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Handlebar Mustache Tutorial | Easy Mustache Styling Guide

If you’ve clicked on this blog/tutorial, then chances are you’re looking to give yourself your first handlebar mustache. Congrats! Handlebar mustaches have become an increasingly popular and trendy facial hair style for many men in modern times. Originally, handlebar mustaches rose to popularity for the first time in 18th century Europe and became more wildly adopted in the 19th century by iconic figures from the wild west like Wyatt Earp.

Growing and styling a handlebar is not a difficult process, but will take time if you don’t happen to have the length (or patience) that is required in order to grow a mustache with enough length and thickness to style. That being said, there are many more styles of handlebar mustache than the stereotypical curly-ended handlebar called the “imperial” handlebar.

Some of these more obscure handlebar mustache styles are better suited for people with shorter or less dense mustache hair. So don’t worry! Despite the shape your mustache is in at this point, you can likely still rock some version of the classic handlebar!

Before we dive into the tutorial, check out this video on the same topic for a live demonstration and remember to Subscribe to Volt Grooming’s Youtube Channel!

Styles of Handlebar Mustache

If you’re anything like us, you were probably surprised to hear that there are many different types and styles of handlebar mustaches, more so than the typical imperial handlebar. The traditional imperial handlebar is characterized with the classic curl on the ends that swoop upwards evenly on both sides of your mustache. This is what many people think of when they hear the term “Handlebar Mustache”.

The Imperial Handlebar Mustache

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That being said, there are a few other styles of handlebar, including the following:

  • English Handlebar
  • Hungarian Handlebar
  • Dali Handlebar

These are the only styles of handlebar mustache that are characterized by their unique shapes, all others are simply length and width variations of these basic shapes. For example, the “bandito” and “imperial” handlebars both have upward curls on the ends, however the “bandito” has a larger and more open curl.

The English Handlebar Mustache

English Handlebar

The English handlebar is differentiated from it’s curly-ended companions. The english handlebar is characterized by having straight ends that extend horizontally out from the sides.

The Hungarian Handlebar Mustache

Hungarian Handlebar Mustache

The Hungarian Handlebar is a little bit different in the sense that the mustache itself seems to slope downwards at the the edges of the mouth towards the bottom of the cheeks before swooping slightly back up at the ends. View the image above for reference!

The Dali Handlebar Mustache

Salvador Dali Mustache

The Dali Handlebar is exactly as it sounds. Originally popularized by Salvador Dali (the Spanish artist). The Dali handlebar is typically very thin and has a distinct upwards swoop that begins from the very center of the ‘stache. However, the Dali rarely every has a “curl” at the ends like the imperial handlebar does, instead, the Dali ends in sharp points facing upwards towards the sky.

How to Style A Handlebar Mustache

Believe it or not, despite the complex image and style that a handlebar represents, the steps for styling your handlebar mustache are actually very simple. Let’s dive into the ways we can style a handlebar, including the tools we need in order to do so.

Handlebar Mustache Tools:

Now let’s get into the process!

Step 1: Prep Your Mustache/Beard

Beard Brush Angled

The first thing you’ll want to do is wash and prep your beard for the wax. Almost every man with facial hair has beard oil or beard wash of some kind, and if not, then simple warm water and some scrubbing with a washcloth will do.

The goal here is to strip away excess unneeded oils that may cause the wax to not stick properly or strongly. Brushing your beard/mustache with the (optional) beard brush also helps as it exfoliates and rids your facial hair of excess skin cells and other debris. once your beard is prepped, now comes the wax!

Step 2: Apply The Beard/Mustache Wax

Voltwaxweb2

For just about any handlebar mustache, all you really need is a pea-sized portion of quality wax in order to get a good strong hold in your beard and mustache. For the best quality wax on the market, we recommend Volt Sculpt Mustache Wax due to it’s all-natural ingredients and perfect consistency for creating handlebars that aren’t sticky or annoying.

Grab your pea-sized portion of wax and roll it amongst your fingertips until it starts melting into a more moldable consistency. Once it has sufficiently melted and become more pliable, start pinching your mustache with your forefinger and thumb and begin shaping your ‘stache into the desired style!

Remember to twist and curl the ends of your mustache for the imperial look, or simply twist and pull the sides out for the english handlebar or any other style you prefer.

Step 3: Comb The Mustache for Precision

Twin 0003 Beard Comb Straight Forward

The third and final step will make good use of your beard and mustache comb. Use the comb to either straighten flyaway hairs and recombine them with the ends of your mustache or sculpt your mustache into a uniform shape! This also helps you straighten and deal with any hairs that may be straying away from the group that you used to form the ends of your mustache.

Overall, there are three main steps for styling your handlebar mustache into any shape (Imperial, English, Hungarian, or Dali handlebar mustache). First, you want to prep your mustache and beard by either washing or brushing to remove excess oils. Next, take a pea-sized portion of mustache wax and melt it into your fingertips before pinching the ends of your mustache and twisting the hair together. Lastly, use a comb (or your fingers) to finish the job by shaping the ends of the mustache into any of the styles of handlebar mustache mentioned earlier.

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