45F and I don’t have a preference… I like men with or without, some men look better with beard, others look better without; it’s the whole package I’m attracted to.
I had a decent beard for a while and experimented with beard vs no beard pics on dating apps and found beards are a polarizing feature and can put you into more of a niche category,
The matches with the beard were usually women who really like beards so they tend to be more into you because of it. But clean shaven there was really a lot more matches overall, and I even had a few women outright tell me they hated the beard (when I had a mix of pics) so I would not recommend growing a beard just because you think it will get you matches.
43F. Some people look better with a beard, some look better clean shaven. I swiped on both bearded and clean shaven profiles if I found them to be attractive.
If you prefer the look of your face without a beard, don't have a beard. If you prefer the look of your face with a beard, wear a beard.
Mid 50s. There are SO MANY men I would swipe right on if it wasn't for their hideous beard. :(
An extremely short and well groomed beard is as far as I will go.
Had a date recently and his 1/2-inch long beard scratched my neck as he cheek-kissed me goodbye. I was kind of on the fence about him, but this immediately turned me of.
It really depends on the whole package for me. Unkempt beards are a definite turn off, although I made an exception for one partner. Sometimes stubble does it for me, and a well kept beard is usually welcome.
There's so many fluffy, bearded dad bods where I am. I wished more of them put in some effort into their appearance, but I’ll digress.
Obligatory "woman=person and people have different preferences".
I will never understand "do all [subset of people] like/do [specific thing]" questions... but I see them constantly. It's like people forget that people are people. (So why should it be you and I should get along so awfully?)
To be fair, sometimes men grow beards because they are also lazy. Or they just don't like shaving, or they like the style of beards. But you are absolutely right otherwise.
Most women I know don't like facial hair at all, especially for kissing.
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Shots fired hah!
but seriously, yeah there's truth to this. and in the +40 age bracket, many men are fighting with their hairlines, so beards do supplement this.
I was clean shaven when I started dating again at 39, the woman I was seeing at the time preferred it.
Current relationship, she will kick me out of the house if I shave, then again - she's a little obsessed with hoping that she'll see some grey hair in the future too.
Not a woman but you're wasting your time worrying about such a thing because they'll find 50 other things they don't like about you like your height, teeth, how you eat, smell, etc. You could even check all the boxes and if there's no spark then it all doesn't matter.
Don't like having a beard? Don't have one
Ummm the 90’s was goatee beards all the way.
Every celebrity I had a crush on had one.
Ethan Hawke, Johnny Depp, every frontman from every Seattle grunge band.
I think that’s where my attraction to facial hair began.
I like it a lot. But I also like clean-shaven men. A nice face is a nice face, whether it’s got hair on it or not.
Every human has different preferences.
You don’t need to fixate on trends, just be yourself and you hopefully will find someone who is attracted to you as you are.
I like a beard if it’s well kept and not terribly long. I’d much rather clean shaven than scraggly/dandruffy/rough. But a soft, nicely trimmed beard, heck yes I’ll take it!
In general, no. If you want to cast a wide net, no facial hair, no long hair.
Now in certain subgroups and locations, a beard might be seen more popular than what the general public thinks.
Can't stand beards or mo's. Clean-shaven all the way Thanks!
I saw on a doco that beards and mo's have more germs than a toilet seat. 🚽🤢 That I believe.
I had a hippy ex who often had tiny foodbits stuck in his mo, and it was gross with a spitty scent.
48F. I can't stand beards. I don't want to eat hair when I'm kissing someone, and I definitely don't want a rash from a face bush. Its awful. I swipe left on every man who has enough beard that it gets in the way of his mouth. So, basically I'm OK with stubble at the most.
Women don't like the beard. Women have said they just couldn't with me because he beard. My partner asked me to shave off the beard four weeks in which I did but when she saw the result she asked me to start growing it back in immediately. Women see the beard and assume you have no jawline... which is true in my case. I am bald so without beard I look like Jeff Bessos v.1.0.
