You wake up one morning, and your beard has grown just enough to be stubble and slightly uncomfortable when you look down. You may head to your girlfriend’s house or head out later in the day to go to a club and get some odd looks, which makes you wonder, which is better, being clean-shaven or having stubble.
Women prefer to have a clean-shaven man rather than having one with stubble, as they generally find the stiff hair from stubble uncomfortable. The ladies we spoke to specifically hate stubble because the harder stubble hairs physically hurt them when kissed or hugged.
The dislike of stubble is always essential to understand, with the definition of stubble and a beard being a thin line. Many men have failed in their romantic endeavors simply because they chose not to remove the stubble they had hoped would look amazing.
Why Do Ladies Not Like Stubble?
As men, we like to forget that not everyone has hard skin and when a lady kisses us, the stubble can feel like sandpaper. Most women we talked to reported that while the stubble is odd in short bursts, it is not something they like or love over long periods.
When talking about stubble, you have to remember that this is anything from one day of not shaving up to around three weeks of not shaving. Your beard hair is extremely sharp and hard during this period and can even be uncomfortable to you during this time.
A quick test to see if your beard stubble is too uncomfortable is by looking down and turning your head; if your beard is hurting you, it is still in the stubble phase. We have talked to a few women that have made it clear that their softer skin is extremely sensitive to this kind of stubble.
What Beard Length Is Fine?
Men that like shorter beards or have long and complex beards will eventually start asking what is considered true stubble. We asked the ladies this, focusing on when exactly it becomes unwanted to have stubble or when a full beard is better.
Short beards are fine, especially when stylized. The stubble that women do not seem to like is the short kind that is entirely unkempt and freshly grown. This makes a man look rough around the edges, slightly dirty, and just a little like he does not keep himself clean.
We can regard anything over 1 centimeter as the correct length for a physical measurement since this is usually when the beard becomes softer. In the end, it is not always about the look of stubble, but the feeling of the harder hair against soft skin, with a bit of that homelessness look, being wanted by a small portion of women.
How To Give Yourself A Consistent Look?
We are adding this in because we know that many men who end up with stubble do so simply because they forget or cannot keep their beards in control. To overcome this, a few basic things need to be understood about beard and beardless maintenance.
Even the best-looking men have the habit of growing out their beards when they become fully relaxed, which is why all men should be aware of the proper routines. We know that having stubble is fun or even an experiment, but it does not mean that you have let your beard grow to its full might.
Morning Routine
If you have a proper beard, this should be a big part of your day as it will ensure that you do not look like a crazed man losing his senses. The control and trimming of your beard, no matter how long or short, is what makes a man go from looking normal to suitably badass.
When you wake up, before you shower, your beard needs to be trimmed; a dry beard is needed to trim out all the crazy hairs properly. After your shower or bath, you should comb the beard, adding some beard oil or wax to have everything styled into the proper beard style properly.
Shave Of Convenience
This is more aimed at clean-shaven men, which are the most likely people to suffer from unwanted stubble. You need to ensure that the beard is always properly shaved and clean or that you are nowhere near your loved one when trying to grow the beard long and luxurious.
We recommend that you work shaving into your morning routine, either while in the shower or just before brushing your teeth. This will naturally allow you to always be clean-shaven, with your hair washed, teeth cleaned, and a freshly shaven face ready to go.
Why Is It Important To Have The Right Beard Style?
This is the mistake that many men without a beard makes when they are just thinking of growing out their beards. You cannot simply have the beard grow naturally and think that it will quickly look amazing without you having to do anything, which is why many people get an early crazy beard style.
Your beard will grow wild, with hairs sticking out, the beard being unkempt, and a lot of your hair knotting if you do not style it. Even short beards that are just above stubble will need work to keep it in style and looking good.
When thinking about growing your beard, you need to think of what style it will have to be, with many men first sticking to simply using an electric shaver to keep it short. Shorter beards are slightly easier to style as they can be shaved off or trimmed in new styles when a mistake is made.
How Fast Can Stubble Appear?
Some men have significant stubble that appears overnight, while others can barely grow any stubble at all, even after a week. Stubble growth is the initial growth that your beard has, and most of the time will be experienced with a short burst of growth after you stop regularly shaving.
It would be best to remember that this initial burst of growth creates the worst hair to have against the skin, which will also be the first hairs you trim. The hair that first grows out is usually quite hard because it has been made thicker by constant shaving, usually having sharp ends from this process as well.
If you are wondering, this is why stubble that has just started appearing is so much more uncomfortable than stubble that is a few weeks old. This is why you need to ensure that your stubble is growing correctly and for a few days before you should consider using your romantic moves.
