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We’re living in the Great Mustache Renaissance. Lip dusters are everywhere — even in my own mirror as I, dear reader, crossed over to the ’stache side about two years ago (and I’m not looking back). Throughout my journey, I’ve realized that this kind of facial hair requires constant care, which is why mustache wax has become an essential tool in my grooming arsenal. Its main purpose is for styling and grooming, but mustache wax can also help people with longer styles keep facial hair out of their mouth, says Brandon Faulk, a barber at Church Barber in San Francisco. And even if you’re not trying to shape elaborate handlebars, mustache wax comes in handy for creating a thicker, fuller look and taming errant hairs, says Robert-Jan Rietveld, barber and co-founder of Schorem Barbershop in Rotterdam.
Basically, think of mustache wax as pomade for your face — with both, a little goes a long way, says Michael Haar, owner and operator of Haar & Co. Barbershop in New York City. Emulsify a pea-size amount between your fingers, then apply it starting in the middle and working your way out to the ends. The result is only as good as the product you’re working with, though, so I consulted a panel of nine barbers and mustache experts for their recommendations and tested some out myself.
What we’re looking for
Hold
Like other hair-styling products, “mustache wax comes in varying levels of hold, so it’s essential to choose one that suits your style and preferences,” says Sami Sue, head of education at Rudy’s Barbershop in Seattle, Washington. High-hold waxes lock hairs into place and last the entire day, while medium hold will give more of a natural look that still keeps its shape — but may start to wilt after around six hours. The kind you want depends on what style of mustache you have, and how thick, curly, and long your facial hair is. No matter what type you use, though, it should be washed out daily to prevent buildup, Faulk says. Below, we’ve ranked each pick’s hold from light to high based on our own testing, expert advice, and product labeling.
Ingredients
Sure, the point of mustache wax is to control facial hair, but its secondary function is to soften and smooth, says Andrew Maki, a barber at Persons of Interest in Brooklyn. He says he encourages people with mustaches to think about the skin underneath and look for moisturizing ingredients like beeswax, shea butter, lanolin, and coconut oil. We’ve highlighted the main ingredients of each product ahead.
Scent
Mustache wax goes right under your nose, so choose one you can tolerate because they tend to stick around. There are also many fragrance-free or “neutral” options with a minimal scent, but even those have some sort of odor from the ingredients alone. For each select, we’ve described the dominant scent.
Best overall mustache wax
Hold: High | Ingredients: Beeswax, mineral oil, witch hazel leaf extract, rosemary leaf extract | Scent: Orange peel and spearmint
This high-hold mustache wax is “the only wax I use personally and on my clients,” Rietveld says of the beeswax-based formula. It’s also a favorite of Adrian Dominguez, a barber at Shed Barber and Supply in Austin, Texas, who says he uses it when he wants a more structured look that still has a natural finish, thanks to the malleable consistency that allows for easy application.
I can also confirm that this wax, my favorite of all I tried, has incredible staying power: It kept my ’stache in place from the morning until well into the night, with no flyaways at all (my whiskers tend to become unruly as the day wears on). The formula is nearly rock-hard in the tin, so figuring out the right amount did take a bit of trial and error before I realized I only needed about half the recommended pea-size portion.
Best less-expensive mustache wax
Hold: High | Ingredients: Beeswax | Scent: Neutral with light citrus
This ultratraditional wax (in a tube!) is simple to apply on all styles while giving “mega grasp and all-day hold,” Haar says. It comes in a variety of colors if you want some gray coverage or to make your mustache more pronounced, but I opted for the neutral (uncolored) version. What I liked most beyond the fact that, yes, it does in fact hold all day long, is that the packaging gave me more control over the amount I was squeezing out. And because the formula is less firm, it emulsified quickly between my fingers and was easier to work into the hairs. Although, just like with all the other waxes I tried, I still needed to comb it through to ensure even distribution and no pilling; celebrity men’s groomer Melissa DeZarate recommends using a sturdier metal or carbon comb instead of the one the Clubman comes with. Stephen Wu, market educator and senior barber at Fellow Barber Hudson Yards in New York City, says he also likes the neutral version because its smell suits those who might be sensitive to stronger scents.