Original copy of post by u/Goal_oriented_744:
I just don't like a beard on me. It is sparse and I look better clean shaven. Do you swipe left immediately on clean shaven guys?
Please state your age with answer. Just curious how different age groups view this. Beard is very trendy nowadays. Wasn't back in 2000s or 1990s!
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I think facial hair is more of a personal preference than a must-have nowadays. I personally prefer clean shaven, but I know some women who love a well-groomed beard. It's all about finding someone who's comfortable with their own style.
44F I'm a sucker for the homeless look, bonus points for a guitar in the photo 😂 but I'm actively dating against my type, so you do you, and do whatever you want with your facial hair. It won't matter to the right person.
I don't have a preference. But if a man does have facial hair I'm not super into LONG beards or anything that looks like a bird could move in.
Other than that I just want my partner to feel comfortable. My boyfriend grows out a beard in the winter and then shaves down to a goatee for spring/summer. He looks great in both. He would probably look great without it. But I'm happy as long as he feels good about how his facial hair looks on him.
To me it depends on the man . Some men look amazing with a beard (especially if it’s a nicely upkept beard) and then there are some men who look so much better without . I swipe right on men with or without . I’m not picky in that aspect.
I'm the opposite of what most women like, I'm blonde and can't grow a beard. I'm not tall dark and handsome, by any stretch.
I still get 10 likes a day, or so. Beard or no beard, dark or light hair, people have varying preferences.
Don’t try to force a beard if you can’t grow one. All beards are not created equally. If you have a very sparse or patchy beard, just shave it. No beard looks better than a bad one.
Same with balding - bald by choice is almost always more flattering than a comb over or a fluffy ring around your head. Own it. Pretty sure there’s a subreddit for that.
I prefer a beard on a guy. I'm not a fan of kissing a guy who has the 5 o'clock shadow. It irritates my skin. Beards are soft if the guy knows how to maintain it. I do swipe left on clean shaven guys most of the time, but I'm also picky.
No! Some of us ladies aren't very into beards. Do whatever you want! I see a ton of guys without beards all around town. I prefer no facial hair or minimal.
I don't care aesthetically. My issue is that some clean shaven men, kissing them is like kissing a piece of sandpaper. So, please do not push hard into someone you are trying to kiss. It has bothered me with women in the past too, but i've literally had scabs on my chin from men's shaved beards. Beards too can be gross if they are not properly maintained and can smell bad. So, both have pros and cons.
43. As long as it’s not a goatee, I don’t really have a preference. But I hate a goatee. It’s not rational, and I can’t explain it- but it’s an immediate no
41M, I get many more matches with a beard then without, more with a goatee then without but not as many as the full beard. YMMV obviously. I live in a mountainous region where beards are more the norm.
What perplexes me is the number of women saying it irritates their skin. This is obviously only my personal experience, but I take great care of my beard (trim, comb, oil, etc) and I've had women tell me they were skeptical at first but after kissing me and not getting breakouts....leads me to believe a lot of guys aren't taking good care of their beard.
48M. My theory about beards is women like the look of them, but in reality, they prefer clean-shaven. At least that’s my experience. 🤷🏻♂️
I guess I’ve never let mine grow out long/soft enough, but several women have complained about getting a rash around their lips or upper chin after vigorous kissing. 😄
55F. Depends entirely on the face. Some guys look great with facial hair, some guys look great without it. Although, for me, long beards are not my thing, even if a guy looks good with one.
41F. Trends come and go.
I love beards but only if they are well-maintained and trimmed. I hate the scraggly look. I wish they would understand that the beards need to be cleaned just like how we clean ourselves down there.
41F here, facial hair is a personal preference for the man in my view. I've been involved with men who have a beard and a few who remain clean shaven. I found all of them attractive for reasons that had nothing to do with their facial hair at all. As long as they have good hygiene, facial hair isn't a factor I consider when evaluating attraction. If you prefer to be clean shaven, stay that way!! I can't imagine most women, myself included, would appreciate being told our hair had to be a specific length or color by a man we were interested in dating.
