This study asked over 8,500 women to rate men with different lengths of facial hair. The ladies were presented pictures of men who were clean shaven, wearing light stubble, heavy stubby, and a full beard. Once again, the results showed women were more attracted to those who had some sort of facial hair.
The results indicated that the women found men with light stubble most attractive; these men were preferred as both short- and long-term partners. However, the women perceived male faces with full beards as the most masculine, aggressive, and socially mature; the women also thought these men looked older.
Rule #5: Clean Your Trimmings
If you have a beard, that means you're a man. And if you're a man, you should act like it and clean up after yourself.
A study conducted by the Official Journal of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society found that men with moderately full beards are found most attractive, and men with full beards may be perceived as better fathers who could protect and invest in their children. “Men with beards have a powerful look,” Dr. Harvey says.
Sweat droplets cling to hairs and therefore stay close to the skin longer. That's why a beard will deflect away much of the heat and help you feel cooler on sweltering days. Plus if you have a long beard, it will help to cool the blood flowing through big veins and arteries in your neck.
A man's ability to grow a fulsome beard isn't actually neatly linked to his testosterone levels. Despite this, a number of studies have suggested that both men and women perceive men with beards as older, stronger and more aggressive than others.
As a result, we asked our 108 ladies which they found most attractive – a clean shaven look, a full beard, or stubble: Clean Shaven: 38.89% Beard: 30.56% Stubble: 30.56%
So, in a way, your beard is a billboard for your manliness. But hold up, it's not just about the ladies. Men also pay attention to their peers' beards. It's thought that beards can signal social dominance and competitiveness, factors that can be important in establishing social hierarchies.
At the four to six-month mark, you should have the kind of burly beard that's filled in and more or less looks like it's going to look for the foreseeable future. By this stage, the chances are good that you'll have a consistent beard care routine down pat and be comfortable living as a bearded man.
Studies show that beards intimidate other men, reducing their subliminal dominance behaviors towards you and thus increasing your own subconscious dominance behaviors. In regular terms, beards help you step into a far more confident frame.
The 3-month beard rule means letting your beard grow naturally for three months without trimming or shaping to allow it to reach its full potential, resulting in a fuller, well-groomed appearance. To keep your beard nourished and healthy, applying a high-quality beard oil is essential.
Overall, you should not grow a beard if you want simplicity, professionalism, or if you want to look younger. However, if you think you'll feel better and more confident with a beard, and don't mind the extra patience and maintenance requirements, then go ahead and grow one!
However, it's important to note that while a preference exists, it's not overwhelming. The difference between women who strictly prefer taller men (49-55%) and those who don't have this strict preference (45-51%) is relatively small.
This scientific study by Barnaby J. Dixson and Paul L. Vasey found that yes, men with facial hair do tend to appear older than those who are clean-shaven, sometimes by as much as 10 years or more. There are many reasons for this, some cultural and some biological.
Women find men with light stubble most attractive, and men with full beards as most masculine. A fuller beard is perceived as indicative of good fathering ability and more investment in offspring. Some women do not care for men's facial hair at all.
Age, however, does affect beard growth in some cases. The “prime” time for facial hair growth is between the ages of 25 and 35, generally speaking. But many men report that their beard continues to grow at a healthy rate even after they qualify for an AARP card.
Understanding Your Face Shape
Here's a quick guide: Oval Face: The most versatile shape – almost any beard style suits this face shape, from a full beard to a short beard or goatee style. Round Face: Opt for styles that add length, such as a goatee or chin strap beard style, to create a more defined jawline.
To break things down even further, the same study showed men with full beards to be the most masculine, aggressive, and socially mature, while light stubble was preferred for both short and long-term partners. In other words, anyone who wore some type of facial hair was found to be more attractive in general.
In the Bible, beards often symbolize wisdom, dignity, and masculinity, reflecting a man's status, maturity, and adherence to cultural and religious traditions.
Facial Hair as a Sign of Maturity & Attraction. Since you're not going to be seeing any little kids or women sporting beards, it's a known identifier as physical maturity in men. In a similar study to the beard aggression one, it was found that beards are associated with maturity and higher social status by both sexes.
We can talk about kindness and confidence 'til the cows come home, but the fact is it's not just a good personality that makes a guy attractive: a huge number of women are turned on by thin guys with defined features. Whether you're slender but built or straight-up skin and bones, a lot of women prefer a slim partner.
Women judged faces with heavy stubble as most attractive and heavy beards, light stubble and clean-shaven faces as similarly less attractive. In contrast, men rated full beards and heavy stubble as most attractive, followed closely by clean-shaven and light stubble as least attractive.
Traditionally, certain ethnicities have been known for growing thick beards, including those in the Middle East, Mediterranean, and South Asia. Other ethnicities are less likely to have thick, full beards.