Why Is Clean Shaven Always Loved?
The clean and straightforward answer is that a clean-shaven man always looks prim and proper, which is a look that many men can do. Many businesses prefer to have a man with a clean shave as this is an easy way to ensure that everyone looks good and does not have unkempt beards.
Further, many men are not always willing to constantly maintain their long beards, allowing them to grow too wild. Which looks bad even when you are fully suited and trying to look as good as possible, creating an environment where no beard is always preferred.
For most men, clean-shaven brings the added advantage of giving the scents and aromas of aftershave. A well-shaven man might have an entirely different scent just because of the aftershave and cologne mixing than a man with a large beard that is perfectly groomed and oiled.
Why Do So Many Men Think Stubble Is The Best?
Men like stubble for a few simple reasons, with the fun of having sandpaper on our chins being the first one. Further, the subtle look that stubble adds to the chin can help make the entire face look a lot more defined and mature.
This leads many men to think that stubble is a great way to add to their looks, with a lot of men working on keeping perpetual stubble. However, as you may be aware, this is not always the truth, with very few men having the best stubble look with their beards.
Further, people often see famous actors with stubble in movies or TV and assume that they have grown these beards naturally. In reality, a well-groomed stubble beard needs to be grown longer, then cut and trimmed to look like a light layer of stubble.
What Are the Best Short (Stubble) Beard Styles?
Now that you know why the ladies do not love stubble, we need to tell you which short-haired beard styles will look the best. We’ve talked a bit with our small panel, and they agreed that while stubble is an acquired taste, many short beard styles look amazing when adequately maintained.
Each of these styles requires only a few minutes of tweaking and love in the morning to keep them looking sharp. These styles can all be done with an electric razor and a small beard scissor, each one allowing you to make the sharp angles that some of these beards need.
- Short Boxed Style: The style thought by many to be stubble, the go-to short-haired barely-there style of beard people love. Contrary to what you may think, it is not the leave and let go style of beard. Instead, it needs constant trimming, which makes the hair nice and soft.
- Trimmed Stubble: We know when this style works, and it’s usually when you have a few grey hairs to create a salt and pepper look. This style of stubbly beard requires that you be able to grow a proper beard and is best to keep in style with an adjustable electric razor.
- Beardstache: When you have a proper mustache but might not be able to grow a full beard yet, this is the way to go. With a full mustache and a neatly trimmed beard, you will have the beardstache, which can look amazing if cared for properly.
- Van Dyke: The most popular style of short-haired beards and mustaches has to be the Van Dyke beard, simply because of the ease at which it can be grown. You must ensure that the beard is always trimmed and controlled properly to have it compliment your face.
- Balbo: The Balbo is similar to the short, boxed style, with neatly trimmed hair across the face; however, the mustache is disconnected from the rest of the beards. We recommend this style for those who have trouble growing a beard just beneath the lip.
- Chevron: If you want something to keep you stylish but don’t want something that takes up your entire face, we recommend the chevron. Worn by the likes of Tom Selleck and Freddie Mercury, this is an ageless, stylish beard that will always compliment your looks.
- Goatee: The goatee is a controlled beard that is short, trimmed, and always looks neat when worn with a suit. With less hair on the cheeks, but a neat line on the jawline coming into full formation around the mouth, it is loved by many men and women from around the world.
- Trimmed Scruff: Like a stubbly trimmed beard, the trimmed scruff is not a very long beard and requires that you trim and grow it constantly. However, unlike the other beards, it has neatly defined lines that accentuate the shape of your face, which will help give a precise definition to your looks.
Feel free to check out our complete guide to men’s facial hairstyles here.
Why Has the Love for Beards Changed So Much?
For those astute enough to notice, beards used to be looked down upon across the board as most people would never have a beard. This changed over the last few years, with many ladies making it clear that clean-shaven men are not for them, which can confuse why they are suddenly loved.
Beards became loved by the general populace once it was made clear that a well-groomed man can look amazing, with many celebrities helping to make the look of having a beard or mustache much more popular by sporting these when walking down the red carpet.
However, it should be noted that only a well-groomed and ideally kept beard is loved, something wild and out of control is rarely loved. If you grow a full beard or a stubbly beard, you must do the work of grooming, trimming, and oiling the beard each day to have it always look the best.
Conclusion
Stubbly beards that are groomed and kept up are not stubbly; many ladies hate the feeling of the short, freshly grown beards that men have. You must ensure that your beard only looks stubbly but is not stubbly to ensure that you are not hurting anyone you may be kissing or hugging.
We always recommend that you ensure your beard will be soft to the touch but well-shaped for your jaw!