I started off with an expensive Atomic Frameless mask. I tried bunches of masks at my LDS and the Atomic gave me the best seal of them all, when trying them on in the store.
For my first 20'ish dives, I had to frequently clear my mask and thought I would just have to live with that because of my facial hair. Then a buddy got me to try his SeaVision mask, so I could see how nice the magenta lens is. The magenta lens was nice, but another thing I noticed was no leaking at all! I bought my own and learned that facial hair does not have to mean putting up with constant leaking. It's just a matter of finding the right fit.
I also agree that having a little stubble (say, 2 days growth, for me) causes more leaking than anything.