So I recently got a softbox so I forced some friends to sit for me and this was my first attempt at portraiture as well as using lighting for photography and skin retouching in PS.
I really like the second one but the way the lighting is on his nose makes it look kind of sqwonky.
I had to do some pretty heavy blemish removal on one of my models, I feel like I could go further and make his skin smoother still but when I'd push it further it didn't look quite right to me.
First attempts at portraits and studio lights - What did I do right and wrong?
Ok, so judging the technical execution of the images you posted (except the first, it seems it does not belong in the series), I think you are in the right path. The faces are not blown and not too dark, skin has to have highlights, mid tones and shadows to look healthy.
About the second photograph, you need to find the angle on your friend's face so the nose does not look like that when hit by the light, but it seems to me his nose is not straight in the first place. Use your modelling lights to see how the light is falling on the face and make the correction.
About the blemish removal, well, there is no way around it. The camera makes it all more evident.
Decent images overall.
For image 2, I would recommend using the edge / rim light on the shadow side instead of the lit side - which will create more seperation and definition. Keep it fairly low power - meter it two stops below the key. For the edge light put the light further behind them and feather the light away from them so you are just skimming he light past them. Think of it as more like a back light placed off to that one side. This will prevent the hot nostril issue you are having.