One part of almost every man’s grooming routine is shaving or trimming their mustache.
If you’ve been working on a particular length for your mustache, then you may start to wonder if it’s time to shave it.
You may be on the fence about whether to shave or not, especially if you’ve spent a long time growing it and styling it.
Here are 10 reasons to consider when determining whether you should shave your mustache or not.
Should I Shave My Mustache? (10 Reasons To Consider)
1. It Doesn’t Fit Your Face
Mustaches are not unlike hairstyles.
Sometimes they don’t quite fit your facial structure.
If you have a particular face shape that draws attention to your nose, for example, then your mustache might emphasize that area even more.
If you consider your nose unflattering, then you aren’t doing yourself any favors by having a mustache.
Instead of shaving it, you might want to try a different style.
However, in most cases, it’s better to just shave it entirely.
Depending on facial structures, sometimes a mustache just doesn’t look good on a person.
It’s worth taking a long, hard look at yourself in the mirror.
If your mustache isn’t doing the shape of your face any favors, then it’s time to shave it off.
You should shave your mustache if it doesn’t fit your face shape.
2. It Makes You Look Older
Another reason you should consider shaving your mustache is if it makes you look older.
Some people enjoy looking older.
If that’s the case, then you shouldn’t shave your mustache.
If you don’t like looking older than you are, then you might want to consider shaving it down.
There are a few reasons why having a mustache can make you look older.
The first is that it covers up smooth skin.
You generally look younger when you have smooth skin as opposed to wrinkled skin.
If your mustache is covering your smooth skin but your wrinkled skin is exposed, then you might look wrinklier than you actually are.
As a result, you look older.
Another reason mustaches can make you look older is that they tend to grey quickly.
Maybe it’s because mustaches and beards get a lot of trimming and shaving action.
Whatever the reason, mustaches tend to turn grey rather quickly.
You might even notice that your mustache starts to display grey hair before other parts of your head.
Scientists still aren’t sure why that’s the case.
Some believe that it’s due to how quickly mustaches and beards grow.
Since they tend to grow faster than the hair on your head, they use up the melanocytes faster, too.
Once the pool of melanocytes becomes diminished, grey hair starts to form.
Because mustaches tend to become grey before anything else, they also make you look older than you might be.
By shaving your mustache off, you can get rid of those early grey hairs and look younger.
Or, at the very least, you can look your age.
You might want to shave your mustache if it’s making you look older.
3. They Require Too Much Maintenance
Mustaches require a good amount of care.
They’re not like beards which can grow and grow without much help.
Because mustaches cover a small area of your face, you need to tidy them up and maintain them more often.
Yet, you can let your beard grow without touching it for a few days.
That isn’t the case with your mustache.
You may find that having a mustache requires more maintenance than you are interested in.
For example, perhaps you don’t want to invest in certain oils that keep your mustache looking sleek and cared for.
You may not even have the budget for it.
Maybe you don’t have the time to trim your mustache each day or every other day to maintain its shape.
Having a mustache means you’ll spend some time on it each morning.
If that’s too much for you, then the best thing you can do is shave it off.
You should consider shaving your mustache if you’re not sure if you can commit to maintaining it.
4. You’re Tired Of Cleaning It
When you have a mustache, one of the first things you’re going to notice is how much more difficult it is to eat and drink.
It’s always in the way.
While you’ll have an easier time if your mustache is smaller, everyone will accidentally dip their mustache in their food or drink at some point.
This can become very annoying.
It can also be embarrassing if you don’t even realize you have something on your mustache until someone points it out to you.
Those who have long mustaches have the worst of it.
Not only does it mean you might get some mustache hair in your food or drink, but you can be sure that you’re going to need to clean it after eating and drinking.
Since mustaches surround your mouth, certain types of food can smear on your mustache instead of on your cheeks.
A juicy burger, for example, might leak some of its juice on your mustache.
