Discover grooming tips from a professional to get a neat and kempt mustache.
Reading: How to Trim and Shape a Mustache
With kind license of Nick Stevis As a early hairdresser who constantly enjoyed a goodly male clientele, I ‘ve handled more mustaches than I could possibly count. One thing I discovered is that most guys can wear a wide beard, goatee, or balbo, but it ‘s the stand-alone mustache that separates the men from the boys. To pull it off, it takes a certain unconditioned adulthood and assurance. But even if you have what it takes, a mustache can placid make or break you. It ‘s a interview of finding a style and shape you feel comfortable with and keeping it properly trimmed and well-groomed .
How to Trim a Mustache
What You Need
- Mustache, hairdressing, or straight nail scissors
- Hair or beard clippers (optional)
- A fine-toothed comb (preferably a mustache comb)
- An extra hand mirror
- Good lighting
Use clippers to tidy and reduce bulk. Jayne Lancer
Trimming With Scissors and Clippers
Use scissors to reduce length, and clippers to tidy and reduce majority .
- Comb your mustache downwardly.
- Using the lip as a guideline, trim the lower contour with scissors. If you wet your mustache, remember that it will appear shorter after it’s dried.
- Run the clippers over your mustache downwardly. Use a longer size guard if you only want to clip hairs that don’t lie flat, and a shorter one to thin and reduce bulk. Until you’ve gained more experience, it’s best to start with a longer guard to prevent cutting off too much hair.
- Comb again and trim away any hairs that stick out at the sides with scissors.
Tidying a mustache : Run the comb lightly over one half of the mustache. Hairs that do n’t lie flat will poke through its teeth. With kind permission of Nick Stevis
Thinning a mustache : Hold the comb top down and push it under the mustache. With kind license of Nick Stevis
The philtrum : Cut a nick into the center of the mustache at the bow of the brim. With kind permission of Nick Stevis
Trimming Without Clippers
If you do n’t have clippers, you can tidy and reduce bulk with a comb and scissors, as hairdressers and barbers do. The comb basically serves as a guard, but getting the mustache symmetrical is more unmanageable than with clippers, particularly if you want to thin out more radically .
Tidying
- Run the comb lightly over one half of the mustache at such an angle that hairs that don’t lie flat poke through its teeth (see photo above).
- Snip away offending hairs, working from the center.
- Do the same on the other half of the mustache.
- Comb and trim away any hairs that stick out at the sides.
After you ‘ve finished, use an extra hand mirror to view the profile, checking that all hairs lie bland .
Thinning
Hold the comb top down and push it under the mustache. Pull it slightly away from you until only the hair length you want to trim pokes through the teeth .
Trimming the Philtrum
Cut a nick into the center of the mustache at the bow of the lip. This suggests the philtrum ( the furrow that runs between the nose and talk ), which is considered one of the most attractive features of the human face. You may have noticed that James Franco shaves his philtrum wholly when wearing a mustache .
How Often Should You Trim a Mustache?
Trim your mustache about once a workweek. If you dye it to cover grays or evening out color, do this before you trim. The color will then seem less saturate and more lifelike .
Mustache Styles
The three most democratic mustache styles nowadays are as follows :
- the chevron
- the horseshoe
- the handlebar
Which you choose depends largely on your personality. The handlebar is surely for the more extrospective, the horseshoe suits the free-spirited, and the chevron is for the man who feels very at still with his masculinity .
The Chevron
The model featured above is sporting a chevron, but its most celebrated wearers are credibly Taylor Rice, Tom Selleck, and Burt Reynolds ( above ) .
Shaping Your Mustache to a Chevron
Keep the ends more or less level with the corners of your mouth, and trim along the sass agate line or barely below it. You can allow it to get bushy, but make sure it ‘s always kempt. If your face is identical thin, it ‘s recommended to shave the ends so that the mustache is no wide than the mouth. You may need to do this, excessively, if you ‘re in military avail. Trimming above the lip line is frequently another stipulation. If you grow out a chevron until it covers the top lip or even the unharmed mouth, it becomes what is known as a “ walrus. ” This looks super manfully, but eating and toast can become awkward .
The Horseshoe
The horseshoe is named not merely after its form ( an inverted horseshoe ), but those who traditionally favor it, excessively : truckers and bikers. The horseshoe, teamster, or biker mustache is basically a chevron with ends that extend to the chin, which are called “ pipes. ”
Shaping Your Mustache to a Horseshoe
The easiest way to create the horseshoe is by foremost growing a goatee. When distance and thickness are substantial, plainly shave off the chin, leaving the “ pipes ” integral. Men with long faces should avoid this style .
A waxed handlebar mustache after two weeks of allowing the ends to grow out. By kind license of Nick Stevis
The Waxed Handlebar
The handlebar is so called because it resembles the handlebars of a bicycle. It can make its wearer seem slenderly bizarre, as it does the british humorist Michael Attree, or highly attractive, as it does the models Greg T. Brown, Nathan McCallum, and François Verkerk .
