What are the Names of the Most Popular Types of Mustaches?
Chances are you are thinking about growing a mustache and you want to get some ideas on the names of mustaches. Or you already have one and want to find out the names of mustache styles. There always seems to be buzz around mustaches, whether they are extreme, like English mustache or simple, like a Pencil mustache.
If you have the confidence to wear one, you can pull off just about any style, but you have to know what the styles are before you can rock it. From a Chevron to a Walrus to an Imperial, all the tips, tricks and information are right here on the various types of mustaches and their names. Take a look at the 8 best styles for mustaches, how to get them, and how to maintain the perfect mustache.
The Styles and how to get them
The Chevron
This thick mustache just barely covers the upper lip. This is an easy style to maintain because it requires a minimal amount of trimming to keep it in shape. You will need about 2 cm of length before you try this one.
Firstly, define the line you want, and then begin about 1 cm below the corner of your mouth. Remove all hair from your cheeks, jaw, and neck. Comb out your mustache and trim any run away hairs and you are done. This is such an easy mustache and you do have to trim it regularly, but you have to do the same with any mustache.
How you part your mustache is up to you. Meaning you can comb it down, angled a bit on either side, or you can part it in the middle. Make sure to keep your neck and cheeks free of hair for a well-groomed look.
The Handlebar
The handlebar mustache is a bushy look that is characterized by the longer, curled ends at the sides. If your facial hair does not naturally curl like that, do not worry. This style usually works best if you use wax to style it, so having gravity defying hair is not required.
It does require patience. You are going to need length for this look, so shave everything except your mustache and then wait. Once or twice a day while it is growing out, comb it out, creating a part in the hair at about the middle of you lip. This trains your mustache to grow that way, which will make it easier to style later on.
You main concern is just getting it long enough to twist up the ends. That length is completely up to you and depends entirely on how long you want it to be.
Apply some wax to the end of your mustache and twist up while curling the hair towards you nose. This is a high maintenance look that you have to style every day, but if you like what you see, you have achieved the right length and now all you have to do is trim the ends, so they do not get extremely long. This is a cool mustache to have and it is easy to shape and style.
The Horseshoe
This style looks exactly like its name, because it looks like an upside down horseshoe making it one of the most well-known mustache type names. It is thick and easily maintained, and is one of the most famous mustaches ever. Unlike the handlebar mustache, you do not shape this style with wax, but with your razor and that can take some work.
You have to grow out the 'pipes' on either side of your mouth, rather than growing a long mustache and then using wax to make is stay down. This is a quick mustache to grow, because you only need about 1cm of length before you start, but you do have to grow your full beard out before you can create the style. It is best to remove the hair on your outer cheeks and neck first, about a cm away from the corner of your upper lip and then towards your ears, but do not shave the hair on your chin just yet.
Continuously check that your lines are symmetrical and then shave the hair directly below your lips, again making sure to leave a 1 cm line of hair on either side. This is where you have to decide if you want the look to continue down below you chin. If so, then just trim all the hair between the ‘pipes’, extending them below your chin.
The other option is to have the ‘pipes’ end at your jaw line. It is still easiest to leave the hair below your chin until after you have your ‘pipes’ the way you want and then make them as short as you want. Comb out you mustache and trim any stray hairs and you are done.
The Walrus
The Walrus mustache is like the big brother of the chevron, meaning that it is bigger and more rounded than the Chevron. You need a lot of facial hair to attain this overgrown and bushy look and the courser your hair is, the better. It is an easily look to get, if you have the right hair type.
Like the Chevron, this is an easily look to get, it just takes longer. It might be easier to just get a Chevron and then let it grown out. Otherwise, you need to wait until your facial hair is at least 4 cm long and then leave about 2 cm on either side of your mouth.
This mustache usually covers at least half if not your whole mouth and there are a bunch of slight variations you can make. You can have it a bit longer, create a slight curve at the sides, or have it longer on the sides and shorter in the middle (like you would see on an actual walrus, thus the name). There really are endless possibilities for this style.
The Imperial
Not to be confused with the Walrus or Handlebar mustaches, the Imperial mustache is one of the few styles of mustache types that are more of a beard/mustache hybrid. It requires long, thick facial hair not only on your upper lip, but on your cheeks as well. It is an old-fashion look and it usually worn by men with more eccentric personalities.
This style works best with very thick and coarse hair and you will need quite a bit of it. This is probably the hardest one to grow and it will take a long time and a lot of work. The first thing you need to do it grow a full on beard.
It should be a few cm long before you start shaping it. Shave everything near your jaw and your chin area as well. Comb the hair above your lip out towards your ears and comb the hair on your cheeks up.
