I want to grow a beard

Sometimes I have issues with a fellow co. worker "idiot?" we disagree that appearance matters. Now we can't come to work dressed up to the nines because believe it or not selling carpet can be a mucky job. We get covered in fluff, we spend a lot of time crawling about on the floor displaying things and measuring can be risky with wet paint etc. BUT my motto is you never get a second chance to make a first impression. My fellow co. worker even has a uniform he is supplied with a polo shirt and I expect him to wear black trousers black shoes and a black jumper if it's cold. I also expect him to have tidy hair and be clean Shaven unless he has enough time off to grow a proper beard which I would accept. This week this has been a problem. Monday in he popped wearing a random navy polo shirt not the black polo shirt provided. His hair was tidy but he was not clean shaven. This always causes me concern should I just ignore it or do I challenge him? I chose to ignore until lunch time when husband "boss idiot?" came in. He asked me to have a word with my fellow co. worker. So I did. Apparently he didn't have any clean work polo shirts. This baffles me as he hadn't worked the weekend. How long does it take to wash and dry a few polo shirts? not long I think. Tuesday came around my fellow co. worker was in the correct T shirt but he still hadn't shaved his trousers needed mending at the pockets and his hair was messy. I had another word. Wednesday was better correct polo shirt trousers mended and he'd had a shave. His shoes needed a polish but I kept quiet. Peace rained over us until yesterday. I think my fellow co. worker was feeling brave because he's on a ten day holiday now. We had just eaten lunch when he brought up the subject of his appearance. He informed me I  have spoiled his efforts to grow a beard and he thinks I'm out of order. I informed him if he can grow a beard in any time off he is welcome to come to work with a beard. I will not accept him coming to work looking unkempt whilst he endeavours to grow a beard. He then informed his ten day holiday is not long enough for him to grow a full beard. I don't know what he expects me to do. We have had the beard conversation many times he knows the score but keeps on pushing me to change my mind. This is not going to happen. Job in show room with me means you need to wear your correct polo shirt, black trousers, black jumper if required, have tidy hair and be clean shaven. I can't make it any clearer. I don't know how it's going to be on his return. I'm thinking he's going to have some scraggy facial growth and it's going to start all over again.