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Shaving Sabbatical

Rewind back to November. It was just starting to get cold, the holidays were approaching, and leaves were not the only thing changing. Many men also underwent a change, as hair began to grow like weeds on many a face. Mine included.

My job mandated that I be clean shaven, but every November we were allowed to forgo the razor. Now without a doubt I enjoy shaving, I really like it. The smooth refreshing feel, the wonderful smells, the thrill of chasing the perfect shave. We here at Badger & Blade, and those like us, have successfully turned a chore into a hobby and a passion. But I still always enjoyed No Shave November, it’s for a good cause, it’s a chance to change the landscape of your face, and for me it’s always been a little of a forbidden fruit because of my job.

Fast forward to November 3Oth and my boss suddenly resigns. The very same night a new gentleman takes his place and literally as I’m about to lather up, I get news that he has overturned the beard ban. Now my entire adult life I’ve had some type of job or occupation that has prohibited the growing of a beard. So naturally I was curious to see what my face could do with a few months of razor abstinence.

Present day I’m sporting a beard, I enjoy it, I’m proud of it, but I miss shaving. I’ll lather up the lower part of my neck and the few straggling hairs that grow on my upper cheek, but it simply isn’t the same as a full complete shave.

Has anyone gone through a similar transition? How long did your shaving sabbatical last, and how badly did you miss shaving?
 
Mine lasted from 2004 until 2017. I took a maintenance job at a company that makes health and beauty compounds. We are required to wear hair/beard nets or shave.

I have kept my head clean shaven since about 2004 as well and continue to do so. I did not like wearing a beard net, actually 2 as I had a very long, full, well groomed beard. That brought me into the world of DE shaving and has caused me to now be on a shaving purchase sabbatical.

I did not miss shaving at all. It was one less thing to do when I got ready for my day. Keeping my head shaved daily, it only took a matter of minutes on it with a Mach 3 and canned goo. I have since moved to using Dorco carts on my head due to cost instead of the Mach 3’s.

A well kept and groomed beard takes time and care but can be well worth it. So I say enjoy your new found freedom until you choose to do otherwise.


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AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I grew a full beard for a couple of years, and started shaving again Oct 2017. I currently have what could be called a handlebarred goatee, but still shave probably 70% of my face. Best of both worlds. As my challenging areas aren't in the goatee zone, I'm not taking the easy way out, as someone here accused me of, and those areas are still being shaved. I just think this is a better look on me than being clean shaven, and still get to enjoy shaving.
 
A well kept and groomed beard takes time and care but can be well worth it. So I say enjoy your new found freedom until you choose to do otherwise.

Good advice Brian, thank you. I can see how having to wear a beard net would be less than ideal. And thus the clean shave solution.

Having a beard does take time as it is by no means maintanence free. However you can certainly go the better part of a week without having to trim or do much, and no one would be the wiser (at least with beards of 3 months length in my scenario).

Good luck on the shaving purchase sabbatical. I have set some limits for myself but am unsure if I can do a complete “fast” if you will. Much respect.



Aimless: In reply to your post I’m sorry to hear that someone tried to give you grief for “taking the easy way out” and not shaving your goatee because “that’s the only challenging part.” If you enjoy the look then that’s what you should do. Even if it was the challenging part of your face I see no issue in abstaining from shaving it.

More power to you for finding the best of both worlds. Getting a good shave on much of your face and still enjoying some facial hair. A respectable middle ground.
 
If I never had to shave again, I'd be a happy man.

I'd rather have those extra 10min to sleep, listen to music, eat or spend time with my family.
 
November 7th 2011 had surgery that involved an incision from behind my right ear to almost my Adam's apple. Whole side of my face was for weeks, too sore to touch never mind shave, took a couple of months until i could even put that side of my face on a pillow to sleep. Shaved the beard off Mar.19 2012 as my physiotherapist needed to see if the nerve reassignment/regeneration was taking effect, it had and was. Beard was good, got compliments on it but it was white unlike the hair on my head, i shouldn't look that old so i was happy to see the beard go.

