BlueSky wrote:
Hey, thanks for your comments in my thread, itchyface.  I can't believe I haven't commented here, becausse I've foillowed your thread off and on since joining the board.  I actually think our beards are similar in several ways.  We're both fairly mustache dominant, we have similar soul patches that are and will likely continue to help create balance in front, and beyond that we have similar facial structure and, um, not much happening follically on the top of our heads (nothing in my case).  So I've been interested in how a similarly put together beard works on a similarly put together head and face.  And yours really works as a beard and in the way it complements your look.  Hope you stay with it..

I've looked for people with some common characteristics to mine because like so many of us I can see another man's beard objecitvely, but I lose that capacity entirely when looking in the mirror. So you've been part of my reality check and you've helped me see my own look a bit more clearly.  Happy bearding.

Thanks BlueSky - what I'm struggling with this week is the fact that I need a haircut and I'm not sure how to go about blending it in with my sideburns...
I usually just do it myself with clippers down to about 5mm all over, but maybe this time I'll find a barber to take care of it, not least as they will be better tackling it from the side than I would be from the front! I was going to try and find pics to get an idea of how it might look, but haven't had the chance this week - I also haven't had the means or time to do a photo update, so maybe I'll wait until thursday and just do a week 8. This can be my week 7 text only update.

Our beards are quite similar, the problem with my stache is that I feel like the centre insists on growing straight down and forwards, no amount of wax will encourage it sideways (if that's even what you're supposed to do). I've resorted to trimming the very front as slightly as I can, but leaving more to the sides so I can sweep it out of the way with wax. I think it works, and anyway, it's so small scale at the moment nobody can possibly tell - it just gets the little ticklers out of my mouth. I think the sides of yours look great, I think mine are okay, but often I just can't see them enough to tell. I suppose time will bring density and that in turn visibility. We also wear similar spectacles, so that also helps with what works, although I''ve been thinking about changing mine to something a little heavier, they're due a change anyway. I shall follow your progress with interest.

I'm enjoying my soul patch growing longer, I can constantly feel it beneath my lip now and I'm always fiddling with it. I know what you mean about losing objectivity with ones own beard, I still think I'm just an 'out of control hairy mess', possibly partly down to the fact I don't really have a goal beard, so it's great to get the feedback on the forum and the enthusiasm to keep going. I started out thinking about a very short clipped beard just to avoid shaving my sensitive skin, then decided to grow and realised how straightforward that would be so I kept going. At this stage I really don't think a long beard is for me as I fear I would stand out too much and be judged, but the longer I go on, the more I realise those judgements simply aren't forthcoming and so it really is just up to me, and that different (shorter) lengths are just a five minute trim away at any given moment, so I'm becoming increasingly open minded about it.

Last Edited By: itchyface Feb 22 15 6:55 PM. Edited 1 times.