Going from a slick and cleanly shaven ancient greek warrior to a rugged, bearded nordic Father.
This is the moment in which everyone knew the God of War series – as well as Kratos himself – would never be the same again.
Kratos’ sudden change in facial hair means more than just a sharp aesthetic change, it also means big changes for his character.
In God of War 4 – Kratos is a Father – a man who will do anything to look out for his son and shelter him from the dangerous, dark would of ancient nordic mythology. The beard represents this.
He is no longer an angry young man, hell-bent on revenge, but an adult who is trying to do the right thing. Let’s face it – it’s a character arc we never expected, nor knew we needed. But boy did we need it!
So you’ve just finished playing God of War – or maybe you’ve just been looking around at different hairstyles and came across Kratos.
You consider what it would be like to have a magnificent beard like his. It looks good. No – it looks damn good! And you’re considering maybe growing a beard like that yourself!
But here’s the problem! Growing a beard is difficult. It always seems so simple, but something like Kratos’ beard has had serious work put into it – in its shape, color, and length management.
How can you know what the most important steps are, or the kind of equipment and products you’ll need in order to maintain it?
If this sounds like you then don’t worry! We’re here to help you get a beard fit for a God of War.
We’ll take you through each step of the way, as well as looking at some products that you’ll need in order to help your beard thrive!
We’ve also added a short FAQ section at the end to answer any and all of your beard-related questions.
Who Is Kratos?
Before we take some steps to make get the perfect beard, let’s first understand a little about who Kratos is and where the style of his beard comes from.
Kratos is the main character of God of War – a long-running, popular video game series that started out on the ps2 back in 2005.
Kratos is the ‘Ghost of Sparta,’ a spartan warrior seeking vengeance against the Greek Pantheon of Gods.
For the longest time his style was simply clean-shaven and bald, but when he was reintroduced in the 2018 videogame God of War – we saw him with a long beard.
This beard signifies the changes in his character, as well as the setting of the series. Where once we had been playing as Kratos in Ancient Greece, now he has moved to a world of Ancient Nordic Mythology.
This means cold weather and snowstorms – and this is where the beard comes in. Kratos is suddenly better equipped for cold weather – the beard becomes a symbol of strength and maturity.
On the topic of his beard, the Game Director of God of War Cory Balrog said that ‘It smells of pine and dead trolls.’
That’s a lovely image! Not all of us slay trolls and cut down massive pine trees every day – so thankfully, we’ll likely be able to just focus on the beard without the smell.
What Is The Style Of His Beard?
So let’s take a look at his beard so that we can begin to understand it. First off this is a long beard – not overly, but long enough that it will take some time to grow.
It appears that his beard is around 2 inches long – which means that, depending on who you are, it may take the best part of 6 months to grow.
Kratos’ beard goes way past his chin and covers much of his neck, it also features rather bushy sideburns and a thick mustache that joins up each side of his face.
This is very much a Viking style of beard. It is a beard that is grown to inspire masculinity and fear into the heart of your enemies.
The general style of this beard is reminiscent of a working man who doesn’t have a lot of time to worry about his appearance.
But let’s not be complacent here – just because something appears that way doesn’t mean that it is. The thing about beards of this length is that they require a lot of maintenance.
If you were to really leave your beard at this length to do as it wishes, then you’ll find yourself in a world of trouble.
Kratos doesn’t have to spend much time with a clipper or with hair product – but that’s because he’s a video game character. But who knows – maybe he does!
One thing you need to consider in terms of style is that this is something you will have to work on. Although it looks low-maintenance, there are many things you will need to do in order to maintain it.
Growing Your Beard
First off, let’s consider a few things.
This is an important lesson to learn – not everybody can grow every kind of beard. Some beards are right for some people, while others more difficult to grow.
It’s important first to realize how your beard grows. Everyone is different! It may take a lot longer for you to grow the required facial hair in order to make a style like this work.
Similarly, if your facial hair grows very quickly, then you’re going to need to take some of the following steps earlier.
Kratos’ beard grows straight down, and if you find that your hair has a tendency to curl or shoot outwards, then you’ll need to take steps to trim it as it grows.
So now let’s talk about the time it takes to grow a beard. To grow the kind of length you’ll need in order to create this Kratos beard is likely to be between 2 and 4 months.
It is difficult to grow something like this is going to be a process! You need to trust in the process and allow time for your facial hair to grow out.
This comes with a catch – it might not look so good every stage of the way. In the same way that growing your hair out can be troublesome in the in-between stages, so is the way with beards.
The most important thing here is that you are patient. If you’re growing this beard from cleanly shaven then there are going to be moments when want to get rid of it, when it is annoying and itchy – when you feel like giving up!
But just know you need to give your beard the proper time to grow out – eventually, it will be the right kind of length, and we’ll be able to shape it into the perfect Viking beard that we’re looking for.
So next let’s consider beard care as it’s growing! This is an important part of the process, and you ignore it to your own detriment!
If you want your beard to be the great bushy masterpiece described above, then you’re going to need to learn how to look after it.
Once your beard is long enough – begin to apply these steps in order to properly care for it.
1. Brush Your Beard
You’re going to want to brush your beard before you get it wet in the shower. Use a beard brush to get any dry skin out of your beard. We recommend a hard brush like this by Seven Potions as a good way to get going.
2. Trimming Your Beard
Here is where you’ll want to try and trim off all of the stray hairs that are not growing in the right direction. Careful not to actually cut down the length – that’s not the goal here!
