The Most Attractive Mustache Styles and Trends
Written by Shaylynn Marks
Forget everything you thought you knew about mustaches. They’re not just for your dad, your grandpa, or your high school history teacher anymore. From rugged lumberjack to refined gentleman, there’s a mustache style that can level up your current look. In this guide, we’ve got everything you need to choose the right style for your face shape, maintenance level, and aesthetic.
What Face Shape Are You? And Why It Matters for Your Mustache Style
The right mustache can highlight the strongest features of your face. If you pick the wrong one, it can completely throw off your look. Matching your 'stache to your face shape is the key to pulling one off like a pro.
Most Common Face Types
- Oval: Oval faces tend to be longer with a rounded chin, and a forehead as the widest part of the face.
- Square: With an angular jawline, a square face is equal in width and length from forehead to chin.
- Round: Round face shapes have their cheekbones as the widest part of the face, with a rounded chin and jawline in equal width and length.
- Oblong/Rectangle: Similar to the square, oblong shapes have a strong jawline that has an equal width to the forehead, but the overall shape is longer.
- Diamond: Another face shape with wide cheekbones, but diamonds have a pointy chin with a narrow forehead and jawline.
- Triangle: The jawline is the widest part of the face for triangle shapes and gradually becomes narrower from the cheekbones up to the brow line.
- Heart: Heart face shapes tend to have a broad forehead and wide cheekbones, which tapers down to a pointed chin and slender jawline.
Mustache Maintenance: Tools and Products to Keep Your Style on Point
Growing a mustache is only half the battle. You’ve got to keep it styled and healthy if you don’t want to end up having women cringe at the sight of you. Whether you’re rocking a chevron or a full handlebar, proper grooming is what is going to take your appearance from scruffy to sharp.
What Your Need in Your Mustache Toolkit:
Beard Shampoo and Conditioner
Yes, even your 'stache needs a proper wash. Regular facial cleansers can dry out the hairs and skin underneath, which can lead to itching, flaking, and breakage. Use a beard shampoo and conditioner for minimal daily care that’s gentle on your skin, but tough on build-up.
Mustache Wax
For overall control and shape, the type of wax you use can vary. If you’re going for minimal styling, use a light hold mustache wax. For a classic curl, you can never go wrong with a firm hold mustache wax. Wanting some serious structure? Grab an even stronger mustache wax styling gel.
Mustache Combs
Kind of a no-brainer, but the proper mustache comb to keep your 'stache neat and tangle-free is essential. Keep your go-to comb handy for everyday grooming, and even buy a pack of mustache combs for some backups—especially if you’re like me and lose combs as fast as you lose guitar picks. The type of comb will depend on your own personal preference, but a sandalwood comb is also a great option if you want something extra durable with a little weight.
Precision Tools
Don’t worry, you don’t need a dozen accessories like that red flag ex that hogged up all the bathroom cabinet space. Just add some quality scissors to your arsenal for regular trims, and grab a detailing razor set as an easy way to keep things shaped up on a regular basis.
Top Mustache Styles and Trends
The Bearded Stache
Pair a bold mustache with heavy stubble or a short, well-kept beard. It works well with nearly any mustache style but looks most flattering and classic with a chevron.
Best For: Almost any face shape. A versatile combo that can adapt to your mustache style choice.
Skip It If: Your beard doesn’t fill in evenly. This style depends on balanced stubble.
Famous Faces: John Krasinski, Idris Elba
The Horseshoe
Built for attention, the horseshoe mustache drops two thick vertical bars from the corners of the mouth down to the jawline, forming an upside down “U” shape. It’s one of the few mustache styles that pack a punch straight out of the gate.
Best For: Round face shapes. It draws the eyes downward, creating an illusion of a stronger jawline.
Skip It If: You’ve got a long, narrow face. This shape can exaggerate the vertical length.
Famous Faces: Hulk Hogan
Bonus: The Zappa, named after music icon Frank Zappa, consists of a horseshoe with shorts sides added with a goatee.