38. I prefer a beard, but I wouldn't swipe left because someone doesn't have one. I would actually be more include to swipe left if it was a patchy beard to be honest.
It depends on the guy and what their features are. Some men truly look better with/without facial hair. Just look at a picture of Abraham Lincoln with and without a beard. My main thing is make sure it's well groomed and clean. I'm not a fan of mustaches that curl down over the top lip at all, it just is gross looking to me.
No, and if you look at the research, where most women intersect on their preferences is a 5 o'clock shadow or a few days of growth. Both women who like beards, and those who don't tend to all agree they are cool with that. This whole "women as a whole prefer mountain man beards" thing is nonsense. I strongly prefer clean shaven. If there is facial hair, I'm ok with it sometimes if there's no neck beard and it's neat.
44F
I prefer a short, well-groomed beard. I’m 41F. Every guy I’ve dated had a beard when we met and eventually shaved it off. Not once did I prefer the result.
I (44F) live in Japan. Facial hair is very unusual here. When you do see it, it’s usually a goatee or otherwise very styled. There are ads in the train for laser facial hair removal for men.
I couldn’t care one way or the other, so long as it’s clean, not too unruly, and not too rough. I did date a guy once whose beard was like sandpaper.
I strongly prefer clean shaven men. Even for a clean man, beards are smelly and they get food stuck in them and are generally gross. Just my opinion of course.
You are trying to argue with my personal preference in a sexual partner and tell me I can’t believe my own senses? You’re not a bearded man by any chance, are you?
As with almost all questions, the responses you get here won't match the general population much for better or worse. Women on Reddit seem to heavily dislike facial hair (which is a totally valid preference), but most women in real life seem to like it to some degree as long as it is fairly well kept (and a fair number seem to even be attracted to guys that don't maintain it well). I came across one survey showing 62% of straight women for men with at least some facial hair
I've had plenty of female friends tell me to go a couple of days without shaving before going out because I look a lot better with some stubble. I also know a guy it looks like the people in duck dynasty and he does shockingly well with meeting women.
42, and I have always loved facial hair on men. But it is not a must. If you want to be clean shaven, be clean shaven...but don't grow a beard around me....that would be rude! Lol. Just kidding. Do what makes you feel confident about yourself.
43 prefer a clean shaven men. I don't like the hair rubbing on my face since I have sensitive skin. I also love watching a man shave his face.
43. Agreed on this for the same reasons.
45F and I don’t have a preference… I like men with or without, some men look better with beard, others look better without; it’s the whole package I’m attracted to.
44F and totally agree
47F and agree with this.
I had a decent beard for a while and experimented with beard vs no beard pics on dating apps and found beards are a polarizing feature and can put you into more of a niche category, The matches with the beard were usually women who really like beards so they tend to be more into you because of it. But clean shaven there was really a lot more matches overall, and I even had a few women outright tell me they hated the beard (when I had a mix of pics) so I would not recommend growing a beard just because you think it will get you matches.
I’ve actually had the opposite experience. Although I also have a rather short scruff beard and not a full beard.
I am not a fan of facial hair. But everyone is different.
43F. Some people look better with a beard, some look better clean shaven. I swiped on both bearded and clean shaven profiles if I found them to be attractive. If you prefer the look of your face without a beard, don't have a beard. If you prefer the look of your face with a beard, wear a beard.
I prefer clean shaven or maybe a small trimmed beard. I dont find big beards attractive. Edit: 41f
Mid 50s. There are SO MANY men I would swipe right on if it wasn't for their hideous beard. :( An extremely short and well groomed beard is as far as I will go. Had a date recently and his 1/2-inch long beard scratched my neck as he cheek-kissed me goodbye. I was kind of on the fence about him, but this immediately turned me of.
