Handlebar Mustache at 1 year

Has it really been a year?  Well, if you look at all the things that have happened in my life, it is hard to believe that it has only been one year.

As I consider May 10, 2013 the day that the hairs under my nose would have emerged had I started from a clean shaven face, then May 10, 2014 is my mustache birthday.  And here is how it looks:

Please forgive my hot tired appearance and the mustache's lopsided grooming - it was a long hot day

Compare this to how I looked at the end of May last year

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It's been a great year and I plan to continue handlebaring.

Capital Mustache

The other day, at the New Mexico State Capital (known as the Roundhouse) in Santa Fe, I saw this fine looking gentleman and took my picture with him.

Identified by my mustache - in a way that is not good

I discovered something rather disturbing tonight when looking at an online review at the restaurant where I work my second job. It criticized my performance and then identified me by saying, "Our server (a gentlemen with a large mustache)" - clearly identifying me as no one else there has a mustache that can be considered large. Here's the review in its entirety (with the town and restaurant name smudged out).

January Haircut

Here's today's haircut - before and after.  As you can see, the handlebar has gotten quite large.

I am not styling it using only lanolin.  It does a very nice job of softening the mustache and adds some control.  It leaves the tips natural looking.

Trying Lanolin

I finally broke down and got some Lansinoh (100% Lanolin) after for months saying that I was using American Crew Fiber and insisting since its number one ingredient was Lanolin, they were really the same thing. As I approach the 8 month mark, I have entered a frustrating phase where wiry hairs seem to want to everywhere except where I want to style them - especially into my mouth. So, it is time for some new experimentation.

I can now say that they are not the same thing. American Crew Fiber is more like a weak wax where the Lansinoh is more or a conditioner. I can see why many of you guys love the lanolin. It really does lead to softer more manageable hair.

For the last couple of days, I have been using Lansinoh only just to see that how it works. I even wore it while working at the restaurant where I normally like to have my ends put into more tight curls (I pretty much had to go to Got2B glued for them because waxes were just not holding them).

Here's my look with just the lanolin. I am not saying that I am abandoning my American Crew Fiber, but so far I am enjoying using it (except for getting it out of the tube!).

December 27, 2013 Haircut

Here are my before and after shots for my December 27 haircut at the barber.

This is a sort of au-natural shot in that I am using American Crew Fiber to style the center but it does not do too much for the ends.

I don't know if it is the length, the dry winter weather, or what, but I am finding my mustache wiry and hard to control as of lately.

Seven-month Handlebar Mustache

Handlebar Mustache at 7 months

As I consider May 10 to be my mustache emergence day so that would make today its seven month anniversary. 

Hat and handlebar mustache

The handlebar mustache is kind of a retro fashion dating back to a different era - specifically from the 1850's to early 1900's.  During that time many men wore fabulous handlebar mustaches and also hats.  The two compliment each other nicely.  So I could not pass up this hat that I found on the clearance rack at a local store.



Handlebar mustache and a hat

During this current arctic winter weather blast, I have been wearing the hat along with a wool overcoat, gloves and a scarf.  People are telling me that I look very "dapper" and that makes a great package with the mustache.  It's a fun look which I have not gotten used to yet.

One thing that notice in the picture above is how noticeable my tiger stripes are in the mustache with distinctive dark and light streaks.  They are one of my mustache's unique defining characteristics which I rather enjoy.

Face-spanner handelbar mustache with small tight curl

Face spanner handlebar mustache with small tight curl at end

This morning's handlebar mustache did not want to from a nice large sweeping curl, so rather than forcing it, I styled it straight out like if I was going to do it English style, but it seemed to want to curl at the ends.  So I styled it as you see in this picture.  Sometimes I like this face-spanner look with the curls at the end, other times I like the large open curls, and other times tighter curls closer in.  That's the fun part of having a big handlebar - you can change it around.  I have not yet settled on a favorite style.

