The most engaging and flaming debate in men’s grooming is that of clean-shaven vs beard.
Some claim that a clean shave gives a more gentlemanly and decent appearance whereas some say that a beard makes a man look more masculine and tough.
This debate is not just restricted to men, even women have a strong opinion on the subject of beard or no beard!
In fact, it plays a key role in who women find attractive and even fall in love with!
Some women prefer their men to be clean-shaven while some are only attracted to a man with a beard!
We will try to settle this debate by discussing the pros and cons of being clean-shaven vs beard by pointing out the basic differences between the two.
Pros of Clean Shaven
If we consider the older times and compare shaved and beard, clean-shaven was the acceptable look on men who belonged to decent households with a job while beards were thought of as something for men who are in the wild.
Low Maintenance
If you clean off your beard, you do not have to invest a lot of extra products nor time and energy into your appearance.
You can go days without shaving and shave when you feel the need to do so if you are fine with a little stubble.
You are safe from any risk of rashes or skin irritations as your skin does not have hair on it to manage and maintain.
Gives you a Younger Appearance
It is a known fact that having a clean-shaven look makes you appear younger than you already are.
This can be a great thing if you want to look more youthful and fresh.
In addition to a younger appearance, the clean-shaven look makes you look neat, clean, and tidy.
Your grooming can never be questioned if you have chosen a clean-shaven look for yourself.
Attracts girls who like ‘book-smart’ men
Clean Shave automatically makes you look like someone who is educated, knowledgeable with an impressive job.
Girls who are attracted to these qualities will be head over heels for you!
If you play to the strengths of a clean-shaven look and put on formals with glasses, nothing will stop you from looking like the rich CEO straight out of a television show!
Cons of Clean Shaven
Less Mature Appearance
Clean Shaven can make you seem more innocent and naive.
It will give off the impression of youthfulness and make you look younger than your age which depending on you could be a good or bad thing.
Frequent Shaving
If you want to maintain a clean-shaven look with no stubble or spot of facial hair, in that case, you will have to frequently shave.
Shaving is something that also differs from one person to another.
Some men have faster growth of facial hair and have to shave frequently whereas some men can go days without facial hair.
Exposes your Face a lot
In comparison to the bearded look, a clean-shaven look exposes your whole face for exactly what it is.
All your facial features like eyes, nose structure, and jawline can be seen very clearly unlike a beard which helps in ‘hiding’ a lot of it.
Clean Shaven look will make your skin blemishes or spots more out there than a beard which can give the illusion of a shape or structure to the face cut.
Pros of a Beard
Beard is not restricted to merely being facial hair, in the society, we grow up in along with the media portrayal of actors sporting a beard, it stands for male dominance, masculinity, and celebration of manhood to a lot of people out there.
Enhances Your Features
Beards have the power to chisel your face to give it a proper shape, jawline and suddenly make your eyes, nose, and eyebrows look more even.
If you go clean-shaven after sporting a beard for a while, you will notice that the flaws of your face like the blemishes of your skin and jawline seem to be more prominent.
Thus, a beard helps in ‘covering up’ the obvious flaws of your face and gives it a more chiseled appearance.
Gives you a Mature Appearance
If you want to be taken seriously, want to command more respect then a beard can help you do that!
In the case of clean-shaven vs beard, a beard makes you look more mature and wise and you give off the vibe of being street smart.
You look like someone who can take care of tough things like changing tires or carving out furniture.
People tend to believe you are a tough survivor of the streets as the beard makes you appear more serious than you actually might be.
Attract Girls who like ‘ tough men’
Girls who are attracted to the idea of a bad boy in a leather jacket, a beard, riding a bike, will definitely swoon over you and give you all the attention you need.
It will not even require you to put in too much effort, just sporting a beard with the right outfit will make you appear rugged, manly, and capable of doing tough things.
If you are curious about it, you can for once try growing out a beard and see the reaction from the people around you for yourself since there is no harm in trying something out.
Cons of a Beard
Requires Proper Grooming
You don’t have to worry about shaving but what you do have to worry about is putting in time and energy into trimming, combing, and maintaining the beard from time to time.
If you neglect the maintenance of a beard, the beard might make you appear like an untidy, unclean, lazy man in no time which can be quite unattractive.
You have to invest in products like trimmer, beard oil, comb which will help in keeping the beard in shape, avoid it from becoming rough and keep it healthy and tidy.
Problem of Itchiness or Rash
It is a very common problem among bearded men.
If you do not maintain regular grooming, your beard will irritate your skin and cause redness or rash.
It is important to use beard oil and regularly comb your beard in order to avoid any acne or pimple breakout as it can become quite messy and painful while having a beard.
the bottom line:
The choice of beard or no beard depends completely on your preference, you should pick the one which you find more attractive and convenient.
If you ask us, life is too short to stick to one thing and not try out as much as possible! So why not try both? Grow out a beard for a while, keep that look and play to its strengths.
When you do get bored of it, shave it all off and keep a clean-shaven look.
You do not have to fit into anyone’s box and can occasionally try out both based on your mood and interest!