For another tinted option that simultaneously conditions hair, Rietveld points to Beard Gains, which contains cocoa and shea butters, coconut oil, almond oil, and lanolin for a softening effect.
Best mustache wax for beginners
Hold: Medium | Ingredients: Castor seed oil, beeswax, babassu seed oil, shea butter | Scent: Vanilla
For those who are new to mustaches or still in the growing stage, this moisturizing but not-too-heavy wax is Maki’s choice for beginners who might not be ready for excessive styling (yet) but still want to keep their facial hair in place. When I tested it out, I appreciated the smoothing properties, especially because one of my biggest issues is keeping flyaway hairs in place. There isn’t as much hold as some other waxes, but that wasn’t a problem for me and might be even better for beginners whose whiskers aren’t very long yet. I loved the sweet vanilla scent, which wasn’t overpowering.
Best high-hold mustache wax
Hold: Very High | Ingredients: Pine rosin, lanolin, beeswax | Scent: Unscented
Death Grip comes in multiple strengths, but the secret to this ultrahold — as in wind-proof — wax is the pine gum, which is why Maki says he prefers it for long, elaborate styles that require extra strength. It’s nearly solid in the tin, so make sure to spend time warming it up between your fingers before applying it.
Best medium-hold mustache wax
Hold: Medium | Ingredients: Beeswax, shea butter, eucalyptus oil | Scent: Vanilla, cumin, and saffron
Haar says he’s been a fan of this Proraso wax for years because it’s versatile and moldable “without a locked-in stiffness.” It comes out of the jar like a cream but takes on a waxier texture, which Haar says he likes for natural shaping on his own mustache and those of his clients. The Italian-made formula is also pleasantly scented with a sweet, spicy aroma that has a barber-shop feel but doesn’t linger in my nostrils. I found the innovative texture to be one of the easiest to work with.
Best mustache wax for thick hair
Hold: High | Ingredients: PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone), glycerin, alcohol | Scent: Whiskey, cedarwood, lavender, jasmine, patchouli
Dominguez says he likes that this wax dries hard and doesn’t flake, which makes it great for thicker hair types. The innovative formula is soft in the tin but hardens once it’s exposed to air, thanks to the PVP, which forms a film to hold hair in place. (Wu also says he likes the Suavecito for the control it offers.) The refreshing scent is another plus, Dominguez says, and the fact that it goes on clear, making it ideal for all hair colors.
Best mustache wax for curling
Hold: Very High | Ingredients: Beeswax, “petroleum product” | Scent: Unscented
This small-batch, U.S.-made wax comes recommended by Sue, who says she favors it for its heavy-duty hold and because it comes in three different styles based on the color of your facial hair. “Tacky” is, oddly enough, the darkest and best for black hair, but all three offer long-lasting grip that the brand calls “Competition Ready” — in other words, suitable for shaping longer and more creative styles you might find at the World Beard and Mustache Championships.
Best traditional mustache wax
Hold: Medium to High | Ingredients: Unlisted | Scent: Vanilla
This is the mustache wax Salvador Dali used, Faulk says. We could end the endorsement there, but in my own testing, I liked its softer-than-expected texture and subtle vanilla scent. The hold was good but surprisingly light, so if you’re going the Dali route, you’ll probably need to use a larger amount than some higher-hold waxes. But if you’re just looking for some smoothing and moisturizing with a natural finish, this is a solid choice.
Some more mustache products we’ve written about
Our experts
Jayson Cousins, barber at Regent Barber
Melissa DeZarate, celebrity men’s groomer
Adrian Dominguez, barber at Shed Barber and Supply
Brandon Faulk, barber at Church Barber
Michael Haar, owner and operator of Haar & Co Barbershop
Andrew Maki, barber at Persons of Interest
Robert-Jan Rietveld, barber and co-founder of Schorem Barbershop
Sami Sue, head of education at Rudy’s Barbershop
Stephen Wu, market educator and senior barber at Fellow Barber Hudson Yards
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