Christmas Mustache styled with Bounder

Handlebar Mustache Styled with Bounder Wax

I friend of mine on the Handelbar Club Forum graciously gave me a tin of Bounder wax from Wax Industries which I tried this morning.  I like the look and how it holds a nice large curl.  On the downside, the perfume smell is quite strong. 

I will add it to my drawer of mustache products that I regularly use.

Tight curls courtesy of Got2B Glued

Curled tips

The last couple of days, I have reached back in my drawer and got the Got2B tube out for the first time in a while and used it on the curls only (after using American Crew Fiber to get the stache in shape) and found that the tighter curls that it creates seem to give me more compliments. Anyway, here's how I looked yesterday.

Today I did it again and here's how it looks:


Tight curls, close up

The curls seemed to spring into position when applying the Got2B Glued.  As the glue dried, the curls tightened to form complete 360 degree circles. 

I have a hard time deciding if I look the look of a tighter curls or larger more open ones.  Decisions - decisions.

November monthly haircut shot

Time for another hair cut.  Here's my before and after shots from November 23, 2013.  Sorry that the mustache looks so unkempt, but I can't go back, have him put the hair back on and do it over again.

Au Naturel except for the cheesecake

Au naturel handlebar mustache except for the cheesecake

I would say that this is how my mustache looks with any styling product.  That is, if cheesecake is not considered a styling product.  I had major difficulty eating a piece of cherry cheesecake with a whole lot of if ending in the mustache.  Here's how I looked after wiping it out.

It was a good day for compliments, so I figured that it was a good day for a picture - in spite of the cheesecake incident.

Google results

Google results

Today when I Googled "Handlebar Mustache" and looked at the image results I saw several pictures from this blog.  Cool!

6 month mustache

My 6 month handlebar mustache

Tomorrow I consider to be my 6 month anniversary of the beginning of my mustache which I am celebrating with this photograph.  As I have mentioned before, I started from a closely cropped goatee so I can only guess as to how old the mustache really is and I did not attempt to convert it into a handlebar until the end of May, 2013.

Oiling the mustache

Today's mustache is brought to you with only mineral oil added.  No other styling products were used.


Lightly oiled mustache - otherwise au natural

Handlebar faceover fun

Recently on the handlebar club forum, some of the members pictures have been edited for the sake of fun.  I have not been spared.  Here are some of me with the comments posted.

Here you go John, there's a job waiting for you and your english styled mo at the Tower of London.....

Haircut before and after

Before and after, October 29, 2013

Here is my latest haircut before and after shots.  The mustache was untouched.  The picture on the left has a bit of a Norman Rockwell touch with it showing me, the reflection of me, and the reflection of the image on the camera of me.

These pictures show my persistent corkscrewing on the evil left side (right side of the picture). 

English Style without the goatee

At the request of an Englishman on the handlebar forum, I took and posted this picture when he wanted to see how I would look with the English style and no goatee.

In response to the picture, he wrote, "That's a real bobby dazzler me ol' china!"

As my English slang is lacking a bit, I requested a translation and got the following, "Bobby dazzler, northern English colloquialism for specially good looking...,  China (plate), London cockney rhyming slang for "mate" or pal!"

He then wrote, "John, if you're gonna look the look, you gotta talk the talk!!!!"

Hey at least I could understand that.

My wife noticed the missing goatee

Not a particularly good picture, but here's how it looks today

At a wedding reception last night, I found out that my wife noticed that I had shaved my chin after I joked with other people that she had not noticed the change.  When some acquaintances made comments about my mustache, she mentioned to them that I had also shaved off the goatee.

Later she asked me when I had done this, and I told her Thursday morning.  She said that liked the goatee, preferred my old mustache, but that the hairs were not bothering her as much when kissing.  She made no ultimatums, just these comments.

When one of our mutual acquaintances made the comment how much she really liked my mustache, I told her that my wife did not.  She said that she would have to talk to her about that.