The researchers carried out the study using computer technology to alter pictures of 15 men’s faces so that they displayed different degrees of hairiness. Five levels of facial hair were used - clean-shaven, light stubble, heavy stubble, light beard and full beard.
The pictures were shown to 76 women who were asked to rate them for masculinity, aggression, dominance, attractiveness, age, and social maturity. They were also asked how desirable each man would be as a short-term or long-term partner. Faces with full beards were judged to be the most masculine, aggressive and socially mature. They were also thought to look five years older.
They were rated the least attractive and the worst choice for a short-term relationship. Men with light beards were considered the most dominant. Those with light stubble were rated the most attractive and as the ideal romantic partner for the short or long term. Clean-shaven men finished bottom for masculinity, dominance, aggression, and social maturity, and they were the least favoured choice as a long-term partner. They came second-to-last for attractiveness.
I agree. Men with facial hair are hotter. I stopped shaving about a month ago (my face and my legs), and it’s just so much easier to deal with. I never realized how much easier it is when you just stop, cold turkey. 
My wife pitches a fit if I don’t shave daily. Of course, I get “five o’clock
shadow” at noon, so she mostly sees me with light stubble, I guess.
I have a friend who had a beard when he met his wife, and she refuses
to let him ever shave it off. To each her own…
I am a person who had a beard when he met his wife, and she refuses to let him ever shave it off. 
I only shave once or twice a week. I don’t know why I put it off. I actually enjoy the feeling of being clean-shaven, and judge my frequency to shave on how uncomfortable the stubble is getting (worse when it’s humid). I had a full beard and mustache when younger (it’s a phase most of us go through) and know how dirty they are and how much trouble they are to maintain. It’s not worth it to me.
djm
Most of who?
I’m like Deej.
I like to tell myself that the stubble makes me look raffish…still. 
Actually, at my age it probably makes me look dodgy.
“Who” is those of us with the physical capability to grow facial hair, but the discernment to know whether it is right for us personally to let it grow or not. You won’t know unless you let it grow - at least once. It’s a phase of growing up. Some try it more than once in order to decide what is right for themselves. Some are influenced by others’ opinions. I believe it is an individual’s choice.
djm
I have had to shave a couple of times in the last few weeks so that I could wear a respirator. Not a pleasant task. When I first interviewed with the USFWS back in early '70 I shaved and cut my hair, showed up at the offices in Albuquerque, NM and immediately felt like a fish out of water as everybody on the panel had a beard. Haven’t shaved since except for projects that needed a respirator plus not shaving keeps peace in the house since I can’t seem to get all the hairs out of the sink
I understand. It’s not a choice for a lot of folks, who are genetically and/or ethnically predisposed to not growing facial hair.
One factor is that it was computer generated hair, not real facial hair. Some folks grow scraggly or ugly looking beards, while the computer may have idealized, well-groomed CGI beards.
Another factor is that some people will say one thing in a test or survey, then react very different in real life. I remember that scene from the movie (Tootsie?) where the cross-dressed man asks the woman what she would like a man to say, then when dressed as a man, he says exactly that, and the woman slaps him and walks away.
I didn’t shave for years. I merely trimmed my beard from time to time. However, as most of my facial hair turned grey, I opted for the clean-shaven look to avoid looking like Santa Claus.
Although younger men with stubble may look rugged and masculine in the eyes of women, like Nano says, gray stubble makes one look, well, old and unkempt, especially if you are still trying to attract a trophy wife with lots of money to finance your retirement.
Or a trophy husband. When I get old, I’m going to get me one of those. Kinda the opposite of a sugar daddy. 
In fact, I’ve already met him on C&F.
I got mine on the first try trophy, I mean, met her when we were twelve. Grey or white stubble can look a little unkempt if you don’t keep the neck trimmed but even stubble can look good if you keep well defined shaved lines.
Stubble is always tricky business.
I’ve had a beard for about 15 years. I trim it every week or two, but I don’t intend to ever shave it off again. Nature/God/Fate/Whatever has given me a grey beard and balding head, and I don’t see any point in trying to change that. Of course, it doesn’t hurt my case that my wife doesn’t mind. (In fact, she didn’t think Sean Connery was sexy until he was grey-bearded and bald-headed.
Well I think it’s great for keeping an extra Kleenex handy.
One of my favourite songs by Clannad, Coinleach Glas An Fhomhair (The Autumn Stubble).
djm
I hate shaving. I hate having a beard almost as much. So for several years I’ve grown a beard for about half the year, the cool months, and once I sweat so much that there are salt crystals on my beard I shave it off. Then I shave once or twice a week – basically when it starts itching. I shave around the beard (the itching thing again), so between shaving and trimming it doesn’t save much in the way of time caring for it. But it saves an awful lot of wear and tear on the skin. If I shave within a couple of days of the previous shave, I look like a walking ad for styptic sticks.
My wife claims she loves the beard and always misses it; she usually notices within a few days of when I’ve shaved it off.
I shaved for my wedding day and a few other times when I accidently gouged an important portion of my beard/mustache. And then I immediately started growing the beard all over again. I keep a close cropped beard that is now mostly white and a head of long brown hair with no gray. I wish I had a matched set. I dyed the beard a few times but that burnt my face. That’s why I grew the beard in the first place. My skin is sensitive. My brothers all have gray hair with dark brown beards.