Shaping Your Mustache to a Handlebar
Some men separate their mustache at the philtrum and brush it towards each end where it ‘s then curled up, either with or without wax. The trouble is, this tends to look scruffy. For a groom appearance, trim the main body as you would a chevron indeed that it can be combed down, but let the ends grow. After a couple of weeks, you should be able to start curling with wax .
Which Mustache Wax?
Choice of mustache wax depends on the type of curl up you want. For a natural-looking curl, use a soft-setting merchandise, like Taylor ‘s of Old Bond Street. For a more specify curl, go for something that sets stiffly and holds firm, like Brother ‘s Love Bavarian Moustache Styling Pomade—this one is available in clear and hazelnut. Most men find that a stiff-setting wax works better during the early stages of growth. If the main body is indocile, “ trail ” it and keep it under restraint with a soft-setting wax .
How to Apply Mustache Wax
Your mustache should be completely dry before applying wax.
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- Rub a tiny portion of wax between the thumb and index finger.
- Spread the wax through the length of one end only, then shape to an upturned curl. Work quickly if using a stiff-setting product to prevent it from balling up.
- Do the same on the other end.
- Inspect for perfect symmetry and tweak if necessary.
If applying wax to the main body, use a mustache brush or a soft soup-strainer, working from the philtrum outwardly. This content is accurate and true to the best of the author ’ randomness cognition and is not meant to substitute for formal and personalize advice from a certified professional. © 2015 Jayne Lancer Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on August 30, 2016 : Thank you, Fish. It sounds like a sort of Mexican mustache. fish on August 02, 2016 : i have a chevron/horseshore with elongated slope going down to my bottom sass. My mustache is like the horseshore butt shorter sides. mustaches rule thank. fish Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on April 14, 2015 : Thank you, Mary615 ! I can imagine you never need to visit the hairdresser, unless your daughters live far away. At least they could take it in turns – I ‘m the lone one in my family, so I end up having to do practically everybody ‘s haircloth. : ) I ‘m quite the opposite of you where facial hair is concerned. I ‘d never let my conserve get away with shaving completely ! Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on April 14, 2015 : Thank you, Susan ! It ‘s actually much easier than it may seem. The only difficult share is getting it absolutely harmonious. Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on April 14, 2015 : Oh yes, Kirsten. I ‘d love to see a few more of them about. : ) Mary Hyatt from Florida on April 13, 2015 : I have three daughters who are barbers ! I enjoyed reading this, but I have to tell you I prefer a clean shave man. Great HOTD. Voted Up, etc. Susan Deppner from Arkansas USA on April 13, 2015 : great instructions ! Seems like a bunch of make, but if a ridicule likes wearing a mustache he surely should keep it neatly trimmed, whichever manner he prefers. Congratulations on your Hub of the Day ! Kristen Howe from Northeast Ohio on April 13, 2015 : You ‘ve very wlecome Jayne. I hope you ‘re right. It could be attractive on some men who man-scaped their facial hair. Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on April 13, 2015 : Thank you, Kristen ! I ‘ve noticed an increase in wearers over hera, which was my inspiration. Let ‘s hope it continues. : ) Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on April 13, 2015 : Thank you, Agvulpes ! I love the way Emiliano Zapata looked with his mustache, at least in the photograph I ‘ve seen. But the chevron is tidier and less conspicuous. Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on April 13, 2015 : Thank you, MySuccess8 ! adenine far as the photos are concerned, it was a option of Tom Selleck or Burt Reynolds. I decided on Burt. : ) Kristen Howe from Northeast Ohio on April 13, 2015 : Congrats on HOTD, Jayne. This was an matter to hub on how to trim and shape a mustache. identical useful for men ! Voted up ! Peter from Australia on April 13, 2015 : I have had my ‘mo ‘ for about 50 years in one shape or another, sometimes coupled to a beard ! Nowadays it is chiefly a chevron and modified to a Zapata at times, when I get lazy ! then rear to the chevron lol mySuccess8 on April 13, 2015 : Growing and maintaining a well-groomed mustache can enhance the attractiveness of men. As a former hairdresser, you have shared some matter to tips on its proper care for the different styles and shapes. I love your example of Burt Reynolds ‘, one of my favorites. Congrats on Hub of the Day ! Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on March 26, 2015 : Thank you, pstraubie48 ! Your grandson sounds like a very smart young homo. Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on March 26, 2015 : Thank you for the kind words, Venkatachari M ! Most men I know who have had to shave it off end up missing it very a lot. Patricia Scott from north Central Florida on March 26, 2015 : This made me smile as it reminded me of watching my Daddy trim his when I was a wee bite of a girlfriend now my eldest grandson has a mustache and a goatee … and he takes big pains to keep them looking just thus ! ! ! No doubt this hub will be of benefit to those in motivation of such instruction. Angels are on the way to you this good morning ps
Venkatachari M from Hyderabad, India on March 25, 2015 : very matter to and beautiful article. You have explained everything indeed clearly with effective support images. I used to keep the chevron mustache till I reached 45. After that I removed it due to maintenance reasons and early reasons and keep cleanse face now since then. Thanks for giving guidance to those who need it. Voted up .
