Horseshoe mustache history. 7 of the Best Mustache Waxes to Help You Style Your Beard

Growing a beard is one thing but looking cool with it is a whole new ball game. Old fashioned mustache.

A full beard will turn off a lot of people if you don’t practice the proper grooming, trimming and styling techniques.

Fortunately with advances in technology and great new products by entrepreneurial beardsmen, having a beard can be a fun.

If you want to grow one, I suggest that you check out my other article about beard styles to give you inspiration ( there are 37!) so please take time to read that.

After you’ve done all the grooming and trimming, the next step in the process would be styling. A good mustache wax is secret to keep your beard in check.

A quick search online reveals hundreds of products. So we’ve decided to help you cut through that clutter and present to you the best mustache waxes that will help you keep your beard styled so that you look cool throughout the day.

Why Do I Need a Beard or Mustache Wax?

To understand why the need for a mustache wax, you’ll first have to understand the nature of human hair.

Much like pubic hair, facial hair will not grow evenly. Facial hair is wiry, curly and grows all over the place unlike hair on the head that’s much easier to tame.

If facial hair isn’t long enough, there isn’t much you can do but wait. But once it you have the right length, combing and trimming would be the first order of business.

Next step would be applying some beard or mustache wax. There are two main reasons why you need to apply this product.

First would be practicality. If you have a long beard, some of it will go in your mouth which can be annoying when you eat, talk or kiss someone.

Second reason would be looks. Applying mustache wax gives it a slightly glossy look. This product will help you style your beard anyway you like. Want those curling handlebars to stand out? Then a good mustache is what the doctor ordered.

Some people call this product training wax because it holds the style in place and “trains” facial hair to go a certain direction.

Difference between a mustache wax, oil and balm

To help you make the best choice, you’ll have to know the different options available right now. There are actually three and it’s easy to mistake one for the other especially if you’re just new to this.

Often times when shopping for a beard wax, you may find other beard products such as beard oil or beard balms.

While manufacturers may market these products similarly, these products have different purposes.

Beard oil strictly is for conditioning beard

Of the three products this is the most popular. It is made from two main ingredients – essential and carrier oils.

The main purpose of beard oil is to condition the beard and the skin underneath it.

Facial hair much like the hair on your scalp needs nourishment. Unfortunately a lot of men neglect this and what happens is it dries out and develops what’s known as “beard druff”.

Beard oil will help prevent that by nourishing the hair and skin. The positive side effect of beard oil would be a better looking and smelling beard.

Beard balm is a hybrid

The second product combines the properties of beard oil and wax. Not only does it contain carrier and essential oils, most beard balms contain wax and butter (shea or cocoa).

Using a beard balm will condition and nourish beard and hold it in place only for a few hours. This is great for weddings or parties that typically last a few hours.

But it will not prevent facial hair from curling up into your mouth. If you have not trained your beard with a beard brush and this may not be enough.

It does help with shaping the beard but you’ll struggle with the tiny hair particles.

The best mustache wax will style every follicle and keep it in check

Now that we’ve covered oils and balms, let’s talk about the mustache wax.

Mustache beard style guide

A quick look at the ingredients list reveals that a mustache wax contains the same ingredients as oils and balms. But here’s the kicker, the ratio of oils and other ingredients are so small that mustache wax does not condition the beard whatsoever.

Yes, even if it contains essential oils, it will not nourish the beard. The main ingredient in this product is beeswax. And this allows you to style your beard anyway you want to.

It’s a better alternative to synthetic gels that contain a lot of chemicals. So whether you are styling for competition or a date, a mustache wax provides a safe alternative.

Some things to consider before buying mustache wax

1. Strength or stiffness

First thing and most important thing to consider is how much hold do you want.

Manufacturers classify mustache wax in three tiers – soft, medium and firm/strong/hard. So for example you’re joining competition and need something to hold your beard then go with the firm hold that will hold your mustache in place no matter what.

2. Color

Another thing to consider would be the color of your facial hair. The rule of thumb is going for a mustache wax closest to the color of your facial hair. So if you have a light beard then you will need to go with a light colored wax.

There are products out there that are white. But will work on different shades of facial hair because it’s intended to be clear when applied.

3. Scent

This may be the last thing on your mind during the selection process. But it is important because it’s something that you’ll under your nose the whole day. Not to mention, it’s what other people will sniff when they’re close by. So pick something pleasant.

Ingredients to look for in a mustache wax

Majority of the content in mustache wax is beeswax which on its own will protect hair follicles in addition to making it look better.

Aside from beeswax, it also contains pine sap. This ingredient is responsible for how strong the hold is and the same ingredient found in other styling agents such as hair wax.

Other ingredients include carrier and essential oils that helps moisturize and nourish beard follicles.

But here’s the kicker, it does not contain enough of these ingredients to replace beard oil. So a good regimen will always include beard oil in the mix.

Essential oils also add to the scent so make sure to choose something pleasant.

How to apply mustache wax

Applying mustache wax is an easy process and very similar to applying hair wax. But as I’ve said earlier, the “best practice” would be first applying beard oil for hydration and nourishment of the beard.

Scoop out a pea-sized of wax (remember you don’t need a lot)

Massage wax between your thumb and index finger until it melts

After the wax melts on your fingers work it on your beard then style as you want

Some men would soak the beard wax on hot water (with the container of course!) to thaw it before scraping it out. Another technique would be using a blow dryer.

To save on time, you can soak it in a sink filled with hot water. Just make sure that the tin is covered so water does not seep through.

So without further ado, here are the best mustache waxes

Willie Willie’s Stache Wax

Willie Willie’s is one of the very few products in the market that have an all-natural ingredient list.

These ingredients include: yellow beeswax, sweet almond oil, Shea butter, pine resin, tea tree essential oil and rosemary essential oil.

