American basketball player James Harden is almost as famous for his beard as he is for shooting baskets.
Over the years, he’s sported a wide range of beard styles, from a full-grown beard to a milder, peach fuzz look.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at the most popular James Harden beard styles and how you can achieve them.
1. Full-Grown Beard
Perhaps his most famous look: James Harden’s full-grown, 5-inch beard won over the hearts of his fans.
This look is all about growth and density. It requires some patience as you’ll need to allow the hair to grow out for some time.
To allow your facial hair to reach its full potential, ensure that your diet is rich in vitamins and minerals (which we’ll cover later on in this article), and also use beard oil to encourage growth and keep your facial hair soft, shiny, and full.
Let your facial hair grow and cover your cheeks so that it spreads to both sides of the jawline. Allow the beard to grow to its natural shape, and when you visit your barber, ask him to use a 5 or 6 clipper size to trim your mustache.
Keeping your mustache short will highlight the large size of the beard, giving the illusion of a thicker, fuller beard.
2. Circle Beard
This is a slightly trimmed version of the full beard, which features a goatee linked with a mustache, also known as a “circle beard.”
James Harden’s circle beard features an extended back, so it connects to the sideburns, but some circle beards are trimmed down a lot more than this or feature a shorter “goatee” style beard rather than one as full as Harden’s.
To achieve this look, you’ll need to allow the beard to grow out for a few weeks, depending on how long you want to be.
When it comes to shaving, you can shave the rest of your face but leave the growth around your entire mouth, and then trim the beard to your desired length.
When it comes to contouring the “circle” look, use a quality beard trimmer as well as a straight razor or shavette that uses disposable blades to get a more precise finish.
You can also ask your barber for a “circle beard” - as most will be very familiar with this look.
This is a slightly trimmed version of the full beard, which features a goatee linked with a mustache, also known as a “circle beard.”
James Harden’s circle beard features an extended back, so it connects to the sideburns, but some circle beards are trimmed down a lot more than this or feature a shorter “goatee” style beard rather than one as full as Harden’s.
To achieve this look, you’ll need to allow the beard to grow out for a few weeks, depending on how long you want to be.
When it comes to shaving, you can shave the rest of your face but leave the growth around your entire mouth, and then trim the beard to your desired length.
When it comes to contouring the “circle” look, use a quality beard trimmer as well as a straight razor or shavette that uses disposable blades to get a more precise finish.
You can also ask your barber for a “circle beard” - as most will be very familiar with this look.
3. Peach Fuzz
For a more subtle James Harden beard style, why not opt for the ‘peach fuzz’ look? Peach fuzz is usually associated with younger boys who are getting their first signs of facial hair.
However, due to Harden’s thick, dark facial hair even his peach fuzz beard is pretty visible and absolutely striking.
This is best for those with thinner or sparser facial hair, and the look is characterized by a light mustache and thin chin beard that are shaped into a light “circle beard.”
If your facial hair is on the thinner side, it’s important to achieve precise curves when trimming your beard to give the look a cleaner finish.
4. Light Goatee/Stubble
These pictures are often associated with James Harden without a beard, however, he still has some facial hair here, it’s just his usual, thick, bushy beard makes this variation almost appear clean-shaven.
This look is ideal for anyone who can’t achieve Harden’s full-grown look, or for those who prefer a tidier or sleeker look.
This look features a lightly-trimmed chin goatee and mustache, with the neck and jawline clean-shaven and sideburns kept short. This look works well with Harden’s shorter hair, too.
To achieve this look, you’ll want to use a smaller clipper size to achieve precision with the goatee and mustache - ideally a one or two guard clipper size. This look requires a lot of attention to detail so it can sometimes be best to go to your barber for it.
5. Chin Curtain
In this look, Harden has his mustache trimmed short while the rest of his beard is left to grow thick and long, resembling a “chin curtain.”
Most chin curtain styles are trimmed lower than Harden’s, so the sideburns are connected to the beard in a thinner line.
However, this is a pretty diverse style, so trim your beard however you like, or keep it full and bushy like Harden’s. Some men like to shave the mustache off completely, while Harden keeps his visible, but trimmed short.
6. Overgrown Goatee And Mustache
This is by far one of the most low-maintenance beard styles, as it requires allowing your beard to grow out as well as your mustache, while also allowing the hair to grow onto your cheeks and connect with your sideburns.
The beard length is trimmed slightly shorter than Harden’s full beard, but you can also trim it or allow it to grow out fully, depending on your hair growth pattern and the thickness of your beard.
Maintaining Your James Harden Beard Style
Growing Your Beard
Without a doubt, central to James Harden’s beard is the length. He regularly sports a long, full beard, and obviously, not everyone is blessed with genetics that allow such growth.
Growing a beard to this length also requires patience.
You need to allow your beard to grow out fully and leave it untouched for a few weeks until it’s reached your desired length. Only then should you reach for your beard trimmer or schedule a trip to the barber.
However, there are a few ways in which you can encourage your facial hair to grow.
Certain studies have shown that ingredients such as alfalfa sprouts, coffee, and olive oil can stimulate hair growth.
