Keep It Scruffy

When I was a little girl and my dad or grandfather would give me a kiss on my cheek, I'd say "Ewww, you're sticky" referring to the prickly stubble on their faces. I knew then that real man-scaping was the art of shaving facial hair. Late Saturday mornings I'd watch my Pops trim his mustache with precision and carefully shave his chin. I was in awe. How did he know what would look right? Was it trial and error? What if he cut his 'stache all wrong and then have to shave it all off? I tried to imagine the hair shifting around different positions on his face wondering if dad would look crazy with a big burly beard. Now I realize that for some guys, their facial hair is what defines them. Can you imagine Lincoln without a beard or Magnum P.I. without that thick mustache. Of course not. It would have changed the course of history.

Facial hair has most definitely made a comeback in recent years. Handlebar mustaches and thick beards used to be the style in Antebellum times, but you see a lot of younger guys rocking those looks now. Have you seen the Hipster or Civil War soldier pictures? Classic. Ok, ok... all laughs aside. Dudes with notable facial hair is a thing. you can find guys with beards in campaigns and tv commercials everywhere. There are male models that are getting work solely based on this trend, and they look killer. If you see some freshly shaven boy in an ad it's one thing, but if you see that same ad featuring a guy with a Lord of the Rings beard you're going to pay more attention. Am I right?

I'm no facial hair expert, especially since I don't have any (thank God). But from a lady's perspective, I've divided a man's facial hair into three different categories:

1. The 'Stache - It can skinny like a tie or thick like an ascot. There are charts and diagrams dedicated to the different shapes of mustaches. I don't have a preference as long as it's not sleazy or the Toothbrush mustache like Charlie Chaplin. And guys, keep it trimmed. You don't want it covering your lip because then no girl will want to kiss you (unless that's what you're going for).

2. The Scruff - It's somewhere in between a five o'clock shadow and a full beard. Guys can still have a mustache and fall into the scruff category. The trick is length and density. The point is the guy doesn't want to look like he's trying too hard, but his face is still touchable. And... some guys need this little bit of scruff to define their jawlines, or else they'd just have baby faces.

3. The Super Beard - I like to describe this as biblical, apocalyptic or sexy lumberjack. This beard is the stuff of legend. Some men attempt to conquer it, but it takes a brave soul to actually pull it off. Don't let it overpower you, guys. When it starts to blend into your chest hair, we have a problem.

A dude with a defining mustache or beard is such a turn-on. Facial hair is what divides the boys from the men. Forget that peach fuzz, and give me some real scruff.

Chime in: Guys with facial hair - yay or nay?