A CLEAN SHAVEN MAN

Men have been shaving forever. Cavemen probably shaved with stone knives, and there’s some suggestion that they may even have trimmed their hair with fire! (Ouch!)

Among the many reasons men began shaving in Stone Age times were:

• To reduce the breeding grounds for lice, fleas and small rodents
• To avoid having their beard grabbed during battle
• To make it easier to eat
• Superstition associated a heavily bearded man with old age and death, in addition to the superstitious belief of spirits which entered the body through hairs on the head

Men have always wondered "should I shave or let it grow"? Majority of the time it boils down to being lazy.

Some ponder "Do women find me more attractive with a beard or a clean shave"? Hmmmmmmmm.

Well, in a recent survey, 70% of women prefer clean shaven men. 20% prefer a goatee, stubble or well trimmed mustache. 7% prefer a full beard and 3% do not care about facial hair and chances are if she doesn't care about your hair, she's hoping you have the same understanding for her.

Most women love a clean look and when you shave and dress nice you will be the guy that has everything going on. Now as the survey has indicated, some women do prefer guys with mustaches like Tom Selleck's Magnum P.I. bush. However, unless you are an older man I would stay away from that mustache. Mustaches conjure images of porn stars. (Atleast for me it does) Also some women prefer the rugged look of stubble or a big beard. The number of women that prefer the rugged look is far less than the number of women you will get with a clean shave. When you have a lot of facial hair it's much harder to clean your skin and it looks like you are hiding your face, which can be a good thing if you are not attractive. It will also save your lady from having to deal with "beard rash"

For the fellas who refused to shave and are confident and content sporting their "I am man, hear me roar" stubble/beard, do not fear fore you will not be shunned away. All we ask is you keep it clean and look out for our "Ode to Men with Facial Hair" post in the near future. For now, here's a tip you can pass onto your lady, from make- up artist Donna Fitzpatrick, on treating "beard rash.

"Beard rash occurs when the rough bristles aggravate the soft delicate skin around the mouth. Get your man to shave well. Should you get a rash there are a number of things you can do to your skin to treat it. I love to use Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream to bathe the area in moisture. It has anti- septic properties to help soothe the area. Apply a thick mask to the area and allow to penetrate. After a half an hour or so get a stiff towel and using small, gentle circular motions rub the area to detach any dry skin or flakes. Blot area using a tissue, leaving a residue of product. The area will be red, but settle in a few hours. Apply the cream to the area that night, avoiding perfumed products and make- up if at all possible. If you have to wear make up go for a yellow based foundation which will counteract the ruddiness of the skin. The skin should be back to normal the following morning. Alternatively, buy him a present of a professional wet shave set for his Birthday, Father's Day, Christmas or Valentine's Day Present."

Get Cleaned Up!