Just a few years ago, you probably never dreamed you’d want to grow a moustache. Moustaches haven’t been in style for years, but then all of sudden, they’re everywhere again, just like beards. You may be curious by now and interested in trying out this trend for yourself, but you don’t really know what style to go with or which one would flatter your face shape. Just like a beard, choosing a moustache style and shape to go with is a very personal choice and the same style will not work for everyone. Moustaches have made a major comeback in recent years. While the clean-shaven look was the big trend in the past, these days, men have turned to the best moustache styles of the past and present, revitalizing the classic looks and giving their style an update. In this guide, I’ve included the latest styles to try, what products to use, and how to achieve that well-groomed look that will be turning heads.
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Finding Your Style
Experimenting with facial hair is a great way to get really creative and try something new, without really trying something drastic. It’s also an affordable way to get a totally new look, especially if you’ve had a beard in the past, so you already own a beard grooming kit or other styling tools and products for facial hair.
When you’re searching online at images of beards, don’t just pay close attention to the moustache itself. Look at the moustache wearer’s face, their face shape, and their hair length. Find a style that will work with your personal style, look, and preferences.
Just like the beard, the moustache is considered a form of self-expression. There are many styles to choose from, so you can spend time doing a little research in order to find a style that will be flattering to your face shape, hair length, and overall style. Don’t be afraid to experiment a little with your new look and incorporate oils, the best moustache wax, and other grooming products that can keep your new facial hair more manageable and well-groomed.
The Chevron
Tom Selleck made the Chevron moustache popular in the 1970s. For this look, you’ll need to have a coarse, thick moustache. But this type of style will not work for everyone. It will work the best on men who have straighter hair, but can make you look unkempt if you have longer hair. The style can easily be maintained by simple trims to take care of the longer hairs that start to grow over the mouth.
Walrus
This has the same type of feel as the Chevron, although this is definitely a much thicker moustache. For this style, you’ll need to grow your hair out for a period of five to six months. The desired look involves hair that actually hangs over the lip. It’s important to keep up on shaving the remainder of your facial hair in order to make your moustache pop and ensure you don’t have a scruffy, unkempt look.
Pencil
The pencil-style moustache first became popular with stars such as Errol Flynn and Clark Gable. Back in the 1940s, this style of moustache was the biggest trend. It’s definitely much easier to achieve compared to the walrus and the chevron. While it’s easier to grow than many other styles of moustaches, it’s also very high maintenance and must be trimmed and shaved much more often than a standard stache or the walrus or chevron. The moustache will have the straightness of a pencil, and will be very neat in appearance.
Handlebar
This style has remained a favorite for years. It features curved ends that spiral out toward the cheekbones. Combining it with a modern haircut offers a more edgy touch. You’ll need to use moustache wax at the ends to curl it.
Cowboy
This moustache style emerged decades ago and it’s essentially just a scragglier, longer and messier version of the chevron mustache. When styled, you won’t go for the same neat, well-kept look that you’re striving for with the other moustache styles in this guide.
Natural
If you’re not big on grooming or styling your moustache, then a natural style is the way to go. This is a basic-looking stache that doesn’t require much upkeep other than to trim the hairs around the lips when they get too long, so you can avoid pulling on them when you drink or chew. If you’re not sure what type of style you’re looking for, this moustache is a great place to start and one that can easily be transformed into other styles with a little trimming and the right grooming products.
Pyramid
This moustache features a base that’s wide and narrows slightly as it makes its way towards the nose. When cut correctly, this type of moustache will work for any face shape and is very easy to style and maintain as long as you have a moustache or beard trimmer handy.
Military
This type of moustache is also referred to as a cop moustache and it’s very thick with a curved lower edge and top edge that doesn’t grow over the top lip. To maintain this look, you’ll need to keep your moustache combed and trimmed.
Dali
This moustache was named after Salvador Dali, the famous Spanish painter. Dali’s signature style moustache features ends that stand upright. The moustache can easily be styled by using wax and twirling the ends. You can also use some pomade if you have a finer moustache.
Growing a Moustache
If you’ve never tried experimenting with your facial hair before, then starting off with a moustache is a great option. Of course, patience will be a must considering if you choose a thicker or longer style, you’ll need to wait three to six weeks before you achieve the look you’re going for. During this time, most men will allow the rest of their facial hair to grown in as well and will shave off their beard and sideburns once their moustache has achieved the right level of thickness.
If you want to ensure your moustache grows in fuller, faster, you can do a few things to stimulate growth. First off, adding more minerals and vitamins to your diet can go a long way toward speeding up the growth process and ensuring your hair grows in shiny, healthy, and strong. Increase your intake of vitamins C, B, and A, as well as biotin, which will strengthen the hair from the inside out and nourish the hair follicles. You can also exfoliate your face in order to remove dead skin cells and keep your skin healthy and glowing. Healthy skin can also stimulate hair growth. Remember to keep the skin moisturized.
Staying hydrated will also be important. Be sure you increase your water intake, which can also help to speed up hair growth.
Trimming Your Stache
Most people will use a beard trimmer or clippers to keep up on their facial hair, however, once you’ve grown your moustache to a longer length, I recommend using a pair of beard scissors. You should also comb through your moustache before you style it and in order to achieve a more precise cut. Make sure that you cut your stache when it’s completely dry, instead of wet. This will give you a better indication of how much length you need to take off and how it will look once you’re done. For more tips, click here to read my guide on how to trim your moustache.
Keep Your Scruff
Some men feel a little intimidated about keeping just a moustache, so I recommend leaving some scruff around as you grow it out. This will help to soften your look and will make your moustache look more defined. This is a great option for any man who is scared to try out this trend.
As your moustache grows out, you’ll start to get a rough idea concerning what styles will work for your face shape, the length of the hair on your head, and your own personal style. Once your moustache is thick enough, you can go ahead and shave any stubble.
In some cases, when you keep the stubble around as you grow out your moustache, you may come to realize your like the look of a beard and decide to go for it. While growing a beard will take more patience than a moustache and can take longer, and will involve more itching and grooming needs, for some men, their face shape was just made for a beard and it can be a more flattering look than a moustache alone. So, if you’re not feeling your moustache as it’s growing out, considering giving a beard a shot. You can find more information concerning beard styles by clicking here to read my article on the different types of beards.
Final Thoughts
A moustache isn’t for everyone. Just like a beard, with a moustache, you have to be willing to experiment and find your own style. That’s one of the best things about growing out facial hair. The possibilities are endless, they’re a great way to change up your look, and aside from grooming supplies, growing out a moustache is a more affordable option than buying a new wardrobe. There are more styles of moutaches out there, but I’ve included many of the most popular styles that are really trending lately. Of course, not every style included here will work for everyone, since each man has a different face shape, length, and width, so you’ll find that some looks just won’t work for you.
The best moustache styles will work with the shape of your face and should be not only based on personal preference, but should also depend on your hair type, how thick your moustache can grow, and how thick or fine your hair is. In many cases, men find that growing a moustache is much easier than growing a beard, without the worry of a patchy look or a long itchy growth process. Make sure you check out the different style options available before you settle on one and determine whether or not the look will complement your face shape and overall style. The best thing about facial hair is the fact that you can always shave it off if the look isn’t working for you.
