How To Trim Your Mustache Like a Pro in 7 Easy Steps

It takes hard work to get the best mustache in the game. Even Tom Selleck has to break out the clippers and practice mustache maintenance on a regular basis. If you want a ‘stache like his, you’ll need to snip, trim, and condition regularly.

Keeping your beard clean isn’t the only part of your facial hair care regimen to focus on. Having a thick, full, healthy beard is a huge win — kudos to you for achieving that! Still, some concentrate more on their beards and neglect their mustaches, which is a no-no. 

A well-groomed mustache adds to the whole ensemble of a presentable look. It takes patience and practice, but upkeeping your mustache will be worth it. With the right tools and methods, we can teach you how to trim your mustache like a pro and keep it that way!

How Do You Trim Your Mustache? 5 Steps for Success

Before even thinking about trimming your mustache, you need to start with the prep work. 

Follow these first steps to prepare your mustache for the electric trimmer and safety razor treatment. Then, use the tips at the end of this article to get the perfect mustache style.

Grow It Out

Keeping a tame ‘stache doesn’t mean keeping it short. The first step is growing it out! 

Your mustache hair must be thick and long enough to be proportionate to your full beard (if you choose to sport one). A patchy, thin mustache will be difficult to style. If you are having trouble growing a thicker mustache or getting your desired beard style, beard growth vitamins and specialized beard oil can help.

Try Growth Vitamins

Our Growth Vitamins ensure that your facial hair journey starts strong and continues that way. A carefully-curated mixture of hair-supporting vitamins like vitamins A, C, D, and E (just to name a few) can help kickstart and maintain thick facial hair. 

Rub Some Oil in That Beard

Growth Oil provides next-level moisture and nourishes your facial hair follicles and skin underneath your beard while simultaneously hydrating and softening. Who said manliness had to mean a rough, itchy ‘stache? We’re not about that.

Here’s a quick tip: growing out your mustache could take some time, and everyone’s hair growth rate differs. Whether it takes one week or one month, stay patient and stick with your mustache care regimen. Before you know it, your ‘stache will reach your desired length and be ready to style.

Decide Your End Goal

Once your top lip is looking nice and shaggy, it’s time to decide what style of mustache you want in the long run.

Are you looking to just maintain what you have? Does your mustache need to be styled and handled with a mustache trimmer? Or, do you want to keep growing your facial hair longer or thicker? 

Answering these questions and figuring out your personal preferences ensures that you end up with the look that you love — whether that’s the classic walrus or handlebar mustache or something a little more subtle.

Gather the Right Tools

Once you decide what you would like to do with your mustache, gather the right tools for trimming. These tools include a mustache comb, mustache scissors for stray hairs, beard trimmer, and (of course) a mirror. 

Prep your ‘stache for trimming by cleaning your face first. Using a face wash that is compatible with your specific facial hair, cleanse your face and mustache thoroughly. 

After completely washing out the cleanser, proceed to towel dry your face. Remember — do not start trimming your mustache or beard until your facial hair is dry. When the hairs are dry, you’ll know what and how much to trim; wet hairs can deceive us.

Comb Your Mustache

The right beard comb will soften your facial hair and allow you to see which direction to trim the mustache hairs. Our specialty Mustache Comb is the perfect tool to use for this part of the trimming process.

To prepare for trimming, comb the hairs straight down at a 90-degree angle to see how long your mustache hair is and where and how much to cut it with a pair of scissors.

Trim With Scissors

Here are some steps and tips for trimming a mustache with scissors like a pro:

• You can start by making small cuts to the outer corners of your mustache and working your way towards the middle (right under your nose). Or, try starting in the middle — right under your nose — and trimming in the direction of the outer mustache.
  
  
• Keep your hand as steady as possible! You don’t want to end up with an uneven and unpresentable mustache.
  
  
• Cut at about a 45-degree angle and follow the shape of your lips for a clean and symmetrical look.
  
  
• Make sure you are cutting your mustache right above your upper lip.
  
  
• Keep the angle at 45 degrees when trimming under your nose and along your lip line.
  
  
• Use your comb to detangle any stragglers. Trim right above the teeth of the comb if you need to remove any loose hairs.
  
  
• Finally, use your comb to shape your mustache as you choose. Once you see what you like, you can snip uneven strands and move on to using an electric trimmer.

Use an Electric Trimmer

Next, it’s time for the big guns — the electric beard trimmer, that is.

Compared to scissors, a trimmer provides a cleaner, sharper cut and helps get rid of thinner hairs on your face. Our PT45 Trimmer is specifically designed for mustaches and beards. After countless hours of testing, research, and development, we ended up with one trimmer to rule them all. 

The PT45 comes with eight color-coded interchangeable heads that attach to the trimmer. These swappable heads provide you with everything you need for 45 unique beard and mustache trimming lengths. 

Using a Beard Trimmer: Pro Tips

Here are some tips for using the PT45 trimmer on your mustache:

• After combing your mustache straight down to see the length, make sure to have an idea of where you would like to trim. The goal is to trim the mustache right above the upper lip line (just like the technique you used with the scissors).
  
  
• To use the trimmer, start with the outside of your mustache, working your way towards the middle section. You’ll finish right under your nose.
  
  
• Keep the trimmer at an angle that follows right above the lip line. Aim for a 90-degree angle to trim parallel to your lips. Keep working your way across the lip line until you reach the middle.
  
  
• The beauty of the trimmer is that you can even cut the hair directly under your nose. Carefully and quickly make a straight line under your nose to remove unwanted hair.
  
  
• Don’t rim all the way down to your lip. Only a few centimeters will do. Making a clean line under your nose keeps your look sharp and clean and banishes any extra-long nose hair.
  
  
• If you think your mustache is too thick, use one of the PT45’s interchangeable guides to run through it again. If you’re unsure of what level to use, start with the longest guide and work your way down. This technique will make your mustache look cleaner and help it grow in without getting too thick too quickly.
  
  
• Like you did with the scissors, comb through the mustache to see any stragglers missed while trimming. If there are some undesirable hairs, use the trimmer to quickly and carefully remove them by keeping the trimmer at a 90-degree angle and delicately taking away the hairs.

How Do You Clean Up After Trimming Your Beard?

We’ve all been there. You’re done trimming your beard, and now there are about a thousand tiny hairs all over your sink. Your SO will definitely appreciate it if you clean them up — but how do you do it?

Our cleaning recommendation is simple: Use a dry paper towel on the surface of the sink. While you might be tempted to spray your bathroom counter down with a cleaning solution, save that step for after the hairs are gone. A dry paper towel is often better at catching stray facial hair than a wet one. 

Once you’ve dry-wiped the sink, do a quick once-over with another paper towel and some bathroom cleaning spray. Keep an eye out for hidden hairs around the sink handles, on the floor, and even on the surface of the mirror — no one likes finding mustache hairs everywhere after a trimming session.

Hair Care That Cares

Got your perfectly trimmed ‘stache? Good! Now, let’s try to keep it that way. 

Head over to The Beard Club for more tips on facial hair growth, smoothing, shaping, maintenance, and even accessories for all your beard and mustache needs.

Sources:

Wait! Don't Let Your Stylist Cut Your Hair Wet | Good Housekeeping

The 5 Best Vitamins for Hair Growth (+3 Other Nutrients) | Healthline

Here's How to Never Again Deal with Beard Trimmings All Over the Sink | Esquire