What’s New With The Wax Reviews

Hello all!

Now I know I haven’t been very up to date on my reviews, and I know some of you have been itching for reviews. Well folks, I’m sorry I haven’t been positing reviews like I once was, Life has gotten in the way! It’s tough when you’re working sometimes 60 hours a week to then come home and sit and write a review on a wax, OR just a general blog posting. I have been continuing to try out new waxes and waxing options over the past months, but haven’t had the time to sit down and write. But I have finally found some time this weekend to write a little bit (mostly THIS post).. And the meaning for this post is to keep you updated with what’s to come for The ‘Stache Wax Review.

 

So, Whats next?

Well One of the most recent reasons I haven’t been reviewing, is because I’ve been letting my beard grow and my moustache rest. Keeping your hair healthy is a HUGE part of having a fantastic moustache/beard. One of the downsides to constantly waxing your Mo is that the wax doesn’t give the hair a chance to breathe. Since most waxes are petroleum and wax based, they can easily clog the pores and restrict the natural hair oils from keeping the hair naturally oiled and healthy. By restricting the oils, it is very easy to gain a dry, fragile, brittle ‘tache, and Recently, I’ve been noticing more and more split ends on my ‘stache, so I’ve been taking it easy on actually waxing my ‘tache to let the hair regain health!

Another major reason for not waxing/reviewing, is I’ve been “Training” for Beard Team USA’s National Beard and Moustache Competition. On the 11th of this month (November) Beard Team USA is holding the National B&M Competition in Los Vegas, and you guessed it, I’m COMPETING!! So I have been letting my Mo’ grow to gain a competitive length for my category (which I am not releasing until the comp)…

SO what happens after Nationals? Well I am trimming my moustache back to a respectable length, and will start reviewing waxes once again!! -I know, I’m excited too!

Which waxes do I have sitting in my basket waiting to be reviewed? Welll Wouldn’t you like to know!

Gentlemans Moustache Wax

Westberg’s Wonder Wax (Medium/Firm)

Foad’s Toad Satin Wax

Stache Bomb Stache Wax

Woodsman Moustache Wax

Mr. Kings Marvelous Moustache Wax

Saints & Sinners Moustache Wax 

Harry’s Best Formula 26

Sideshow Psycho Wax

Herban Lifestyle Moustache WAX

 

I know that’s a lot of waxes, but fear not, I will get it done!!! I am more than excited to start reviewing them again! It’s always great to find and try new products.

Also, as promised, I will be creating a Graphic for the waxes I’ve reviewed. It will be a chart organizing the waxes based on their hold, scent, applicability and so on.

 

FOR ALL YOU WAX MAKERS OUT THERE: I do thank you all for sending me tins of your wax. I apologize for the promised reviews taking so long. I have not forgotten about your wax, and I’m not the type to not follow through with a promise made, So please keep us in mind and as soon as I complete the review of your wax, you will be the first person I tell about its posting. Again, I am sorry for taking so long with the reviews.

Hope this updates you all! If you have any questions please feel free to ask!!

Until Next Time!

The 2012 Los Angeles Beard and Moustache Competition

Hello All!!

The Los Angeles Beard and Moustache Club is putting on their second annual Facial Hair Competition. Now I know when you think of facial hair your mind probably doesn’t think of competitions, but these things have been growing bigger and bigger with more and more people putting them on. The facial hair community is on the uprising and more people want to showcase what their faces can grow! SO people have been putting together competitions. What is a facial hair competition?? WELL the easiest way to describe it would be to say it is a facial hair beauty pageant. Guy (and Gals) Put together costumes, groom and grow their facial hair (real or fake), get up on stage and compete against each other in several different categories based on what type of facial hair you are sporting.

On Sunday, June 24th the LABMC will be hosing The 2012 Los Angeles Beard and Moustache Competition.

This year they have 9 Different categories, This is a huge change from last years 5. With 9 different categories there is a place for EVERY type of facial hair. Yes ladies, they even have a Whiskerina category.

9 different categories!!!! One for EVERY TYPE OF FACIAL HAIR

If you are planning of attending this competition (WHICH I HIGHLY SUGGEST) I would recommend buying your competitors and or spectators tickets in advance, as last year they sold out!

If you’re interested in learning more about the competition then head on over to the competitions website and have yourself a gander!

Until Next Time

-Keep That Upper Lip Stiff

Hndlebars Moustache Wax

I know a lot of people with a fantastic handlebar moustache have a fancy for the two wheeled man-powered means of transportation, that’s right I’m talking about Bicycles. During a ride, one might find himself worried about his ‘stache and the beating it is taking from the wind. Well, a man who fancies a long bike ride has made a wax to stop the droop! And what a better name for the wax than Hndlebars (Not sure if its because of the ‘stache, or the bike)

I have read many things about Hndlebars Moustache Wax but all seem to say the same thing, “The hold is great, but the smell is not.” Well folks, I have to agree.

I do like the artwork on tin!

When my tin of Hndlebars arrived I was finally able to put all stipulations about the smell to rest……. It smells like Lanolin!!! – Now I know other waxes use Lanolin, which makes me wonder why Hndlebars has such a strong (almost “Old man”) scent. Maybe they use a less refined Lanolin?? Who knows.. But one thing I do know is that this scent does take some time to get used to. I can say that it does remind me of the Count Justinian waxes, but Hndlebars scent is a little bit stronger and harsher to the nose.

