For most bearded guys, a mustache is an essential companion for their beard. It completes the look. Without that mustache, things might not seem quite balanced.
Don’t get us wrong—if you rock the mustache-less beard look more power to you! However, it’s a simple fact that like 99 out of 100 beards include mustaches. Sometimes, a man’s mustache makes an even more iconic statement than his beard, especially when he develops a handlebar or a walrus mustache. And achieving that takes some work.
Why Mustache Care is Important
Whether you have a simple mustache or a more adventurous style, you need to tame and style that mustache hair. Training and curling your mustache can make it the envy of others.
Why Does Your Mustache Need Training?
Mustache hair is coarser and follows different patterns than your head hair. If you let it grow without any intervention, the hairs will curl and poke out in various directions, creating a messy look. Training a mustache involves:
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Coaxing its direction of growth
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Trimming it
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Styling it
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Caring for it with the right products
While your whiskers are different from your scalp hair, they still respond to washing, oiling, brushing, combing, and styling.
The Tools You’ll Need
To properly train your mustache, you will need a few tools:
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Grooming scissors (small)
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Comb (a regular plastic comb will do)
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Beard oil
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Beard balm
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Beard brush
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Mustache wax
Step 1: Let It Grow
You may want to grow just a mustache by itself, or you may find it simpler to grow a beard and mustache together. Either way, you want at least six weeks of growth before you ever reach for the scissors. Two months is about the time frame it takes for a mustache to truly fill out and for the hairs growing near the nose to become long enough to reach the upper lip. Then you can trim all of them along the top lip (if you want) so they match up.
Step 2: Wash Every Couple of Days
To train a mustache, first you clean it—right from when you start growing it. Clean hairs are manageable hairs. Don’t use soap as it will dry out your skin and cause flaking, itching, and even acne breakouts under the hairs.
Wash every two to three days with a beard wash made without nasty chemical irritants. It will cleanse the hairs and skin without robbing them of essential moisture and sebum oil. On in-between days, rinse with water. Don’t wait until the hairs are longer and unruly. Wash regularly from the beginning of growth.
Step 3: Oil, Balm, and Comb Daily
Before the mustache hairs are long enough to comb or brush, apply a drop or two of beard oil after washing. It’s not just for a full beard. Beard oil is an important tool for growing healthy, moisturized, soft, and pliable mustache hairs. It will keep those whiskers conditioned and your facial skin in tip-top shape.
That covers the essential early steps of mustache care for bearded guys. By following these guidelines, you’ll be well on your way to a well-groomed, stylish mustache that complements your beard perfectly.
How to Train and Curl Your Mustache
Step 4: Train It with a Comb and Brush… and Even Your Fingers
Now you really get down to business in how to train mustache hair. As the whiskers gain some length, break out the comb and the beard brush. Always ensure the brush is made of natural fibers, like wild boar bristle, to massage the skin while distributing oil evenly.
After applying beard oil, brush your mustache downwards. Yes, that seems counterintuitive if you’re growing a curly handlebar, but brush downward first to check uniformity and length. Apply a tiny amount of beard balm for some light hold. Then create a part in the middle and comb/brush your mustache outwards to the sides. Keep at this until the part is central and looks natural. When combing/brushing one side, use your hand to hold the other side still so it doesn’t get caught up.
Step 5: Trim
As longer hairs become scraggly, you enter the next phase of training your mustache trim it into shape. This is where you must be certain what shape you want. When in doubt, less trimming is the way to go. You can always trim a little more, but if you cut away too much, you’re back to growing things out again.
Trimming Styles
For a Regular Style Mustache:
Trim along the natural curve of your upper lip to keep hairs out of your mouth. If you’re not planning a curly style or handlebar, be careful to trim the corners so they assume the shape you want both above and below. It’s easy for the corners to creep downwards.
For a Walrus Style Mustache:
Trim as little as possible to allow this big bulky mustache to keep developing. Trim minimally along the line of your mouth. Again, pay attention to how you trim the corners.
For a Handlebar Style Mustache:
Do as above, except let the corners keep growing.
Step 6: Wax and Style
To curl a mustache effectively, it’s time for some mustache wax. It’s essential if you want tight or more extravagant curls. It’s also helpful for keeping hairs out of your mouth and out of your food and drink. Just be sure you wash, oil, and brush before you apply wax.
Apply a tiny dab of mustache wax to two fingers and rub it between those and your thumb to warm and soften it. Only a tiny dab less is more! Starting on one side near the center, gently massage it into your mustache evenly, working your way towards the corner. For a simple curl, turn the corner hairs up and hold for a few seconds. For a larger, tighter curl, wrap those hairs around your finger or a pencil and hold for 10-20 seconds. Then repeat the process on the other side.