Hello, I have ixed the electric razor and the multi-blade razors about 4-5 months ago in favor of a double-edge, using shave soap (proraso) and a nice badger hair brush. I must say that I have been getting great shaves ever since and I could never turn back. The one problem I am having is that even though my shave on my mustache is quite close (WTG, XTG, then ATG) it still tends to show through. It seems really smooth when I run my fingers against the grain of it but visually that is not the case. It looks okay right when I shave in the morning, but soon enough I think it starts to look quite bad and often if I'm doing something else at night I will end up shaving again. I think it could be the product of big pores, fairish skin and perhaps dark mustache hair. I was wondering if anyone else has encountered this problem and could steer me in the direction of a solution. I figure I could try to get tanner. I do live in the midwest and it is now fall so it would have to be artificial. I am somewhat hesitant to use a tanning bed, but since this is really bothering me lately it is something I would consider. I don't see growing the mustache out to be an alternative at this point as it really doesn't look good and doesn't connect well in the middle. As well as that, I am still young and I cannot grow a full beard on the rest of my face so a mustache alone might look kinda bad. Any advice I could get would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Well first off on joining the "traditional" shaving revolution I'm afraid I can't help you with the stache....I grew mine when I was about 18 and I'm 58 now and it's only been shaved off maybe once.. I've worn just a stache for most of my life...So I say grow the stache, you can't tell it may look better with time...I can't easily grow sideburns, but if I grow a beard it all eventually fills in and looks ok, at least to me... If it bugs you that much however you could use a dipilatory either cream or mechanical on the area just be careful...I'm pretty sure both will hurt..I'd just enjoy the fact that I can shave twice a day..
First, welcome to the Den. Be sure to sign up for the October Newbie Give-Away. This has come up in the past, so you're not the first. Sorry, the answer is always the same - if you're getting it smooth, and it is, as you say, just a visual issue, it's genetics and there is nothing you can do short of ripping the hairs out by the roots.
Of swarthy, Italian descent I have just come to terms with never looking totally shaved. I certainly FEEL shaved now that I use a DE but the black hair against fair skin will always be something that shaving can't fix.
Welcome, nice to have you here. I have the same problem as you. It's all genetics. My dad has a shadow even when he's clean shaved. I think my grandpa was like that too. My mustache and goatee area is always dark even when I shave. If the military allowed it, I would just grow that out.
Ok, thanks for the answers guys. I guess there's really nothing I can do then about the hair itself. Since growing it out right now is really not an option (yes it is that bad) I suppose I can only try to get a little tanner in order to make it show a little less.
Same problem here. I always used to get a hard time at inspections even when my face was perfectly smooth. My only advice is to give it a few years and when your mustache turns gray, it won't be nearly as noticeable.
Late to the party, but still thought I should reply as I know there are many others out there with the same problem and this forum comes up in Search as a prominent answer. So here's my 2 cents on this and hopefully it helps others. I've experienced this very same issue and struggled with it for a long time. When I was younger a mustache started to grow, I shaved it and whenever I shaved it looked as though I hadn't shaved as the area was kind of reddish / dark from shaving. No matter what I tried, shaving lighter, going ATG, using different shaving creams, razors, electric razor, etc. and even after the redness wore away after a few hours, the appearance of my upper lip being a shade darker / mustache still visible really annoyed for many years. I discovered that...this might sound unusual...using ladies makeup, specifically Neutrogina mineral shears buff 30 (which suits my skin color specifically), a light dabbing in the area actually blended my "mustache" zone with equal tone across my whole face. In fact, it worked so well it looked as though I had no hair growing in my mustache area as well. That and in addition to me growing out my chinstrap area and sideburns a bit more and to this day the problem has been solved.
Best advice yet. But, at 55, my mustache is still dark, with no gray. But, the grey is fast invading my beard. Life goes on. If the OP has light skin, and dark follicles, he could always just get a tan, that would lessen the 5 O'Clock shadow look. Or, just grow a mustache. Embrace the manly look, dont hide it. .
So, my mustache are contains my most dense hair growth. It is what I use to determine if my hone is where it needs to be.
