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Growing a Viking beard takes a great deal of patience and a lot of maintenance. Here is our ultimate guide to the best Viking beard styles.
Vikings demanded respect and wore long, well-groomed beards to appear more virile, masculine and warrior-like. While today, you may be doing battle in the boardroom rather than on the high seas, Viking beards remain a unique way to express your style and individuality.
Savage and sexy, wild yet wonderful, fierce but fashionable, the Viking beard is here to stay.
Stand out from the crowd and boost that confidence; join your bearded brethren and discover the Best Viking Beard Styles for the modern man.
What is a Viking Beard?
Viking beards originated in Scandinavia and were worn by ancient Vikings from the 8th-11th century to give them a fierce and intimidating battle-ready appearance. They were long and intended to keep their warrior-wearers warm in cold climes.
While still a symbol of masculinity and virility, the many Viking beard styles available to today’s modern man are constantly evolving.
As long as you are true of heart, you can rock your Viking beard as a badge of honor.
How to Grow a Viking Beard?
In order to join the ranks of these bearded warriors, follow these three simple steps in your quest towards growing a Viking beard.
1. Be patient
It takes around a month to grown ½” of beard hair, so it may take 8 weeks or more to grow a Viking beard.
2. Follow a healthy diet
Make sure you’re getting those all-important vitamins and minerals to help give you nourished facial hair and that Viking-ready body.
3. Cleanse and Moisturize
Clean and well-moisturized skin is essential for the healthy hair growth needed to wear Viking beard styles.
The Best Viking Beard Styles
1. Short Viking Beard
You don’t have to go full Ragnar Lothbrok to bring out your inner warrior. Instead, rather than full-face coverage, opt for a short Viking beard. You can combine long hair and shaved sides or a ponytail with short, trimmed facial hair. Better yet, Viking beard styles that don’t extend too far down the neck are a great way to show off those Norse tattoos.
2. Mid Length Viking Beard
Rugged and cool, a mid-length Viking beard combines the best of both worlds for the modern man. Touching only the upper part of the chest, it’s fierce yet fashionable, not too short nor too long. Properly maintained, it’s a statement style for the alpha male. When it comes to Viking beard styles, it’s all about aftercare, so make sure you invest in a good quality beard oil, moisturizer, and beard wax.
3. Long Viking Beard
While masculine and manly, longer beards are often ageing. So if you want to look on-trend, it’s vital to combine your long Viking beard with a cutting-edge hairstyle. It’s a good idea to discuss the options with your barber. To nail the Viking aesthetic, you’ll need to be patient, though, as it can take around 3-4 months to grow a long beard. If your long Viking beard is curly, you can even straighten it with a beard straightener.
4. Braided Viking Beard
If a braided Viking beard is a good fit for your personality and your facial hair is a minimum of 4-in long and healthy, then you’re ready to do battle! Just apply a drop of oil, divide your beard into three equal, separate strands just as you would your hair, and get braiding. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can explore more complex braiding techniques.
5. Beaded Viking Beard
Viking beards are fierce, but beaded Viking beard styles are ferocious. Vikings gifted beads to their other bearded brethren as a symbol of respect. You can use multiple or single beads in different styles and sizes to decorate or hold braids in place. Thread a length of beard hair through the middle of the bead, slide it in position, and you are good to go.
6. Stubble Viking Beard
For a Viking beard, you will have to grow your stubble for six weeks or more. To get a bad boy beard, you will also have to stop shaving and trimming and follow a healthy diet. But the good news is many Viking beard styles need very little maintenance compared to some more mainstream ones like a goatee that need daily shaving.
7. Viking Beard With Mustache
If you are rocking a Viking beard, why not take things up a notch and combine it with a mustache? For a work-friendly fresh vibe, choose a short and trimmed mustache. Alternatively, add even more character to your inner warrior with a thick handlebar-type mustache. Finally, for facial hair fans, pairing a big, bold Viking beard with a mustache is a great way to personalize your style.
8. Viking Goatee
Vikings wore many different styles of beards. While some would have full beards to keep warm in winter, others went for well-groomed goatees. Viking beards in times gone by were about function. Today though, it’s more a case of fashion. Team up a Viking goatee with a man bun or ponytail to accentuate those cheekbones and rugged good looks.
9. Celtic Viking Beard
Vikings are Norse, but the Celts impacted Viking heritage and style, and both were fierce warriors in their own right. You can bring the two nations together in lots of different ways. For instance, combine long locks with Celtic braids or rock a red Viking beard with Celtic-inspired beads. Remember, fortune favors the brave!
10. Viking Ducktail Beard
If you have a thick beard with 2-4-in of length, a Viking ducktail could be the warrior style for you. This Nordic look has short sides and a long, pointed chin section. Think Charlie Hunnam in the hit TV show Sons of Anarchy. The Vikings were proud, courageous, and spiritual. So wear your ducktail Viking beard with your shoulders back, and head held high.
Viking Beard Oil: What is it, and how can you use it?
What is beard oil?
No one is attracted to a dusty, scruffy beard. Even the Viking’s had high grooming standards, according to historians. That’s why beard oil is an essential product for men rocking Viking beard styles. By combining carrier and essential oils such as grapeseed, argan, and jojoba, beard oil doubles up as a conditioning and styling product. Beard oil aims to mimic the skin’s natural oils to keep the hair and face beneath soft and smooth.
How do I use beard oil?
For manageable, healthy-looking facial hair, add 3-5 drops of your favorite beard oil to the palms after showering or cleansing, then massage into your beard. Work the oil downwards through the entire beard until the hairs feel damp. If you have a thick Viking beard, grab a beard comb or beard brush to help distribute the product evenly. Showering or cleansing before applying the oil is a pro tip since warm water helps open pores and hair follicles to absorb the product better.
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Viking Beard FAQ:
How to style a Viking beard
A few factors come into play when deciding the best way to style your Viking beard. Options will depend on your beard’s length and thickness and the impression you’re hoping to make.
Rocking a long Viking beard with braids is a strong look in some professions. Yet, it might not be appropriate in an office environment. Don’t forget to consider your face shape, age, haircut and lifestyle before choosing the best Viking beard for you.
How to maintain a Viking beard
Maintaining a bold and beautiful Viking beard is not for the faint-hearted. You will need to follow a three-step battle plan for beard perfection. First, maintain a healthy diet to promote hair growth, trim the hair lightly around the chin area and cheeks, and lastly cleanse daily before moisturizing with beard oil or beard balm.
Mal Lee is a freelance writer and editor with 20+ years of journalistic experience. As well as writing for USA Today, LA Times, Science Times, Honda, Belstaff, Universal Studios, Disney and Travel South USA he is also the author of two published non-fiction books. Mal is a keen motorcyclist, bass guitarist and tattoo collector, who enjoys hanging out with his wife, daughter, and two rescue dogs: Gumbo and Bean.