To beard or not to beard

I for one have always been a fan of a bit of facial hair. Over the years, I’ve been through many stages of growth – as soon as I could grow it, I had it. From a goatee (cringe), and a moustache (for charity), to stubble and a full beard. You name it – I’ve had them all.
And I’m glad to see it’s something that’s become much more acceptable in our increasingly casual society. Gone are the days when you’d be frowned upon for turning up to work without a clean-shaven face. These days you’re more likely to have a stigma attached if you do shave clean.
The up-sides of stubble? A once-weekly trim is usually all that’s needed to keep my look in check. It’s not that I’m lazy, but it certainly does save time of a morning. Not only that, I’ve been told facial hair is sexy, it looks manly (because scruff is tough), hides our skin imperfections and most importantly, means no shaving rash or ingrown hairs.
And there are benefits for you too ladies. You can say goodbye to stubble rash when your man has some growth. As facial hair gets longer it’s much less likely to tear up your face than straight after shaving. So whether it’s brown, black, salt-and-pepper, or ginger, go on – embrace those beards!
Now, for the guys out there who fancy a bit of hair on their face (or the ladies who feel their man needs a helping hand), here are a few tips to keep the look more Clooney than Chewbacca:
- Invest in a quality groomer. Make sure to look for one that has adjustable combs for varying lengths and an interchangeable shaver head so you can achieve different looks. Try: VS Sassoon Metro Turbo Power Precise.
- Keep it neat. Just like growing out the hair on your head, your beard should be trimmed regularly. This will ensure stray hairs are still being removed and the overall look is neat and tidy. Try: Remington High Precision Titanium Washable Nose, Ear and Eyebrow Trimmer (NEDH2500BP) - it's perfect for sideburns.
- Keep it clean. A face wash or scrub is definitely a must-have to keep the skin underneath in good condition. Try: L’Oreal Paris Men Expert Skin Renovator Cleansing Exfoliator.
What do you think ladies? Do you prefer the clean-shaven look, a man with a bit of stubble, a mo’, or a full beard?
Matt Horsburgh is our resident boy blogger: check out his previous blog 'Spare a thought for the boys' (don't we always, Matt?!)
45 Member Comments
full beard. Even at least thick stubble. Men who can not grow facial hair evenly do not look attractive to me
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
hi guys any suggestions on the best way to care for my beard!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I love clean shaven but the occasional bit of stubble is sexy too, full beard - NO.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I dont mind a bit of stubble, but clean shaven always looks best! And a no to a beard.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I like clean shaven or stubble, just not a full beard.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
some guys do look hot with a slight stubble... but i think clean shaven is the best :P
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I think stubble but kept tidy is very attractive. I first dared my parter to grow a little facial hair just for fun and as soon as he did I could not imagine him without it. It adds sexiness but also makes them look a little more mature if the upkeep is kept.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I love a boy with stubble. It is so much better than a shiney plate face.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I love a bit of facial hair on a man, it can be very sexy. Pash rash, not so much!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Stubble is attractive in some cases, especially with messy longish hair.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
So funny - I started reading this article from the editor "I have always been a fan of a bit of facial hair" - and was slightly confused (Deb - I assumed you're not a fan of facial hair on yourself!!) until I looked to the bottom of the article and saw the author's name!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Clean-shaven. There's nothing worse than the sandpaper feel of stubble!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I don't mind facial hair but it all depends on the bloke and if he has the look to carry it off, some guys just look shabby and unkept, for other guys it looks really musculine and blokey, and for some guys they don't have much facial hair so can look ridiculous when they try to grow it.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Great to see an article for blokes, especially liked the tips on the different grooming products & the links.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
some days clean shaven and some with a bit stubble. i like to mix it up..
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
i love a bit of stubble, but i think it depends on the person. my dad has a full beard and i hate it...
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
To me, it totally depends on the guy and what looks best personally on him and his individual face. Some guys look best clean shaven and other guys look best with a 3-day growth look. Sorry I'm not much help on this one but that's honestly what I think. On my man I love a bit of 3-day growth because it really enhances his slim face and his hair colour is really nice! On him it makes him look a touch more 'manly'. It can depend also on a guys age I think.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
eww i hade beards/mostaches, unlike my mum who absolutely adores them. Atleast when his clean shaven you can actually see what he look like
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I think you will find that most teenage girls will say clean shaven, it is not until you actually get older that you appreciate how sexy a goatie really is ;)
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I also like the clean shaven, i don't like beards, don't mind stubble, i agree the guys do look sexy with the 5 oclock shadow.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I have to say for kissing I love clean shaven. But I think the stubble look is very sexy. Hubby gre a mo for Movember and I couldnt wait for it to go. I dont like full facial hair.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I cannot stand stubble let alone facial hair. Waxing or epilation once a week is a good solution to facial hair. :)
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Have been looking forward to another one of your articles! As a guy, I love the stubble look. Mostly because it's more accepted in the workplace now than ever. Not to mention it's so much easier to keep than a clean shaven face. With such sensitive and blemish prone skin, shaving is always a chore. Plus, ingrown hairs and rashes really don't look good, not with already blemished and uneven skin. But, I'm not fond of the goatee or full blown beard. Just the five-oclock shadow kinda look.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Again like Scentsation has said, it really depends on the guy but mainly prefer clean shaven and a bit of stubble. Girls on the other hand likes our face hair free all the way, that means more pain for us! lol
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0