How to Set Your Wax Up for Success

The secrets to an expertly styled moustache lie not only in knowing how to prepare moustache wax for use, but also in properly setting your moustache once it's styled. Whereas the secret to preparing your moustache is warmth, the secret to setting it is cold. This is especially important in the warmer months of the year as the outside environment is constantly fighting to undo your hard work.

Once you've styled your moustache to your liking, applying a cooling element to the wax will harden the wax and ensure that your style stays put. This can be accomplished in a number of ways:

• Turn your hairdryer to its cool setting and gently pass the hairdryer in front of your moustache at a distance that will cool it but not unsettle it;
• Place your face in front of the air conditioning vent in a car or other location and allow the cool air to set your moustache;
• Open the freezer door and stick your face in for thirty seconds to a minute - it may sound silly, but the quick change from a warmer environment to a much cooler one will set your moustache, and the lack of moving air will keep your moustache in place while the wax sets;
• In the cold months, simply step outside and let the cool environment set the wax.

The cooling process may take anywhere from thirty seconds to a few minutes, but this is an imperative step in the process. Allowing your wax to fully set will help make sure that your hard work and efforts to style your moustache aren't undone once you step out the door. Happy waxing, everyone!

Need some moustache wax? Try our Primary (medium hold) or Secondary (firm hold), and pick up some wax lifters and a moustache comb to make your styling even easier.

Is it safe to wax your moustache every day?

If you have the moustache wax and the time, you could certainly wax your moustache every day, but should you? Will waxing your moustache so frequently compromise its health? If you care for your moustache properly, and use a quality moustache wax like our Primary Moustache Wax or Secondary Moustache Wax, you can absolutely wax your moustache every day.

Daily waxing of your moustache will help you train your moustache to lay the way you would like, whether this would be to sculpt a handlebar moustache or simply keeping your moustache out of your mouth. However, you still must take proper care to ensure that your moustache stays healthy. Our Primary and Secondary waxes contain local beeswax (from Michigan bees), USP lanolin, castor oil, coconut oil, shea butter and Vitamin E; ingredients that are designed to not only allow you to sculpt the style you wish but also keep your facial hair healthy.

In addition to using a quality moustache wax, be sure to properly care for your moustache. At the end of the day, take the time to apply one of our traditional beard oils or Beard Dry Oils to your moustache. This serves a dual purpose: 1) the introduction of the oils will slowly break down the holding properties of the wax, making the wax easier to wash out, and 2) the oils will condition your moustache, keeping it healthy.

There's no need to wash the wax out immediately, but if you do so, be sure to apply some oil again afterwards as the washing will have taken out the oils as well. If you do wax frequently, there is nothing wrong with giving your moustache a break for a few days, but be sure to continue to apply the beard oils or Beard Dry Oils during that time to make sure your moustache stays healthy.

How to Prepare Moustache Wax For Use

It's not enough to have a great moustache wax at your disposal - to create an enviable styled moustache, you have to know how to use your wax, and that starts with properly preparing it for use. Not too long ago, we published an article on How to Properly Prepare Moustache Wax for Use, but in case you're in more of a hurry, here are some quick tips to help you out. Remember, the name of the game is warming your wax.

The importance of moustache care

Brian Furby aka TitleBeard with a moustache styled with CanYouHandlebar Secondary moustache wax.

Moustache care is important too

For those of you with standalone moustaches, this may come as no surprise, but this is directed more to our bearded friends who also sport a moustache – caring for your moustache is just as important as caring for your beard; arguably, more important. Not because your moustache is more deserving of care, but simply because your moustache is on the front line of the daily firefight we call life.

Take a moment and think about it. Sure, you may get food in your beard, but how often do you get food or condiments in your moustache? Likely much more often. How often have you gone to take a bite of food and ended up with a bite of moustache instead? If you smoke, any time you exhale, the smoke comes into contact with your moustache. Even if you don’t smoke – any time you breathe, that air and condensation hits your moustache. When you kiss your significant other, there’s the moustache again. As you see, the point that we’re making is that your moustache comes into contact with all sorts of foreign bodies throughout the day, so you need to make sure that you care for your moustache properly to reduce the wear and tear.

