UrbanUpdate

Fact: some guys just look better with a beard than everyone else. Lucky bastards.

At the same time, though, there’s another subset of men out there who gain greater appeal with a chin of well-groomed stubble, a cut-short crop of follicles flattering them in ways more robust options cannot. And still others, well, they seem to acquire a certain something-something by growing a hearty 'stache, as unlikely as that might be. The reason? Well it all has to do to your dome, if you can believe it.

You see, particular face shapes are more conducive to certain facial hair patterns and lengths than others, simply due to that fact that they can balance each other out. It's the same as with managing your beard-to-hair ratio, really; too much push or pull in one direction and things are bound to go awry. Here, we break down down a couple of guidelines based on the shape of your face, to help you on your way to facial hair zen.

The Perfect SquareIf your mug’s got the same dimensions across that it does down, then it’s your chin’s job to break up the symmetry. How? By letting your beard hair grow longer there, as opposed to on your cheeks. Doing so will give your face the implication of length that it’s lacking in reality, giving off the impression that you’re not, well, square.

Read MoreYour Beard-to-Hair Ratio Is Way OffBy Liza Corsillo

The Long And LeanGot an excess of length? The last thing you want to do, is draw more attention to it. Likewise, close-cropped all-over follicles are the way to go if you’re itching to grow your jaw locks. This even stubble will visually adjust the proportions of your face, while eschewing the addition of extra length on your chin. Or, more simply, it’ll make you look less like you belong on Easter Island.

The Pyramid, InvertedLike we said, choosing the right facial hair style all comes down to balance. That hold especially true when you’ve got a heart-shaped face; that is, a bit more skin at the the forehead tapering down to a point at the jaw. Formations like the goatee, as well as longer beards, will only make things visually more angular. Instead, opt for fuller beards, which will help to round out the face. Alternatively, if you’ve got it in you, a mustache could work here, potentially pulling attention from your chin to the upper lip. Then again, that could backfire, in which case you’ll just be a sharp-jawed guy with a creepy mustache. But there’s only one way to find out.

The Flat CircleBasketballs. Oranges. The letter O. These are things that tend to look better the rounder they are. You face, though? Not so much. Which is why, should your puss be on the less-than-angular side, a strong facial hair choice—be it longer beard or loosely-styled stubble—can work wonders disrupting the monotony. Just look at Leo DiCaprio; the guy’s filled out a bit in the face over the years, but by choosing to forgo the conventional for something eye-catching, he looks just as dashing as ever. (That new gold statue doesn’t hurt either.)

The EggPerfectly proportioned, y’all oval-shaped can basically do whatever you want with you facial hair and get away with it. Some restrictions apply. (Unless you’re Chris Meloni.)

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