How to Grow, Trim, and Maintain a Walrus Mustache

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Plus, a look at the history of the walrus mustache

Co-authored by Jacob Joseph and Maryana Lucia Vestic, MFA, M.Phil.

Last Updated: January 1, 2026 Fact Checked

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Growing a Walrus Mustache

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Trimming a Walrus Mustache

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Maintenance

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History & Celebrities

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Why Choose a Walrus Mustache?

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Walrus Mustache Variations

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Video

One of the most unique-looking mustaches you can find is the walrus mustache—it’s known for its thick, bushy style that droops over the mouth. The walrus is considered super vintage and isn’t actually as hard to grow and trim as you might think. Keep reading for the ultimate guide to growing, trimming, and maintaining a walrus mustache, with advice from professional barber Timmy Yanchun. We’ll also cover the history (and celebrities) associated with the walrus, why you should choose it, and offer some variations to help make your walrus your own.

How to Get a Walrus Mustache

An illustration and description of the walrus mustache.

Grow out your mustache for about a month, while trimming stray hairs as needed.
Comb your mustache hairs outward to trim any excess outer hairs.
Then, comb the center of your mustache straight down to trim stray hairs in the middle.
Trim along your lip line while pulling the hairs down to snip them.
Shave or trim your beard (optional).
Use mustache wax so your walrus mustache stays in place.

Section 1 of 6:

How to Grow a Walrus Mustache

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While growing a mustache, continue to trim any stray hairs with a beard trimmer or mustache scissors.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Jacob Joseph
Barber and Men's Grooming Content Creator

Expert Interview} Try to stick to trimming around the lips, so you allow your mustache to grow out without affecting its overall shape or size.^{[2]
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Meet the wikiHow Expert

Timmy Yanchun is a professional barber and co-founder of Svelte Barbershop. He has been featured in GQ, Men's Fitness, and Hypebeast.
Use beard balm to train your mustache hairs. Apply a small amount of balm to the middle of your mustache with your thumb and forefinger. Then, gently pull the hairs downward and out to the side slightly. This will help train your mustache hairs to grow out and away from your mouth, which makes it easier to continue to shape your mustache as you’re growing it out.^{[3]
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Keep it clean and healthy as it grows. Yanchun recommends growing your hair healthily and quickly by “washing and conditioning it” or using a “beard softener, which is a leave-in conditioner for a beard.”^{[4]
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Expert Source

Timmy Yanchun
Professional Barber

Expert Interview} In addition to beard shampoo and conditioner, Yanchun also suggests using a “beard oil” or balm to keep the hair and skin healthy. Try to comb your mustache daily with a fine-tooth comb.^{[5]
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- How long does it take to grow a walrus mustache? It can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months to grow out a walrus mustache; the time differs for everyone, depending on how quickly your facial hair grows.
- Eat a well-balanced diet rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals to support healthy hair growth.

Section 2 of 6:

How to Trim a Walrus Mustache

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Comb your mustache hairs outward to trim your longer outer hairs. Combing both sides outward will help you spot any excess hairs you need to trim and train your mustache hairs. Start to trim any longer, stray hairs on the sides of your mustache using mustache scissors.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Jacob Joseph
Barber and Men's Grooming Content Creator

Expert Interview} Snip the ends, so the sides of your mustache look even and/or blend with your beard (if you have one). The final shape should look somewhat bushy, while slightly drooping over your top lip.^{[7]
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- "Prepare your mustache before you trim it” by washing and conditioning it, and “combing it really well," recommends Yanchun.^{[8]
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  Timmy Yanchun
  Professional Barber
  
  Expert Interview} Remember that your mustache should be dry before trimming, so avoid trimming right after you get out of the shower.
- Be sure that the hairs you’re trimming aren’t part of your beard, if you have one.
Use your comb to brush your middle hairs straight downward. With scissors, trim any excess or stray hairs from the center of your mustache. When trimming a mustache, hold your scissors at an angle to prevent overly blunt ends; this way, you’ll end up with a more natural-looking, blended mustache.^{[9]
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Trim along your lip line with your mustache scissors. Use your comb as a guide as you begin to trim any hairs that hang over your lip. Gently pull the hairs down with one hand and carefully snip the ends with the other as you follow the lip line.
- Stick to trimming on the bottom line of your mustache.
- Use your hands to feel how even your mustache is. Sometimes, one side will grow quicker than the other.
- Don’t worry if you trim a little too much—it will grow back, and you’ll get better at trimming your mustache every time!
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Shave or trim the rest of your beard (optional). If you have a walrus mustache without a beard, shave the area around the mustache with a razor or beard trimmer, depending on whether you have any stubble, scruff, etc.^{[10]
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Jacob Joseph
Barber and Men's Grooming Content Creator

