How To Trim a Mustache? – A Complete Trimming Guide
Today, we’re taking you through a step-by-step guide on how to trim a mustache. It may not be a significant feature on the face, but you and I both know that it makes a world of difference when done the right way. Trimming your mustache the right way helps ensure that it blends well with your face, appropriately complementing the shape and length of your face. It also reduces the hassle you go through while maintaining your look. Trimming your mustache is similar to cutting your hair – it requires patience, determination, and a little bit of research.
You require the right amount of patience and determination, depending on the kind of style you’d want to opt for. It will require little or more time, based on how complex you like the look to be. For example, if you aim to get a simple Chevron mustache style, you can achieve this look reasonably quickly. For a more complex look like that of an English mustache, you’d have to ensure you’re taking utmost care while you’re at it. While researching thoroughly before understanding how to trim a mustache leads you to discover newer, better ways to get the job done right.
History Of The Mustache
The word ‘mustache’ itself is originally derived from a Greek word, ‘Mastax,’ which means ‘the hair that grows on the upper lip of men.’ According to research done on this subject, the prevalence of mustaches can be traced back to the Iron Age. Age-old sculptures of men that exist to date can be seen featuring the mustache. Images of certain Egyptian Pharaoh statues sporting the mustache have resurfaced on the internet now and then. Moving on to the Middle Ages, wherein a particular Sutton Hoo wears a mustache that is clubbed with a finely decorated helmet, or to the Welsh leaders, who’d also most commonly feature a similar look – the mustache doesn’t seem to go out of fashion.
Since time immemorial, the mustache was looked upon as representing masculinity in several cultures. However, it wasn’t until the late 1800’s that the mustache started getting strongly associated with masculinity. It was during this time that the military men began featuring the mustache look in full-fledged. The trend soon came to define the identity of military men. It was used to distinguish military men from civilians. This particular group has played a significant role in pushing the mustache look towards popularity. Besides being associated with masculinity, some cultures also look upon it as resembling power. For example, in several Arabian countries, facial hair is a vital part of a man’s face, and if a man is spotted with a mustache, he is considered powerful. Whereas, when it comes to the Yarson culture, the mustache is deemed to hold religious importance. For the longest time possible, Chinese men believed in the tradition of wearing a mustache.
How To Grow a Mustache?
Before learning how to trim a mustache, let’s look at how you can grow a healthy chunk of hair above your lips. Naturally, not everyone sports the same kind of natural, luscious facial hair growth. However, with proper care and nourishment, you can reach the level where you can get natural, pleasing facial hair growth.
Here’s how you can go about growing a mustache:-
Patience Is Key
Before understanding how to trim a mustache, it is essential that you prep the growth for it. It’s all about patience. Many take little or no time to get total hair growth, while it might take longer to reach the desired point for others. For an average man, though, facial hair grows at the rate of 04mm a day. In other words, you need to quickly go for at least four weeks until you get on to how to trim a mustache.
Uniformity Is Of The Essence
While we don’t recommend trimming your mustache in any way, you can get through this time by ensuring that your mustache is kept consistent. There are several reasons why you should do it:
- It will make you look good even before you get your desired mustache look.
- It will be less irritable as we all know that hair can grow in any direction, and it’s not exactly pleasant to have your mustache poking through your nose.
- It becomes easier for you to trim your mustache when the time comes.
Treat It Like You Own It
It’s apparent that you ‘own’ your mustache, and it’s time you start treating it like it’s your ‘own’ by taking care of it. You find it normal to shampoo and condition the hair on your head but neglect your mustache just because it is growing on your face? Ignoring taking care of your facial hair leads to a coarse, harsh growth that can lead to dry skin, rashes, and boils underneath – which is pretty nasty. Keep your mustache clean, fresh, and healthy.
How To Trim a Mustache?
Finally, moving on to the reason why you’re on this page right now – how to trim a mustache? Expert barbers have put together the following handy steps to trimming your mustache; take a look:
Have The Right Tools On The Go!
Before you actually get on the how-to trim a mustache bandwagon, make sure you have access to all the right tools. A list of all the right tools must include a sharp pair of scissors, good quality trimmer, and a clean mirror for a better view.
Clean Your Stash
Before you start off trimming away, make sure that your mustache is clean. The purpose behind this is so that you may get rid of any dirt that may come your way. Using a natural beard wash or shaving gel to wash your mustache will also make your hair soft. This makes it extremely easy for you to trim when the time comes.