Beard oil isn't just for beards

Of course you could also use our Primary or Secondary wax to keep your moustache out of your mouth, but your moustache will still come into contact with something, even if it’s just the air you breathe. When you wash your beard with our Every Day Beard Soap, be sure to wash your moustache too. Whether using one of our traditional beard oils or one of Beard Dry Oils, take the time to apply some of your chosen conditioner to your moustache as well (unless you’ll be applying wax, because the oils can break down the hold the wax offers).

Did you have a long day out on the town with a supremely styled moustache? Even if you do not wash the wax out of your moustache at the end of the day, take some time to apply one of our traditional beard oils or Beard Dry Oil to your moustache. The oils will not only help break up the wax, making it easier to wash out the next morning, but will condition your moustache throughout the night, leaving you to wake up to a healthy and happy moustache. Even though our moustache waxes were designed with not only hold, but moustache health, in mind, the extra conditioning offered by one of our oils is a great step to take to preserve the health of your moustache.

Proper care contributes to better growth

Using facial hair care products are about supplementing the natural oils that your body produces. Daily activities like all of those mentioned above can strip your hair of these natural oils, and a poorly taken care of moustache is not only dry, but more prone to split ends and broken hairs. When growing a beard and a moustache, many men have realized that their moustache appears to grow slower than their beard. While this is true in many cases, taking steps to properly condition and care for your moustache will ensure that your moustache is in a prime position to grow, and remember, a happy moustache makes for a happy man.

How to properly prepare moustache wax for use

Quick tips: Warm your wax, both prior to and during use, and don't be afraid to take advantage of multiple heat sources.

Moustache wax is an excellent tool to help keep your moustache styled, and even conditioned if you use the proper wax. Just as a true handlebar moustache starts in the middle, an effective use of moustache wax starts with a thoughtful preparation of your chosen wax. As a producer of beard and moustache products, CanYouHandlebar wants to make sure you’re informed about the products you’re using on your facial hair. You take the time to cultivate it, so it makes sense that you would want to take the time to learn a little more about what you put into it, and the proper ways in which to do that.

Warm your wax

The name of the game is warmth. As you’ll notice when opening your tin of Primary or Secondary, the wax is rather firm in the tin. You can scrape some of the wax out with a thumbnail, or use one of our wax lifters for a less messy application. However, there are some considerations you should take into account before you reach this step. You want the wax to be warm prior to application. This will allow for easier removal and application.

Don't be afraid to experiment with warming methods to see which one suits you best

You can accomplish warming your wax in a number of different ways. 1) Place the tin of wax in your front pants pocket for a while as you go about your normal activities. Your natural body heat will warm the wax a bit; 2) Give your wax a bath. Put the entire tin (lid on) in a sink or mug full of hot water for a few minutes. We made our labels oilproof and waterproof for occasions just like this; 3) Aim a hairdryer at the wax (lid on or off) and hit it with heat for a few minutes; 4) Scrape out an amount of wax and use your thumb and forefinger to roll it into a ball, then place your thumb and forefinger in your mouth as though you were going to use them to whistle, and use exhaling to warm the wax. Just be careful to inhale through your nose and not your mouth as that could cause you to swallow the ball of wax.

Continue warming through application for smooth and even results.

There are certainly a number of other methods that work, but these are the ones we have found to be the most effective and easiest to accomplish. Remember that the wax will continue to cool as long as it’s not exposed to a heat source, so be prepared to use a hairdryer on a low heat setting, or mini-flat iron, as you work the wax into and through your moustache for a smooth, even application. Proper preparation of your wax will save you time and get you the best looking results.

Primary vs. Secondary

Quick tips: Primary moustache wax has a medium hold and is great for daily use. Secondary is a firmer wax perfect for more aggressive hold and styles.

One of the most common questions we hear is "Should I use Primary or Secondary Moustache Wax?" We appreciate customers wanting to make an informed choice - we're happy with the quality of our products and we want you to be confident in, and happy with, your purchase. Feel free to peruse this brief explanation of the differences between our moustache waxes, and contact us with any questions.