Mirrors and vanity have me continuing the chore, otherwise wouldn't miss the activity of shaving my face. If i needed a shave fix there's always more challenging areas on the body to shave.
dave
 
I carried a beard or some type of facial hair really since college. There were a few times I would shave it off, but I'd always grow something back. The challenge has always been complicated. I actually like shaving. I like the finished look and feel after shaving. I also like the dynamic nature of a beard. It can be shaped and take many forms. Functionally, beards are good. They keep your face cool in the summer and warm in the winter-seriously, I am not kidding. They can also keep your chin and upper lip from getting sun-burned. But something happened before I began spending time here. With all the beards in society, I wanted to take a beard sabbatical and picked up a DE.
I have since let a short, shaped beard return, but actually miss the more nuanced shaving I discovered here. The OT is second only to a straight when it comes to shaping a beard. You can see where you are shaving, and there isn't the guess-work of some of the other razors. If I am ever in a situation where facial hair is restricted, I really won't mind. Warm lather is here to stay. Good shaving sticks around.
 
I've had a beard for most of my adult life, and facial hair all of it. I currently lost my circle to learn SR shaving, but my handlebar grew out and is distinctive. I'll probably go with a Van Dyke when I let my beard grow out again. You can have the best of all worlds by growing less than a full beard, shaving, and having facial hair as well.

Keeping facial hair trimmed adds its own level of skill to the mix, especially once it gets longer and tries to jump in front of the razor :)
 
I grew a full beard for a couple of years, and started shaving again Oct 2017. I currently have what could be called a handlebarred goatee, but still shave probably 70% of my face. Best of both worlds. As my challenging areas aren't in the goatee zone, I'm not taking the easy way out, as someone here accused me of, and those areas are still being shaved. I just think this is a better look on me than being clean shaven, and still get to enjoy shaving.

:a29::a12:
 
Facial hair on an older man makes them look older. In a competitive job market it's easy to be discriminated against by younger hiring managers who look at you and think they would not want to manage their father or grandfather. I followed my daughters advice and got rid of the facial hair.
 
Facial hair on an older man makes them look older. In a competitive job market it's easy to be discriminated against by younger hiring managers who look at you and think they would not want to manage their father or grandfather. I followed my daughters advice and got rid of the facial hair.

My hearing aides and glasses will get more notice than facial hair I would imagine.

Hmm? What? Did you say something :)

Of course my beard that work mates said made me look like Grizzly Adams, but grandmother said made me look like the guy with the swastika on his forehead would probably be best to remove for interviews.
 
My hearing aides and glasses will get more notice than facial hair I would imagine.

Hmm? What? Did you say something :)

Of course my beard that work mates said made me look like Grizzly Adams, but grandmother said made me look like the guy with the swastika on his forehead would probably be best to remove for interviews.
They called me Grizzly Adams also. Later it was Rip Van Winkle......lol!!
 
Facial hair on an older man makes them look older. In a competitive job market it's easy to be discriminated against by younger hiring managers who look at you and think they would not want to manage their father or grandfather. I followed my daughters advice and got rid of the facial hair.

On the flip side, a beard on some of us younger men can help add a few years to our faces. Looking too young can also be a negative in the work environment...
 
On the flip side, a beard on some of us younger men can help add a few years to our faces. Looking too young can also be a negative in the work environment...

How did you teach that Zebra to do a headstand :)

It would be a null gain overall I think. Some people have a negative opinion of bearded people.
 
On the flip side, a beard on some of us younger men can help add a few years to our faces. Looking too young can also be a negative in the work environment...

I had a thick dark beard in my 30's and '40's, but I don't think it helped one way or another. Beards were more common then also. Later goatee's were the style. I had one for several years and shaved always in the shower.
 
Beards on young men are very popular. I mean, large, long growth.
And some people have negative opinions of them. I like beards, mine in particular, my grandmother thought it made me look like Charles Manson, co-workers thought Grizzly Adams. I don't think my Grandmother would have hired a bearded person. :)
 
Has anyone gone through a similar transition? How long did your shaving sabbatical last, and how badly did you miss shaving?

I broke my leg and dislocated my ankle in early October and couldn't put weight on my left foot for several months, making shaving at the sink almost impossible. I decided to forgo shaving--except for trimming up the neck and cheek area every couple of days--until I could stand on both feet at the sink.

Everyone seemed to like the beard, especially the wife. But I missed shaving and only went two months before shaving it off, though I kept my mustache and a soul patch. I still can't put full weight on the foot, but I've gotten quite accomplished with the one-pass-plus-touch-up shave.

I also shaved it off because I had gotten to the point where the beard needed more maintenance and I really didn't want to load up on trimmers and the many beard care products. I have enough shaving stuff, I didn't need beard stuff too.
 
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