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The Manscaping Mission: The 101 on Facial Hair This December

    This December, we are getting involved with Decembeard, an annual sponsored beard growth to raise awareness for bowel cancer.

    When it comes to attracting a partner, you think of the obvious, good personality, fun sense of humour, and my least favourite to admit...looks. But according to much research, if you really want to attract hookups or a long-term relationship, you might want to take a closer look at your facial hair.

    In a recent study, researches asked thousands of women to rate the physical attractiveness of men with varying degrees of facial hair. Bottom line: Beardedness (or lack thereof) had a major influence on a guy’s sex appeal and perceived masculinity. When women viewed clean-shaven men, they were seen as less attractive, while stubble was deemed most attractive overall.

    So, consider your beard the equivalent to a peacock’s plume or a deer’s antlers and check out this guide to the top-rated facial hair styles to give you some inspiration this December.

    Stubble

    What It Is: The hair growth that results from approximately 2-5 days of not shaving.

    Level of Maintenance Involved: This can vary for every guy, depending on the way your hair grows in. Some men may be blessed with perfectly even-growing hair. Most of you, however, might have hair that grows in patches or varying levels of thickness, and will, therefore, need some shaping to achieve a nice “effortless” stubble look. You can do this by removing all hair outside the natural areas of growth on your face, including the tops of your cheeks, your low neck, etc. Use a set of clippers 1 or 2 times a week to maintain the stubble, or it could appear unkempt.

    Opinion: Without a doubt, a little facial hair – otherwise known as stubble – can represent a sexy, carefree spirit. It portrays a sort of understated confidence and can denote a slightly rebellious spirit.

    Full Beard

    What It Is: Full, thick hair growth in the chin, upper lip, and lower cheek areas.

    Level of Maintenance Involved: Beards of any length will need maintenance regarding shaping, trimming, and moisturising with conditioners and oils (we recommend one with several essential oils.

    Opinion: Full beards were attractive to women searching for long-term relationships. The researchers believe beards make men seem more “formidable” - in a red-blooded, strong, and strapping kind of way - that gives women the sense they can provide direct benefits, like enhanced fertility and survival. Who knew your beard was so meaningful?

    Long Beard

    What It Is: Full, thick hair growth on the chin, upper lip, lower cheek, and sideburn areas. Typically, this beard is approximately 2 inches in length or more at its longest.

    Level of Maintenance Involved: Like a shorter beard, this breed of facial hair will require a certain degree of meticulousness and care in the form of shaping, trimming, and moisturising; otherwise, you’ll run the risk of looking like a slob.

    Opinion: Men with long, well-maintained beards have a sort of sexy scholarly thing going for them. They appear sophisticated yet gruff, like a man who can crunch numbers and also chop down trees or wrestle a bear. However, there’s a fine line between a full beard and an ultra-long, borderline terminal length beard, which is no longer attractive. Just…long.

    Moustache

    What It Is: Hair growth above the upper lip.

    Level of Maintenance Involved: Depends on the type of ‘stache you try to pull off. A chevron moustache is a thick, full moustache that’ll probably require less maintenance once it’s fully grown than, say, a handlebar, which will require styling with wax. Regardless of the moustache, you grow, there will always be some maintenance involved since you’ll have to trim it every so often.

    Opinion: Mustaches are… interesting. They’ve had a history of strange connotations, from being sexual to indicating a swinger or a porn star, to telling people you were a gangster. Today, the ‘stache has outgrown all of those connotations and developed a new, 21st-century one - that of a confident, borderline cocky, dapper hipster. However, hey, some guys can really commit and pull it off. Seriously! So, to each his own. Just don’t try this look out if you don’t have enough facial hair to achieve anything other than a patchy, barely there micro-stache.

    FACIAL HAIR TO AVOID

    Patchy Mustache

    If you can’t grow a full moustache, it looks sloppy and creepy. You’re better off with a clean-shaven look.

    Goatee

    Goatees can certainly be pulled off by some. However, we think that goatees are reminiscent of the 90s and of guys who aren’t sure what they want.

    Soul Patch

    Soul patches are weird, no matter how you spin it. Avoid.

    Chin Strap

    Chinstraps are attention hogs. They require a crazy amount of maintenance, and, they look unnatural because of it.

    So, will you consider growing a beard for your special one or will you continue to keep it how you like it? Share what you think about men with beards vs clean-shaven men in the comments below.




    Comments

    Super 

    Have tried full beard twice, either a full beard or not at all! Sometimes used to hide facial weekness! Fistbtime when in thirties looked a right villain! Second time when grey looked like Father Christmas! Returned to wet shaving every day except Sunday, give face a rest! Shave in the nude you never know you might have something else to trim?

    I like pulic hair of girls

    I have a mustache and keep it trimmed since the hair goes gray I dye it light brown , on a woman I like shaved, landing strips or trimmed when I'm eating a woman's pussy I don't want a mouth full of hair, and when a woman goes down on me she shouldn't get hair in her mouth. 

    Nice 

     I keep my head and face completely shaved !  I do not want face  or head hair and stay fresh !   I have had A full set A long time ago and it was very irritating !

    I have a BEARD and keep it trimmed....bearded men are always horny....my personal opinion..........take em or leave me......hope you take????

    I like anal

    Sorry, but my face fur is a completely different color from the rest of my hair. I'd look like a hippie Opie if I'd let it grow. Have to pass on this one

    nice

    Hair...not  bare!

    Went to a swings club in Bournemouth, there were loads of guys there and the only ones who did'nt get to play were those with beards. Sorry but I will keep on shaving.

    I always have stubble and get called a scruffy t***!