Stach Care How to Grow an Imperial Mustache: The Complete Guide
Full across the lip, swept up and outward at the ends, with the swagger of a 19th-century monarch. The imperial is a handlebar with ambitions. Here is how to grow it.
The imperial is the mustache of emperors, archdukes, and chancellors, which tells you something about its confidence level. It is a full, bushy mustache whose ends are grown long and swept upward and outward, often joining with a bit of cheek hair, but without the tight ringlet curl of a handlebar. It is large. It is deliberate. It is not for the shy, and it is not for anyone who wants to be done in six weeks.
What It Is and Who It Suits
An imperial is a full mustache with long ends that are brushed and waxed up and out toward the cheekbones. Historically it often included hair growing from the cheeks that was swept into the mustache, but the modern imperial is usually a mustache-only style. Unlike the handlebar, the ends point rather than curl; unlike the English, they rise rather than go straight out.
It suits oval, square, and oblong faces. The upward sweep lifts the whole face, so it is flattering on heavy jaws and long faces. Round faces should be careful; the width can emphasize roundness unless the sweep is kept high and tight.
Growth requirements: you need both density across the lip and length at the ends, which makes this one of the more demanding styles. Thin hair at the corners will not hold the sweep.
Growth Timeline
Weeks 1–2. Grow. Leave the corners and, if you are going for the traditional version, leave a strip of cheek hair just above the corners too.
Weeks 3–4. Awkward stage. Begin combing outward and upward from the center each morning. Trim only hair entering the mouth.
Weeks 5–8. The ends extend past the corners. Start applying a medium wax and sweeping the ends up toward the cheekbone. They will not hold much yet; that is fine. Decide on the cheek-hair question: shave it for a modern imperial, or let a narrow strip join the sweep for the classic.
Weeks 8+. From three months on, the ends hold a sweep with wax. A full imperial takes four to six months. After that you are maintaining a masterpiece.
Tools You Need
- A medium-to-firm mustache wax (our wax guide)
- A fine-tooth comb and a small brush
- Sharp scissors and a detail trimmer
- A hair dryer with a low, cool setting to set the sweep
- A strong sense of self
How to Trim and Shape It
- Wash and dry. Comb from the center outward and up.
- Trim the lip line at the center so hair does not cover the top lip. Leave the ends long.
- Clean the top edge above the mustache with a trimmer, following your natural line. If keeping cheek hair, define a narrow strip only.
- Check the ends for length symmetry. Trim the longer side to match, never both.
- Remove strays that refuse to sweep. That is all the cutting an imperial needs.
Styling and Wax Technique
Warm a small amount of medium wax between your fingers. Work it into the mustache from the center, combing outward. At the ends, pinch the hair, draw it out and upward toward the cheekbone, and press it into a tapered point rather than a curl. Use the hair dryer on low for a few seconds, then cool, to set it. The finished shape is two upward wings with a full body between them.
For a bolder look, comb the body of the mustache up and out too (the "brushed imperial"), so the whole thing lifts. This needs more wax and more hair.
Common Mistakes
- Curling the ends. That makes it a handlebar. The imperial points.
- Too little length before sweeping. Wait until the ends clear the corners of the mouth.
- Wax overload. Stiff, shiny, and crunchy is not imperial; it is a mistake you can smell.
- Letting the center go thin. The imperial is full across; trim the lip line, not the body.
- Shaving the corners during the awkward stage. You will lose months.
Variations Worth Knowing
The classic imperial is mustache and swept cheek hair together. The modern imperial is mustache only, ends pointed and lifted. The "Kaiser" is the extreme version with wings lifted almost vertical. The brushed imperial sweeps the whole body upward, not just the ends, and needs dense hair and a generous hand with the wax. Some wearers pair it with a small chin beard for a Napoleon III look. Most beginners should aim for the modern mustache-only imperial first; it is the easiest to keep symmetrical.
Famous Wearers
Kaiser Wilhelm II is the imperial, waxed into upturned wings that required a personal barber. Otto von Bismarck wore a heavier, less-lifted version while unifying Germany. Napoleon III and Franz Joseph I wore it across 19th-century Europe. Today it shows up at beard competitions and steampunk weddings.
How to Maintain It
Wash every day or two, condition, and comb out and up each morning. Wax daily; wash it out at night. Oil the body to keep the length soft. Trim the lip line every two weeks and the strays weekly. The imperial is high maintenance and proud of it.
Mr. Stach grooming content is educational and not medical advice.
Grooming content is educational and not medical advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to grow an imperial mustache?
Three months for the ends to hold an upward sweep with wax, and four to six months for a full, well-shaped imperial.
What is the difference between an imperial and a handlebar?
A handlebar curls its ends into loops or ringlets. An imperial sweeps the ends up and out into points without the tight curl.
Do I keep cheek hair with an imperial mustache?
The classic version swept a narrow strip of cheek hair into the mustache. The modern imperial is usually mustache only. Both count; pick what your growth supports.
What wax is best for an imperial?
A medium-to-firm beeswax-based wax. You need enough hold to keep the ends lifted all day without making the body stiff.