Instead of using petroleum jelly, Willie Willie’s uses pine resin (from pine trees) for hold. It isn’t as potent as petroleum jelly but since it’s natural so that’s always a good thing.

Even without any petroleum jelly, it still has one of the strongest holds, enough to last the whole day even on humid days.

But you may need to use a little bit more product to achieve the same amount of hold.

How to grow a curly mustache

The carrier oil content in this product will help condition the beard but do not solely rely on it for that purpose. You may still need to use beard oil prior to application.

In terms of scent, expect a cedar and pine scent which is a bit on the soft side.

Price-wise, it isn’t very expensive at around $8 per ounce. Take note that it uses only natural ingredients and hand-made weekly so it’s a pretty good bargain in my book.

However if you don’t have a thick beard, this may not be the right product for you because it is stiff. That’s why they also recommend a wax remover to remove this product.

Woodsman Mustache Wax

Woodsman is a favorite of a lot of beardsman because of its amazing hold and petroleum free composition that oftentimes was awful.

This is all-natural mustache wax was created in 2011 by Jeremiah “The Bearded Bastard” Newton because he couldn’t find any products that did not use petroleum jelly.

Ingredients include beeswax, lanolin, cocao butter and jojoba oil. Cacao butter is a very good moisturizer for your skin that helps with acne and stretch marks.

Jojoba oil is known to help hair grow back and will give you a thicker looking beard.

The essential oil content will give a subtle woodsy scent that’s one of the manliest scents out there.

The Bearded Bastard recommends doing a patch test first before using this just to make sure you’re not allergic to any of the ingredients.

Can You Handlebar All Natural Moustache Wax

Cheap mustache waxes have one big problem – they dry hard as a rock. Your beard will have absolutely zero flexibility and it can be uncomfortable during long days.

This is where the Can You Handlebar all natural moustache wax comes in. Despite being an all-day mustache wax, your beard wouldn’t feel like cement on your face.

Men who prefer curly mustaches will love how this product will hold up well even in extremely hot weather.

Can You Handlebar was able to achieve this because of its all-natural content. This wax does not contain any petroleum jelly. Instead it uses beeswax (Michigan beeswax to be more specific) and wool wax to achieve the same hold as petroleum jelly minus being too hard.

It also contains Shea butter, coconut oil and lanoline to help nourish hair follicles and skin to help your beard look its best. These ingredients also contribute to the natural scent. This product contains zero fragrances and is made in the USA so you are assured of the highest quality ingredients.

Applying this though can be a little bit tricky. Since the product is very thick, you will need an external heat source to soften it like a hair dryer.

Putting this in your pocket can help soften it. Other men have tried using very little product then rub it on their fingers which has proven to be somewhat effective. But there will be some trial and error involved.

Death Grip Moustache Wax

This competition grade wax is made for serious beardsmen looking for the strongest holds possible.

The product itself needs an external heat source to make it soft enough prior to application.

And despite its potency it does not contain any petroleum jelly.

Main ingredients include beeswax, lanoline and pine resin.

To make application easier Death Grip comes with a picker. But you will need a blow dryer to melt the product before applying it on your beard. This is the biggest downside I see because it will take extra time and once it sets you won’t be able to re-style it.

Reviews in online stores confirm this saying that this product has amazing hold and will last the whole day. One review summed it up perfectly – it holds like cement!

Men say that this product has a pine scent – manly and pleasant.

How to grow up moustache

Honest Amish Beard Wax

So far most of the products I featured here have very strong holds.

However, not every man needs a stone-like hold and the Honest Amish beard wax gives you a less potent option great for men who’d prefer something less rigid.

Honest Amish is a favorite brand among beardsmen because they use only natural ingredients.

These include premium organic oils (they did not specify exactly what), fruit and nut butter, essential oils, botanical additives and beeswax.

Not only will this beard wax style a beard, it will also provide some nourishment to the hair follicles and skin.

Firehouse Moustache Wax, Wacky Tacky

If you want something that will hold your mustache is place even in the hottest of summers then the Firehouse Moustache wax is the product for you.

He went into this business because his favorite brand went out business. He needed something that will stand up in the heat and humidity of Mississippi thus the Firehouse brand was born.

John used beeswax and petroleum jelly as the base of this product. Other ingredients aren’t openly available because he wants to keep the recipe a secret.

But one thing’s for sure this wax will hold your beard even in the most humid days.

The biggest downside to all this hold would be malleability. Once this sets there’s no turning back.

This property though makes this suitable to men with thick beards.

Fisticuffs Old Fashioned Mustache Wax

This would not be complete without the Fisticuffs Mustache Wax – a bestseller in Amazon.

Men who have mustaches curls love how this wax holds up for a several hours. In terms of hold, this product is right smack at the middle.

This particular variant has a citrus/rosemary scent but it wears off quickly.

Application is a little bit easier compared to other waxes with more hold. And it washes off easier. If you don’t need something that’ll last the more than a few hours this is a good option.

Unfortunately, Fisticuffs isn’t all-natural which is about the only gripe I have. It contains petroleum jelly that one review said smelled like “Vicks Vapor Rub”.

To Wrap Up

There you go, 7 of the best mustache waxes available right now. Most of the items there have all natural ingredients.

Make sure to go through the checklist and see what applies to you – scent, hold and price. If you want something that’ll last at least 12 hours make sure to go with something strong like the Woodsman mustache wax or Death Grip.

Otherwise go with something with less hold if you don’t the feeling of rock hard hair under your chin. If you have not tried a beard wax before there will be a transition period but you’ll get used to it.

Lastly, please share this article with a friend if you find it useful through the social media icons on the side. And commend below if you’ve tried any of the products above and let us know it goes.