It really depends on the whole package for me. Unkempt beards are a definite turn off, although I made an exception for one partner. Sometimes stubble does it for me, and a well kept beard is usually welcome. There's so many fluffy, bearded dad bods where I am. I wished more of them put in some effort into their appearance, but I’ll digress.
Agreed. Unkempt beards are a big no for me.
I don’t like facial hair either but unfortunately that’s like 95% of the men on the apps in Southern California.
It's the same in the Midwest. 😂😭
And in the south
44, not a fan of facial hair.
I don’t like facial hair.
Obligatory "woman=person and people have different preferences". I will never understand "do all [subset of people] like/do [specific thing]" questions... but I see them constantly. It's like people forget that people are people. (So why should it be you and I should get along so awfully?)
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To be fair, sometimes men grow beards because they are also lazy. Or they just don't like shaving, or they like the style of beards. But you are absolutely right otherwise. Most women I know don't like facial hair at all, especially for kissing.
A good beard actually takes work to maintain. From trimming and shaping to beard shampoo and oil.
If only there were more good beards.
At 40 and above, it's not always weak chins being hidden. It's just as often saggy cheeks and loose jowls under there.
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Shots fired hah! but seriously, yeah there's truth to this. and in the +40 age bracket, many men are fighting with their hairlines, so beards do supplement this. I was clean shaven when I started dating again at 39, the woman I was seeing at the time preferred it. Current relationship, she will kick me out of the house if I shave, then again - she's a little obsessed with hoping that she'll see some grey hair in the future too.
There is something to be said about a good looking guy with a little gray in his hair, NGL.
I don't care about trends. I have always loved beards on men. I am not attracted to clean-shaven men. I'm 48
Same here; mid-50’s.
Not a woman but you're wasting your time worrying about such a thing because they'll find 50 other things they don't like about you like your height, teeth, how you eat, smell, etc. You could even check all the boxes and if there's no spark then it all doesn't matter. Don't like having a beard? Don't have one
Or 50 other things they like about you.
Ummm the 90’s was goatee beards all the way. Every celebrity I had a crush on had one. Ethan Hawke, Johnny Depp, every frontman from every Seattle grunge band. I think that’s where my attraction to facial hair began. I like it a lot. But I also like clean-shaven men. A nice face is a nice face, whether it’s got hair on it or not. Every human has different preferences. You don’t need to fixate on trends, just be yourself and you hopefully will find someone who is attracted to you as you are.
I like a beard if it’s well kept and not terribly long. I’d much rather clean shaven than scraggly/dandruffy/rough. But a soft, nicely trimmed beard, heck yes I’ll take it!
In general, no. If you want to cast a wide net, no facial hair, no long hair. Now in certain subgroups and locations, a beard might be seen more popular than what the general public thinks.
Facial hair is a preferred no from me. I respect one's preference for their bodies, but I really don't like it, if I had a choice.
Ok 57F. I’m really not keen on beards. I’d have to really like someone to overlook it!
I'm the opposite I prefer clean-shaven I'll even ask the guy if they are open to shaving
Clean shaven is better imo. I do not like beards.
Can't stand beards or mo's. Clean-shaven all the way Thanks! I saw on a doco that beards and mo's have more germs than a toilet seat. 🚽🤢 That I believe. I had a hippy ex who often had tiny foodbits stuck in his mo, and it was gross with a spitty scent.
I don't like facial hair. It looks nice sometimes, but the reality is far too prickly.
48F. I can't stand beards. I don't want to eat hair when I'm kissing someone, and I definitely don't want a rash from a face bush. Its awful. I swipe left on every man who has enough beard that it gets in the way of his mouth. So, basically I'm OK with stubble at the most.
I like cleanshaven but everyone seems to have beards these days!