A thoughtful recipe

We have nothing to hide with our moustache wax. Our ingredients always have been, and always will be, printed on the label for you to see. Both of our waxes contain local (Michigan) beeswax, lanolin, castor oil, coconut oil, shea butter, and Vitamin E. After much experimentation, this is the combination of ingredients that we came up with to best style your moustache while being conscious of your facial hair's health as well. The same care that went into crafting the final recipe also went into the design and materials of our labels. Like with our traditional beard oils and Beard Dry Oil, the labels on our tins of moustache wax are oil proof and water proof.

Primary

In our description of our Primary Moustache Wax, we ask the question "Are you a laid back gentleman that would prefer to encourage your hairs rather than resort to force?" If so, this is your wax. Primary wax is a medium hold wax that is great for daily use. As we discussed in How to grow a handlebar moustache, training your moustache is an important part of the handlebar process. Primary is an excellent product to train your moustache, not only to shape a handlebar but also to encourage your moustache to lay the way you'd like, whether that be for the simple purpose of keeping it out of your mouth during the day or to help you cultivate your own moustache style. However, as Primary is a medium hold wax, it does allow users to craft more aggressive stylings that will hold up throughout the day.

Secondary

Our Secondary Moustache Wax is simply, "a firmer wax". If you are looking for a moustache wax that will allow you to craft the most detailed of stylings and keep it in place throughout the day and night, this is the wax for you. While Secondary was not designed with competitive facial hair events in mind, it has shone through as an ideal wax for competitive purposes; one that allows you to style your moustache and keep it in place throughout the rigors of competition as the night goes on. You'll notice that Secondary is firmer in the tin than Primary and thus requires more heat to make the wax malleable, but the application process is still straightforward and easy to do with some practice and the aid of simple tools like our wax lifters, Kent Moustache Comb, and a flat iron and/or a hair dryer on a low heat setting.

Don't be afraid to use wax on a daily basis

Regardless of whether you choose to use Primary or Secondary, don't be afraid to use moustache wax on a daily basis, especially if you are training your moustache. Knowing how to effectively use moustache wax is an important step in making sure that your moustache always looks its best. We designed our wax with daily use in mind, not just in the wax itself, but even in the tins themselves. Our tins have a slim profile that fits easily in even the smallest of pockets, making it a perfect addition to your every day carry. While you may not need to reapply moustache wax throughout the day, it is always handy to have on your person in case you need a touch up. Still haven't been able to decide which you would like? No problem; take advantage of our discounted Get A Pair package. Keep in mind, while we have been discussing the differences, Primary and Secondary work well in concert with each other. There are a number of customers who use Primary to wax the middle hairs of their moustache and then use secondary for the curls in a handlebar and other styles that may require more hold. Good luck, and happy waxing!

Repairing a handlebar that won't stay together

Repairing a handlebar that won't stay together

A customer wrote in and asked about ways to prevent a handlebar from splitting apart at the curls. I have meant to write an article about this for a while now. These are the techniques that have helped me out a lot in my handlebar moustache journey. Ahhh, repairing the split in the moustache. The snakes-tongue, as I call it. The best way I have dealt with this is some combination of the following:

Mini flatiron.

About $25 on Amazon. I let it heat up for 5 minutes while I am oiling my beard, checking for errant nose hairs or trying to find the dime that rolled off the counter under the cabinet. Anyway, this flatiron (used VERY carefully, so as no to burn you or char your moustache) is a wonder product. It brings all of the hairs to the same angle from whatever their natural growth patterns was. A pro-level variant on ironing is to compress the hairs (again, carefully) between the paddles and then turn my wrist to around 90 degrees so that the ends of the handlebar turn up and then gently pull the iron towards the tips, away from my nose. This puts a gentle curl to the hairs like scissors to ribbons, if you will. It is better to take many quick passes at your moustache than to try to pressure cook those hairs. I have done this scores of times without incident but it is possible to burn those hair right off if you forget you are flat-ironing your moustache and start watching a Breaking Bad marathon.

Too much / too little wax:

Wax is sorta like fuel in an aircraft. Too much and it is too heavy and crashes. Too little and you run out and it crashes. The good news is, no one dies when you are figuring this out. I mean, that is really good news. If people died manicuring their handlebar, the liability policy I could have to take out would bankrupt me. Try altering quantities and journal the results. I am kidding about the journal. Actually, that would be interesting to read. So, journal. Then please share it. Include flowery language like they did back in the Civil War era too, please.