The Chevron
Thick and effortlessly classic, the chevron is a no-fuss mustache style cut in a strong inverted “V” that follows the shape of your upper lip. Great for beginners.
Best For: Oval, triangle, and square face shapes. Plays well with symmetrical or strong features.
Skip It If: You’ve got a round or heart shaped face. It might crowd your upper lip and steal the spotlight.
Famous Faces: Freddie Mercury, Henry Cavill (Mission Impossible: Fallout)
The Handlebar
The handlebar’s thick center and curled-up ends aren’t for the half committed. It demands patience, product, and precision. Wax those tips and keep the center tidy to instantly channel in that old school western vibe.
Best For: Oblong, triangle, and square face shapes. Adds width and balances out the sharper angles.
Skip It If: You have a round or heart face shape—this mustache style can make your chin look smaller.
Famous Faces: Daniel Day Lewis (Gangs of New York), Chef Joe Sasto
Bonus: A Petite Handlebar is a shorter, trimmed-down version that only takes about 2-3 months to grow.
The English
This mustache style is all about precision. The English is center-parted at the philtrum and styled into horizontal points that stretch just past the corners of the mouth. It’s trimmed narrow, never covers the lip, and demands a solid wax game.
Best For: Oblong, square and triangle face shapes. It adds structure and length without the bulk.
Skip It If: It’s a no-go for heart and round-shaped faces. It can exaggerate soft features.
Famous Faces: David Harbour (Stranger Things), Tom Selleck
The Walrus
Unapologetically big and bristly, this mustache style is a literal beast. No curls or styling tricks here—the key is raw volume and length that goes just over the lip and droops straight down.
Best For: Lazy dudes with oval, square, or rectangular face shapes.
Skip It If: You have softer features.
Famous Faces: Sam Elliot, Kurt Russell when he’s in full grizzly mode.
The Hungarian
This mustache style is thick and bushy like a walrus but shaped up neat like a handlebar. It rides low on the cheeks, and the outer curl is much more subtle.
Best For: Any Long face shapes or guys with serious beards. It balances out length and adds max impact.
Skip It If: The Hungarian mustache tends to shrink chins even more, so this style is best to avoid if you have rounder features.
Famous Faces: Think real life strongmen of the 1800s.
The Lampshade
Clean cut with a bit of attitude, this mustache style is a classic associated with servicemen, thanks to its crisp shape and no-nonsense vibe. Usually worn short, it can be trimmed tight or left a bit fuller for bolder effect. Tidy edges are key.
Best For: Square, oval, heart, and diamond face shapes.
Skip It If: You’ve got an oblong face; this mustache style can make it look longer than it is.
Famous Faces: Thomas Lennon (Reno 911), Bryan Cranston (Season 1 of Breaking Bad)
The Painter’s Brush
Broad and low maintenance, the Painter’s Brush mustache looks like it was swiped with a single stroke. It’s thick like the chevron but with sharper angles with soft, rounded edges. It never goes past the corners of the mouth.
Best For: Diamond and heart face shapes. It adds weight and balance to narrower chins.
Skip It If: This mustache style can overly elongate oblong and rectangular face shapes.
Famous Faces: Will Ferrell (Anchorman) Pedro Pascal (Narcos)
The Pencil
Minimalist, sleek, and just a little dangerous. Also known as the “mouth brow,” this mustache style sits low above the lip in a tight, narrow line.
Best For: Round, oval, and heart shaped faces.
Skip It If: Thin 'staches cause angular face shapes to look and feel like those sharper features are exaggerated.
Famous Faces: John Waters, Raul Julia (Addams Family)
Bonus: You can lean into the Golden Age Hollywood mustache trend by opting in for a parted pencil. All you have to do is add a precise gap at the philtrum.
Find Your Signature Stache
A well-groomed mustache should draw attention as much as it defines your face. You want your facial hair to signal confidence, maturity, and style—which is basically the holy trinity of what many women find attractive. So pick your shape, keep it in check, and let your 'stache do the talking.
