When beards go wrong, one of the most common causes is poor shaping.  The most common example is defining the neck line too high.   What’s the problem with a bad neck line definition?  There are many.  Depending on the severity of the error, it may make to the beard look just a bit odd or it may make it look like a disaster.  In a way, the point of growing a beard is to cover the chin with hair.   So why carve out the underside of the chin and jaw, leaving them bare?  Why?  Perhaps not surprisingly, new beard growers have seen someone else do it and mistakenly conclude that must be the way it’s supposed to be done and emulate the misplaced neck line.

A properly shaped beard with a good neck line can usually hide or disguise a double chin.  A poorly-defined neck line, up too high, often does just the opposite: It can accentuate the double chin, often substantially, to the detriment of the beard grower’s appearance.

Defining the neck line too high can give the beard a comical look.  And if the error is sufficiently severe, the beard may almost give the owner the look of a permanent clown face.  Who wants that?  Not even a professional clown.

So please, take care to give your beard the proper shape.  You will be glad you did.  And if you know someone in need of help, send them here: Designing a neck line for your full beard.

Now what about defining that cheek line?  There are pitfalls to be avoided there as well.  That will be the subject of an upcoming post.