Hi rkal!

First off, the beard looks great. But if you're not comfortable, something needs to be done. I'll start with a bombardment of questions: How often do you wash the beard? With what do you wash? Do you condition, and with what? It is usually best to shampoo the beard only twice a week, and condition only when nescessary. Otherwise the beard will be either too dry and frizzy or too 'silky' to be manageable. Many men here use pine tar soap bar for washing, it does not dry the hair or the skin but actually helps with some skin problems.

You say you brush the beard, I have the experience that it tends to emphasize the waves. Try combing, instead. (I recommend getting a handmade sawcut comb, from kentbrushes.com for example.) First comb down from your cheeks (to set the beard straight) then comb outward from neck. It will fluff the beard, but then just gently comb down from sides again, to set the fluffiness to desired. An immense help in all this is beard balm.

Beard on!

-T                                          Tbah's ECB™ in the making
Days of growing my beard

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.