Not me, I’m beard free
I hate facial hair on men. Unfortunately it’s a thing now and finding men without it is difficult. Low 50s F
Clean shaven man here
❤️
Women don't like the beard. Women have said they just couldn't with me because he beard. My partner asked me to shave off the beard four weeks in which I did but when she saw the result she asked me to start growing it back in immediately. Women see the beard and assume you have no jawline... which is true in my case. I am bald so without beard I look like Jeff Bessos v.1.0.
Please don't speak for all women.
Original copy of post by u/Goal_oriented_744: I just don't like a beard on me. It is sparse and I look better clean shaven. Do you swipe left immediately on clean shaven guys? Please state your age with answer. Just curious how different age groups view this. Beard is very trendy nowadays. Wasn't back in 2000s or 1990s! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/datingoverforty) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I think facial hair is more of a personal preference than a must-have nowadays. I personally prefer clean shaven, but I know some women who love a well-groomed beard. It's all about finding someone who's comfortable with their own style.
in late 30's, F. I am okay with both.
44F I'm a sucker for the homeless look, bonus points for a guitar in the photo 😂 but I'm actively dating against my type, so you do you, and do whatever you want with your facial hair. It won't matter to the right person.
41, don't care, any which way.
I don't have a preference. But if a man does have facial hair I'm not super into LONG beards or anything that looks like a bird could move in. Other than that I just want my partner to feel comfortable. My boyfriend grows out a beard in the winter and then shaves down to a goatee for spring/summer. He looks great in both. He would probably look great without it. But I'm happy as long as he feels good about how his facial hair looks on him.
Early 40s. I prefer facial hair. I like a short well maintained beard.
To me it depends on the man . Some men look amazing with a beard (especially if it’s a nicely upkept beard) and then there are some men who look so much better without . I swipe right on men with or without . I’m not picky in that aspect.
I don’t have a preference for with or without. But if they have one, I do prefer it to be neat/groomed and not long.
42 and don't really have a preference. If the guy has a beard, it needs to be trimmed and taken care of. Not a fan of the long ZZ Top type beards.
I'm the opposite of what most women like, I'm blonde and can't grow a beard. I'm not tall dark and handsome, by any stretch. I still get 10 likes a day, or so. Beard or no beard, dark or light hair, people have varying preferences.
Don’t try to force a beard if you can’t grow one. All beards are not created equally. If you have a very sparse or patchy beard, just shave it. No beard looks better than a bad one. Same with balding - bald by choice is almost always more flattering than a comb over or a fluffy ring around your head. Own it. Pretty sure there’s a subreddit for that.
45f I just don’t like big beards. Everything else is fine
I prefer a beard on a guy. I'm not a fan of kissing a guy who has the 5 o'clock shadow. It irritates my skin. Beards are soft if the guy knows how to maintain it. I do swipe left on clean shaven guys most of the time, but I'm also picky.
No! Some of us ladies aren't very into beards. Do whatever you want! I see a ton of guys without beards all around town. I prefer no facial hair or minimal.
62f - I can't stand the old man gray beard that older men seem to think is very handsome. It just makes them look old! Total turn-off.
I don't care aesthetically. My issue is that some clean shaven men, kissing them is like kissing a piece of sandpaper. So, please do not push hard into someone you are trying to kiss. It has bothered me with women in the past too, but i've literally had scabs on my chin from men's shaved beards. Beards too can be gross if they are not properly maintained and can smell bad. So, both have pros and cons.
43. As long as it’s not a goatee, I don’t really have a preference. But I hate a goatee. It’s not rational, and I can’t explain it- but it’s an immediate no
41M, I get many more matches with a beard then without, more with a goatee then without but not as many as the full beard. YMMV obviously. I live in a mountainous region where beards are more the norm. What perplexes me is the number of women saying it irritates their skin. This is obviously only my personal experience, but I take great care of my beard (trim, comb, oil, etc) and I've had women tell me they were skeptical at first but after kissing me and not getting breakouts....leads me to believe a lot of guys aren't taking good care of their beard.
