London, Sep 16 (IANS): Even as it may remain a favourite topic of many people to guess how much time women spend on looking good before stepping out, the question about men seems to have been answered at least in Britain.

An average British man spends as much as 18 minutes making himself look presentable in the morning, a research has found.

According to a study by shopping channel QVC, metrosexual men who take pride in their appearance are on the rise, Daily Express reported.

In a lifetime, they will spend 5,105 minutes or a little more than three-and-a-half days of their life-- in front of a mirror perfecting their look.

In a survey of 1,012 men, 54 percent said they make the effort to please their partner while a quarter admitted they compete with male friends to see who looks more immaculate.

However, 38 percent said they know little about how to groom themselves and even more said they would be too embarrassed to ask for tips.

The men who took the most time were the Welsh, with 70 percent claiming they work hard - some taking as long as an hour - to look good.

Meanwhile, men in the West Midlands take just 10 minutes getting ready.

The study, to mark the launch of Torchwood star John Barrowman's grooming products range HIM, said footballer David Beckham or actors Daniel Craig and Colin Firth were the men most aspired to look like.