If you are like I was, it will go against your usual habits to resist trimming. Because facial hair is cut at a 90 degree angle to the shaft each time you shave, when it starts to grow and make contact with the skin, it will be scratchy. The natural tendency will be to cut off the offending hairs--especially the ones that annoy you by itching your lips or the corners of your mouth.
Here's the thing: you may need these hairs later and should not trim anything until at least two or three months in when you can positively confirm the offending hair is truly useless. You want to have as many hairs as possible to work with once you get you moustache up and running. Trust me on this one.
The worst thing you can do is to trim along the lip line like you do when maintaining a goatee or short cropped moustache. This will give you a mullet-moustache. No good. Think of your hairs as chess pieces--would you purposely sacrifice every one of your pawns for a short-term gain at the beginning of the game? You wouldn't. Those pawns may become powerful players someday. Stay strong!
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Tim says...
Hi Spencer,
Tim here. Thanks for checking out the blog! I’m glad you found the article when you did. You should be okay and those whiskers should fill in. I’d let it grow and start using wax and a comb to train the whiskers to lay the way you want them to. Stay patient! If you find that area just isn’t filling in then maybe consider starting over and growing it all out evenly from scratch. I’d give it a good 3-6 months before deciding though. Let me know if I can help with anything else.
Take care,
Tim
On November 06, 2020
Spencer says...
I didn’t understand what I was trying to achieve until I noticed the handlebar moustache term online. I’m 2 months in but have trimmed a tiny and under the lip cause I wasn’t waxing or combing. Have I really messed it up by cutting thise lip hairs or will it fill in in due time?
On November 06, 2020
Tim says...
Glad you enjoyed it, Andy! Thanks for reading and stay bearded :-D
On September 11, 2017
Andy says...
Thanks for the great information!
On September 11, 2017