This article is a light read on my observations from growing a moustache. It’s the second moustache I’ve grown, but my first horsheshoe moustache. My first moustache was unceremoniously shaved off 3 years ago on account of being too itchy after 3 weeks. It seemed like I was spending all my time getting the hairs out of my mouth. I’ve learned a bit about grooming overall since then, and specifically about facial whiskers in the past year. Now that I’m significantly more involved in my grooming, I took the time to research growing a moustache and read some useful articles, notably some written by Douglas Smythe. As suggested, applying aloe vera gel, is a simple and inexpensive solution to eliminate itchiness. I don’t mind brushing/combing/petting my whiskers now.
My moustache began November 1, 2014 as part of Movember and stretched into a horseshoe mid-November, when I decided the moustache should make a louder statement. The “additions” to the moustache are at an outward angle, otherwise I feel it would have transformed me into a ventriloquist puppet! It was at that time that one of my Movember fundraising tweets with a picture of my daughter was picked up 18|8 Salons for their King of the ‘Stache contest, which I was uptimately one of the winners. It’s now 11 weeks old and I wear it proudly, but still with a sense of its temporary nature. What I mean is on November 1st, my intent was to shave it off in a month. On December 1st, I wanted to use a straight razor to ceremoniously shave it off, and I would only learn how to use it at the end of the month. Then, in mid-December, I decided to keep it until the end of February. Now, I’m not sure if I’ll shave it off before Movember 2015. Seeing the pictures below of my ancestors with moustaches while visiting my family in December, encouraged me to keep it longer.
Fig. 1: Paternal Great-great-grandfather, André Lévesque (1849-1912), circa 1910.
In the beginning, the moustache felt a bit weird as I adjusted to my new look. I didn’t know if the moustache was affecting my attitude, or if I had become sensitive to other people, but it’s been positive. My wife has been supportive and enjoys my distinctive look. She thinks the horseshoe gives me a unique look, especially in Los Angeles, where appearances count for a lot. I don’t care to make a statement, but even I’ve noticed the attention the ‘stache gets – and that’s saying a lot as I’m not the most perceptive individual when it comes to these things. My family was shocked as it seems to go against my friendly, peaceful and easy-going demeanor. While on a rare trip to my hometown, Fredericton (CANADA), to celebrate Xmas in mid-December, my mother was sort of disappointed to find out it would be memorialized in pictures – giving it a permanent home! However, when I spotted the framed picture of my maternal great grandparents (Fig. 3) in the dining room, I mentioned that I’m not the only one in the family with facial whiskers. It seemed to make things better with my mother! Haha. I think it’s cool that in my life of photos, I sport different looks and I feel my moustache broadens the variety. My male friends have supported it and made comments such as: epic, badass, and bold. Many female friends have also complimented it – I mean really love it! Haha. So who knows? Maybe I’m treated a bit differently.
Fig. 2: Maternal great grandparents, Willie Thériault & Catherine Cyr, on their wedding day, August 23, 1904 in Saint-Basile, New Brunswick, CANADA. Fig. 3: Colorized portrait of Willie Thériault & Catherine Cyr, 1904. Fig. 4: Closeup of Willie Thériault (1879-1944), 1904.
Maintaining my horseshoe moustache is easy. Yes, on busy mornings, I’d rather skip brushing and waxing my mo’, but in general, it’s quick and quite simple. I’m getting used to my mo’ – at the point of no longer thinking about it all the time. So, my previous hair twirling has been replaced by petting my moustache, but thankfully it’s a lot less frequent. I’m more careful when eating so that I can keep my moustache clean. It’s not difficult, just more wiping with my napkin and occasionally pushing some errand whiskers aside.
The wax I use, Petal Pusher Fancies’ Dandy Candy Moustache Wax, is effective with a short-lasting spicy sweet scent. The Petal Pusher Fancies’ Wicked Cookie Duster conditioner/wax remover is a fantastic smelling moisturizer, and effective wax remover. The bay rum scent lasts a bit longer than the wax. The true test of my moustache maintenance happened when I got a cold. Blowing my nose wasn’t as bad as I thought. Without getting into details, I recommend doing this in private and check yourself in front of a mirror before going out.
Even after writing this article expounding the virtues of a moustache I’m still uncertain about the future of my moustache. Maybe I’ll trim the horseshoe feature, maybe I’ll shave it all off. Ultimately, I’ll shave it off on Nov. 1 as I begin my second Movember. I enjoy its look and feel, but grooming would be simplified without it. One thing’s for sure, its shaving will be a special occasion, probably toasted with several drinks afterwards. Until then, I’ll enjoy the distinction it provides and make sure that I represent the moustache universe with honor.
Stay sharp!
By Christian Lévesque, January 22, 2015
Christian Lévesque is a French-Canadian New Brunswicker who’s been living in Los Angeles since 2008. He’s a stay-at-home dad to a charming five-year-old daughter, and works part-time managing various projects at an independent film production company. He loves preparing and eating food, laughing with standup comics, IPA “tasting”, and is a fanatic about traditional wet shaving.
About Douglas Smythe
