Balbo Beard Style: How to Grow, Trim, and Groom

Heard of the Balbo beard? Popular among Hollywood celebrities like Christian Bale, Robert Downey Jr, and Chris Pine, the Balbo beard is effortlessly cool, combining the best elements of a full beard and a goatee. It’s the mark of a distinguished man – one who’s not afraid to experiment a little.

The beard itself has a somewhat checkered past. Its name comes from the former Mussolini henchman Italo Balbo. However, unlike the toothbrush mustache, it’s shed its darker history, becoming popular with men everywhere. 

So, let’s take a closer look at the balbo beard style. Here’s how to grow a balbo beard, including tools, tips, and techniques. 

In this guide:

• What is a Balbo Beard?
• How to Grow the Balbo Beard Style
• Common Mistakes

What is a Balbo Beard?

The Balbo beard is defined as a beard that includes a chin beard, a mustache, and a soul patch. You might confuse this beard with a goatee. However, unlike the goatee, the chin beard covers much of the jaw’s outline, creating a more defined, masculine appearance.

There are a few reasons a lot of men go for the Balbo beard style:

• It’s a little bit different. Tired of going for the same standard assortment of beards, men who go Balbo never go back. It offers a lot of coverage of the full beard but with a bit more of an unusual shape. That being said, it’s tidy enough that your boss won’t care. 
• It’s easy to groom. You don’t need to trim a Balbo beard every day. A few minutes with an electric shaver and a pair of scissors is enough to keep it maintained. 
• It looks good. It’s really as simple as that. The Balbo is one of the best-looking beard styles around. It’s the epitome of cool. The style suits men with square or round faces. It can over-accentuate the jawline in heart-shaped faces. 

While the Balbo beard style is fairly well-defined, there’s still a little room for personalization. For example, you can lengthen the mustache into a short horseshoe. Or you can trim the chin beard to be shorter, thicker, or wider – whatever you think looks good. 

How to Grow the Balbo Beard Style

Thinking of growing a Balbo beard. To get started, you’ll need several weeks or months of growth. We recommend beginning with a full beard that’s around ¼ – ½ an inch long. Otherwise, it’s hard to achieve the right look – it’s just too short to groom properly. 

It’s also best to start with a clean, freshly washed beard. Always use a specialist beard shampoo, like Beard Sorcery Wash & Restore, to keep your beard hydrated and nourished and to avoid split ends. 

What You’ll Need:

• Beard Trimmer 
• Razor 
• Beard Oil 
• Beard Balm
• Beard Shampoo
• Beard Comb
• Scissors

What To Do:

Step 1. Define Your Neckline. 

Using the bead trimmer, trim a U-shape neckline about two fingers above your Adam’s apple, cleaning all the hair below this line. Remember, you can always remove more hair, but it’ll take weeks to regrow it. So, start lower than your eventual neckline, remove all the hair and gradually move the line upwards. Then, going forward, you can use the same neckline. 

Step 2. Outline the Beard

Once you’ve got a neckline, it’s time to define the boundaries of your beard. Use a precision trimmer or razor. The Balbo beard requires clean, shaved cheeks. Therefore, take your razor and sharply delineate the edges of your mustache and beard.

As before, it’s easy to take away than add. Go slowly, using a picture as a reference point. It’s easy to make mistakes, so you might want to use a water-based felt tip to mark the outline of the beard with dashes. 

Step 3. Shape the Mustache

Now, it’s time for the mustache. Swap to scissors to trim your mustache. Keep it neat using a comb for precision. We recommend our stainless-steel scissors and sandalwood mustache comb. They’re the gold standard in beardcraft tools. 

The objective is to have a clear separation between the mustache and beard. Remember to trim the ends. Or, if you’re going for a horseshoe, let it hang slightly around the edges. 

Step 4. Isolate the Soul Patch

Take your beard trimmer and carefully remove any excess hair around your soul patch, chin beard, and mustache. The soul patch is the small patch of hair beneath your lower lip. You can opt for a round or slightly elongated patch, depending on your preference.

Step 5. Clean Up the Chin

Almost there! Now, use a razor to shave the chin area completely, creating a clear distinction between the soul patch and the rest of the beard. Don’t bring the chin and cheek line too low, however, or you’ll veer into Amish territory. 

Step 6. Final Touch-Ups

Last, use your scissors to make any final adjustment, trimming to isolated hairs. Make sure all the lines are clean and symmetrical.

Step 7. Maintain and Care

Even the best-trimmed beard can look lackluster without the right maintenance. Apply a healthy dose of beard oil (2-3 drops) every few days to keep the beard soft. You might also want to rub in some beard balm to help control stray hairs and keep the beard’s shape. 

Oh, and don’t forget to keep it trimmed. Usually, using a trimmer and scissors every few days is enough to avoid the scraggly, unkempt look.

Common Mistakes When Growing a Balbo Beard

Bad beards are too common! It’s incredibly frustrating. After all, men go to great lengths to grow such impressive facial fuzz only to fall at the last hurdle. From high necklines to a lack of symmetry, here’s some of the common mistakes to avoid:

• Rushing the Growth: Patience is key. A well-defined Balbo needs a good base. Don’t start shaping until you’ve got enough growth to play with—usually four weeks minimum.
• Neglecting the Neckline: That scruffy neck hair? Not a good look. Define your neckline properly. A messy neckline can ruin the sharp contrast that makes a Balbo pop.
• Over-Trimming: Easy does it with the trimmer. Overdoing it can leave you with too little to work with, forcing you to start all over again. Remember, you can always trim more, but you can’t stick it back on!
• Mismatched Lines: The Balbo’s charm is in its precision. Uneven lines between your mustache, soul patch, and beard can throw off the whole vibe. Use a steady hand or get a pro to define those lines the first few times.

Ignoring Maintenance: Got your Balbo looking sharp? Great, but you’re not done. Regular upkeep is crucial to keep it looking neat. Trim, oil, and balm are your beard’s best friends.