Miles Teller in Top Gun, Chis Evans in The Gray Man, and Ashton Kutcher in Vengeance are all doing their part to bring back this ’70s style. Mustaches even have their own holiday: Movember. The month of November is a time when all men are encouraged to let their upper lip hair grow wild and free in an effort to promote conversations about men’s mental health, suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.
Since 2003, Movember has funded more than 1,250 men’s health projects around the world thanks to the millions of men who’ve participated in this movement. Last year, the organization raised $16.2 million and granted $2 million to two world-class research teams on prostate cancer research.
Not only does a mustache look good, but it can also do good, too.
Mustaches are definitely back in style.
As November approaches, there has literally never been a better time to join the ranks the great mustachioed masses. If you’re looking for some mustached inspiration, might we suggest Henry Cavill in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation? Or country crooner Mark Wystrach of Midland? How about a more subtle ‘stache-scruff combo, like Zac Efron and Michael B. Jordan? Every male celebrity at some point or another has gone through a mustache phase, so there’s no shortage of men to look to for ‘stache style inspiration.
Whether you’re participating in Movember or not (and we hope you are), actually growing one can be a daunting task. For newcomers, barber Mr. Naz of Chop Shop in Bloemfontein suggests going for what he calls the Lifeguard Mustache. “It’s very well groomed and a little shorter,” he says. “It doesn’t have twiddly bits on the end.”
Getting ahead on growing a mustache in time for Movember is easier than you’d think. If you have a beard, you’re already halfway there. Trimming and maintaining your new mustache is even easier. Here’s how to do it.
How to Grow a Mustache
“Just about anyone can grow a mustache, even if your beard is patchy,” according to our Chop Shop Barber, who has noticed more and more of his clients sporting ‘staches. The first rule of mustache growing is “to be really bold about it,” he says. Decide you’re going to do it and just unapologetically go for it.
The easiest way is to “grow a bit of a beard first,” he says. “Once you get to your desired length, shape your beard down shorter [than your mustache].” You can do this gradually, each time cutting your beard closer and leaving the mustache alone, so you can see the shape and get used to the look. Eventually you can take the rest of your beard down to stubble or shave it clean off. This method is less jarring and avoids that awkward, dusty Baby’s First Mustache vibe (or, as we’re calling it now, the Nick Jonas).
How to Trim a Mustache
Compared to caring for a beard, mustache maintenance is a summer vacation. The most important thing is to keep the shape, so shave or clip around it often. “Make sure the sides don’t wander off and start creeping down the face like The Village People,” says Mr. Naz. You want a soft pyramid shape, going from the edges of your nose to the corners of your mouth and no farther.
Then keep the length in check. Trimming a mustache is not nearly as time consuming as trimming a beard. Use a beard comb or beard brush to brush the hairs straight down over your lip and then a pair of small, sharp scissors to cut the ends. “Trim it just on the lip line,” says Mr. Naz. “It looks ghastly if you trim too high.”
If this sounds too complicated to you, Mr. Naz recommends finding a few pictures of mustaches you like (might we suggest scrolling back up) and taking them to your Chop Shop barbers. Ask your barber to cut in that shape and then all you have to do is maintain it, instead of doing it yourself from scratch.
The Best Products for Mustache Grooming
The final step in mustache maintenance is keeping it groomed, but even that is pretty freaking easy. The golden rule is: less is more. Stay away from beard oils and shaping waxes and anything that is going to make your ‘stache look shiny or oily. “All you need is a beard balm,” says Mr. Naz. Think of balms like a matte pomade for your face and look for lightweight balms with moisturising ingredients to benefit both the hair and the skin underneath. See more mustache styles here.
