Whose Facial Hair Will Reign Supreme? Wahl Ups Ante in Search for Best Facial Hair in the Country

STERLING, Ill., May 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Facial hair is on the rise, up to 62 percent of men wearing facial hair at some point during the year, according to an annual poll from Wahl. With blogs, fashion and media perpetuating facial hair trends, men have increasingly gotten more bold and creative when it comes to their facial hair. No longer limited to mustache, goatee or beard, men can now also choose from the Garibaldi, Alaskan Whaler or the Dali to name a few. The diversity of styles prompted Wahl, manufacturer of the industry-leading Wahl Lithium Ion Grooming Kit, to make some enhancements to its annual Man of the Year contest housed at wahlnation.com.

"In the past, we've chosen the best styles from three distinct categories," said Steve Yde, senior product manager. "But men's styles have become so diverse they are blurring the lines. This year we are looking for one man that shows excellence in facial hair prowess and grooming above everyone else."

The Wahl Man of the Year contest kicked off April 15, 2011 and will accept entries through October 9, 2011. Men can enter the contest online at wahlnation.com or in person at a Wahl mobile tour event. The full tour schedule can be found by visiting wahlnation.com.

The general public is invited to help narrow entrants down to a handful of finalists by voting for the nation's best looking mugs online. Then our panel of facial hair experts will take over and name one deserving guy Wahl Man of the Year. Wahl will post all eligible entries to wahlnation.com for online voting.

"It will be the most challenging year yet for our panel of judges. Thousands will enter, but only one will earn the title: Wahl Man of the Year," said Yde.

Wahl started the Man of the Year contest to recognize guys with great facial hair. Whether embracing their scruff, sculpting an immaculate goatee or nurturing a natural mustache, Wahl recognizes the rugged individuality of guys that let it grow. Since the first contest six years ago, tens of thousands of men have competed for the honor. This year's winner will receive Wahl products and a lithium ion prize package including an Apple iPad 2, Flip minoHD video camera and more.

Those looking to learn more about facial hair including tips for upkeep should visit wahlnation.com. The site offers the opportunity to ask questions to Wahl's facial hair experts on how to get started growing facial hair, explore a multitude of styles in the Encyclopedia of Styles and read all things facial hair at the Experts & Gentleman blog.

For more information, visit wahlnation.com or follow Wahl on the tour and learn more about trimming at Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, Flickr and YouTube. Complete contest rules are available here.

About Wahl Trimmers

A quarter-century ago, Wahl recognized the desire for well kept facial hair and created the trimmer category. The Wahl Groomsman was the world's first battery operated facial hair trimmer, and featured the same type of blade quality that defined Wahl clippers. And for the past 25-plus years, that innovation has continued, developing trimmers for specific facial hair styles – beard, goatee and mustache – and other variations including ear/nose, body grooming and all-in-one. Most recently, Wahl introduced the first trimmer to harness the power of lithium ion that continues a legacy of superior trimming innovation.

About WAHL

Now in its 92nd year, Wahl Clipper Corporation is an international industry leader in the manufacturing of products for the professional beauty and barber salon trade, consumer personal care and animal grooming.  Headquartered in Sterling, Ill., Wahl currently employs some 2,000 people worldwide. Wahl products are available in 165 countries around the world.  For more information about Wahl, visit wahl.com.

SOURCE Wahl