Moustache comb.

Not "a comb I use on my moustache," but a bona fide (please note use of fancy Latin--that means I am serious) moustache comb. Preferably from Kent. Preferably purchased on CanYouHandlebar.com (link). Here is why: the teeth are super fine, so they separate the warring factions of the snake tongue into discrete hairs and coerce them into playing nicely with one another. Regular ol' black grandpa combs (of which I have owned dozens) were "ok" but no great shakes for wax distribution. Ideally, each hair should have a super thin coat of wax and should gently touch the hair next to it like a pack of youth group kids in inner-tubes going around the bend of a slow river.

Occasional trimming.

When my handlebar gets super long, then my gravity defying feats begin to falter. This is not a recommendation, just something I have done on occasion.

"Manly Marks: A Letterpress Project" review

Manly Marks: A Letterpress Project

"Manly Marks: a Letterpress Project" is a very cool idea and there are 5 days left, so if you want a really cool and totally unique memento of your journey--follow the link and order yours! In addition to a handmade book there are other cool items at different award levels.

As many of you know, I love entrepreneurs and well made things. Brandon is a printmaker and has assembled a really cool hand made book about being a man. In his video, Brandon mentions the merits of the beard and so I am happy to announce that I am giving some beard Dry Oil to some of the backers of one of the coolest Kickstarter projects I have ever seen once the campaign has wrapped up!

Of course you know page three should be "apply Dry Oil to your beard." :}

(Disclaimer: I make nothing if you sponsor the project).

Myths and Misconceptions: Growing a Handlebar Moustache

Myth 1: The longest hairs are on the outside

Not true! A proper handlebar moustache has, as its members, hairs from all parts of the upper lip. One might think that because the tips of the handlebar are the most salient feature of the moustache style, the outer hairs are the longest. In reality, the innermost hairs are the longest because they have to travel across the whole lip and then up into the curl. The whiskers closest to the curl are the shortest if the moustache is ever trimmed.

Myth 2: You don't need to be "X" to have a Handlebar Moustache

The handlebar moustache belongs exclusively to no one type of man. Hipsters appreciate the casual confidence it lends. Prep school types appreciate its distinguished pedigree and lumberjack types love the pure manliness it exudes. If you are like me you don't fit 100% into any of these categories. I grow a handlebar moustache because it fits me. Try it out and see if it is "you."

Myth 3: Handlebar moustaches makes you an "X"

Kind of like myth #2, some people will think you are a certain sort of guy because you grow a handlebar moustache. Sometimes this is good. As an introvert, folks think I am outgoing and therefore feel comfortable starting conversations with me. I have personally never met a dumb person with a handlebar. Some folks think men with handlebars are more creative. This is the good part. Other folks don't hold handlebar moustaches in high regard. The truth is: you decide what your handlebar says about you. I think it expresses my confidence and appreciation for classic values. Only let the labels stick that apply to you!

Why use a quality Handlebar Moustache Wax?

Training your Handlebar Moustache

You may not know this but all hair has a direction it wants to grow. Some areas like to swirl clockwise or counter-clockwise, some grow straight out, some grow left, others right. What you need to do is get them to grow out to the sides and then up into a curl, the length of which you decide. What a quality wax will do is force the hairs into the uniform direction you decide. This is kind of the same effect as "bed head" or "hat head." the chief difference being that this hair training is on purpose and will be repeated daily until these new habits become second nature to your moustache hairs. Believe it or not, you need more wax during the first three months than after your handlebar moustache is fully grown.

Soothe your skin

A good moustache wax has both wax and oils. These provide the holding power you'll need (see training section, above). A side benefit these ingredients is that they provide a barrier of protection against the irritation of newly growing hairs.

Condition your Handlebar Moustache hairs

A good moustache wax also adds oils to hair that probably got washed off when you rubbed a bar of soap all over it. I'm no Surgeon General and I am making no medical claim. That said, ladies tell me hair needs a little oil to look better and last longer.