Comb Before You Cut
Combing your mustache before you start trimming it down is of utmost importance. Not only does it make your hair straight, but it becomes so much easier for one to cut through it all. The split ends stand out more prominently, and you get a better idea of the length and how much you need to trim.
Cut Across Your Upper Lip, First
The hair that can be found closest on your upper lip is the hair you should start with. It’s common sense to start with the edges and working your way towards the center as you can gain a more excellent hold on how much of your hair you’re trimming off. Make sure you’re taking baby steps, which means making more minor cuts. Patience is key.
Trim The Area Below Your Nose, Next
Once you’re done working your way through cutting off the edges and the center portion of your mustache, begin trimming the area below your nose. Just remember one thing – your nose hair must not blend in with your mustache. It just looks weird, and it’s better to avoid that situation from taking place.
Avoid Opting For The Thick Look
You might want to avoid opting for a highly thick look and end up looking like a caterpillar is sitting above your lip. One can prevent the mustache from appearing thick by brushing through it and ensuring that it is straight.
Styling Is Just As Important.
Once you’ve achieved your desired look, enhance it by adding a styling quotient. There are tonnes of styling products that you can use to give your mustache the edge that it’s seeking. Just remember, styling is just as important.
How To Take Care Of Your Mustache?
Once you’ve become an expert at how to trim a mustache, it’s also equally important to learn how to take care of your mustache. Some factors that will help you in your journey of maintaining a solid and healthy look:
Scrub Away
Just like any other part of your body, your mustache requires regular cleansing as well. It’s hard to realize that the daily grime can end up leaving so much dirt and filth in your mustache. Not only would it lead to skin conditions like rashes, but it would end up giving out an unpleasant odor. Regularly cleaning and scrubbing your mustache will protect it and will come a long way in the process of maintaining your mustache.
Trim Regularly
If you are an expert at trimming your mustache, you will also be aware that trimming your mustache once will just not cut it. It would be best if you went all the way. The hair will continue to grow out and give rise to split ends. The only way to address these split ends is by trimming regularly. By regularly, we mean every 2-3 weeks at least.
Wash And Condition
As mentioned in our how-to trim a mustache guide above, just like the hair on top of your head, the hair above your lip requires washing and conditioning. Since the skin above your lips remains constantly covered with coarse, dry hair, it leads to dry, flaky, and unhealthy skin. By regularly conditioning your mustache, you are ensuring your skin receives the hydration it deserves.
Wax And Comb
The market is overflowing with products that help you wax and style your mustache. It makes you look stylish, but many people don’t realize that waxing the mustache also helps keep the unruly hair in its place.
Best Products For Styling Your Mustache
Here are some of the best products for styling your mustache:-
Beard Trimming Scissors
If you’re considering using normal scissors to trim your mustache, then it’s possibly the worst decision you’re going to make. There is a lot of difference between a regular pair of scissors and sharp beard trimming scissors. The specialty of beard trimming scissors is that they feature shorter shears, making it easy for you to address areas around your lips that might otherwise not be accessible. If you seek absolute perfection in your journey of trim a mustache, start with the right pair of beard-cutting scissors.
Mustache Comb
A mustache comb is considered a vital grooming tool these days as it helps even out unruly hair and as we already know, combing before trimming and maintaining your trim is of the essence. Not only does it make your hair straight, but it becomes so much easier for one to cut through it all. The split ends stand out more prominently, and you get a better idea of the length and how much you need to trim.
Mustache Wax
You don’t need a significant amount of mustache wax to keep your hair strands in place. A reasonably considerable amount can be applied atop your mustache to make sure your hair remains stiff and continues to carry out the look that you so desired.
Mustache Roll-On
A mustache roll-on does the work of the wax as well as of a conditioner at once. It ensures your hair receives the nourishment it needs while keeping it in one place. It protects you from external factors like pollution and keeps you feeling fresh all day long.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve figured your way around how to trim a mustache, make sure you follow it to the T. Besides investing time, it is of significant importance that you invest money in all the right products. For example, if you’re planning on getting yourself a mustache wax, choosing the right brand is vital. Since it is something that you are directly applying to your skin, it should be natural.
Of course, things like checking whether you’re allergic to the components of the product you’ll be using are also something you should keep in mind. Whether or not certain products are suitable for your skin is something you must give deep consideration to. We hope you enjoyed reading the how-to trim a mustache guide, as much as we enjoyed putting it together for you.
