How to Grow & Maintain a Goatee Without a Mustache

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Barber Jacob Joseph shares how to style a goatee without a mustache

Co-authored by Jacob Joseph and Maryana Lucia Vestic, MFA, M.Phil.

Last Updated: January 22, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Growing a Goatee Without a Mustache
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• Are no-mustache goatees attractive?
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• Other No-Mustache Beard Styles

|Show more |Show less

If you love the idea of a beard but want a stylish option that is easier to maintain, a goatee without a mustache may be perfect for you. We talked to barbers and a hairstylist to help us learn exactly how to grow and shape a goatee without a mustache, from choosing the right trimmer to keeping your goatee proportionate. Plus, find out if a goatee without a mustache is right for you, and discover other no-mustache beard styles you can try.

How to Get a Goatee Without a Mustache

Barber Jacob Joseph recommends trimming a goatee without a mustache to around ¹⁄₂ in (13 mm) using clippers with a #4 guard. Here’s how to grow it out:

1. Allow your facial hair to grow for a few weeks.
2. Shape your goatee outline with a precision trimmer.
3. Shave your mustache, along with the hair on your cheeks, jawline, and neck.
4. Regularly trim your goatee to maintain its shape.

Steps

Section 1 of 3:

Growing a Goatee Without a Mustache

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1. 
   1
   Let your facial hair grow for several weeks. To grow a goatee, start with a clean-shaven face, so your facial hair can grow evenly. Let your beard grow in for a few weeks to a month, but continue to shave your cheeks and neck to maintain a clean and tidy look.

   • Joseph says the optimal length is around ¹⁄₂ in (13 mm).

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Jacob Joseph is a professional barber and the owner of The Barber Lounge. He has 700K+ followers across his social media accounts, where he posts entertaining, educational content to help men master beard and hair grooming.

   Woody Lovell is the founder of The Barbershop Club, a gentleman’s barbershop-as-social club. He has over 20 years of experience in the male grooming industry, including working with high-profile clients.

   Courtney Foster is a licensed cosmetologist, certified hair loss practitioner, and cosmetology educator based out of New York City, NY. She also runs Courtney Foster Beauty, LLC.
2. 
   2
   Use a precision trimmer to create the goatee outline around your chin. Lift your head back, and trim the outline of your goatee around your chin (depending on your desired style). If your goatee style includes facial hair to the sides of your lips, create another outline down to the chin as you round the bottom corners.

   • Using a precision trimmer to shape your goatee will help you create defined lines and clean edges.
   • Trim from the bottom upwards to keep your goatee shape neat.
   • If starting with a full beard, cut or trim away any unwanted hairs from your neck and face before shaping your goatee outline. Trim slowly so you don’t end up trimming too much.
   • Tip: Add a few drops of oil to your trimmer before using to reduce friction, prevent the blades from overheating, and keep them sharp, clean, and rust-free.
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3. 
   3
   Trim closer to the edges of the goatee to help define its shape. Holding the trimmer at the edges of your goatee, shave downwards towards your chin and then in the direction of your ear to give your goatee sharper lines. Stop every so often to double-check that your goatee is still even on both sides. Remove any stray hairs or stragglers once you’re finished.

   • Joseph recommends using a straight razor or safety razor to shape your mustache.
   • Now is also a good time to square up your sideburns so they match. Square or cut the ends just above the opening of your ears.
4. 
   4
   Remove your mustache with the precision trimmer, along with stray hairs on your neck. Carefully trim off your mustache. Hold your skin taut when trimming any leftover hairs on your neck.
5. 
   5
   Trim your existing goatee hair to the desired length. Use a shorter setting on your precision trimmer to trim the goatee itself, especially for shorter styles. You can also trim your cheeks, jawline, and neck a 2nd time on a shorter setting if you want those hairs to be as short as possible before shaving.

   • Joseph recommends using a #4 guard on your clippers to keep your goatee around 1/2 inch (or 13 mm).
6. 
   6
   Clean-shave your face with a razor to emphasize your goatee. Apply shaving cream to your cheeks, jawline, and neck. Avoid shaving too high or too low on your chin so you end up with clean, defined lines for the bottom of your goatee. Rinse your face and neck with warm water. Apply beard balm to keep your goatee moisturized and to help promote growth.

   • Be sure that your goatee looks symmetrical and even.
   • Use a mirror and be sure you have good lighting to see more clearly.
   • According to professional barber Woody Lovell, “to create a sharp line, you're going to need a sharp razor. A small razor works best—razors that you throw away are really good because they're small."
7. 
   7
   Maintain your goatee by trimming it once a week. Start by combing through your goatee with a beard comb. Trim your goatee with short, gentle strokes in the direction of hair growth. Also, be sure to keep the clean-shaven parts of your face neat by shaving them as often as your desired look and hair growth demand (less if you want to keep beard stubble and more if you want a goatee with no stubble). Apply beard oil after each trimming to keep your goatee feeling soft and looking its best.

   • Wash your goatee every 2 to 3 days using beard wash and/or conditioner.
   • Consider using beard wax if you experience any stray hairs.
   • It’s just as important to maintain your goatee after you shape it. Professional Hair Stylist Courtney Foster says to make sure it’s “lined up, shaped, combed, and trimmed. If it’s not well kept, then you won't look well kept."
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Section 2 of 3:

Is a goatee with no mustache an attractive style?

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1. 
   Many people consider a no-mustache goatee attractive. A goatee provides a clean but unique look and is very versatile, with or without a mustache. It’s also easy to maintain. Choose a goatee style that complements your face shape, jawline, and facial features. Consider the following when deciding whether to get a goatee without a mustache:

   • Face shape: A goatee without a mustache can help round out a more angular face or add definition to a weaker jawline.
   • Facial hair growth: Goatees work best if you have strong chin hair growth but less hair on your upper lip.
   • Style: Goatees fit different styles, from professional and sophisticated to rugged and edgy. More sophisticated, professional styles include a shorter classic goatee, while more rugged, edgy styles can include a longer chin puff, anchor goatee, or long goatee.
     • Classic (“soul patch”): A patch of hair on the chin with no mustache.
     • Full Goatee (“chin puff”): A goatee that extends from the lower lip, directly under the chin (and sometimes past it).
     • Anchor Goatee: A pointed goatee extending along the jawline, which may connect to sideburns.
     • Long Goatee: A classic goatee that is grown out.

Section 3 of 3:

Other No-Mustache Beard Styles

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1. 
   Other no-mustache beard styles include a chin strap, soul patch, chin curtain, and more. If you decide to try other beard styles that don’t feature a mustache, they range from classic styles, like a Lincoln beard or a chin curtain beard, to bolder looks, including a chin strap beard or mutton chops:

   • Chin strap (Amish) beard: A beard that wraps around the bottom of the chin that connects to the hair near the ears; a square beard is a fuller version.
   • Chin curtain (Dutch beard): A full beard extending from the sideburns that covers the jaw and chin.
   • Lincoln beard: A full beard with no mustache.
   • Mutton chops: A beard with prominent sideburns extending down the cheeks along the jawline (with a clean-shaven chin).
   • To switch to a goatee with a mustache: The Van Dyke is a goatee with a disconnected mustache and clean-shaven cheeks.
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