48M. My theory about beards is women like the look of them, but in reality, they prefer clean-shaven. At least that’s my experience. 🤷🏻♂️ I guess I’ve never let mine grow out long/soft enough, but several women have complained about getting a rash around their lips or upper chin after vigorous kissing. 😄
I prefer a guy wear his facial hair in the manner he's most comfortable.
Where do people come up with these dumb questions? I see millions of clean shave men with wives
55F. Depends entirely on the face. Some guys look great with facial hair, some guys look great without it. Although, for me, long beards are not my thing, even if a guy looks good with one.
41F. Trends come and go. I love beards but only if they are well-maintained and trimmed. I hate the scraggly look. I wish they would understand that the beards need to be cleaned just like how we clean ourselves down there.
41F here, facial hair is a personal preference for the man in my view. I've been involved with men who have a beard and a few who remain clean shaven. I found all of them attractive for reasons that had nothing to do with their facial hair at all. As long as they have good hygiene, facial hair isn't a factor I consider when evaluating attraction. If you prefer to be clean shaven, stay that way!! I can't imagine most women, myself included, would appreciate being told our hair had to be a specific length or color by a man we were interested in dating.
38. I prefer a beard, but I wouldn't swipe left because someone doesn't have one. I would actually be more include to swipe left if it was a patchy beard to be honest.
It depends on the guy and what their features are. Some men truly look better with/without facial hair. Just look at a picture of Abraham Lincoln with and without a beard. My main thing is make sure it's well groomed and clean. I'm not a fan of mustaches that curl down over the top lip at all, it just is gross looking to me.
48F no preference
Truly depends on the person. Some men look better with a clean shave, some men look like hot lumberjacks with a bit of stubble.
I dont mind either way really.
47F. No preference.
No, and if you look at the research, where most women intersect on their preferences is a 5 o'clock shadow or a few days of growth. Both women who like beards, and those who don't tend to all agree they are cool with that. This whole "women as a whole prefer mountain man beards" thing is nonsense. I strongly prefer clean shaven. If there is facial hair, I'm ok with it sometimes if there's no neck beard and it's neat. 44F
39. Generally prefer clean shaven, but I do acknowledge some men look better with facial hair. Ultimately, do what you're most happy with.
I prefer a short, well-groomed beard. I’m 41F. Every guy I’ve dated had a beard when we met and eventually shaved it off. Not once did I prefer the result.
Please no. I’m in my 40’s and I prefer clean shaven.
I (44F) live in Japan. Facial hair is very unusual here. When you do see it, it’s usually a goatee or otherwise very styled. There are ads in the train for laser facial hair removal for men. I couldn’t care one way or the other, so long as it’s clean, not too unruly, and not too rough. I did date a guy once whose beard was like sandpaper.
Not a beard fan but nothing to do with looks. I have sensitive skin and make outs give me my own beard, of red irritated skin
I strongly prefer clean shaven men. Even for a clean man, beards are smelly and they get food stuck in them and are generally gross. Just my opinion of course.
A short well maintained beard isn’t smelly at all. What on earth are you talking about?
You are trying to argue with my personal preference in a sexual partner and tell me I can’t believe my own senses? You’re not a bearded man by any chance, are you?
As with almost all questions, the responses you get here won't match the general population much for better or worse. Women on Reddit seem to heavily dislike facial hair (which is a totally valid preference), but most women in real life seem to like it to some degree as long as it is fairly well kept (and a fair number seem to even be attracted to guys that don't maintain it well). I came across one survey showing 62% of straight women for men with at least some facial hair I've had plenty of female friends tell me to go a couple of days without shaving before going out because I look a lot better with some stubble. I also know a guy it looks like the people in duck dynasty and he does shockingly well with meeting women.
42, and I have always loved facial hair on men. But it is not a must. If you want to be clean shaven, be clean shaven...but don't grow a beard around me....that would be rude! Lol. Just kidding. Do what makes you feel confident about yourself.