If a full beard isn’t your style, consider making a statement with a mustache. Mustaches are easier to maintain than a beard, allowing you to adopt the facial hair trend with less time and commitment. Below are a few tips to follow to grow and maintain your new mustache.
Determine Your Style
The first thing you want to do is determine what type of mustache you want to grow. There are countless options to choose from, so keep your face shape in mind. Then, head online to view mustaches of celebrities for inspiration. If you have never grown a mustache before you won’t know what level of thickness and fullness you can achieve, so if you have your heart set on a thick and full Tom Selleck chevron, have a thinner style in mind just incase you can’t achieve the thickness you need to pull it off. Same goes or long styles as it will take at least a few months to grow a long style.
Let It Grow
At most, your facial hair will grow half and inch per month. In the meantime, you need to let it grow without trimming anything but the hairs that pass down below your lip line. You may also want to let your facial hair grow for at least a few weeks, even if you have no plan to grow a beard, or at least maintain groomed stubble. This will help to balance out your face so that your sparse and patchy mustache doesn’t standout so much. It will take at least 2 to 3 weeks for your mustache to start filling in, and up to 5 weeks before you can begin shaping it. At that point you can keep or shave your facial stubble.
Apply Beard Oil
Start applying beard oil to your upper lip and short-term groomed stubble as soon as you begin to let it grow. Begin with a beard grow formula to accelerate growth, also if you are prone to patches and slow hair growth. Your facial hair is coarse and as it begins to grow you are likely to feel the itch. Applying beard oil will minimize the itch but expect to be itchy for the first 3 weeks of new growth. After that, the itch will begin to subside. If you have curly hair, unruly hair, want to create a distinct shape, or your skin is dry—use beard balm instead of oil. Apply oil or balm twice a day after washing your face in both the morning and evening.
Head To Your Barber
Once you have 4 to 5 weeks of growth, head into your barber for a professional shape and trim. If you have yet to decide what style and shape to grow, they can suggest the best options for your face, hair type, and how thick your facial hair is. They will also help you determine a grooming schedule and provide you with tips on how to trim your mustache. Even if you continue to shave the rest of your face with a razor, you’ll need a pair of grooming scissors and an electric trimmer to style your mustache. Trim once a week at home and your barber reshape it every 4 to 6 weeks when you have your hair cut.
Training Your Mustache
Even if it’s still short and far from the length or fullness you desire, you must begin training your facial hair in the direction you would like it to grow. While it’s short, apply oil or balm and use your fingers to smooth hairs where you want them to be. As your mustache grows fuller and longer, use a beard comb or brush to train your hair to sit where you want it to be. If you want to create straight or curly handlebars, balm is a must to keep your facial hair in place. Balm is also a must for curly or unruly hair.
Keep It Clean
While a mustache is easier to keep clean than a full beard, you must be mindful of facial hygiene. Food can easily get caught in your facial hair, particularly when eating messy or handheld foods like burgers, tacos, or ribs. If you are dining out and get food on your face, pop in the bathroom and give the area around your mouth a quick rinse to remove the oil and food debris. Wiping it with a napkin isn’t quite enough, as bacteria from food can grow quickly—which can lead to breakouts under your facial hair.
Also, wash your face with a beard safe wash that won’t dry or damage your facial hair every morning and evening and after you swim or workout. Consider carrying an extra beard oil with you so that you always have it on hand for quick application. And remember, your oil or balm isn’t just for your facial hair, but to moisturize the skin underneath. You can layer SPF protection on top of your beard care products.
Test New Styles
The fun the thing about facial hair is that you can easily test and try new styles. If you don’t like it, you can reshape it and try something else. When it comes to a mustache, consider growing a goatee or adding a little soul patch underneath your lower lip. Or grow it out for a bit to see how you feel about a longer mustache. If you are over your beard, consider shaving it, but keeping your mustache. When in doubt, ask your barber for style advice. Whatever you choose, have fun with it—because you can always trim it down or shave it off and try again later.
Everything You Need For Your Mustache!
You’ll need to add a few more products to your grooming routine to grow your mustache, and Uncle Jimmy’s has you covered. We suggest a minimum of:
Our products are infused with natural oils and extracts to keep your hair healthy and we ship to the US, Canada, and the UK.
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