Hear that? It’s the sound of millions of women nodding (loudly) in agreement to the results of a survey, which reveals 83 per cent of Australian women would like their man to be clean-shaven.
Now, I, for one, am not surprised. Where men got the idea that facial hair – and specifically moustaches – was a good idea, I’ll never know. And while we can blame Tom Selleck all we like, it’s still no excuse for the number of men who insist on giving their girlfriends beard rash. Which brings me to my next point – I don’t even think the men enjoy having facial hair. The number of complaints I hear of itch when I’m on holidays with a man (which, of course entitles them – no, requires them – to stop shaving), suggests facial hair isn’t all that comfortable for them either. And just because we’re on holiday doesn’t mean we detest beard rash any less.
Well, using freshly applied lipgloss as an excuse to avoid a run-in with a cactus of the chin variety could be a thing of the past, with these latest results signifying the end of centuries of silence on women’s part. NIVEA For Men have revealed the findings (and opened the proverbial can of worms) in conjunction with its Shave it or Save it campaign, which was created to launch the brand’s Sensitive range.
Giving women the opinion they’ve been longing to share on the topic, the Shave it or Save it campaign (www.shaveitorsaveit.com.au) calls on the general public to vote on the facial hair of Australian men to determine whether they should save” or shave” it. Men (or their disgruntled partners) are encouraged to submit a picture of themselves sporting any style of facial hair. And women aren’t the only winners here, with NIVEA donating $1 to the Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) with each vote” on the campaign’s website.
While I’m hoping you’re all sitting there thinking Amen, sister”, a couple of my colleagues tell me I’m wrong, declaring a passionate love for a bit of stubble. They cite Ryan Gosling, Johnny Depp and George Clooney as examples of facial hair bettering a man’s appearance.
What’s your take on facial hair? Furry friend, or rash-laden enemy?