Small handlebar mustache. Best Movember Mustache Styles

All You Need to Know About Movember Mustache Styles

Gentlemen…start your mustaches! That’s right, Halloween has finally come and gone and November is now upon us, and you know what that means, it’s time to stop shaving and start grooming your Movember mustaches. We’ve previously covered the ins and outs of the Movember mustache marathon, so now that we’re in the very early stages of it, we thought we’d give you guys a bit of advice on some of the various mustache styles you could try out this year. Horseshoe mustache.

Since its still early days, odds are that the growth on your upper lip doesn’t really resemble a mustache as of yet, but don’t worry, you’ve still got the rest of the month for it to fill in. However, now is the time to start planning on what style you want to try to achieve, and we’re here to help you choose the right style for your face and tell you exactly what goes into growing it.

Growing Your Movember Mustache

Movember really is great, so much so that I have to say it’s one of my favorite times of the year—when men from all over the world, of every style, class and personality, donate their time and their precious upper lips to a good cause, growing a mustache to raise money for prostate and testicular cancer research. The only real problem with the event is that there are only 30 days in the month, which means many men are just starting to see where their mustache can take them when suddenly December rolls around. In truth, growing a good mustache takes somewhere on the order of two to three months. Of course, this all depends on how fast your facial follicles grow, but even if the growing is slow going, that doesn’t mean you should just let it go and see what develops.

All mustaches, no matter how big or small, require trimming—and since the point of Movember is to only, I repeat only, let your mustache grow out, you’ll still be shaving the rest of your face. This means that you need to quickly pick a style and stick with it—whether it be fu-manchu, handlebar or pencil—as you’ll need to know which areas to shave and which to leave, which all depends on what style you choose.

Choosing a Mustache Style for Movember (or any other time of the year)

When it comes to choosing a mustache style, it is important to consider the shape of your face, as certain styles work better with certain face shapes and look quite ridiculous on others. If you’re only growing your mustache for Movember and plan on shaving it off at the end of the month, you’re not left with that many choices, as it’s unlikely you’ll be able to grow a Tom Selleck in just 30 days. Therefore, it is important to also consider how your facial hair grows in, as men with thinner or curlier hair will likely never be able to grow something like the creature that lives on Selleck’s upper lip—even if they were given a whole year. So make sure to consider your own personal style and the pattern of your facial hair growth, as these will give you a more realistic idea of what styles you might be able to achieve.

Face Shape. One of the most important factors in choosing a mustache style that will look good on you is the shape of your face. If you have a bit face, you’ll want to choose a bigger style of ‘stache, while those with smaller or thinner faces should instead go for a smaller ‘stache style. Basically, a small mustache paired with a big face will make your head look downright enormous. Similarly, a huge ‘stache on a small face will make it look even smaller and more pointy. If you have a round face, be sure to check out Best Facial Hair for Round Faces.

Mustache guide

Personal Style. Another important factor to consider is your personal style. One of the great things about Movember is that it gives you an excuse to get away with almost anything, as you can always fall back on the excuse that you’re doing it for charity. However, if you want your Movember mustache to look stylish and not just be a conversation starter, it’s important to consider your personal style. We would recommend guys with wilder hairstyles to go for a simpler mustache, while those with a more clean-cut look could see a huge benefit from something a bit more sculpted or even a styled ‘stache with the help of wax.

Popular Movember Mustache Styles for 2015

So now that you know a bit more about choosing the appropriate style, here are some of our favorite mustaches for you to try out this Movember—unless you happen to live in Eureka, Nevada, where it is illegal for a man with a mustache to kiss a woman!

#1 The Trucker

A true classic, the Trucker mustache is for men with super straight facial hair. With this mustache, you’ll basically just want to let the hair grow entirely over your upper lip—only trimming anything past the corners of your mouth. The point of this stache is that it is long and hangs over your upper lip, which means that only men with fairly fast growing facial hair can pull this one off for Movember. While not the classiest ‘stache around, this one is good fun for a laugh. If you’re unsure of what this one looks like, check out Kevin Bacon’s mustache in the new film “Cop Car.”

#2 Handlebar

There is actually a lot of confusion over the “true” handlebar mustache, as many people confuse it with the horseshoe ‘stache. A real handlebar mustache covers the entire upper lip, with the corners of the stache left long enough so that they can be twisted with wax. A real “old-timey” mustache for sure, but also one that has been growing in popularity amongst hipsters the world over. This is one of those styles where you will require one of the best mustache waxes to pull it off.

#3 Fu-Manchu or Horseshoe Mustache

Although the rules of Movember specifically prohibit goatees, an exception is made for the Fu-Manchu or Horseshoe mustache (technically there is a difference between the two, as a true Fu-Manchu lets the corners of the mustache grow out until they reach the chin, whereas a horseshoe uses the hair along the sides of the mouth to achieve the same look). With this style, the sides of the mustache extend in a straight line from the corners of the mouth down to the chin, so I guess it is still technically a ‘stache—just ask Hulk Hogan, owner of one of the world’s most famous horseshoes. This is one of those styles you’ll need to decide on early, as it will be ruined if you do any trimming of these areas. Personally, if you’re stuck on what style to choose, I’d recommend to start off letting the horseshoe grow in and then making your decision, as you can always trim this style up into basically any of the others on this list.

Mustache pics

#4 The Pencil Thin

Not to be confused with that song by Jimmy Buffett, the pencil thin mustache is a great choice for Movember, especially if you don’t have the thickest facial hair. One of the most popular mustache styles for black men, a pencil thin mustache can look great on any man with a smaller or skinnier face. Just be aware that it requires a bit more dedication and maintenance than other styles, as you’ll need to carefully shave the top of your upper lip every day or two to keep it looking proper.

#5 The Porn ‘Stache

The Porn ‘Stache could probably be called a half-horseshoe, as it is basically the exact same thing except the corners only reach halfway down to the chin. Personally, I think this style looks much more classy and respectable when compared to the Horseshoe—despite what its name would imply. If you’re still not sure what this one looks like exactly, think Burt Reynolds in “Smokey and the Bandit.”

#6 The Full Mustache a.k.a. The Borat

In short, this is a thick, full stache that even Tom Selleck could be proud of. However, for Movember, this style really only works for guys who have really thick facial hair that grows in very quickly.

#7 The Business Man a.k.a. The Ron Burgundy

Clean, tight and well kept, just like The Anchorman himself. This is one of the most versatile styles around, working for men with faces of all shapes and sizes. Stay classy!

#8 The Dali

Popularized by Salvador Dali, who once wrote an entire book dedicated to his ‘stache, this is probably one of the most outlandish mustache styles around. In fact, I’ve yet to see someone who it actually looks good on, including Dali himself. This style is basically a pencil thin mustache, with a bit of handlebar thrown in for good measure. As it takes some time to get the corners long enough to wax, I’d recommend starting off with the handlebar and then trimming the upper portion of your top lip once the corners are long enough.

How to shape my mustache

A Final Word on Movember

In truth, there is no end to the number of mustache styles out there, meaning this list can really only give you a cursory glance at all the styles you could try out this year. So, if you’re interested in finding something a bit different, I’d recommend looking at pictures of famous mustachioed men and choosing one that appeals to you—and no matter what style you choose, make sure to wear it with pride. After all, it’s all being done for a great cause and whether to decide to shave it all off at the end of the month or decide to hold to it, be sure to keep the rest of your facial hair at bay with a razor from our list of the best safety razors.