Exactly. When I was clean shaven, it was easy, I could just hold the shaver against the contours of my face.

Now, with a large beard, I only need to shave every one or two weeks, but it takes much longer to do so and is much trickier. I've got to sculpt and shape a mound of hair manually. And every day I still brush and oil it.

Clean or short shaven was actually less effort.

I don't shave and I have a beard - once in a blue moon for a special occasion, I might trim it.

Exactly, it's actually MORE work to shave with a beard because instead of just completely removing all of the hair and you have to shape it and make sure it's symmetrical.

A short trimmed beard you have to do the neck and maybe cheekbones, it's a lot of upkeep.

I think lots of guys had that type of beard pre-covid, then let it grow out. Once it's long enough you don't have to do the neck because it's hidden by the rest of your beard.

And some guys never have to do cheeks because it grows in good.

Like how 20 years ago it was cool for teenagers and 20 somethings to have goatees. It took me a while to realize most were doing it because they couldn't grow a full beard.

There's a lot of variation in facial hair, including where it grows and how thick.

It's also easier area. Cheeks and neck are way flatter than chin.

Very variable, depending on style and your personal growth pattern. I have a small patch on each cheek that has to be cleaned off, but otherwise it doesn't require shaving. With a big beard you have to care for it like normal hair, though, with haircuts and products.

Buuut I do have the shave my whole head. Oh well.

its the other way around for those people: they have a beard because they stopped shaving, not because they wanted a nice looking beard.

tbh there is a part of me that resents this "ew you grow facial hair and don't shave around the edges to create sharp lines" view though. Its like women feeling they have to shave their legs or pits, it's BS and people shouldn't be judged for literally just how their body naturally is. Its not like there's a legitimate sanitary reason for shaving legs or necks.

I haven't shaved since 2014.