How to Curl Your Mustache: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide
A perfectly curled mustache — those elegant upward sweeps of a handlebar — is one of the most striking looks a man can wear. But getting those curls to form and stay trips up most beginners. The secret isn’t just slapping on wax and twisting; it’s a combination of training your mustache and styling it correctly.
This guide walks you through the whole process: how to train your mustache to curl (including the method most people skip), how to curl it with wax step by step, how to curl it without wax, how to fix uneven sides, and how to make the curl last all day.
Not sure how long yours should take? Try our mustache growth calculator.
First: Make Sure It’s Long Enough
Here’s the mistake almost everyone makes — and the competitors rarely warn you about: don’t try to curl your mustache too early. Out of excitement, men start flipping the ends up the moment there’s a little length, and it looks awkward and stubby.
You need the hairs long enough to all come together into a defined end, not just enough to flip the very tips. For a proper curl, grow your mustache out until the hairs extend past the corners of your mouth and have real length to work with — usually a few months. Patience first; curl second. (See our guides on how long it takes to grow a mustache and the stages of growing a mustache.)
Step 1: Train Your Mustache to Curl (The Step Most People Skip)
Before wax even enters the picture, train your mustache — this is the pro secret that makes everything easier. The goal is to teach the hairs which direction to grow and curl, so wax later just refines a shape that’s already there instead of forcing stubborn hairs into submission.
The blow-dryer method (the best way to train):
- Start with a clean, damp mustache (right after a shower is ideal).
- Using a fine-tooth comb or small round brush, comb the hairs out from the center toward the sides, in the direction you want them to curl (up and out).
- Apply hot air from a blow dryer while holding the shape with the comb. The heat begins setting the hair into that pattern.
- As it nears dry, switch the dryer to cold air to lock the new shape in. The hot-then-cold cycle actually alters the hair’s structure so it holds the direction.
Do this daily, and over time your mustache naturally learns to sweep into the curl — making the styling below far easier.
Bonus training tip: even before it’s long, take a tiny bit of wax each day and pull the hairs down and out to the sides. As they grow, they’ll lie in the right direction instead of straight down over your lip.
You can also read Do I Shave What’s Connecting My Beard to My Mustache?
Step 2: How to Curl Your Mustache With Wax (Step by Step)
Once it’s long enough and trained, here’s the core technique:
- Start clean and dry. Curl best holds on a clean, fully dry mustache.
- Warm the wax. Scoop a small (pea-sized or less) amount of mustache wax and rub it between your fingers until it softens — warm wax spreads evenly and is much easier to work with.
- Apply from the center outward. Work the wax through your mustache starting in the middle and moving out toward each end, coating the hairs root to tip. Use a comb to distribute it. If your mustache is wiry or thick, use a little more.
- Twist the ends. At each side, use your thumb and forefinger — as if you’re snapping — to twist the hairs together into a point, sweeping up and out. Use your right hand for the right side, left hand for the left.
- Form the curl with a tool (optional, for tighter curls). Press the waxed end against your chosen tool and hold for at least 10 seconds:
- A pencil or pen = tight, modest curls.
- A larger dowel or dedicated mustache curler = sweeping, theatrical points.
- Set it. Let the wax set. For extra all-day hold, some men add a light mist of facial-hair-safe hairspray on their fingers and smooth it through.
That’s the handlebar curl. Practice makes it cleaner each time.
How to Curl Your Mustache Without Wax
If you’d rather skip wax (or ran out), the blow-dryer training method above is your answer. A wet mustache shaped with hot air and locked with cold air will hold a curl on its own for a while — it won’t be as crisp or long-lasting as waxed, but it works. Combing daily in the curl direction also gradually trains the hairs to hold the shape naturally. For any real staying power, though, wax is what locks a true curl in place.
You can also read Mustache Gap: Why You Have One, and How to Fix It (or Rock It)
Troubleshooting Common Curl Problems
One Side Won’t Curl Like the Other
Very common — one side naturally flips up, the other flips down. Don’t worry: when applying wax, work each side with the matching hand and deliberately twist both upward, matching the tension and direction on each side. Daily training (the blow-dryer method) gradually evens out stubborn sides.
My Mustache Curls Into My Mouth
If hairs curl down into your mouth, it’s usually length plus untrained growth direction. Train the hairs outward (not down) with daily combing and the blow-dryer method, keep the center parted and combed to the sides, and use a little wax to hold the hairs up and away from your lip. Regular trimming of the hairs hanging over the lip helps too.
The Curl Won’t Last
Make sure the mustache is fully dry and clean before waxing (oils and moisture kill hold), use enough wax for your hair thickness, and consider a stronger-hold wax. A light setting spray adds longevity.
Not sure how long yours should take? Try our mustache growth calculator.
Keeping Your Curled Mustache Looking Sharp
- Comb through each morning to remove tangles, then re-wax and reshape.
- Wash regularly with a gentle cleanser — a grimy handlebar holds curl poorly and looks worse.
- Trim smartly to keep the shape defined; you can’t cleanly curl a wild bush.
- Train daily — consistency is what makes the curl come naturally over time.
- Be patient — a great curled mustache is built over weeks and months, not overnight.
(Fun fact: at competitive mustache events, some men use a dab of Elmer’s glue for extreme, gravity-defying hold — but that’s a special-occasion trick, not for everyday use.)
You can also read Mustache Brush: How to Choose the Right One (and Use It Properly)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you curl your mustache with wax?
Start with a clean, dry mustache. Warm a small amount of wax, apply it from the center outward, then twist each end up and out with your fingers. For tighter curls, press the waxed end against a pencil or curler and hold for 10 seconds. Let it set.
How do you curl a mustache without wax?
Train it with the blow-dryer method: shape a damp mustache with hot air and a comb in the curl direction, then lock it with cold air. Daily combing also trains the hairs to hold a curl, though wax gives the crispest, longest hold.
How do I train my mustache to curl?
Comb a clean, damp mustache outward in the curl direction, set it with a blow dryer (hot then cold), and repeat daily. Apply a tiny bit of wax each day to guide the hairs as they grow.
How do I stop my mustache curling into my mouth?
Train the hairs outward and upward (not down) with daily combing and the blow-dryer method, part the center and comb to the sides, use a little wax to hold hairs away from the lip, and trim hairs that hang over the lip.
Why won’t both sides of my mustache curl evenly?
It’s normal for sides to grow in different directions. Wax and twist each side upward with the matching hand, match the tension, and train daily — the unevenness improves over time.
Not sure how long yours should take? Try our mustache growth calculator.
The Bottom Line
Curling your mustache comes down to two things most guides only half-cover: training it (the blow-dryer hot-then-cold method, so the hairs learn the shape) and styling it (warm wax, twist from center outward, set with a tool for tighter curls). Don’t curl too early, work each side evenly, keep it clean and trimmed, and train daily. Do that, and you’ll have a crisp, head-turning curled mustache that holds all day.
Ready to go deeper? See our guides on choosing a style like the imperial mustache, our mustache brush guide for training the hairs, and how to make your mustache thicker for more to work with.