Something that has some sauce on it might end up brushing against the mustache hair rather than your top lip since the hair covers the lip.
Cleaning your mustache with your tongue isn’t necessarily sanitary or effective.
As such, you must take the time to head to the nearest bathroom and look in the mirror while you wash it to ensure everything is clean.
If you don’t clean your mustache after eating, then you may look like a slob.
Society won’t necessarily think highly of you for it.
If you’re tired of having to clean up after yourself each time you eat or drink, then you might want to shave your mustache off.
You’ll never have to worry about smearing sauce into your mustache again.
You should consider shaving your mustache if you’re tired of cleaning it after drinking and eating food.
5. Tickles Or Itches
One of the most frustrating parts of having a mustache is that it can tickle or itch constantly.
This is true of new mustaches that are coming in and older mustaches that are quite big.
New mustaches tend to tickle or itch because of the growth of hair.
The process can be a bit itchy.
It feels similar to shaving hair from another part of your body and having the hair grow back.
The stubble can sometimes itch or tickle as it grows.
That can be very frustrating for some people.
As a mustache becomes larger and thicker, if it isn’t kept tamed, then it can really start to tickle.
The hair can start to touch the bottom of your nose which can tickle it mercilessly.
You might even have a case where some of the hair ends up brushing the inside of your nose which can also tickle terribly.
If you wear your mustache on the sides of your mouth, then you might feel it tickle your skin each time you speak.
The way that you move your mouth might make it brush against the hair and cause an itching or tickling sensation.
If this only happens now and then, then it might just be an occasional bother.
However, if you find that your mustache keeps tickling you or making you itch, then you might want to shave it.
Having a mustache isn’t worth it if it’s going to drive you crazy.
You might want to consider shaving your mustache if it tickles or itches you a lot.
6. It Makes You Warm
From an evolutionary viewpoint, mustaches and beards used to be vital for human survival.
Although they’re not essential for survival today, back in prehistoric times, they played an important role.
Cavemen grew beards for a few reasons.
The first was to help them stay warm.
They didn’t have modern heating or thick clothes to wear when winter fell.
Even a light breeze in spring could make them feel considerably cold.
Beards and mustaches helped keep their faces a bit warmer.
They also provided protection.
During windy days, debris that gets picked up by gusts can hit someone in the face.
Mustaches and beards provide a bit more protection for the soft and sensitive skin around the nose and mouth.
While they were important in prehistoric times, they’re a little less important today.
In fact, they may even be a nuisance for some people.
It’s a bit easier to warm up when cold than it is to cool down.
For example, you can always add more clothing to keep warm, but you can run out of clothes to take off when you’re feeling hot.
Because of this, if you have a mustache, then you may find that it makes you warmer than you’d like.
This might be even more of a problem during the summer.
Mustaches help preserve your body heat.
Since they’re only around your nose and mouth, you might find yourself in a situation where only that part of your face is sweating.
This can be an unpleasant sensation.
In an effort to stay cool, you might want to shave your mustache.
Without the mustache there, your face won’t be able to preserve body heat as well.
As a result, you’ll feel a bit cooler.
You might want to consider shaving your mustache if it makes you feel hot.
7. Your Partner Doesn’t Enjoy It
The decision to shave your mustache might not even fall to you.
Your partner might want you to shave it instead.
If you’ve never had a mustache before and you’re trying it out for the first time, then there’s a chance that they might like it.
Your appearance can change rather dramatically with a mustache.
They might not like how it looks on you, though.
Even worse, they might find certain acts, like kissing, unpleasant.
Mustache hair tends to be quite thick and coarse.
When kissing, for example, it can scratch your partner’s skin.
Eventually, the friction makes the skin turn raw—not unlike carpet burn.
Considering the pain that causes, it’s not too surprising if your partner isn’t thrilled with your mustache.
The coarser your mustache hair is, the less pleasant it is for your partner to kiss you.
As such, they might ask you to shave it off to make things a bit more pleasant for them.
