With growing and grooming a stylish beard back in fashion, you may have the urge to grow a beard! Grow one that’s not just attractive but healthy. Let me show you the best way to grow your beard. Is it true that thick beards are more attractive?
The answer isn’t straightforward, but my unbiased answer is YES, they are! I am sure that having facial hair makes men look more masculine and mature, and it is even better when you have a thick beard.
Your facial hair will enhance your facial features. At the same time, it gives you the appearance of a longer face, a bigger jawline, emphasizes your eyes, and frames your mouth. The belief that thick beards are more attractive has been a topic of debate among beard groomers. Therefore, this post will be discussing if it is truly attractive or not.
The Science Behind The Attractiveness Of Having Thick Beards
Beard growing and grooming has been a contentious subject among men for years now. Much research has been carried out on this subject in an attempt to expose the truth.
In a study published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology (2016), about 8,520 women were shown faces of men at their different stages of beard growth. Some had a clean shave. Others had heavy stubble, full beards, and light stubble. Using general terms, the women rated the men based on their attractiveness, for either a short-term or long-term relationship.
The study’s result revealed that women’s preferences changed, and this was based on the type of relationship they wanted. Women who preferred having flings showed more interest in the scruffy-looking men, with very minimal interest in the clean-shaved men. Women who wanted something long-term preferred a longer and thicker beard. More women went for this group.
Recent research has shed more light on why people find having a longer and thicker beard more attractive, and we’ll be looking at some of these discoveries.
- Women prefer masculine faces with formidability, confidence, and physical strength.
- Women perceive men with facial hair to be more attractive as well socially and physically dominant.
- Women showing moral disgust towards taboo behaviors are those that prefer an abundance of facial hair.
Generally, women tend to see men with heavy stubble as sexier than men with a clean shave.
What Makes Your Beard Grow Thicker
While some men find it easy to grow a thick and full beard in just two weeks, others will need to wait for months or even years to achieve the same thickness and fullness. The truth is, the rate at which a beard grows isn’t the same for every man.
Also, it may not be that the other man’s beard is fuller and thicker. It might be an illusion based on:
- The beard’s density. People with thicker hairs will create an illusion that their beard length is long, whereas it isn’t.
- The beard’s color. People with a darker beard will appear to have fuller and thicker beards.
- The hair strand’s diameter. People with thicker hair follicles will definitely have beards that look thick.
Important Factors Contributing To Thicker Beards
Genetic is a major factor that contributes to how thick your beard grows. However, that isn’t the only factor. Other factors, such as your overall health and age, should be considered.
Teenagers are usually disappointed when they have a patchy beard, and this isn’t uncommon among teenagers. As they grow older, their beard will grow fuller, and some of those patches will start filling up. You should know that age is really a huge factor.
Even those with good hair genes will notice that they can’t produce a full and thick beard right away. It takes time. If you are experiencing this and are still in your twenties, you need to be patient. With time, you will have a well-developed beard with the right density. Even in your thirties, your beard may still be developing.
However, for some people, if their beard isn’t well developed by this time, it means a full beard isn’t in their genes.
If you are experiencing this issue, don’t let it weigh you down. Even though there is nothing you can do about how fast your beard grows, here is how you can make your beard appear fuller and even grow thicker.
Growing A Thicker Beard With The Four Week Beard Rule
This rule for growing a thicker beard suggests that you remain consistent for four weeks and allow your beard to reach its full potential. Many men do things that interfere with their beard growth before it reaches its prime.
Some men may experience itching around the two-week mark, and they may not be patient enough. So, they trim or shave their beard before it has reached its full potential. Your beard might be itching because of poor grooming habits that have resulted in your skin underneath not being moisturized or irritated from new hair growth.
If it is the latter, you shouldn’t worry because it will subside after a few days, but you need to work on it if your itching is due to poor grooming habits.
I would recommend you use Honest Amish Premium Beard Oil if you are experiencing severe itching or if you have a dry and coarse beard. This beard oil has 10 top ingredients that come together to give you a soft, itch-free and healthy beard. Trust me, this beard oil truly works!
If you want a thick beard, you need to be patient enough to get past the four-week mark. Most men’s beards will start to really fill in and get less patchy after this four-week mark. It is only after this period that you can truly evaluate the natural condition of your beard.
Finally, growing a thick beard requires commitment from you. Allow your facial hair to gradually take shape and grow, and avoid trimming too early.
Tips For Maintaining A Healthy Beard
Like I mentioned earlier, growing a thick beard requires commitment, time, and patience. While considering these virtues, let’s take a look at some useful grooming tips.
- Use beard shampoo: You may be thinking only the hair on your head requires a shampoo, right? Well, your beard also needs one to stay healthy. Use a gentle face wash such as the Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Facial Cleanser or the Viking Revolution Beard Wash to wash your beard regularly and prevent it from becoming dry and brittle. Good beard oil should also be used to keep your beard soft and lush.
- Moisturize the skin underneath: You should pay attention not only to your facial hair, but to the skin underneath your beard. If not done, you may have acne breakouts and/or itching.
- Allow your beard to grow: You need to wait for four weeks before your beard grows. Instead of planning to shave after a few days, be patient and wait. Your beard may prove stubborn and not grow well for the first few weeks, and this may give you concern. Not to worry, use a good beard brush to brush the hairs to encourage them to grow in the same direction. You can use beard wax to hold any unruly hairs in place. Check here to see how beard wax can be of great help to you.
- Eat healthy meals: Eating a healthy diet will ensure your hair follicles are well-nourished. You can take biotin. This is a vitamin that supports beard growth.
- Rest: If you are always stressed and lack sleep overall, you will have a hard time growing a thick, healthy beard. Find time to rest and your facial hair will look healthier.
Besides these tips, beard butter can help your beard grow. Check our post on 7 Ways Beard Butter Helps Your Beard Grows to find out how it can help.
Pros of Growing A Thick Beard
- A thick beard keeps you warm: Your neck and chin can enjoy a layer of protection from a thick beard, especially in colder weather.
- Thick beards protect your skin from sun damage: The skin around your neckline will be protected from harmful UV rays when you have a long beard, although the amount of protection it offers depends on the beard thickness.
- Thick beards make you look more attractive: Men with full beards are more attractive than those with a scruffy face, or even a clean shave. A study by the Official Journal of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society showed that “Men with beards have a powerful look… and that’s an attractive thing.”
Cons of Growing A Thick Beard
- If not well cared for, your beard will become a place where dirt and bacteria thrive.
- Some men with beards have ingrown follicles. This gives bumps known as acne keloidalis.
Conclusion
If you’ve only been able to grow a patchy beard, or you haven’t been able to grow out facial hairs as long and full as you desire, I want you to be patient. It will come! It may, and likely will even take months. Time and patience are what is required of you. If you have the thick beard of your dreams already, well done! Keep it clean and well cared for. If you don’t, you can start by visualizing how awesome it will look on you, and then, just start growing it out!