May 19, 2026 - They’re back again. At least they are back again here in North America. Elsewhere, not only hasn’t it left, it’s also almost “man”-datory, more particularly in some religious cultures. Facial hair is back in such a big way that Proctor and Gamble has blamed the beard for slumping sales of shaving products.
It has been reported that back in 1860 the then Senator Abe Lincoln received a letter from eleven-year-old Grace Bedell which said in part, “If you let your whiskers grow I will try and get the rest of them to vote for you. You would look a great deal better, for your face is so thin. All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would be president.”
It has been known for some time that many women like the bearded look on their men. Dr. Allan Peterkin, a pogonoligist, (beard expert) has conducted several national surveys of mostly women on how facial hair on men is perceived by the average female. Whether men recognize it or not, first impressions are made by the opposite sex simply by observing your facial hair, or lack thereof. The following are the top ten:
- Full Beard: Sometimes known as the “older man’s beard,” when neat and trimmed signals the Alpha Male status. The man is perceived as scholarly and an academic which may explain why university professors tend to sport a full beard. However, if the beard is left to grow it might tip one over the line to a mountain man status.
- Goatee: Signals a man who is stuck in the past. It was popular in the mid 1990s. It was a bit of a statement back then, but it has become an overly done expression. If your dad or dentist still has a goatee, it time for a change.
- Scruffy/Stubble: Signals a man who is up on the latest trends. He is “hot” and he knows it. Some men add a mustache which is very popular with the ladies today. However, if left untrimmed, some people think the guy is just too lazy to care.
- Sideburns: Signals a man who likes to have fun. It produces a playful look that was popularized by Elvis Pressley
- Chinstrap: Signals a man who is making a pathetic cry for attention. He wants to push the envelope, and be asked about his facial hair. It is considered silly and pointless.
- Mustache: Conveys a man who is a bit cocky. Younger guys who wear one are confident and don’t really care about what people think.
- Horseshoe Mustache: Signals a man who is rebellious. The average female thinks of the biker or wrestler mustache such as on Hulk Hogan.
- Handlebar Mustache: Signals a man with a pleasant personality. Think of barbershop quartets, southern gentlemen, and other old fashioned men. The baseball player Rollie Fingers sported a nice one.
- Soul Patch: Signals a man who is off-beat. This dab of hair under the lower lip was sported by hippies in the 1960s, in addition to beatniks.
- Mutton Chops: Signals a gentleman with a big heart expressing his wild side. It reminds us of a Victorian gentleman with a monicle, or a gentleman in the South. Opponents say it looks like a dead animal draped across the face.
- Clean Shaven: Signals a man who is a bit preppy.
To some, heavy beards make a man look threatening, while goatees make some men look evil. If you are a guy with a full beard you are likely to be seen either as very masculine, mature, wise, and strong, or as old, unkempt, eccentric, or overcompensating for a weak or double chin. Thus, the matter boils down to the old adage… as the man said while kissing a cow – “everyone to his own taste.”
