt milk
This guy might be sad about his choice, but we’re not! It looks great! The longer hair really works for him and the bit of scruff that he has suits him much better than the beard, not to mention it keeps his cheeks more consistently free of the day or two old stubble!
42) Is this the same man!?
You would NEVER know that’s the same person. It’s another case of the mysteriously reappearing glasses, but it keeps working so I won’t complain. He looks so much cleaner all around, and just brighter!
43) Distinguished
What a shift! His new look makes him look so much more distinguished! His whole demeanor has changed with his new look and he seems so wise now somehow!
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44) Fabio?
This guy made the right choice. He went from a Fabio wannabe to very much his own person with a much better look and vibe! You can even see it in how he’s posing in each picture he’s much more comfortable now with the beard and slick new cut!
You majestic bastards have rubbed off on me. Picture on left is two months ago, picture on right is today. from beards
45) Your wife thanks you
Cleaning it up was a really good choice, my man! It looks great now that it’s trimmed down and it suits him much better than the big unruly ball of fluff! It lends itself really well to looking good in a suit as well which I can only assume is what he wore for his wedding day!
46) Lessons to teach
It looks like the beard subreddit helped this guy out in more ways than one! Not only does his beard look fantastic now, but hair looks so much better now as well! The difference is night and day, isn’t it? Beard grooming is important, it is known!
1st beard attempt before I knew about beard care—2nd attempt after I found this sub and learned how to care for my beard. Thanks r/beards from beards
47) Variety
This is a perfect illustration of how wildly different beards can make you look! What I find really interesting is that when a beard doesn’t suit him it almost looks fake, like it was tacked on or something! This seems like a smart way to find out what works for you, start with a big beard and try things out as you trim down!
48) Pulpable
The difference here is just mind boggling. It’s hard to believe that the man in the second photo ever looked like the man in the first! The messy beard and clean hair works for him in such a great way! It looks like he upgraded his fashion choices as well by the time the second picture was taken!
49) Smiles!
From one epic beard to a legendary beard! His whole look improved at this barbershop and you can see on his face just how much happier he is with this look! That smile is contagious!
50) Different looks!.. Literally!
You can tell from this guy’s expression in the before picture he knew exactly how badly he needed some trims and grooms! The slicked back hair is so much nicer, and really very classy looking. His beard really benefits from narrowing it somewhat as well, while still keeping the length! It really lengthens his face and it works beautifully for him!
Before and after. from beards
51) Santa baby
The santa hat really matched the beard quite well in the before photo. The shorter beard suits him much better for day to day life outside of christmas! He might think he looks like a ball head but believe us, my friend, you look much better!
52) Super grower
That’s a crazy amount of hair growth in only six months! Tell us your secrets you handsome hipster! Just six months and he went from goofy dad in a comedy movie to the beer brewing longboarder living in the mountain town!
Six months later from beards
53) Trim EVERYTHING
Trimming up that beard and narrowing it a bit is certainly an overall better look for this fine chap, but it looks like they might have even trimmed his eyebrows a bit! He has a much more manicured look now while still keeping that kind of tough “I don’t care about my looks” kind of vibe!
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54) Nebuchadnezzar
This is a BEARD. It puts all the other beards to shame! It has the thickness, the length, and it’s so wavy! It was definitely time for a trim but he went to the right people! They made him look like an ancient Babylonian king!
55) Improvement
Yeah man, this is definitely a massive improvement, nicely done! You went from the kind of loveable geek look to looking like someone who sells harleys on the side! I love that all of these yeards come with hair styling!
56) Nigh Davy Jones
That before beard is absolutely WILD. That guy almost certainly roamed the high seas with a pet octopus in a past life! Trimming it down has made him much more modern and approachable in the 21st century! No more split ends!
My first beard cut in 3 years. It wasn’t growing anymore and was getting lots of split ends so… from beards
57) Make a smile
This is oddly heartwarming! No doubt this man took a lot of pride in the length of his beard but seeing that smile after he had it trimmed up is really quite sweet! They really nailed the shaping and still kept a lot of the length. It looks really good!
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58) Deep stare
The change here is crazy! I don’t know if he dyed his hair or what but it’s definitely a lot lighter in the after picture! The beard looks seriously fantastic and it suits him really well! If he can maintain the clean cut look and doesn’t let his beard get too wild then who knows how far it could go! It seems like he has it figured out!
59) Soft beard
That’s quite the beard in the before photo! I wonder if he ever patted it down or if it was worn flared out at all times! The trim really did wonders for him and makes him look a lot softer in every way! He’s very handsome with the new beard!
60) Long process
Wow what a change! He has such a baby face as a baby! Then suddenly out of nowhere he grew a beard and he looks like a man now! Crazy what beards can do for our faces! He looks like a completely different person!
Now you understand how not only growing a beard can be a massive game changer for someone’s whole look, but even just shaping or grooming or trimming a beard goes a long way! Some people are utterly unrecognizable while others improved the look they were already rocking with a little extra care!
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