Women Are More Attracted to Bearded Men, University Study Proves (2024)

There's good news for the hirsute man: research suggests women find men with facial hair more sexually attractive than clean-shaven gents.

For a new study, scientists at the University of Queensland spoke to 919 women, and asked them to rate a series of male faces based on their eligibility as a partner for long- or short-term relationships.

In general, "masculine" features – including facial hair, a strong jawline, deeply set eyes and a thicker brow – were rated as more attractive. According to the report, preferences for beards were highest among women "with the strongest reproductive ambition" – those who want kids – suggesting an assumed (though unproven) correlation between fertility and rugged good looks.

Of course, what looks good to one woman won't necessarily appeal to another. In an unusual twist, women who also reported a strong aversion to lice and fleas (this was, indeed, a fairly comprehensive study...) were notably less likely to find beards attractive.

The correlation between how good-looking our partner is and how happy we are with them is not a direct one, either. In married, heterosexual couples, for example, separate research has found that women are generally more satisfied when their husband isn't too handsome.

Still, if you've been looking to up your beard game, these latest findings could well provide the impetus you need to get growing. Just make sure you're well-groomed... and definitely don't let lice become an issue.

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