‘Beard-baiting’ is now apparently a dating trend – and we’re all for it

Online dating; usually fun, sometimes frustrating and often pretty shallow.

"Be yourself" is great dating advice until the few photos of yourself you thought were stunning (one group shot, one sexy selfie, one with the fam, etc.) just aren't doing the job. Looking your best is a priority for anyone with a Tinder or Bumble account. Now, men are increasingly turning to facial hair to get results. Lots of lads took a break from shaving during lockdown but there's a specific term for when lads do it to attract a mate online. 'Beard-baiting' refers to when lads grow out their face fuzz in a bid to boost their dating success. A beard is "the push up bra for men", according to Aussie men's fashion website DMarge,; it accentuates the jawline and gives a stereotypically masculine look. Of course, beards have been trendy for a good few years now but the pursuit of online matches has pushed lots more men to give the look a try. With gals regularly being accused of catfishing online for getting dolled up for their photos (*eye-roll*), beard-baiting may be levelling the field, so to speak.

"Women have the advantage when it comes to enhancing beauty," said dating expert Samantha Jayne. "Men just don’t have all the tools women do to enhance their looks." "Who cares if you’re hiding a little bit of a double chin, women would do it too and they have make up tricks that do all sorts of things."

Ideally we'd all be less looks-focused but as anyone who has dated online will tell you, the photo is the first thing that catches the eye. There will always be gals and lads who aren't into beards but those who are will no doubt be weak for this trend.