What Is the Italian Mustache? Plus, How to Shave & Maintain It

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Face shapes & hairstyles that work best with an Italian stache

Co-authored by Timmy Yanchun and Marcus Pruitt, BS

Last Updated: October 10, 2025 Fact Checked

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What is an Italian mustache?

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Growing & Cutting

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Styling & Maintenance

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Face Shapes

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Hairstyles

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Celebrity Examples

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Other Mustache Styles

The Italian mustache is a sleek mustache that offers a look of elegance and smoothness. The clean style works great for a multitude of people, and in this article, we explain why. Read on to learn just exactly what the Italian mustache is, how to cut and maintain one, what face shapes work the best with it, and more!

The Italian Mustache Style Explained

The Italian mustache is a sharply cut mustache that twirls at the ends. It’s a type of handlebar mustache, as evidenced by the twirling ends. To achieve an Italian mustache, grow a full mustache, trim the upper half of the stache so that it has a slight curve at the end, and apply beard wax to the ends and twirl them.

Section 1 of 7:

What is an Italian mustache?

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Also known as the Spaghetti mustache, the Italian mustache is a variation of the Handlebar mustache that’s often associated with Italian men. Like the Handlebar mustache, the Italian mustache twirls at the tips, with the key differences being that the Italian mustache is much thinner and has a cleaner cut than the Handlebar mustache.

Section 2 of 7:

How to Grow and Cut an Italian Mustache

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The Italian mustache itself doesn’t require lots of facial hair, but having a lot can make it easier to cut the style, as you’ll have more facial hair to work with. Once you grow a thick face of facial hair, comb it out to remove any twists or knots.
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Carefully trim into a longer, thin mustache with long ends. Cut just above the base of your mustache, keeping some hair on the edges and bottom while straightening out the sides. Don’t cut it so thin that you end up with a pencil mustache; just make sure it isn’t as thick as a horseshoe mustache.
- If you don’t want outwardly twirling ends, cut the ends of your mustache into a curl.

Section 3 of 7:

How to Style & Maintain an Italian Mustache

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Use beard wax or balm to twirl and shape the ends. Once you’ve trimmed your stache down thin, apply a dollop of beard wax or beard balm to your finger and use it to shape the ends of your mustache. Shape them into a twirl by pulling on the waxed end with your index finger and thumb, then wrapping the end around your index finger using your thumb. This will give you that signature elegant, curly look.
- Professional barber Timmy Yanchun suggests going to a barber for the first cut, then trimming it yourself afterwards for upkeep.^{[1]
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  Timmy Yanchun
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Regularly trim the edges. Facial hair specialist Marlon Rivas says maintaining the mustache line above the lip so it’s not growing over the lip or into the mouth is a great way to give your mustache a more groomed appearance.^{[2]
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Marlon Rivas
Facial Hair Specialist

Expert Interview} Use a beard trimmer or scissors to trim the edges of your Italian mustache when they start to grow out.
- Trim it along the natural shape of your stache rather than going along the twirl, as it can get unkept once you wash and reshape it.
Use beard shampoo and conditioner to wash your mustache. Washing it at least once or twice a week ensures that any built-up dirt, wax, grime, or oil can be washed away so that your mustache is fresh and clean. To exude the elegant charm that comes with this look, you’ll need to make sure it’s clean and easily shapable (which won’t be possible with grime and dirt buildup).

Section 4 of 7:

Face Shapes That Go With the Italian Mustache

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The oval face shape can oftentimes seem long, but the Italian mustache can help balance things out. The mustache provides a buffer in the middle of the face, creating a distinct bottom and top halves of the face while simultaneously giving the illusion of a smaller face. So, if you’re looking to slim down your oval face, rock an Italian mustache.^{[3]
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The square face shape is full of angles and hard lines, with the Italian mustache being a great choice for balancing out those angles and lines. The sharpness of the mustache takes attention away from the edges, softening them and helping balance out the bottom half of your face (particularly the jawline).
Like the oval face shape, the rectangle face shape can seem long, but the Italian mustache comes in to help balance things out. It creates contrast within the face and draws attention towards its upper half, which balances out the length and gives the illusion of a smaller face.^{[4]
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When dressed with Italian mustaches, round face shapes are given the illusion of extra definition. It draws attention away from the round edges of this face shape, making it seem like you have more angles around them than you actually do.
The heart-shaped face has a small chin and a wide forehead, and the Italian mustache comes in to help balance those features. With the thin, well-groomed look, the Italian mustache draws attention to the face’s mid area and away from the chin and forehead, making it a great choice if you have a heart-shaped face.^{[5]
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Section 5 of 7:

Hairstyles That Go with the Italian Mustache

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The clean and elegant side-part is the perfect choice for the Italian mustache. The side part separates the short sides and the long top with a clean parted line on the right or left side of your head, making for a smooth, defined cut. The Italian mustache pairs well with this defined cut, matching the energy with a look that’s just as clean-cut.
A low taper creates a sharp, clean look on the sides and back of your head, which pairs well with the Italian mustache. The elegance and sharp cut of the mustache is still the attention-grabber, with the low taper serving as more of an accent that adds a flair of elegance to the look.^{[6]
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Using gel to slick back your hair creates a great pairing for the Italian mustache. Slicked-back hair is sleek and helps bring attention to the sharp, elegant look of the Italian mustache without sacrificing your luscious locks. So, if you’re looking for a clean, timeless look, grab the hair gel and get ready to work.
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French Crop The French crop is a haircut with short sides and a short-medium length top. The top peeks over the forehead into bangs, making for a distinct look that pairs well with the Italian mustache. They’re both sleek, sophisticated styles that are great if you’re looking for an elegant look.^{[7]
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- Add some texture to the top with products like sea salt spray if you want a more voluminous hairstyle.
If you want to show off your Italian mustache and rely on the shape of your face to complement it rather than your hairstyle, a buzz cut is a great choice. It brings the hair down to an extremely short length on all sides, emphasizing the shape of your head and highlighting the elegant Italian mustache on your upper lip.^{[8]
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Section 6 of 7:

Celebrities Who Wear the Italian Mustache

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Clark Gable, Robert De Niro, and more have rocked this stache. The Italian mustache is more of an old-timey style, so it was most popular among older actors. When Robert De Niro donned the style, it was typically to help define his characters, making the style a staple in some of his films. Other celebrities who have donned the Italian mustache include:
- Clark Gable
- Marcello Mastroianni
- John Gilbert
- Robert Coleman
- Timothee Chalamet

Section 7 of 7:

Other Mustache Styles

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Pencil mustache The pencil mustache is a pencil-thin mustache that sits just above the upper lip. It’s a soft, subtle mustache style that’s perfect for those looking for a look that doesn’t draw too much attention. Whether you want to test the waters for your facial hair or just opt for a slim look that only requires moderate trimming, the pencil mustache is right up your alley.^{[9]
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Handlebar mustache The handlebar mustache is a thick mustache that twirls outward and upward at the ends like the handlebars of a bike, similar to the Italian mustache (which is a variation of the handlebar). It’s more common among middle-aged men and older folks, but it suits everyone.
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Chevron mustache The Chevron mustache is a thick, full mustache that covers the top lip. It takes on an inverted V shape and ends just past the corners of your mouth. It’s a style that requires lots of facial hair to achieve and lots of care to maintain, as you must trim it regularly at the edges.^{[10]
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Beardstache A beardstache is a combination of a beard and a mustache where a thick, full mustache connects to a shorter beard. The thickness of the mustache allows it to shine, while the soft beard helps accentuate the mustache’s fullness, further propelling it into the spotlight.