Moustache grooming can be tedious, since you’re working within the cramped space between your nose and top lip. There’s also an overwhelming number of moustache styles to choose from, which can make the very act of moustache grooming a bit convoluted.
The Chevron
But really, there’s one moustache style that can teach you the ins and outs of moustache grooming better than all the rest: The Chevron, famously worn by the likes of Tom Selleck and Freddy Mercury. Below, you’ll find a moustache grooming guide built around this moustache style, which will leave you with everything you need to know about how to shave a moustache.
Step #1: Trim your entire moustache using a pair of electric clippers set to the longest setting (or whatever your desired length is)—that way, your moustache hairs will be a single, uniform length.
Step #2: The edges of the moustache should extend just half an inch beyond the corners of your mouth—use a razor to shave any hairs growing further towards your cheeks.
Step #3: Finally, brush the moustache hairs upward using a small moustache comb and trim any stray hairs hanging over your upper lip using a pair of grooming scissors.
That’s it: The basis of moustache grooming.
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The Handlebar Moustache
Achieving other moustache styles is simply a matter of leaving a little more hair there and a little less hair here. Take the classic handlebar moustache, for instance:
Step #1: Part your moustache hairs down the middle, then comb each side down and out.
Step #2: Use a small pair of grooming scissors to lightly trim any stray hairs—start towards the middle, cutting less and less hair length as you make your way to the edges of the moustache
Step #3: Apply a wax or a pomade to hold the hairs in place—once applied evenly throughout the moustache, twist the hairs together with your fingers, then curl the still-twisted hairs up and in.
Step #4: Lastly, and most importantly, eye the curls for evenness in the mirror. Make adjustments if necessary.
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The Horseshoe Moustache
If the handlebar moustache is a little too hipster for you, the horseshoe moustache is another moustache style that can only be achieved if you have a basic understanding of moustache grooming:
Step #1: Use a pair of electric clippers to trim the entire moustache to your desired length (the #8 or #10 guard are good choices for this moustache style).
Step #2: Put the tip of your finger on the corner of your mouth, making a straight line down to your jaw, and use it as a guide for trimming the bars of hair with your electric clippers—just be careful not to cut your finger.
Step #3: Once the bars on each side of the moustache are even, eye them for your desired length. Make adjustments if necessary.
Now get out there, and keep your top lip warm in style, bucko.