It’s also important to ensure you eat a balanced, nutritious diet. If you feel good on the inside, it’ll reflect on the outside too.
Include the following in your diet to maximize your beard’s growth:
- Protein - protein-rich foods, such as lean meat and fish, can increase the production of testosterone in your body and aid the growth of new hair. Without protein, your beard will become brittle and dry, making it more prone to breakage and less likely to grow thick, and full.
- Zinc: Zinc is found in pumpkin, lentils, oysters, seeds, spinach, and beef, and is known to contribute to healthy facial hair growth because it boosts testosterone and can also improve hair quality. It can also reverse premature gray hair and make it return to its natural color, perfect if you’re dark-haired like Harden.
- Iron: Iron helps produce hemoglobin, a red protein that functions by transporting essential oxygen throughout your body. This stimulates hair growth and repairs damaged cells, and a deficiency in iron often triggers hair loss.
- Vitamin A: Vitamin A is an antioxidant that supports the production of sebum in your skin, helping to grow and reproduce cells.
- Vitamin B5: B5 helps you metabolize foods and convert them into usable energy as well as nourish your cells.
- Biotin: Biotin helps eliminate DHT from your body, and without adequate biotin, you’re likely to suffer significant hair loss.
- Vitamin C: Like Vitamin A, Vitamin C is an antioxidant, and will protect your hair from damage caused by free radicals. Vitamin C can get rid of these damaging free radicals from your body that will otherwise slow down growth.
- Vitamin E: Another antioxidant that protects your cells and destroys harmful free radicals, Vitamin E nourishes the skin and hair and supports healthy hair growth.
- Calcium: calcium supports the healthy and sufficient production of hormones such as testosterone.
Beard Vitamins: Alpha Beard Growth Vitamins
Beard Growth Serum: Beard Growth Serum with Biotin & Caffeine
Beard Growth Kit: Beard Growth Kit with Derma Roller
Conditioning Your Beard
Aside from nourishing your skin and facial hair with the right vitamins and minerals, it’s also important to follow a beard care routine.
The most important product to use is definitely a beard oil, as this will keep your beard in optimal condition and will also help with softness and shine.
Beard oil is not only important for maintaining your facial hair but for keeping the skin underneath your beard soft and supple, too.
This will minimize dry skin and irritation, and will also prevent uncomfortable ingrown hairs that will hinder growth.
Look for a beard oil that’s packed full of enriching ingredients such as coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil.
These will help tame unruly hair and will soften the beard, making it easier to style and maintain.
For a full beard care routine, it’s also a good idea to use a beard wash, which will keep your beard clean and manageable and will buff away dry skin.
You can also use a beard moisturizer to combat dry skin and brittle hair.
We’d recommend steering clear of any heavily processed or artificial ingredients, as the longer the ingredients list, the more likely the oil is to irritate the skin.
Instead, opt for natural ingredients. Or you can simple nourish your beard with coconut oil or olive oil if you have these at home already.
Beard Wash: Beard Wash Shampoo with Argan Oil - Handcrafted in the USA
Beard Conditioning: The Art of Shaving Beard Conditioner
Limiting Gray Hairs
One thing that makes Harden’s beard so striking is the color, but then again, not everyone is blessed with a thick, dark beard.
However, if you have premature gray hairs in your beard, it could be down to one of several things, such as a B12 deficiency, or even a thyroid-related condition or conditions such as Alopecia.
It’s best to get these things ruled out by a doctor first of all, and if the gray is bothering you, there are a host of products you can use, from gray-reducing beard washes to temporary or permanent beard dyes.
Consuming foods that are rich in zinc will also help reverse premature gray hairs.
Beard Coloring Kit: Just For Men Beard & Mustache Jet Black
Taming Your Beard
You should also take to regularly brushing your beard with a wooden brush or comb.
There are several benefits to this: brushing helps stimulate follicles and promote growth, it detangles the beard and keeps it tamed and smooth, and you can also use a brush to style your beard.
For example, you can brush the hairs downwards to create James Harden's longer, fuller beard, and you can also brush the hair towards any patches where you want to encourage growth.
Beard Brush: Beard Brush by ZilberHaar with Stiff Boar Bristles
Trimming Your Beard
Whether you visit a professional barber or prefer to trust no one but yourself with your beard, it’s essential to use quality beard trimmers when trimming and styling your beard.
This will allow you to achieve a more precise style that is closer to Harden’s.
If you visit a professional, it can be a good idea to show your barber the photo you’d like to imitate, as this can help him better achieve your desired look.
Beard Trimmer: Philips Norelco Multigroom Series
Final Verdict
James Harden has one of the best beards out there, and over the years he’s sported a wide range of beard styles, from full, bushy numbers to tamed goatees and circle beards.
While we’re not all blessed with Harden’s genetic profile which allows him to not only be an amazing basketball player but also to achieve a lustrous, thick beard, we hope this article has highlighted a few of the ways you can achieve a similar look to his.
A big part of getting your beard closer to James Harden’s style is to allow your beard to grow.
Once you’ve done this, you can trim it to your preferred style and maintain its appearance by using specific beard products and eating a healthy diet.
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