Why men with beards make better long-term boyfriends

Male grooming has become a big thing lately, and everyone is opting for the well-groomed, shaved look. But if new research is to be believed, it is best to grow a beard, especially if you want to boost your love life and succeed in a long-term relationship. According to a new study published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology, facial hair is a plus point that most women look for in romantic interests.

The study, titled The Masculinity Paradox, quizzed 8,520 women to rate men, with and without facial hair, on the basis of ‘relationship longevity’. Of the 8,520 women quizzed on their preferences, every one of them preferred their men unshaven.

The study says that, “Male-typical facial features such as a pronounced brow ridge and a more robust jawline may signal underlying health, whereas beards may signal men’s age and masculine social dominance. However, masculine faces are judged as more attractive for short-term relationships over less masculine faces, whereas beards are judged as more attractive than clean-shaven faces for long-term relationships. Our findings suggest that beardedness may be attractive when judging long-term relationships as a signal of intrasexual formidability and the potential to provide direct benefits to females.”

So, even though Movember is coming to an end, there is good reason for you to retain your bearded look for a while longer.

First Published: Nov 29, 2018 16:57 IST