Every so often, I get the urge to hack off my face fuzz. Most of the time, I manage to talk myself out of it — I don’t really look my age most of the time to begin with (or act it, but that’s a different matter), and going clean-shaven just makes me look even younger.
However, every few years I actually get up the nerve to see just how goofy I look without the beard. The last time was five years ago (and no photos exist of that round), so I figured it was finally time to give it another shot.
End result — well, I definitely look younger…the most popular estimate has been somewhere around 20 or 21 (which really isn’t bad at all for a guy who just turned 33). It’s hard for me to look at myself without thinking I look goofy this way, but I’ve been assured that I look fine, and that it’s probably just me being so unused to looking like this.
I still think that I’ll be letting the beard grow back in rather than stay like this.
“Keep On the Sunny Side” by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The from the album Will the Circle Be Unbroken (1972, 4:27).
Hmm … this single, self-effacing shot isn’t enough to get opinions from the hoi polloi, IMO … post more photos!
I think it looks good!
You look so much like your mom in that pic :)
Like you I can shave years off my looks just by shaving my beard. (loosing all that gray helps as well) And at 50+ you might think looking younger is the way to go.
But Naaaaaaaa….Gray or not the beard stays. Oh I’ll attack it with a weed whacker every now and again, but shave it? I doubt it.
After all these years I have come to the conclusion that I’ll now have a beard and a ponytail for the rest of my life. Even my husband has made peace with it. The daily battle, the nicks, cut and scars was just too much. I have a nice little elec. trimmer I use when I want to trim back the overgrowth and it works fairly well.
But a blade, and shaving cream…..Never again
Pssssssttttt Don’t tell anyone but I agree it makes you look goofy.
But then again, who am I to talk about how others look. Why the last time I was sunbathing on the beach in Hawaii 12 people tried to push me back in the water! He’s beached…Save him save him….
Hi, Molly!
I just did the same thing you did, which is go without any facial hair after about 5 years. And your probably having the same reaction I did too, which is that you feel like you went back to the way you used to look in high school.
My $.02 is to stay facial hair free for at least two weeks. Give the new look time to settle in. Two weeks is nothing compared to years with a beard, and you’ll know your opinion won’t be impulsive by that time.
Personally, I’m still facial hair free. I wanted to do something different and I realized that meant going back to a look I haven’t had in 5 years.
Hey, Michael,
I’m the female, supposed dating advice, aspect of *impulse.
Hope you don’t mind being selected as an antiaging wunderkind. :)
You are a cutie. (me major sucker for baby-faced geek types- See current BF if incredulous!)
Thanks.
Bye.