How to Trim and Wax a Mustache
The WizardFrom the Wizard's journal, entry #1,252: Captain Crimson came through the shop door this morning with one hand over his mouth like he'd been caught stealing pie. He hadn't. He'd been caught by a gust of wind off the harbor, a pair of kitchen scissors and his own impatience. "Fix it," he said, lowering the hand. The left side of his mustache was a good quarter inch shorter than the right.
We fixed it, and here's how you avoid needing the fix. To trim a mustache, comb it straight down while it's dry, cut along the lip line from the center out to each corner with small scissors or a trimmer, then comb again and snip only the strays. Take off less than you think you need. Once it's even, warm a pea-sized bit of mustache wax between your fingertips, press it in from the center outward and twist the ends into shape. Total time is about ten minutes, and most of that is combing.
- Trim dry. Wet hair hangs longer, so you'll cut too much.
- Comb straight down, cut the lip line center to corner, one side then the other, with a relaxed face.
- For wax, start with a pea-sized amount (half that for a short mustache), warm it in your fingers and work from the middle out.
- Tidy the lip line every 1 to 2 weeks. Reshape the whole thing about once a month.
What you need before you start
You don't need a barber's cart. You need a few things that fit in a drawer:
- A fine-tooth comb. A small mustache comb is ideal because a full-size comb is too wide to get under your nose.
- Small grooming scissors. Short, sharp blades give you the most control on the lip line. Kitchen scissors are how the Captain ended up at my door.
- A trimmer with guards (optional). Handy for taking down bulk length evenly. Skip it if you're keeping long ends for a handlebar.
- Good light. Overhead bathroom light hides strays. Face a window if you can.
- Mustache wax if you want hold or shape afterward.
How to trim a mustache, step by step
- Start clean and dry. Wash it, then let it dry completely. Wet hair stretches and hangs lower, so a "perfect" wet trim turns into a short, choppy one once it dries.
- Comb it straight down. Run the comb from your nose toward your lip a few times so every hair falls the way it naturally grows. This shows you the real length and the real lip line. One pass upward and back down lifts any hairs tucked underneath.
- Relax your face. Keep your mouth closed and your lips neutral. No smiling or stretching your upper lip over your teeth, or the line will sit crooked once you relax.
- Cut the lip line from the center out. Find the middle of your mustache, right under the dip in your upper lip. Make small cuts along the edge of your lip, working toward one corner. Go back to the center and do the other side. Take a few hairs at a time.
- Handle the corners last. The corners are where most uneven mustaches come from. Comb the hair at each corner down and slightly out, then decide: trim it straight down to the corner of your mouth for a tidy look, or leave it longer if you plan to wax the ends. Check both corners side by side in the mirror before you cut either one.
- Set the length, if you want it shorter. Comb the hair down and out, then snip the hair that sticks past the comb. With a trimmer, start on a longer guard than you think you need and step down one size at a time.
- Comb, look, snip strays. Comb it all out one more time, step back from the mirror a foot or two and look for stragglers. Clip just those.
The one rule that saves the most mustaches: cut less than you want to. You can always go back for another snip tomorrow. You can't glue hair back on, which the Captain found out the hard way.
If your mustache is attached to a full beard, trim the mustache first, then blend the beard into it. Our guide on how to trim a beard with Captain Crimson covers the cheeks, neckline and the rest of the job.
How to use mustache wax
Wax holds hairs in place, keeps them off your lip and lets you shape the ends. Here's how to use mustache wax without ending up crunchy or greasy:
- Warm it up. Mustache wax is firm in the tin, especially in a cold bathroom. Scrape a little out with your fingernail and rub it between your thumb and forefinger for 10 to 20 seconds until it's soft and slightly clear.
- Use less than you think. A pea-sized amount covers a medium mustache. Use about half that for a short one. You can always add a second dab; taking extra out means washing and starting over.
- Work from the center out. Press the wax into the middle of your mustache first, then pull your fingers outward toward each corner. Get it into the hair, not just on the surface.
- Comb it into place. Comb from the center out to the sides to spread it evenly.
- Shape the ends. For curled or pointed tips, pinch the end between your thumb and finger and twist, rolling upward for a handlebar. Take a tiny bit more wax right on the tips if they won't hold.
- Take it off at night. Comb out what you can, then wash with warm water and a beard wash. Warm water matters because wax softens with heat. A drop of beard oil worked in first loosens a heavy hold.
