Man's Face Stuff

Oops, bit of a long gap since the last post as I have been busy with some GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT. Also I am a bit lazy. Full steam ahead though as there is so much more moustache based blogging to do.

Man's Face Stuff on the Etsy craft site do a wonderful line of uniquely scented moustache wax straight 'outta' Portland. The Gin and Tonic range they make is the favourite scent of wax I've used. The lemon and quinine really come through and it is the perfect dressing for any moustache on a hot summer's day. The All-Nighter scented wax really does capture the pipe tobacco and coffee smell perfectly with a wonderfully rich and evocative aroma oozing from the wax. I have also tried the Red Hot which is very spicy and leaves a strong cinnamon tingle in the nostrils, maybe a little too strong for some tastes.

They all seem to be of the same consistency, midway between a cream and a stiff beeswax. As a result the hold does suffer since it's quite a soft finish and not really up to taming the more wayward hairs for the whole day. I think it works best as an everyday product when used sparingly for a more casual shape. To really get a good curl going you have to put quite a lot in resulting in quite a heavy and waxy finish, maybe useful if you're going for the overly waxed Dali style.

Any worries about the consistency are really overshadowed by the scents though and I have used up most of the Gin & Tonic over this last balmy summer. The All-Nighter is a nice way start to an evening at the club. The Red Hot has been good winter warmer on a cold morning but I have found the heavy cinnamon can be a little too much.

All in all Man's Face Stuff produce some of the more interesting waxes around and have a few more exotic looking fragrances available. Ginger Dandy anyone!

A Dedicated Moustache Comb

Above is one of my trusty moustache combs. Purchased from Trumpers this is a 25 tooth Kent 81T model moustache and beard comb. It's a lovely, sturdy and discreet comb, perfect for hiding away in the pocket. When you're out and about and your moustache needs a good de-tangling or style touch up, after a bowl of hearty soup say, this proves invaluable. It is a replacement for my much missed Kent 87T which is sadly no longer available. The 87T had an ingenious folding handle which acted as a protective case. This avoided the problem of placing a slightly waxy comb into a lint filled pocket and gumming up the teeth with all sorts of detritus. Apart from that minor grumble this is an excellent comb. Below is a picture of the little fellow in action.

Clubman Moustache Wax

As you can see from my first post my natural moustache is very wayward. Bristly brushes popping out all over the shop. For fine sculpting and shaping, a wax is very much needed.

The first moustache wax I ever used was Clubman. It's the most easily bought on Amazon and available at Trumpers, although at £9 it's quite expensive there. No cheapskates at Trumpers please.

It comes in a little squeezy tube and includes a tiny comb/brush tool. I find the tube can get a little messy and the lid is far too small and easily lost. The tiny comb/brush is useful but more effective for lady eyebrows than an intimidating man moustache. Also the pointy end means that reaching into your pocket for it can be an exciting but dangerous gamble.

As for the wax itself, the texture is quite fluid and easy to work between the fingers. The aroma is a pleasant lemony-fresh type of scent but not too overpowering. Its main drawback however is its bright white colour. This means it takes an awful lot of working in to get rid of any creamy residue and all that rubbing can make the wax become a little flaky as well. Creamy and flaky are not good looks.

Once it is fully worked in, the tube lid located and the tiny comb safely put away the results are not too bad. I find it's quite good for achieving the English Moustache style which I tend not to sport too regularly due to the worry of poking someone on a packed tube in the morning. It is also a little more towards the mad looking end of moustache styles. I find that some curling can take away the pointy

madness and I shall be blogging on some useful curling techniques and tools in future posts. For now please enjoy some pictures of me and mah moustache all waxed up and pointy.

From The The First Sprouts of Downy Fluff

Welcome to the first post of my moustache based blog. A quick introduction is probably in order. I am JDBotterman, struggling musician and enthusiastic moustache grower.

I have been sporting facial hair ever since I could sprout a decent amount and have had a big moustache for about five years now with varying degrees of success. The first lesson of moustache growing is that it is not a binary process but rather a lot like gardening. On your face. It takes time, patience and lots of love and attention.

Currently it seems that moustache awareness and appreciation is at an all time high, no doubt helped along by the Movember charitable movement. Under the guise of charity any man may now publicly grow a moustache free from any perceived persecution or embarrassment. This is a good thing.

I often get asked questions about my moustache, the most common being "How long did that take to grow?", "Do you put any styling products in it?" and "Why? Why? Why?". These are not simple questions to answer but rather the opening gambits of a long and detailed discussion. Not many have the time for this so I have decide to start blogging about the adventures of my top lip companion right here, for you.

My aim for this blog is to document all the trials and processes that go into being the owner of a very big moustache. I thought it would be good for anyone interested in growing, maintaining or just reading about such things to have a little corner of the Internet where just that is being done. I have a huge amount of styling products, grooming paraphernalia and handy tips (excuse the pun) which I will be sharing.

I thought I would start with a few pictures of the moustache fresh from the shower, shampooed, lightly dried and combed. No products have been added or appliances used. As the weeks pass I shall be showcasing some techniques and equipment that you can use to tame the 'tache. I hope you will enjoy it.