It is really up to you how far you want to go with this look. You can have hair all the way down to the beginning of your jawline and as high on you cheeks as you want to. The good thing about this beard is that once you have the size and length, it is very easy to change up the style and get creative with it.
The Pencil
The minimalist of mustaches, the Pencil style takes the shortest about of time to grow and is super easy to maintain. This style can be achieved in a matter of days and adds a touch of class to your upper lip. You only need about 1 cm of length before you start and then just shave everything from the corner of your mouth to your ears.
Define the shape of your mustache and if you need help, just grab a pencil and hold it on your upper lip. Trim anything above or below it. You mustache should be about 2 mm above your upper lip and the widest part should be no more than 3-4 mm wide. It should be about 1 mm long, but it can be even shorter.
The end of your mustache should be narrower and more of a point. You do have to trim it regularly or it will turn into a Chevron mustache and you should keep the rest of your face clean-shaven. You can also divide your Pencil mustache in half by shaving a smaller area about 1 mm wide in the middle of your cupid’s bow.
The English
This mustache takes some effort to grow. It is similar to a Handlebar mustache, but it is much narrower and longer on the sides, but you achieve the style in much the same way. You will need patience and a lot of styling wax.
Shave everything, including the very corners of your mouth. Round out the shape of your mustache as much as possible. The point here is not to have a lot of hair, but to have very long hair. The longer and straighter your facial hair is, the better.
Use styling wax and gently pull the hair to either side, but do not twist it or pull it up as you would with a Handlebar mustache. You can have the hairs on either side as long or as short as you want.
This one requires daily styling, so be prepared to hog the bathroom. It is also very easy to go from an English style to a Handlebar, so if you like to change it up often, try the English. The English and the Imperial are a fun type of mustache that let you get creative and look good while doing it.
The Toothbrush
This is a style made famous by Charlie Chaplin and Hitler and, fair warning, those are the guys people will be associating with your mustache. You should be serious about this style before you try it, unless you are doing it as a joke and plan to shave it off the next day. You will need about 1-2 cm in length and then trim the hairs to about 2 cm wide and 1.5 cm high. It is easy to shape and maintain.
However, the fact that it was made famous by Hitler has just about ruined this style of mustache. If you have a strong personality and do not mind the odd judgmental look every now and then, go for it. Every style eventually makes a comeback eventually, who is to say you will not bring back the Toothbrush?
The things you will need
All right, so now you know the types of mustaches, but there are still a lot of things you can do to make your life easier when it comes to growing a mustache. How much time, effort, and money you should be investing in your mustache depends entirely on how serious you are about your mustache. If you are serious about having one, then invest in high quality clippers or a beard trimmer.
You should also have a good pair of scissors that are specifically for facial hair. As far as product goes, wax is your best friend. It helps your mustache hold its shape, fills any gaps, and (for men with fine hair) keeps you from looking frizzy and fluffy.
You will want to get a good face scrub too, which will help with dry skin and dandruff. Probably the only other thing you will need is a moisturizer. A good moisturizer will help prevent things like dry skin and can help cut down on frizz, giving you the luscious mustache of your dreams.
Tips for cutting and shaping
When it comes to cutting and trimming your mustache, you should always air on the side of caution. Never, ever cut or trim your mustache when it is wet. Hair always appears longer when it is wet and you will end up trimming too much off.
This can be devastating, because you will have to regrow all the length you just cut. A great trick for twirling the ends of your mustache is to use a bit of wax on your index finger and thumb and, while grasping the ends of your mustache, use the same motion as if you were snapping your fingers. Just be careful not to be too rough with it, or you will wind up pulling too hard.
The last tip is to grow a mustache that matches your face shape. If you have a more rounded face, grow a medium sized mustache, with a more angled look. If your face is more squared, go for a longer and thicker mustache.
The last thing you need to know
Mustaches are a fashion statement and they say a lot about you and your style. They can be just like a funny hat or a suit, depending on what style you pick. Whatever you decide, do not take them too seriously and just have fun with it.
At the end of the day, a mustache is something that can be easily changed, reshaped, or shaved off all together. If you want to try it out based on one of the above mustache style names, do it. Follow the guidelines for the types of moustaches above and you cannot possible go wrong. There is a mustache style for everyone and now you have all the information you need to get the best mustache you have ever had.
Sources:
http://www.americanmustacheinstitute.org/mustache-information/styles/
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/moustache-styles-and-names.html
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2012/11/01/how-to-grow-a-handlebar-mustache/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwHB-prWfgw