Captain Crimson uses The Barkeep mustache wax ($11.99, 1 oz tin). It's unscented, which matters for something that sits right under your nose all day, and it means the wax won't argue with his Captain Crimson beard oil and its coconut, sea salt and vanilla. The wax is made with five carrier oils (coconut, castor, jojoba, argan and sweet almond) plus lanolin and beeswax. If you know you react to lanolin or wool, skip it and talk to your doctor or dermatologist about what's safe for you.
Mustache styles and how to trim and wax each one
Here are six common mustache styles, whether they suit a beard, and what to do with the scissors and the wax.
| Style | What it looks like | How to trim it | Wax? | With a beard? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevron | Thick, wide, covers the top lip | Trim the lip line just to the edge of the lip, corners straight down | Light, just to keep hairs off your lip | Works with stubble or a short beard |
| Handlebar | Long ends curled upward | Trim the center lip line only. Leave the sides long, and don't touch them with a trimmer | Yes, firm hold twisted into the tips | Great with a full beard |
| English | Narrow, ends pulled straight out to the sides | Keep the center short, let the sides grow out | Yes, combed out and pinched to points | Best clean-shaven or with light stubble |
| Walrus | Long, bushy, drapes over the mouth | Trim just enough that it doesn't catch food or reach your teeth | A little, combed down to tame strays | Pairs well with a long beard |
| Pencil | Thin line right above the lip | Trim very short with a trimmer, shave above and below for a crisp edge | Usually not needed | Mostly worn clean-shaven |
| Horseshoe | Ends run down past the mouth to the jaw | Keep the lip line clean, trim the downward bars to even width | Light, combed downward | No, the chin and cheeks are shaved |
The Captain wears his somewhere between a chevron and a handlebar. Full across the lip, ends with a small upward twist on days he's feeling dramatic, which is most days.
How often to trim a mustache
Most mustaches need the lip line tidied every 1 to 2 weeks, because that's about when hairs start brushing your lip or catching your coffee. A full reshape, where you check the corners and overall length, can wait about four weeks.
Growing out a handlebar changes the math. Keep trimming the center of the lip line on that same schedule, but leave the sides alone for a few months. It's the only way the ends get long enough to curl.
Mistakes that ruin a good mustache
- Chasing one side. You trim the left, the right looks long, you trim the right, now the left looks long. Work in small passes and compare both sides often.
- Running a trimmer across the whole thing. Fine for a pencil or a short chevron. Terrible for any style that needs long ends.
- Too much wax. If it looks shiny, clumps into spikes or leaves flakes on your lip, you used too much. Start smaller.
- Sleeping in wax. Wash it out at night so the skin under your mustache gets a break.
FAQ
Should you trim your mustache wet or dry?
Dry. Wet hair stretches and hangs lower, so if you cut it to your lip line while it's wet, it will spring up shorter than you wanted once it dries. Wash it, let it dry fully, comb it down, then trim.
How often should you trim your mustache?
Tidy the lip line every 1 to 2 weeks and do a full reshape about once a month. If you're growing out a handlebar, keep trimming the center but leave the sides alone for a few months.
Should your mustache cover your top lip?
That's a style choice. For a neat, everyday look, trim it so the hair stops right at the edge of your upper lip. Walrus and some chevron styles intentionally hang over the lip, but they still need trimming so they don't reach your teeth or catch food.
How much mustache wax should I use?
Start with a pea-sized amount for a medium mustache and about half that for a short one. Warm it between your fingers first. If the hair still won't hold, add a tiny bit more right on the ends.
How do you get mustache wax out?
Comb out what you can, then wash with warm water and a beard wash. Warm water softens the wax so it lets go of the hair. For a heavy hold, rub a drop of beard oil in first to loosen it.
Can you use mustache wax on a short mustache?
Yes, just use less. Most guys find wax is easiest to work with once the mustache reaches about half an inch, but a small amount still helps a shorter one lie flat and stay off your lip.
One last thing
The Captain's mustache came out even, by the way. Shorter than he'd have liked on both sides, since we had to match the damage, but even. He sat in my chair, twisted the ends with a little wax, checked himself in the mirror from three angles and declared it "seaworthy." He's promised to leave the kitchen scissors in the kitchen. Give it two weeks and it'll be back to full sail.
Your beard, your story.
β The Wizard