We just want to trim it a little so that it grows in the right direction. The direction of the beard we’re going for is down, so let’s make sure it looks like that!
3. Washing Your Beard
This is very important so that your beard will grow happy and healthy. Just as you shampoo your hair, so should you do your beard as it grows in length.
Use a soft beard like this product here which will be easy on your skin. Make sure to use cold water if possible, and make sure you are gentle with your beard and face at all stages!
4. Applying Beard Oil
Listen, we know that beard oil might sound like a step too far – but trust us – it’s going to do wonders for your beard as it grows.
You want to use a few drops of a product like this, massaging it into your beard, preferably all the way down to the skin.
How To Style Your Beard Like Kratos
Okay, so you now know how to properly look after your beard as it grows, you’re getting used to the length, and you’re looking more rugged and masculine.
Here is the time when we can begin to consider styling the beard in the same way as Kratos. Once your beard is 2 inches in length, we can look at some techniques to get it just right.
Trimming As It Grows
Here you will want to make sure you’re properly trimming the beard as it grows.
You’ll want to make sure you’re shaving in the space between your eyes and where your jawlines start, to make sure you don’t have stray hairs lurking about.
You’ll also want to make sure you’re keeping the thickest parts of your beard clean and neat – trimming away any stray hairs that look out of place.
Triangle Shape
If you look closely at pictures of Kratos you will notice that his beard sharpens to an almost triangular kind of shape.
That’s not to say you want to carve a triangle out of your beard – don’t do this – it will look weird!
But you want to try and fashion the bottom edge of your beard so that it almost looks like a little mountain, coming to a point just below where your chin is.
Take Care When Controlling Length
Eventually, your beard will get too long and it will be time to cut it a little, but be very careful when controlling length. Remember, less is generally more!
You can’t undo what you cut off – so take it slow and make sure you’re carefully monitoring the length. 2 inches is about what we’re looking for here!
Color
This is something you’ll need to consider if you want to get a beard exactly like Kratos. Color is a difficult thing to emulate if you’re hair isn’t his natural color.
Generally, Kratos seems to have a rich brown color beard. It is possible to dye your hair this color – dying a beard works much in the same way as dying your hair normally.
You’ll want to make sure you repeat this with your actual hair also so that it doesn’t look out of place.
Hair Styles To Go Along With The Kratos Beard
When considering what hairstyle to go along with the Kratos Beard, you have quite a few options.
First off consider your own hair – do you have a lot of it? Or do you suit much shorter styles? Having a think about this before starting is important.
We think some of the best styles that go with the Kratos Beard include:
Slick Back
Which allows you to look smart at the same time as rugged. This is a popular combination with nordic, Viking-style beards, as it walks the line between smart and scruffy.
We would suggest making sure your beard is straight and well-groomed so that it doesn’t look out of place when compared to your hair.
Long Hair
This can be a really great addition to your beard. Not only will you have a long beard, but long hair to go along with it. Long hair can be a pain to manage and grow, but the rewards are great once it’s long and luscious.
Bald
Let’s face it, Kratos has gotten us this far, so why not emulate him all the way? Bald + long beard looks awesome! It’s the ultimate form of masculinity.
Shaving your head completely can be freeing, as it means you no longer have to constantly manage your hair. After all, we’re going to have a lot of beard to look after, so why have hair too?
So take a look in the mirror! It’s been a long road – but now here we are! We have a long, well-groomed, and cared-for beard that maybe Kratos himself might be jealous of.
It’s been a long road, but with patience, planning, care, and the right products – we have reached our goal of a unique and awesome style of beard!
We hope that this article has given you all the information you’ll need in order to start your journey. As said before, growing a beard takes a lot of patience and maintenance, but providing you take the proper care it’s bound to go well.
We’d like to take a moment to point out once again that growing a beard can be different for everyone – so don’t get too discouraged if it takes longer than expected, or if it’s just not for you!
Below is a short FAQ section to answer some of the most common beard-related questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Get My Beard To Grow On Point?
Getting your beard to grow on point is a lot to do with how you blow-dry and brush it.
Once it’s the right kind of length, you need to remember that hair has a kind of memory – the more you mold it into the shape that you desire, the more that it will begin to go that way.
Make sure you’re brushing and blow-drying it in the direction that you’re looking for.
What Length Is A Long Beard?
Well, this is a difficult question, as there’s no real answer as to what a long beard is considered as – but generally, if your beard has over 2 inches it’s fairly long.
This can take a long-range of time to grow, so don’t worry too much if it’s taking you longer than expected.
What Beard Length Is Most Attractive?
Another difficult question to answer that mostly comes down to specific tastes. Some people find long bears to be very attractive, generally relating them to traditional concepts of masculinity.
But in recent years short beards that look more like stubble have been popular.
Trends and styles are always changing – there was once a time when curled mustaches were a necessity for men to grow! Who knows what will be considered attractive in the future!
My name is Doug, and I've been growing a beard on and off for many years now.
I've not had a perfect journey on the road to growing a beard. I've spent more time than I want to admit learning about growing a beard. I'm not one of those blessed with perfect beard-growing genes. So, I've encountered many frustrating and challenging obstacles along the way.
I hope some of my mistakes and victories along the way will help you on your journey to your perfect beard. Of course, reach out if I can help and share this content with your friends that are beginning or struggling on their journey as well.
Marvel’s Wolverine (AKA Logan) is iconic for several reasons. This includes his adamantium claws, mutant healing ability, bright yellow and blue costume, fantastic fighting skills,…