If you want to make your partner happy, then you might consider shaving your mustache.
8. The Creep Factor
There’s a sort of societal or cultural agreement that some mustaches are “creepy.”
Some people with bad reputations have ruined certain mustache styles.
For example, Hitler had a very specific style of mustache.
Because of the atrocities associated with his name, society tends to link him with anyone who wears a similar mustache.
The same goes for pedophiles.
When you see a pedophile or sex abuser on TV, you might notice that some of them have mustaches.
You might then associate other people with the same mustache style with sex abuse or pedophilia.
They likely are not bad people, but the association is there.
You may find after looking yourself in the mirror that your mustache has a “creep factor” to it.
You may realize it yourself or someone else might tell you that it makes you look creepy.
Mustaches are also sometimes associated with porn stars.
The classic stereotype of the 1970s or 1980s porn star with a big, bushy mustache lives on to this day.
You might worry that if you have a mustache like that, then people will think you work in the sex industry.
If you’re worried that your mustache might make you look creepy or give the wrong impression, then you might want to shave it.
9. It’s Patchy
While many consider patchiness a problem for beards, it can happen to your mustache, too.
It’s most common when you’re first starting out growing your mustache.
Your mustache hair might not all come in at the same time when you first hit puberty.
You might even find that, as you grow older, certain parts of your mustache refuse to grow or only grow extremely slowly.
This can give you a patchy mustache which doesn’t look great.
You shouldn’t bother styling a mustache when it’s patchy.
You won’t have enough hair in certain areas to pull off the style.
As such, it’s a better idea to just shave it off and let it regrow over and over.
You should consider shaving your mustache if it only grows patchy.
10. It’s Unclean
Some people see facial hair as unclean.
They’re not wrong if you don’t take the time to clean it.
Mustaches are no exception.
Since they’re right under your nose and above your lip, it’s not uncommon for mustaches to get dirty and unsanitary.
You have snot to worry about, sauce from food, and sweat when you’re starting to feel hot.
Not only can this make your mustache smell bad, but it can also become unsightly.
If you find that your mustache is difficult to keep clean, then you might want to just shave it.
You’ll keep the rest of your face healthier and smelling better as a result.
You should consider shaving your mustache if you find yourself having to clean it frequently.
How To Shave Your Mustache
If you have decided it’s time to take the plunge and shave off your mustache, then you may wonder how to go about it.
If you want to protect your skin and reduce irritation as much as possible, then there are a few steps you should follow.
Here are the steps you should follow to shave your mustache.
1. Trim
The first thing you should do is trim your mustache.
If you go right for the razor from the start, then you’re going to have a few problems.
The best way to trim your mustache is with some oil or shampoo and conditioner on the hair.
This will make it softer and easier to trim with scissors.
Once you’ve oiled or shampooed the hair, take your scissors and trim the mustache down as much as you can.
2. Clean And Prepare The Skin
The next step is to ensure your skin is ready for the razor.
One of the best ways to do this is to take a shower.
The heat will help open up the pores which will reduce skin irritation.
You can also apply soap to the area which can help soften the remaining mustache hair even further.
Additionally, the soap can clean out any lingering strands of hair that may be clinging to your skin.
3. Shave With A Razor
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Next, you’ll want to turn on the razor and shave with the grain of your mustache.
You can feel which way the grain goes by assessing the resistance.
If it’s giving you a lot of resistance, then you’re going against the grain.
Use short strokes until your mustache hair is completely gone.
4. Apply Lotion
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After rinsing your face of any lingering hair, you’ll need to protect your skin after the shave.
There are tons of different aftershave lotions you can use.
Find one that works best for your skin type and apply it to the area.
Your mustache is finally gone and your skin is healthy.
Conclusion
Mustaches can make you look distinguished or unique.
However, there may come a time when you want to shave it.
When you’re ready to shave your mustache, be sure to follow the steps outlined above.
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