How to Shave a Goatee (Circle Beard)

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The goatee, or circle beard, is a great middle ground for men looking for facial hair without growing a full beard. The goatee is perfect if you have a round face shape, or a narrower chin.

The moustache and chin strap that make a goatee create an illusion of a broader jawline, with the style first becoming particularly popular in the late 1940s.

Give this style a go to channel your inner David Gandy – or perhaps Paul Hollywood, if your facial hair is a little more silver these days.

How to Shave a Goatee Beard

There’s more than one way to wear a goatee, however. First, you need to consider the style you’re going for. To find out how to trim a goatee and maintain it with the right tools like the Gillette All Purpose Styler & Beard Trimmer, read on.

Step 1: How to Grow a Goatee

Neat and short, long and messy, or one that emphasises a handlebar moustache: there’s certainly more than one way to wear a goatee. Choosing the style for you in part comes down to knowing your face shape, but mostly, it’s simply a case of personal preference. Pick what style feels right for you, and make sure your beard has at least a week’s growth before you start.

Step 2: Use the Perfect Goatee Trimmer

Depending on the type of circle beard you’ve chosen, you need to select the right trimmer to create the look. The Gillette Styler comes with three comb attachments, 6mm, 4mm, and 2mm. When you style your goatee, you can choose the attachment to suit your look.

Step 3: Comb and Trim Your New Goatee

Before you switch the trimmer on, be sure to comb your facial hair. This will help the trimmer to work along the hairs without clogging. Trim along the full beard line, making sure all hairs are around 3-5mm long.

If you want to grow a longer goatee, this comes in right at the end. For now, trim to an even length across your face.

man with a stylish goatee beard

Step 4: How to Shape a Goatee

To add extra shape and definition to your goatee, remove the comb and switch to the precision trimmer head, and start from the neck, using gentle, smooth strokes. Then, move onto the cheeks.

Remember to take it slowly, pausing after every few strokes to see how the shape of the goatee is coming along.

Step 5: Define Your Goatee

Now you have the rough outline, you can begin to shape it properly. At this stage you need to trim round the lips to define the shape. Create a triangle under your lower lip and trim the upper lip carefully for clean-cut lines.

Step 6: Take Care of Your Skin

Goatees are best worn with defined, neat edges. To achieve this, you need to get a clean, close shave on the areas around your goatee.

After you’ve finished trimming, rinse your face with warm water to soften the hairs and skin. Pat your skin dry and apply a shaving cream to guarantee a smoother razor glide and to reduce the risk of razor burn and other shaving irritation.

Step 7: How to Get a Clean Shave

Swap your Gillette Styler trimmer head to the razor blade attachment, and check your blade isn’t clogged or dull – any Fusion5 razor blade refill fits with the shaver. Fresh, sharp blades are best for avoiding shaving cuts, and you can keep on top of your supply by signing up to Gillette’s shave club to get a regular subscription delivered direct to your door.

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Use smooth, gentle strokes as you shave the area around your beard. Rinse your blade between strokes, and reapply shaving gel as required. The back of our Fusion5 razor blades have an in-built precision trimmer which can be used to neaten the edges around your goatee.

Step 8: Moisturise Skin After Shaving

When you’re happy with your beard, rinse your face and neck with cool water to close your pores, then pat your skin dry. Apply a moisturising aftershave product to keep your skin soothed, refreshed and hydrated.

Step 9: Groom Your Goatee

To keep your beard nourished and in the best possible condition, make sure you’re grooming your facial hair on a regular basis, using a dedicated beard shampoo if possible.

Now you know how to shape a goatee you can play around with it, allowing the goatee to grow longer for instance.

Step 10: Maintaining Your Goatee

To keep your goatee looking sharp, you’ll need to trim and maintain your beard on a regular basis, so sign up for a Gillette shaving subscription to keep your stock of new razor blades high.

The Goatee Without Moustache Beard Style

Some guys prefer to grow a goatee without a moustache, with just a small amount of carefully styled facial hair framing their chin instead.

To create this facial hair style, follow the same steps that you would for shaving a goatee – just make sure you follow the tips for achieving a clean shave across your upper lip too.