Whether you’re swiping on dating apps looking for potential suitors or are a man on the fence about growing your beard out or not, you should put a little more thought into it than simply being too lazy to shave.
In fact, the number of men who don’t shave at all is up across all age groups and now stands at 20%. This November, however, many more men won’t be shaving their beards due to the annual No Shave November event. But people are still looking for dates. So it’s time to answer the most important question of November: beards or clean shaven?
According to a new poll from YouGov, people tend to not like facial hair as much as these bearded fellows might have hoped. Upon being asked, “all other things being equal, would you say a man wearing a beard gives you…,” 15% responded to less favorable impression while 8% responded more favorable (77% were unaffected).
When asked who they found to be more trustworthy, 20% of respondents said those who were clean-shaven, 6% said people with a beard and a mustache, 5% said those with only a mustache, and 3% said those only with a beard.
It might not be all bad, though, for bearded folk. Another survey found that beards can, in fact, actually make men more attractive.
According to the Independent, a study published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology, men with stubble are viewed as more attractive for short-term flings than men with full beards. Though full, strong beards were seen as more attractive for long-term relationships.
The study asked 8,520 people to rate photos of men for physical attractiveness in general, for short-term relationships, and long-term relationships.
For the most part, it still comes down to individual preference. People might prefer their partners to have full beards, a little stubble, or clean shaven. As long as proper hygiene is maintained, however, either way shouldn’t be a problem! Beard or no beard — enjoy!