IUs my neckline good or is it too high or too low?

According to Eric Bandholz there's only 2 problems you can have when you're growing your beard. One is screwing up your neckline and the other is not having a beard.

I am 2 weeks into my first beard and I just spent a long time trying to get a good neckline in order to avoid this. I've mainly followed the advice in this article: http://www.beards.org/neck.php but I've also looked around in other places and the consensus seems to be summed up pretty well in that article.

Please tell me, do you think this looks good or should I let it grow out again and re-do the neckline? http://imgur.com/a/0QrCN

 

I didn't read the article. This is only based on looking at the picture and the "rules" I came up with for myself: What I always look for in a goatee is an emphasis of my chin. What I've looked for those times when I've had a full beard is an emphasis of my jaw line as well as my chin. So with those criteria in mind, I think your neckline is too nearly vertical. I would flatten it more if it were me. No reason to start over for how I'd want it though. The point nearest your ear is fine. I would start there and then parallel your jaw line cutting deeper in toward your chin in small increments. No more than 1/4-1/2" daily until it "looks right." The key is I always want a line very close to parallel of my jaw.

 

Textbook. Good job.

 

I thought about the exact same thing 10 minutes after I posted this. What do you think of something a little closer to this? http://imgur.com/41oaFZT

 

Yes but also trim about a 1/2" off the neck, so that the neck line is closer to your chin.

 

Looks like you got a nice start to a good looking beard

 

Funny thing is that I've not rocked a beard for almost two years now, just a Van Dyke, this season my wife asked me to grow it out, so no problem, 5 days later and bam! So I was in the same process of adjusting the neck line, took a few shaves to get it zeroed in!

 

As someone who has had a close cropped beard, I'd recommend shaving your cheeks a bit to bring down the upper beard line to be roughly equal to where your mustache line is. Good start though.

 

Thanks! I'm worried about the mustasche and lower lip though, it's not filling in that well.

 

Yes! But I'd cut in towards your chin a little more too. See how youre stopping after the neckline is headed down your neck?

 

I'm not 100% sure what you mean. You're telling me to cut like this? http://imgur.com/GxeO934

 

Exactly. You could even move that whole line up if you wanted or needed.

 

I can't move it further up but I'll look into it next time I shave. It's only a millimeter of a difference, why is it so important?

 

It isn't. I'm just thinking out loud what I would do if it were me.

 

Looking good.

 

Thus the true answer to this thread - It's your beard. Trim it how you like.

 

Looks good.

 

Looks good the longer you have a beard the more you will experiment a bit. I have had a beard for like 16yrs now and I don't think it is really ever the same exact every time I clean it up. I tend to let it grow for several months at a time keeping things around the beard tidy. Then I get tired of looking like a hobo and I clean it up a bit. Plus that keeps the wife happy. Best thing about a beard, it fits your face. ; )