Moustache wax

Moustache wax is a stiff pomade applied to a moustache as a grooming aid to hold the hairs in place, especially at the extremities. The required product strength (or stiffness) is based on whisker length and the desired style. It can also have restorative properties, which become more important as the hair length increases. The wax is usually scented and sometimes pigmented with dyes; high end products utilize various combinations of iron oxide to create darker shades.

Gentleman with a waxed moustache ca. 1910 wearing a Homburg hat and pince nez

Generally less than a fingernail of wax is used when applied. More sophisticated recipes may include gum arabic and a soap, scent and colouring may also be added if desired, to either strengthen the hold or for comfort.[1]

Common ingredients

In addition to the wax itself, more-experienced "waxers" use a moustache wax remover and conditioner. The reason for this is that warm soapy water (used by the novice) removes wax build-up but damages the bristles by stripping them of natural oils, so an oil‑based moustache wax remover, that may double as a leave‑in conditioner, is preferred by some.[lower-alpha 1]

Notes
  1. Taken from Beard and Moustache Conditioning Manual For the Whiskered Warrior to the Everyday Gent
gollark: That's back to just sounding weird and arbitrary.
gollark: I see.
gollark: It seems vaguely like complaining about food having chemicals in it, which would be very stupid, except there is apparently decent evidence of "processed" things being bad, whatever that means.
gollark: It kind of annoys me when people complain about "processed" foods because they never seem to actually explain what "processing" does which is so bad or what even counts as "processed".
gollark: Also, you apparently didn't hide anyone else's faces. That's probably impressive, though? I mean, I don't have context for such numbers, but they seem big.

References
  1. "D.I.Y. Moustache Wax". The Handlebar Club. Retrieved 2011-05-02.
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