My razor has been on a nice extended vacation by this point, and it’s an inland one since it hasn’t seen much water.  Two weeks has come and gone since I shaved for the last time in lieu of an upcoming beard competition in 6 months (well, 5 months and 2 weeks now, whoo!).  This is definitely the most unfun place to be in growing your beard.  As I told you in my last post during the 1st week, the first tactile evidence of your beard will be the itch and irritation of the hairs curling inward toward your face.  So week #2 is that same event…times 2.  But rest assured, slapping some premium quality beard oil on your face and hair will soothe and moisturize your skin to alleviate this.

2 weeks of beard at my mother's birthday party. Right now, people love my baby beard, but I know that in a month or two, those same people will try telling me what to do with my face.

2 weeks of beard at my mother’s birthday party. Right now, people love my baby beard, but I know that in a month or two, those same people will try telling me what to do with my face.

Please always remember that everyone’s hair, including facial, grows at varying speeds depending on many factors.  Such factors include genes (the biggest one), health, and your determination to not shave or trim.  So as I write this blog, my beard’s “week #2” may not be aligned with yours.  You may already have half an inch…or you may still be as smooth as a baby’s butt.  And that’s okay.  In fact, it’s great.  Growing your beard out, no matter how long it takes, reveals more about yourself than you knew before.  It also teaches you character qualities like patience and caring for a craft that is all yours and if you want to keep it real clean the cut throat razor is the best in the market.

The main issue with week #2 (for me) is that I’m still in limbo.  I’m still at a point where someone wouldn’t necessarily identify me with having a beard.  That means my skin is also dealing with still remembering being smooth and free of obstruction while learning how to become jaded of my fresh beard hair.  It is usually weeks #2 and #3 that break a lot of men.  Many who want to grow a beard cave under the irritation and also peer-pressure they receive.  But don’t shave!  To the victor goes the spoils!  And the spoils are quite glorious…  But it’s not all horrible during these weeks.  Usually, the general public is perfectly accepting of this length of beard, and you may even have a few new ladies look your way.  It is a very fun time which can be your reward for enduring the annoying itch, especially if you have beard oil to make your forget.

Even if you have a slow-growing baby face, you can grow SOMETHING with enough time and patience.

Even if you have a slow-growing baby face, you can grow SOMETHING with enough time and patience.

You need to know that if you’ve never grown a full beard before, you are going to receive flack from friends and loved ones at some point.  It happened to me hardcore during the 3rd month last year when I grew mine for the first time .  But luckily I was prepared for this because a well-seasoned beardist warned me ahead of time.  So now it’s my turn to pass the buck.  To your parents and family, it will look like you’ve just let yourself go and don’t care about your appearance anymore.  My mother hounded me for a while even though I’m in my 30’s.  She and others couldn’t envision what I was aiming for, and you have to keep exactly that in mind:  They don’t know.  No one does until they ride their beard journey.  It’s your life, and your face has the amazing capability of growing a glorious beard.  Let it do its thing, and let no one stop you.  Not even yourself, especially if you made a commitment to yourself to grow it out – even if it was “just to see” how you look.  That’s a great reason, and you shouldn’t let irritation or negative words from others inhibit what you want.  But for now and the first month, you should be enjoying your new look, so I will get more in depth with how to deal with peer pressure and your beard farther down the road.  There’s not a lot more to say about week #2 because of how in-the-middle that it is.  Look forward to week 3 having more volume (both my blog and beard).  😉