RESEARCH commissioned by the American personal care brand, Remington, examined the grooming habits of men in the UK and what motivated these styles.
The results showed varying results, with 65% of men in the West Midlands having facial hair, whereas only 46% of Scottish men had either a beard or a moustache.
The survey also looked into the reasons why men chose to have facial hair, with 26% of men saying that it was a boost of confidence for them.
The former Aston Villa player, 37, said that he had spent a lot of his former years “keeping fresh”, but learnt that he could achieve a barbershop quality shave from his own home.
The survey conducted by OnePoll.com found that 74% of men in London chose to have facial hair, with 20% of them going for a full bear – the most popular style amongst Londoners.
Men were asked during the survey if they groomed or removed their chest hair, with 12% of men in the East of England claiming that they did – the highest percentage across all the regions.
The research also found that 23% of men with facial hair believed styling it made them more appealing to a partner or potential love interest – with 28% feeling more confident with a tidied up look and 24% thinking it will make a better first impression when meeting people.
Other reasons why men had facial hair was for its appearance, 41% of the sample studied, its convenience, 34%, and because their partner prefers it or to stand out from the crowd, 14%.
A spokesperson for REMINGTON said: “Feeling fresh can make all the difference whether it’s first impressions, a big occasion or even meeting someone new.
“And while men traditionally are less out-there with their clothing choices, many make a powerful statement with the way they wear their hair, be it facial or on top of the head.
The goatee style was found most common among men in the Northwest and Wales, whereas a stubble was the most popular in the West Midlands.
The research also found that three in five men with facial hair preferred to style it themselves, rather than seek professional help – of those 40% use an electric trimmer.
Men who prefer to style their facial hair themselves, 78%, are confident that they do not need a barber – but a third of these have said that they regretted a style choice they made at some point.
The old-school punk look, a buzz cut, was said to be their hair style by 16% of men and the clean shaven head was a look worn by 12% of them.
Find out more on the regional difference in beard styles, haircuts, and chest hairs in the Remington hair habit map.