Expert Interview} Keep the lines around the mustache clean and remove any stray hairs you notice.^{[11]
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- Apply mustache wax to your mustache using your thumb and forefinger to keep it in place.
- Using beard or mustache wax can also help shape and hold the hairs of your walrus mustache up and away from your mouth, making it easier to eat.^{[12]
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Section 3 of 6:

Maintaining a Walrus Mustache

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Use a fine-tooth mustache comb to brush out your mustache every day, so it stays clean and healthy-looking. Gently comb the hairs down and over your lip, so you can keep them out of your mouth. Combing at this angle will also help encourage the shape of a walrus mustache.
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Wash it with beard shampoo and conditioner. This will help remove any dead skin, plus any food, excess oil, or dirt in your mustache. Conditioning will make it easier to train your mustache. Dry your hair with a soft towel.^{[13]
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- Use beard oil or balm at night to keep it looking soft.^{[14]
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Trim back any hair that sticks out from your mustache as you continue to let it grow. You may find the walrus shape you were initially going for has changed, or you might decide to trim it more closely to another variation of walrus mustache.
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Apply mustache wax to keep it in place. Style your mustache by using the tips of your fingers to apply a small amount of wax to your mustache.^{[15]
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Expert Source

Jacob Joseph
Barber and Men's Grooming Content Creator

Expert Interview} Continue to train your walrus mustache by gently pulling the ends out and away from your mouth.^{[16]
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- Drink plenty of water to keep your mustache looking healthy.^{[17]
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Section 4 of 6:

History & Celebrities Associated with the Walrus Mustache

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The walrus mustache began as a symbol of manliness. Like other thick mustache styles, it was seen as a masculine symbol of authority and power, especially for Iron Age warrior Celts and Gauls, who wore it with a big, bushy beard. The walrus mustache became associated with nobility and patriotism in 16th to 20th-century Poland when worn by King John III Sobieski. European and North American military officers and politicians also favored this rugged, yet refined style.
- The walrus gets its name because of its bushy, drooping style that hangs over the mouth, which looks very much like the whiskers of a walrus.
Since the 19th century, those most famously associated with the walrus mustache include writer Mark Twain, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, and German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. More recently, it’s come back into style because of actors like Tom Selleck and Sam Elliott, who’s known for his version of the walrus, also called a cowboy mustache.^{[18]
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Section 5 of 6:

Why Choose a Walrus Mustache?

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The walrus mustache is thick and bushy, yet has a definitive shape. It’s easy to spot from far away, and it’s not a stache you’ll see on every guy around. If your look is rugged yet refined, having a walrus mustache may be perfect for you. You’ll just need to be willing to take the time to grow it out and trim it regularly!
The walrus mustache has a long history, but it became extra popular in the 19th century. Having one can help increase your vintage factor, especially if you like dressing in vests and grandfather shirts, or enjoy checking the time on your pocket watch.
Despite its girth, the walrus mustache is relatively easy to keep. As long as you wash and comb it regularly and keep wayward hairs trimmed, all you have to worry about is trying to eat your favorite foods without your mustache getting in the way! (Hint: using mustache wax helps.)

Section 6 of 6:

Variations of the Walrus Mustache

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The walrus mustache can be worn in many unique styles. There isn’t just one way to wear your walrus mustache. The default version is worn thick and completely covers the upper lip, but there are other variations to suit your needs, as well. Here are some walrus mustache styles you can try:^{[19]
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- The Classic Walrus: A thick, longer mustache that covers the upper lip with a droopy appearance.
- Lazy Walrus: A less-styled, fuller version without sharp lines that is often paired with a beard.
- Hungarian Walrus: A variation that has a low curl at the ends, which sometimes pulls in the lower beard hair for more volume.
- Chevron Walrus/Hybrid: A mix of the full walrus and the Chevron, which is shaped like an upside-down "V,” covers the entire upper lip and extends slightly past the corners of the mouth.