Beard question/thoughts

[-Doug-]

I've "tried" to grow a beard before but never got past about a week.  I've not shaved for 11 days now, except for edging/shaping. As I've never really had a beard before, I'm not sure if I over did it on the shaping. I'm hoping a few more experienced beard growers on here could offer their opinions. Should I go any higher on the neck or does it look ok where it is now. Thanks!!


 

[Sly Red]

I looks good Doug.  Personally I prefer my beard trimmed just under my jaw bone, but that's a personal perference.

Red Longtime baldie, wearer of the beard.

[PeripheralxMvmnt]

Thats basically what I did with mine when I grew my beard out. Granted, mine got big enough to keep a brush in it, but mine was shaped the same.

[TheSlyBear]

Looks good to me.

[sailor61]

Looks great to my eye.

 I keep mine trimmed at the point where my neck goes into the bottom of the jaw. In your 1st pic it looks as if it comes down a bit further than I would let mine go.  I've found that  if I cut mine any more forward I get an effect of a turkey wattle which I definitely don't have.  Every head/face is shaped differently and it takes a bit of fiddling to settle on what works best on each one.  But the BandB look is great on you - keep experimenting until you pick the right trim for you.

 I've had a beard for the last 30 winters with only one exception that I can recall.  Before the MPB set in I was able to let it get long a few times.  With the sly I've decided that short is the best look for me.  My ongoing question is how to finish the tops where it used to meet the sideburns.  Have tried tapering it to almost a point, just leaving it blunt and full lengt but what I seem to like the best is to trim the top of the sides gradually shorter - almost into a fade.  I like that look the best but it does require frequent trims to keep it that way.

Mine always goes away for summer though this year I'm going to give just the goat a try for at least 2 weeks to see how that looks/feels.

[-Doug-]

Thanks for all the comments fellas! I may try to bring it up a little higher on the neck (more so in the middle than on the site) but not too much more. 

My ongoing question is how to finish the tops where it used to meet the sideburns.

Having glasses makes that decision easy for me.

[Razor X]

Looks good.  I'd resist the temptation to do much too much shaping at this point.  It looks good the way you have it.  Let it grow out some more.  Once it fills in and you have a better idea of what the finished product will look like, then you can take it up a bit more on the neck. It's better to be conservative in the beginning and leave it a little lower than you'd like than to risk taking too much off.

[Ming the Merciless]

"Mighty oaks from little acorns grow."

The seed seems well-planted.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

beards.org has some guidance on shaping you might want to look at.  Looks good so far, but remember, it's 10-20 minutes to sly, it can be a couple of months to see what the beard will look like as a mature part of your features. 

[-Doug-]

Razor - I'll leave it alone.

Saint - Thanks for the link! I'll take a look at the site, but I'll try not to shape it anymore than I already have.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Razor - I'll leave it alone.
 I'll try not to shape it anymore than I already have.

[-Doug-]

Update: This past weekend I took out the trimmer (after thinking about it for a day or two) and trimmed it down to about 4 mm all over. It was getting a little unruly in my opinion after 3 weeks. I got past the itching, but the coarseness and scruffy look just weren't doing it for me. One unexpected benefit of this was that my beard feels much softer, which I like.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Update: This past weekend I took out the trimmer (after thinking about it for a day or two) and trimmed it down to about 4 mm all over. It was getting a little unruly in my opinion after 3 weeks. I got past the itching, but the coarseness and scruffy look just weren't doing it for me. One unexpected benefit of this was that my beard feels much softer, which I like.

The "which I like" is the important part, if it feels right for you--it's right!

[CraftyGuy]

Thanks for all the comments fellas! I may try to bring it up a little higher on the neck (more so in the middle than on the site) but not too much more. 

My ongoing question is how to finish the tops where it used to meet the sideburns.

Having glasses makes that decision easy for me.

Yeah - glasses do make that part a lot easier!  I tend to alternate between a full beard in the winter and a goatee/stache in the summer ...haven't been clean-shaven in over 16 years!

[marshd1000]

Glasses are a help for me too!  Anyway, the beard fits you.  Short beards and sly noggins are a great combination!  But for me right now, I am having fun getting it longer!