How to Shave a Goatee

Tips to shave and style your amazing goatee

Co-authored by Woody Lovell

Last Updated: August 12, 2023 References

Goatees are a stylish and versatile way to express yourself if they are correctly shaven and maintained. They incorporate a chin beard with clean shaven cheeks and an optional mustache. Shaving a goatee is a learning curve that takes some planning and preparation, but once you get the hang of it there are numerous ways to experiment with this popular style, and to make it your own.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Choosing a Goatee Shape

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Grow a well-groomed, minimalist goatee for a professional look. A thick or untidy goatee might not go down too well with your workplace, or if you want to maintain a professional look. Select a style that is not too dominant and that you can regularly maintain, to make sure that you goatee and professional life go together. Having a well-groomed goatee can give you a creative, innovative, and professional demeanor.^{[1]
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- Try out a Van Dyke style goatee, which is a chin beard, mustache, and soul patch, with a cropped hair length and clean shaven face. The Van Dyke style works especially well for men with oblong face shapes.^{[2]
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A pure goatee is best described as a chin beard with the jawline completely shaved, and no mustache. This style is a good choice for round faces, as it can help to slim your face and accentuate your jaw. It is a classic goatee style, and is relatively easy to maintain.^{[3]
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A goatee and mustache combination works well for square faces, as it highlights your prominent jawline.This is a classic look, with a chin beard, mustache, and clean shaven cheeks and jawline.^{[4]
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An anchor style of goatee looks exactly like the name describes. It is a combination of a mustache, soul patch, and a chinstrap beard. The anchor style adds fullness to the jawline.^{[5]
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Part 2

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Shaving the Goatee

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Grow out your facial hair. Before you can get into shaving a goatee, you need to grow out your beard first. Although it can be annoying to have to endure the patchiness and itchiness of a new beard, let the facial hair surrounding your chin, mouth, and nose grow out. This creates a solid foundation for shaving, and also for deciding on what shape you like. One to two weeks worth of growth is an ideal place to start.^{[6]
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- Using beard oil during the growing stage can help make the process easier. Not only does beard oil speed up the progress of facial hair growth, but it can also reduce beard itch.^{[7]
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2
Use a washable marker. For first-time goatee growers, knowing exactly where to start shaving, and deciding the right outline for your goatee can be tricky. Use a washable marker to draw lines on your face, as you can shave directly along these for a precise shave. This will also help to get your goatee looking even and symmetrical. Just double check that the marker is washable first!^{[8]
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- It's really important to have a clear image of what you want your goatee to look like.
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Outline your goatee. Comb through your beard to straighten out any unruly hair, and then begin with a new, sharp, and clean razor, or a trimmer without the guard, to define the edges of your goatee. Start on your neck with little cuts, about the size of the razor blade or trimmer. Slowly work around to your chin and then cheeks, until you are happy with the edges of your goatee.^{[9]
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- Goatees typically aren’t any wider than your mouth. It can help to smile when shaving, and to make sure the edges of your goatee aren’t any wider than the corners of your smile or dimples.
- Two to three fingers width above your Adam’s apple is a good place for the outline on your throat. You can always shorten it later if it feels like it goes too far down your neck.
- Take your time and be careful, as there is no rush to get your goatee looking right. Remember that if you make a mistake, most people won’t notice something slight. If it’s extremely noticeable, you can always just shave your beard off evenly and start again in a week or two.
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Trim your goatee. Use an electric beard trimmer and make small, downward strokes moving from the outside in on your goatee. Trim all your facial hair to an even length. If you’re going for a mustache in combination with your goatee, it should be the same length or shorter than the rest of your goatee.^{[10]
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- Although using scissors may seem easier to handle than a trimmer when you first start out, they are not recommended as it is too easy to cut the hair unevenly.
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Shave the parts of your face which will remain clean shaven. This includes your cheeks, and any parts of your chin or neck that are outside the edges of your goatee. When shaving close to the outline of your goatee, always start on the edge and shave outward to avoid accidentally shaving off part of it. For the part of your goatee on your neck, this means shaving vertically downwards, and for your chin, shaving towards your ears.
- If using a razor, use clear shaving gel rather than shaving foam or cream so that you can see the outline of your goatee while shaving.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Maintaining the Goatee

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Trim your goatee daily. A goatee requires daily trimming to keep it looking defined and clear-cut. Shave the rest of your face regularly to remove any stubble, as this will help your goatee to look neat, tidy, and stand out.^{[11]
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- Always wait until your beard is completely dry before trimming or styling. Working with wet hair can make it easy to accidentally trim off too much.^{[12]
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- A small, sharp razor works best for trimming your goatee.
2
Shampoo your goatee regularly. Dust, debris, food, and dirt particles can all be caught by facial hair, which makes it prone to damage and looking untidy. Massage shampoo into your beard, and rinse thoroughly.
- Avoid using strong soap on your beard. This will strip away natural oils, make your beard feel dry, and cause breakage and split ends.
While shampoo will clean your beard, it also remove your skin's natural oil in the process. Massaging in a specialty beard conditioner will prevent your beard from getting either too dry or oily. This will keep the skin under your beard clear, and free of blemishes.^{[13]
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Use beard oil on your goatee. Beard oil will work to moisturize your skin, as well as softening your facial hair. A natural beard oil is the best choice, and works to hydrate, strengthen, and thicken facial hair.^{[14]
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- Don't forget to wash out your beard oil—you don't want it sitting in your beard for days at a time.
A healthy lifestyle and routine will help your goatee to look the best it can be. Eating a well balanced diet will ensure that the right nutrients are reaching your hair follicles. Getting around 8 hours of sleep per night, alongside keeping a regular exercise routine, will all help to promote hair growth.^{[15]
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Expert Q&A

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Question

How do you manage a goatee?

Marlon Rivas
Facial Hair Specialist
Marlon Rivas is a Barber and Owner of MGX Professional Men's Grooming, a barbershop based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is also the founder of Busystyle.com, a service that provides online scheduling services to businesses in the barbering and beauty industry. Marlon has over 15 years of experience in managing and providing barber services.

Marlon Rivas

Facial Hair Specialist

Expert Answer

Purchase a specialty beard shampoo. These are less abrasive than normal shampoos, making your beard softer and less prone to damage.

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Tips

Don't be afraid to experiment with different goatee styles until you find what works for you. Try adding in a mustache, changing length of your facial hair, or adjusting the width of your goatee.

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Warnings

Facial hair doesn’t grow well for all men. If your facial hair continues to look patchy after two to three months, it most likely won’t get any better. Shave it off and explore different avenues to express your style.^{[16]
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