When it comes to personal grooming, a new study suggests that men might want to take a break from the shaver; researchers find the bearded look may increase perceptions of attractiveness.

Share on Pinterest Researchers found women were more likely to consider full-bearded men as more attractive for long-term relationships.

Investigators found that women are more likely to be attracted to stubbled men for short-term relationships, while full-bearded men are the preferred choice for long-term relationships.

Study co-author Barnaby Dixson, of the School of Psychology at The University of Queensland in Australia, and team publish their findings in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology.

What makes a man attractive to a woman is a question that has divided researchers for decades.

According to Dixson and colleagues, studies have shown that in the short term, men with more masculine facial features – such as a wider jawline and a more pronounced brow ridge – are considered more attractive.

In other studies, researchers have suggested that for long-term relationships, women prefer men with less masculine facial features, perceiving them to be more caring and considerate.

So where does facial hair fit in? While beards are generally considered a more masculine facial feature, results have been mixed as to how they influence women’s mating preferences.

Some studies, for example, have suggested that men with facial hair are the preferred choice for long-term relationships over clean-shaven men, contradicting the view that women opt for more masculine men in the short term.

“Why such divergent effects occur between preferences for two sexually dimorphic traits remains unresolved,” note the authors.