What Facial Hair Style Looks Best to Women?

No single style of facial hair looks best to women. What works is facial hair that is trimmed on purpose and suits the shape of your face, whether that is stubble, a short beard or a goatee. Women respond to a man who looks like he decided how he wanted to look. They respond badly to a beard that looks like he stopped shaving and gave up. A woman who pulled away from you was almost never reacting to the beard alone.

a dating coach, reviewing men's photos and outfits, keeps coming back to the same thing. The men who look good have facial hair that is well trimmed and looks like it was done on purpose. The men who look bad have the same beard, only unkempt.

That distinction is more useful than any ranking of styles. Look at your own face in the mirror and ask whether it looks chosen. Clean lines on the cheeks and neck, an even length, and a shape that follows your jaw all signal care. Stray hairs, patchy sections and a neckline that wanders do the opposite.

Facial hair changes the frame of your face. Done well, it adds definition to a soft jaw, makes a young face look older and adds an edge. coach mentions that he grows a beard partly because his face looks baby-faced without one, and that it draws a lot of compliments.

It also communicates something about you. A well-kept beard suggests a man who pays attention to details and took ten minutes this morning. That is a quiet signal of self-respect, and women pick it up faster than most men expect.

coach also points out how close the line is. A shaved head with a beard can look strong and confident, or it can look like a sloppy neckbeard, and the difference is small. It depends on whether the facial hair is tidy and kept, and on how the photo is lit and angled.

The three things that tip it the wrong way:

• An untrimmed neckline that runs down into the throat.
• Length that is uneven from one side to the other.
• A style that fights your face, such as a goatee that makes cheeks look fuller.

coach gives his own example. A goatee makes his cheeks look rounder and more baby-faced, so he skips it. A fuller beard frames his face better. Your answer may be different, and that is the point.

You need a few honest experiments, not a verdict from the internet.

1. Start with the base case. Let your facial hair grow for two to three weeks. Anything shorter is just unfinished.
2. Look at your jaw and cheeks. A soft jaw tends to gain from a beard that adds definition along the sides. A strong, angular jaw looks good clean-shaven or with short stubble.
3. Check patchiness honestly. If it grows in with gaps, a full beard may never look good, and a short stubble or a clean shave will serve you better.
4. Ask three people. Pick people who will tell you the truth, ideally women, and show them photos of two or three versions.
5. Visit a good barber. A professional can shape the lines in a way a razor at home never will, and many will show you how to maintain it.

Facial hair needs weekly attention. Trim the neckline and cheek line, and keep the length even. If you will not do that, shave. A clean face looks better than a neglected beard.

Hair and grooming sit together. coach tells men to get a haircut that suits their face shape, even if it costs slightly more than they would like, and to treat facial hair as part of the same decision.

Facial hair is a small piece of how you look, and looks are a small piece of attraction. My view is that attractiveness does not mean physical beauty. It means you are making the most of what you have, with a look that says something about you.

A man with a perfect beard who stands slumped and speaks in a mumble will still lose to the man with an average beard who walks up, makes eye contact and talks to her. Handle the grooming, then get to the part that actually produces dates.

The honest feedback comes from women's reactions. If you change your look, go out and talk to people while wearing it. A coach beside you can tell whether the beard is helping or distracting, and will say it plainly. After a couple of outings you will know more than any article can tell you.