The Beard

In this post, I will define the beard as well as promote its most attractive form.  The definition of the beard is important because the beard defines masculinity.  Masculinity is important, in part, because it protects and preserves life.  The beard is hair on the face and neck confined to certain parameters.  I will now outline the minimum parameters, or smallest area, which may properly constitute a beard, which parameters also make for the most attractive type of beard.  Since the purpose of this blog is to promote good looks, I will not define the maximum parameters of the beard.  Suffice it to say that hair beyond the maximum parameters makes a monkey, and hair between the maximum and minimum parameters is worn by fundamentalists.  Let's begin.  Below is a picture of the correct parameters of a beard.

Flesh should be visible between the middle of the cheeks, up to the forehead, excepting the eyebrows, coming down from the sideburn following a curve to the bottom lip.  The mustache is a part of the beard.  Flesh should also be visible on the neck.  See below:

If you look closely, you can see that Jeff trims his hair on the front of his neck, up to a certain point.  This point - where the beard and the visible flesh of the neck meet - is the most common point of error for men. The correct point is exactly between the mylohyoideus and the hyoid bone, as seen below:

This point is located just above the "adam's apple", where the 90 degree angle is formed by the meeting of the skin hanging from the jaw and the skin of the neck in a man standing upright, facing forward.  For men where this point is obscured, from fat, for example, I hope these facts will help you get closer to the exact point.  Most men make the error of shaving too high up from the neck.  Below are some examples of incorrect lower parameters of the beard.  I hope they will help you to identify and remedy this most common error.

You have undoubtedly seen many men wear their facial hair trimmed just below the jawline as in the examples above. There is nothing wrong with a man wearing his facial hair this way; it is, however, inaccurate to call it a beard.  For my part, I hope to see more beards.  I also hope by distributing its exact definition to discourage its redefinition, the relentless pursuit of which belongs to ignorance.