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.
According to studies, beards make a man look older by nearly 8 years. interestingly, the longer the beard, the older you look. So, if you want to look older, grow a beard (or a longer one). If you want to look younger, shave (or trim) your facial hair and use Volt Beard Color to help cover your grays.
With just a clean shave, your facial skin will appear to be younger than before. You can even use a face moisturizer every after you shave to keep your facial skin hydrated. This is a good reason why there is a need to shave your beard.
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.
Most of the time, a closely shaved man looks younger than a guy with a beard and mustache. That said, there are no rules, just keep it well-groomed. If you decide it's time to cover your gray, use a dye that's meant for men's facial hair.
The notion that men get more attractive with age is not exactly true, according to developmental psychologist Michelle Drouin says. And yet, a recent study found that, at least in the online dating world, women reach peak desirability around age 18. Men peak at age 50.
In general they found women rated beards higher for attractiveness compared with clean-shaven faces, particularly when judging potential for long-term rather than short-term relationships. In general, the results showed a mixed link between attractiveness and beardiness.
Clarkson et al. (2020)[i] discovered that women find men with facial hair to be attractive and dominant, both socially and physically. Their study was conducted at the University of Queensland using 919 American women between the ages of 18 and 70, who rated photographs of men with various stages of facial hair.
A study published in The Royal Society Open Science has found that women are more attracted to men with beards. Almost 1,000 women took part in the study which determined that women preferred men with beards because they found them more physically and socially dominant.
Women ranked heavily stubbled faces as the most attractive. Participants said that the clean-shaven men looked about as healthy and attractive as those with a full beard, but rated the bearded men higher for perceived parenting skills.
Ignoring Ear, Nose & Body Hair
You may have noticed, as you've matured that your eyebrows have gotten bushier, your nose hairs have gotten longer, and your ears have sprouted hair of their own. It's natural. It happens. But, if you let it go, not only is it kind of gross, but it makes you look like an old man.
Sleep and eat well.
Getting plenty of sleep prevents puffy eyes, dark circles, and sallow skin . Eating a balanced, whole-food diet will help you manage your weight and give you the energy you need to keep up with the younger guys (or leave them in the dust). And certain foods can give you a more youthful appearance.
Most men will have a full beard by their early 20s, but some may need to wait until they hit 30 to reach full beard growth. Puberty might initiate the facial hair growing process, but how fast and thick your beard grows will depend on factors that we'll discuss below, including genetics and hormone levels.
During puberty, the first facial hair to appear tends to grow at the corners of the upper lip (age 11–15). It then spreads to form a moustache over the entire upper lip (age 16–17). This is followed by the appearance of hair on the upper part of the cheeks and the area under the lower lip (age 16–18).
Protecting your face from the sun is the single best way of keeping it youthful. Much of the damage comes from the UVA part of the light spectrum, so you need to put on sunscreen that protects against it and UVB light, which causes sunburn. Wearing a wide-brimmed hat is also a good idea. Creams and lotions.
Facial stubble and beards can look cool at 50 to 70-plus, but so can a smooth, clean shave.
According to one study, women favor heavy stubble. Particularly the growth that equates to about ten days of not shaving. Based on this research, women rated heavy stubble as being most desirable and most indicative of maturity, dominance, and aggression.
The Stubble
The study also found that although women saw men with heavy stubble to be less ready to settle down than their full bearded counterparts, they also rated them as the most attractive overall. If you're debating on whether to rock facial hair, you can't go wrong with starting here.
Beards Highlight Masculine Features
Beards accentuate a man's jawline and cheekbones, hallmarks of classic masculine beauty. They can transform the face, making it appear stronger and more chiseled. Thus, for many, beards enhance a man's attractiveness by amplifying these features.
Sporting a clean shaven look makes one appear professional, elegant, and is one of the best ways to highlight your facial features such as a strong jawline among other stand-out facial features. Your face is one of the first things people around you notice and develop an impression about you.
Nevertheless, Lean Pockets do claim, at least by name alone, to be somewhat easy on the waistline. Which is a good thing, because, according to a new trending study, heterosexual women may be more attracted to men who are thin. Not surprisingly, 9 out of 10 belts agree.
Muscularity is sexy.
In a separate study, women reported that their short-term sexual partners were more muscular than their other partners. The researchers suggest women have fewer requirements for muscular men.
After looking at whether you have patchy or full facial hair, Thad recommends looking at your face shape when determining your beard style. “The goal is to make your head look as oval as possible.” In aiming at an oval shape, you increase your head's overall symmetry and proportionality.
The goatee beard refers to any style featuring hair above the lip and on the chin only, sometimes connected to create a frame for the mouth. Goatee looks especially good on slim, angular faces and can make a round face look slightly slimmer. It's great on guys with short or curly hair.
Maturity & Facial Hair
Since the ability to grow a beard is a sign of physical maturity in men, it is naturally associated with age and grown manhood — as is evidenced by a study that found that beards were associated with maturity, power, and higher social status by both men and women.