A mustache seems to be a fairly simple piece of facial hair, but this furry facial companion still requires proper care and maintenance in order to keep it feeling and looking it’s best! That’s what we are here to talk about today. Here are some mustache care tips and tricks which will help you maintain your mo’!
If you forget about the full beard for a second, a mustache is typically what you will see most commonly when it comes to facial hair, at least nowadays. After all, there are times when mustaches come into and out of style. For example, rockin’ a mo’ was huge in the 60’s and 70’s but lost popularity shortly afterwards. Yet, they are making a swift comeback in the modern world.
It appears that the first instance of a well-defined mustache on the upper lip was as long ago as ancient Egypt. More specifically, on the upper lip of Rahotep, an Egyptian prince from 2500 B.C.
So, if you feel that a mustache is the perfect style choice for you, or if you’re limited by your occupation to this style and nothing else, then keep on reading for some cool tips and tricks on how to care for your mustache!
Before we get into it, check out this new Volt Video on this same exact topic! And don’t forget to Subscribe to Volt Grooming’s YouTube Channel!
Trim Your Mustache Wisely
Despite how simple a mustache may seem, growing it is only the first (and sometimes most difficult) step in the process. There is a noticeable “awkward growth phase” when it comes to growing beards and mustaches. For most men, the trouble is going to be growing hair at the edges (red areas) of the mouth, where mustaches tend to be thinnest.
In order to avoid the majority of this awkward growth phase, you’ll have to trim your ‘stache very thoughtfully. The awkward look usually comes when the center of the mustache appears much darker and more filled-out than the rest, causing an overall uneven and disheveled look.
To avoid this, simply trim the center (green area above) of your mustache more often. This will even out the overall length and cause the sides to match the center, at least for the time being until the sides grow out long enough to appear full in comparison. At which point, you can stop trimming the center of your ‘stache.
When it comes to trimming the lip-line of the ‘stache, that mainly depends on the desired style of you’re aiming for. A large handlebar mustache will likely have long hairs extending from the center that could potentially cover your lip. But, a shorter mustache is usually trimmed just above the top lip-line in order to avoid stray hairs from getting in your mouth or inhibiting your ability to eat.
Hydrate Your Mustache
Now that you have not only grown but also shaped your mustache the way you want, it’s time to talk about maintenance!
As you may have expected, your ‘stache requires maintenance in order to keep it healthy, hydrated, and comfortable. And believe it or not, beard oil is not only for beards, but mustaches as well! The area of skin above your top lip is rather sensitive. This skin and the hair on it, because of the constant push and pull of air from your nose, can get rather dry.
Dry skin is the most common cause of breakouts, redness, irritation, flaking, and itchiness. And a dry mustache certainly doesn’t help make matters better, after all dry facial hair can feel as rough as sandpaper. This is where beard oil comes into play.
Beard oil is the most common and popular beard grooming product out there for any type of facial hair, but the benefits don’t stop there. Beard oil is also great for your skin, because it reintroduces the oils that commonly get stripped away from your skin during a shower or out in the elements.
Your mustache likely won’t be very comfortable unless you make an effort to keep it hydrated. Using beard oil, and even a beard brush that is designed to brush away dead skin and spread beard oil more evenly is the best way to keep your ‘stache looking and feeling good.
Use Styling Products
This is more of an optional tip, but there are some great styling products out there on the market that will not only give your mustache some shape and hold, but potentially some hydration as well, depending on what your needs are.
First of all, you may not need to use styling products, depending on the style you’ve chosen to strive for. A super short stubble-like ‘stache definitely doesn’t require a styling product, whereas the huge and competition-ready handlebar mustache absolutely does. Generally, if the hair in your ‘stache is long enough to suffer from flyaways or stray hairs at the side of your mouth, then you can benefit from a product that keeps them in place.
There are two options you’ve got for mustache styling products. The first, and most popular, is Beard and Mustache Wax! This wax is a super stiff styling compound which helps shape and keep your mustache in perfect order all day long. ‘Stache wax generally has a very thick consistency, and because of this, doesn’t offer many health/hydration benefits, so it’s best used in conjunction with beard oil.
The other option you have is a bit less common, and that is to use Beard Balm in place of both wax and beard oil. Beard balm is a blend of oils, butters, and light waxes which will not only give your mustache some good all-day hydration, but will also give it some light hold and styling benefits as well. Just don’t expect it to hold all-day or to the same level as mustache wax does. Generally, balm is good enough for shorter mustaches that don’t need a super strong hold.
Overall, the ‘stache styling options are endless! From the Fu Manchu, to the classic handlebar, to the horseshoe mustache, styling products will help you get it done!
Use Volt Instant Beard Color If Needed
Finally, we arrive at the conclusion of our mustache care tips and tricks. Now that you’ve grown, shaped, and styled your mo’ it’s time to give it a last-minute touch.
Remember when I said that most men had trouble growing hair around the sides of their mouths heading towards the chin? Typically, this is the area that is thinnest or lightest in color compared to the rest of the mustache. If you’ve trimmed your ‘stache carefully, you likely have avoided the awkward look, but if you still aren’t happy with the thickness or darkness of your mustache in that area, then all you need is some Volt Instant Beard and Mustache Color.
Volt Beard/Mustache Color can help you even out the overall darkness of your mustache by applying color to the sides, where the ‘stache is typically lighter. This will cause the mustache to look far more even, bold, and filled-in than it otherwise would.
If you’re curious about how you can find your perfect shade of Volt, then click the button below and take a short quiz to find the perfect color match for you. Otherwise, hopefully these tips and tricks have helped you on your mustache growing adventure.
To recap, there are three main parts of mustache maintenance. 1) Growing and Shaping your mustache by trimming thoughtfully and avoiding the awkward growth phase. 2) Providing hydrating and health to your mustache with beard oil or beard balm. And 3) Styling your mustache’s shape with mustache wax. If all else fails, use some Volt Instant Beard Color to even out the mo’.
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