The conundrum: shave or no shave -

I have people in my life who do not endorse me keeping a beard. I also have people in my life who maintain the opposite viewpoint. Personally for me, I live in a dilemma. I have had times when I liked being clean shaved and moments when I liked keeping a stubble.

People often don’t realize that maintaining a good beard can sometimes be more work than staying clean shaved. You ask how? Well, you can’t just let your beard grow wild without any regular trims. You also got to shampoo and condition the beard much like the hair on your head. You also have to use a beard oil for texture and shine. I sometimes even carry a small comb to make sure that there are no stray hair poking at incorrect angles. Then there is the issue of sweat. I tell you - sweat in a dense beard is not the most pleasant feeling. On top of that, if you get grey hair, there is extra work to colour it if you don’t want a salt and pepper look. And finally, did I tell you that my niece hates it when I kiss her cheeks and my facial hair poke her? The face she makes! But even she isn’t sure it seems!

So why keep a beard? Some arguments I have heard from friends and family - a) you look more “manly” with a beard; b) it makes you look more mature; c) it just suits your face and personality; d) it’s sunnah to keep a beard. Main arguments against a beard seem to be - a) you look better without a beard; b) you look younger without a beard; c) we can see more skin on your face; d) it’s easier to kiss and get kissed (lol)

In November 2023, I decided to participate in No-Shave November and grew my beard for about a month. Today is December 1st and I shaved it all off. Below is a photo of me, without any filters, with and without a beard, taken 1 day apart. Do you wanna tell me which look you like more? 😊