8 Mustache Styles That Actually Work With Beards

The mustache is a bold style statement in its own right. After getting past the Tom Selleck and porn stache gibes, a mustache can look pretty good on most guys, thanks to its versatility. Some guys prefer the traditional bushy basic, while others opt for something more intricate, a modern-day version of the pencil mustache, say, or a more artistic take that’s waxed and curled at the edges. And some, as seen ahead, are going full throttle and including a beard with their mustaches. The result is a thick, solid mustache set over a beard that’s been well-groomed; however, the mustache still takes center stage.

To get some perspective on the stache-beard combo, we talked to men’s grooming expert Jason Biggs. “A mustache and beard go together like peanut butter and jelly,” he says, owing to the fact that the combination of the two makes for great personal style and can help accentuate the more masculine features of the face like the jawline and cheekbone areas. Nowadays, Biggs says, the popularity of the look also stems from the fact that a lot of guys find beard maintenance to be a pain and can more easily give their attention to a mustache while letting their beard play second fiddle.

Need some inspo from the top mustache-beard combos that celebs are rocking at the moment? Have a look at our gallery below.

Henry Cavill

With his stubble and stache combo, Cavill easily puts the spotlight on his mustache by sporting little more than a five o’clock shadow in the beard department. Overall, it’s a classic style with a rough edge that looks great with the rest of his face and hair.

Alfred Enoch

While keeping his mustache full, Enoch wears his beard more like a chin strap, giving it a modern feel. Biggs also mentioned that since the beard lays low on the face and contours the jawline, it’s great for guys who don’t naturally grow very dense facial hair.

The Weeknd

“The Weeknd has a full-on classic beard and mustache combo that’s very popular right now,” Biggs says. All that’s needed for maintenance is a good brush to keep the beard looking smooth and in place. Try this boar’s hair beard brush; it’s designed to stimulate the natural oils in your beard. Moisture is key when it comes to maintaining a beard this full.

Joe Manganiello

Manganiello brings another sought-after element of men’s facial hair style to the table: salt and pepper. Biggs points out the look is mostly natural, without any hard lines or details; however, he says it does require a trim every few days to keep it looking neat. Anything longer and it’s bound to look scraggly.

Michael B. Jordan

Jordan’s taking it retro with a thin mustache (a modern nod to the classic pencil mustache) that’s separated from the rest of his beard. Biggs pointed out it’s his well-groomed goatee that ties the look together and keeps it looking clean and low-maintenance.

Ryan Gosling

Gosling’s signature look is a perfect example of the mustache-beard combo. Biggs said it only requires a few days of growth and then an easy trim on the beard and voila! You’ve got a center-stage stache with a light beard to complement it. This is an ideal starting point if you’re after the beard-mustache combo.

Anthony Mackie

Mackie’s easy-breezy beard-stache combo seems natural and effortless, but Biggs points out that it’s been groomed and brushed to prevent it from looking unkempt. Keep the beard hydrated by using a leave-in beard conditioner. While applying use fingers to style.

In the market for a killer mustache-beard combo? Here’s where to get started:

It Starts With The DNA

That’s right — a person needs to be able to grow a beard/mustache in the first place. “Hair follicles are a must for growth, and they’ll need to have a solid foundation to be able to grow a beard,” Biggs says. There’s also one’s growth patterns to consider as, for many men, their beard and mustache areas can have different densities, which may influence how the end result looks. For example, pairing a perfectly smooth mustache with a patchy beard may end up looking more scrappy than svelte, so it may be a better idea to just opt for the stache.

Plan For Regular Maintenance

The amount of maintenance is proportional to the look being pulled off. If the goal is a perfectly rounded horseshoe mustache and a flawless beard below, it’s going to take some time and effort to keep on top of that. Just plan ahead to avoid being left with a janky looking mustache-beard combo. We’ll get to the necessary tools in a second.

Consider The Shape Of The Face

Just like with a haircut, it’s not practical to point at a look in a magazine or on social media and expect to get the same results. Rather, Biggs suggests tailoring each look to complement the shape of the face. For example, for a more round-shaped face, opt for a beard that has chiseled sharp angles to add definition. For a strong jawline and more of a square-shaped face, a beard-mustache combo with rounded edges — especially around the jawline and the stache area — tends to provide an even, complementary look.

Get The Right Tools

In order to maintain a pristine mustache, Biggs recommends investing in a quality mustache comb. “Preferably a wooden comb because of its moisture-retaining properties,” he says. This double-sided rosewood beard comb from Parker is the way to go. While it may seem excessive at first, a mustache comb is quite functional in helping to lay down both the stache and the beard, while releasing any knots that could stick out and ruin the look. Other than that, get a pair of mustache scissors, like these from Ontaki, and a beard trimmer to keep it well maintained. For a particularly dense beard, use hydrating beard shampoo and conditioner to keep the combo looking fresh and lustrous.

Learn The Tricks

So there’s the hair, then the tools, now what? Since the mustache is going to be the star of the show, let’s start there. Trim and shape the stache to its desired look, then go in with a trimmer and get the beard to the ideal length. Always start with a longer trimmer setting to take hair off little by little. Although a shorter beard will offset the look and allow that stache to shine, going too short could lessen the effect.