Mckenzie Santiago – founder of Brooklyn’s first and only men’s grooming line, Brooklyn Grooming - has worked in the grooming industry for over a decade. Her natural knack for grooming began with a black pocket comb that she has carried around in her back pocket for most of her life, earning her the nickname “Fonzie.”

In Part I of this Men’s Grooming series, Mckenzie offers tips on how to create and maintain the perfect moustache.

MOUSTACHE TIPS

For centuries facial hair has been a sign of masculinity. Beards and moustaches were often worn by men of power. Today the modern man uses his facial hair to express himself, and a well groomed moustache can be a bold way of displaying character.

The hair on your face is coarser than the hair on other areas of your body. This makes it prone to dryness and irritation. To care for your moustache, I recommend the following.

DO:

1. Wash and condition every other day so as not to throw off your natural sebum (oil) production.
2. When your ‘stache starts growing past your lip, it’s time to trim. Find a scissor that is specifically designed for moustache trims. They will curve away from your skin and are designed to get into tight areas. For around $15 you can get some nice stainless steel pair.
3. Use a wide-toothed comb and brush downwards to groom your stache. This will help determine the amount of excess that needs trimmed and will brush away unwanted things in your stache (like last night’s pizza!)
4. Use moustache wax or beard oil, both of which are designed to moisturize and turn your stache into a soft and stylized piece of work

DON’T:

1. Use a moustache wax that is colored or has a black tint. Trust me.
2. Use a wax that is petroleum based – it will clog your pores and lead to skin damage over time.

We are lucky to live in a day and age where we have several alternatives and many companies are offering moustache waxes that are petroleum free. Beard oils and moisturizers are also nice for moustaches. For people that aren’t so much into styling and just want their stache to be a bit softer, a beard oil will do the trick. Just a couple drops and your moustache will feel and look softer. A huge plus with oil is they go to the layer of skin beneath the moustache which tends to dry out easily.

For more styling tips visit: http://www.americanmustacheinstitute.org/mustache-information/styles/