It has now been almost two years since we reached Peak Beard, that bushy summit just beyond designer stubble and short of clean shaven. High time, then, you might suggest, to mount a half-hearted comeback on behalf of men everywhere.

And to whom do we look to when we need a trailblazer of this nature? We look to political activist, husband and sometime actor George Timothy Clooney, of course. 

Throughout the past month, Clooney (he with the survey-confirmed perfect hair) has been spotted striding among members of the public wearing what could only accurately be described as part of Paul Hollywood's face on his own. Yes, after years of social exclusion, Clooney's is bringing back the goatee beard. 

Or is he?

"Never underestimate the power of high profile, popular celebrities to direct bizarre hair and grooming trends," warns Adam Brady of Ruffian Barbers, citing David Beckham's six-year experimental phase between 1999 and 2005 as evidence. 

Brady has seen no growth in goatee numbers of late, and stresses that as a responsible member of the barbershop community he could never be heard to encourage it, but the occasional man, he concedes, can look "just about OK". Unfortunately, all his examples are Hollywood actors: Robert Downey Jr, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. 

It is a fine line to tread: for every Brad Pitt there's a David Brent, Jeremy Spake or Beppe Di Marco giving goatees a cheesy, outdated and faintly malevolent name. Quite where Clooney fits on that spectrum remains for history to judge, but if you do insist on attempting 2016's hottest potential facial hair trend, Brady has some essential tips – beyond "don't."

"Make sure your growth length is all the same; no straggly bits on the chin. Also, make sure that you have full coverage too – you don't want patchy hair. And finally, don't make it look like it's been stencilled on. That's the worst kind. And a nightmare to maintain, you need to tend to it every day."

That tending can be tricky, says Richard Marshall, owner of the Pall Mall Barbers in London, requiring a steady hand and good tools.

"For lining the goatee you need sharp lines," he says. "A double edge razor is perfect, paired with a low-lathing shaving cream, which is thinner and lets you see the grain of stubble at the edge of your beard."

Or, of course, you could pick up a GoateeSaver, "the adjustable shaving template designed to shape and form your goatee" from Amazon. The product, which retails for $19.99, takes any difficulty out of the process by presenting a biteable placeholder. 

If the ringing endorsement of Amazon reviewer Christopher Baskind is anything to go by, it's an essential contraption: "I love my Goateesaver so much, I've taken to wearing it around the house. The fit feels natural, and it discourages between-meal snacking. It could easily replace an actual goatee for those who find they can't grow decent facial hair."

2015 was the year of the goat, according to the Chinese zodiac, but George Clooney has never obeyed traditions like that. The goatee, on his face at least, is back. But is it welcome?