Dear Barber's Guide to Growing the Perfect Moustache & Raising Awareness For Men's Mental and Physical Health Issues

Here at Dear Barber Towers we are closing in on quite possibly our favourite month of the year, Mo-Vember!!

Its no ordinary month...what was once just the filler between Halloween and Christmas has grown into something much, much more in the last few years.

The team over at Movember have transformed the month into a veritable bonanza of moustache-growing, extreme exercising, frenzied fund-raising and all-round positivity to help raise funds and awareness around men's physical and mental health issues!

We’re guessing if you’ve read this far then you’ve already pledged your commitment to growing some devastating lip hair or maybe you’re hitting the road to run or cycle plenty of K’s?

Whatever your tipple, our 5 Tips for Bossing Movember will keep you well informed (and hopefully entertained) for the next 10 minutes…

So, lets go ahead and jump straight in there…

1. Set a Target

Growing yourself a bona fide lip tickler? Getting friends, family and work colleagues to chip in to win the chance to shave off your tash at the end of the month? Smashing out 3000 press ups in 30 days? Heading to an organised race or event to compete against other Movemberers (not sure if that is a word?!)?

Whatever you’ve set your sights on, make sure you’ve set yourself a few big clear goals to work towards. That can be around the tash growth, the exercise, and what all your efforts are in aid of. If you’re just looking to raise awareness, then good on you! Looking to raise £1000s, top stuff!

Whatever it is, put a couple of stakes in the ground and get after those goals!!

That way you’ll have it front of mind throughout the month as well as having an easy message to share with others, so they know what they are supporting.

2. Get Social

Whatever you’ve got planned this month remember to share the word, get people involved and engaged as best you can.

Social Media

Take advantage of social media and post photo updates of your Mo as it develops from barely there to full blown handlebars.

There are plenty of great templates available from Movember as well as Movember-specific Instagram Stories stickers you can add in to keep things looking fresh. Don’t forget to add in calls-to-action with links to your donation page so you can maximise the feel-good-factor your posts create.

Donation Pages/Apps

Register yourself directly with Movember and make use of their neat App to keep things in one place. Raising for another charity that’s closer to your heart, not a problem at all.

Donation pages such as Just Giving are widely known and trusted and give you an easy platform from which you can request sponsorship and share your progress with donors.

Invite friends

Friends, family, work colleague, Barry from the local bar, Movember is a great excuse to get people involved. Invite them to get in on the action and grow a mo, do the exercise, or invite them to any specific fund-raising events you have. 

3. Shave

You didn’t think we were going to get to the end of the post without a few tips on how to actually grow and care for your moustache did you? Belt up team, here we go…

November is a tough month on your facial hair and skin. For those guys who don’t regularly shave and rock the stubble throughout the rest of the year, clean shaving 2-3 times per week can be a little daunting.

Whilst using an electric beard trimmer may seem like the convenient option it’s not really the best bet if you want to keep your skin in good shape. Here at DB we recommend taking the time (10 mins max) to wet shave. You’ll get a much closer shave and can combine with some skin-friendly products to help calm, sooth and heal your face at the same time.

All that shaving, plenty of exercise and the cold weather can take a real toll on a guy’s face. Make sure you are prepped with a few essential tools to help you get by.

What You’ll Need:

A sink, some hot water and a mirror

Start by wetting the face with warm water. This will soften any bristles and open up your pores.

Towel

Drape it over your shoulder for ease of dabbing your face and to wipe clean our razor from time to time

Shave Oil

Next utilize a pre-shave oil as the first layer of product on your skin. A good quality oil provides a thin layer of lubricant to your chin, aiding your razor’s glide. Dear Barber’s Shave Oil is made with extracts of Almond, Grapeseed and Tea Tree Oils to help soother skin irritation. Rubbing a few drops of oil between your hands to lightly warm and then evenly massage over the shaving area of your face.

Shave Brush + Shave Cream

A good quality shave brush is the ideal way to apply a shave cream to your face. Here at DB we love the classic look and style of the vegan-friendly synthetic shave brushes from our friends over at Kent Brushes. Wet the brush under a tap, then, if using Dear Baber Shave Cream, work the brush in circular motions into the cream until you produce a nice lather. Apply the lather to your face to give a nice thick coat.

Razor

Whether you’re a cut-throat razor kinda guy or happy enough to use a more modern safety razor  that’s fine, we just suggest you use a razor with high quality blades and that you check the blades over time and replace once there are any signs of deterioration. For best results, shave in singular short strokes in the direction of hair growth. Rinse the razor regular to remove any excess hair. Consider the moustache style you want to nurture and make sure to shave around that style.

Post-Shave Balm

Once you are happy with your shave thoroughly rinse your face with warm water and gently pat dry with your towel. Introducing a good quality post-shave balm is critical here to ensure your newly exposed skin is well nourished, soothed, and calmed. Dear Barber’s Post-Shave Balm is specially formulated with a combination of Aloe, Allinton and Witch Hazel extracts to alleviate skin dryness and tone your skin.

Daily Good Stuff

And finally, don’t forget to support your skin’s health throughout each day by drinking plenty of water (3 litres), getting enough sleep (7 hours +) and avoiding foods with high fat or sugar content. Check out these helpful tips from Holland & Barrett for more info.

4. Style

And now you removed all of that other hair and the sole attention draws to your top lip…it is finally time to style, style, style!! With plenty of tash styles out there to choose from here’s a handy guide from our friends over at Men's Health.

Picked yourself a style? Great. Make sure you have the 2 single-most important tools for creating and maintaining that style through November: A good quality moustache wax and a bear/moustache comb.

Dear Barber’s Moustache Wax is world famous for its long-lasting, strong hold. It’s also loved by many a moustachioed man because of its Oat and Jojoba Oil ingredients which help to condition the hair from root to tip.

Dear Barber’s Beard Comb is equally handy for your newfound Tash as it is for more fuller beards. Crafted from pear wood, this slim line comb is handy enough to fit in your pocket and contains just enough space between the teeth to allow you to craft that handlebar exquisitely into shape! 

5. Have Fun

Finally, and most importantly, have fun with it! Whatever you get up to this month, no matter how small or large a gesture it is, you will be making a positive impact in the world (and looking mighty fine in the moustache department to boot 😊)!!

Here’s a big pat on the back from all of us at Team Dear Barber!!