As for the hold that everyone seemed to be talking about, I would have to somewhat agree with them on that one, It does have a firm hold, but no where near the hold and stiffness of Rex Wax. I did like the way that Hndlebars held the ‘stache in place throughout the day, although it was a little tricky getting my  unruly ‘tache to cooperate with me, when I did get it in place it stayed put! As for warming the wax up, I didn’t find myself needing the use of the blow dryer, I just kept it in my pocket while I was doing my morning routine, an by the time I was ready to wax my ‘stache (about 10 min) the wax was warm enough to work in my fingers and through the ‘stache. I did notice that I sometimes needed to add more wax to the tips to keep the hair together so I wouldn’t have any stray hairs or multiple unwanted curls.

Hndlebars has a neutral wax color, so you won't have to worry about it changing the color of your 'stache

My experience with Hndlebars Moustache Wax went quite well! I did find the hold quite desirable, it was a stiff hold that held throughout the day. The smell was something that does take a while to get used to, and was a bit harsh on the nose.

If your looking for a solid hold in a ‘stache wax and are not to worried about how it smells then Hndlebars is the wax for you! So head on over to Hndlebars and buy yourself some wax! For $7.50 a tin it is on the cheaper side for a 1oz tin of wax.

(SIDE NOTE: As for the smell, I found that if I spread some High Life on it, the two scents somehow worked together and made a very pleasant smell)

Until Next Time

-Stay Waxed

Foad Wax

European (I now stand corrected about my Geography) British waxes have seemed to always have an advantage over the American made waxes. Could that be because the facial hair epidemic has only just become such a huge thing over here in the US? Well I can’t answer you that, but I can tell you that the Britt’s make some of the best waxes out on the market today!

Foad Wax is one of the 3 European (Again my ignorant USA world geography comes into play haha) British waxes I have so far, and let me tell you, It does not disappoint!

My tin arrived while I was on vacation back home in Boulder, CO and I couldn’t wait to get back home and open up my package. When I got home the first thing I did was open up my package from Mr. Foad himself. What I found inside was a .5oz tin of wax with a cartoon drawing of Mr. Foad’s face on it.

The cartoon drawing of Mr. Foad

Opening the tin you find a dark yellow/greenish wax and you get the scent of the Essential Oils Mr. Foad uses. The scent of this wax is fantastic, yet not overpowering at all. There is really no other way to explain the smell other than the Essential Oils, it smells like…well…Essential Oils…

A dark yellowish/greenish wax

As for the wax I would say it is a firm wax.
I must say I did have some trouble warming this wax up, it seems as if the normal warming it in your pocket just doesn’t cut it. I tried using the blow dryer one or twice and it did seem to help. But most days I just kept it in my pocket(I always seemed to run out of time in the morning to use the blow dryer). Because I had some trouble warming it up applying it to the ‘stache was a little tricky. I had trouble spreading it evenly throughout the ‘tache. I think the reason for this is because the wax has Gum Arabic in it, which it seems like it makes it “gummy” and harder to get off your fingers and into the ‘stache.
Once I got the wax into the ‘stache I was set for most of the day, unless I had myself a cup or two of coffee. Gum Arabic is water-soluble which is good when trying to wash the wax out of the ‘stache but not too good while trying to keep it in the ‘stache. Other then having some minor droopage if I had a hot drink. I didn’t have to worry about the dreaded DSS or the Fangs.

Overall Foad wax is great, although I had a little bit of a tricky time warming it up, I would say this is another fantastic wax for the British! The scent of this wax is awesome, it smells natural so it is something I had no problem putting so close to my mouth. The hold of this wax is great, and you won’t really have to worry about having to do too much readjusting throughout the day.

Mr. Foad is a great guy so head on over to his site and get yourself some of his wax. He sells his wax in .5oz tins for what equals out in US Dollars to be around $7.96 and $3 for shipping to the US.

Until Next Time

-Keep That Wax In The ‘Stache

Count Justinian Moustache Wax (Classic, It’s Sticky As Hell)

My apologies for taking so long on writing this review! I have been very busy this past week  and this is the only time I have found to actually sit down and write this review.

Count Justinian Moustache Wax, was the first wax that I came across. The Count himself contacted me when I first began growing a ‘stache…. It’s like he knew………. I must say I was a little reluctant to try it, since it was a new product and there were no reviews on it. Well here one is!

I was wrong by second guessing The Count and his wax! both of these waxes are great! After I had done some experimentation with waxes I was finally willing and actually very excited to try the Classic wax, but when the Count told me that he was going to be releasing a stiffer I was even more interested in trying his waxes. When he finally released the It’s Sticky As Hell I think I was one of the first people to purchase it, because I was so eager to get a hold of his waxes.

I do like the tins a lot! Very simple and clean

When my package came in the mail I found my individually wrapped 1oz tins of wax, I almost didn’t want to take them out of their little bags! -But then how could I have reviewed them…

I started out with the Classic wax, since it was the original and “Classic” hold and I would have something to compare to it later.

The smell is the first thing that hits you when you first open the tin, I was very taken back by the smell!! I don’t think I can put it any other way then “It grabs you by the boo boo…”(Cheech & Chong Reference there) I have no Idea what to compare this scent to, so I can’t tell you what it smells like (It’s almost “Clinical”), I can just tell you that it is a very strong. Is it a good smell you ask? Well to tell you the truth, I don’t like it. The scent does dissipate when out of the tin and it  wares off throughout the day, so I got over the fact that it was so strong while in the tin. I am not sure what is giving this wax such a strong smell, it could be any of the ingredients really. But since it only has the normal 3 (beeswax, petroleum jelly, lanolin) ingredients nothing stuck out to me more then the others.

The Classic wax. It's a classic beeswax color

As for the wax itself, I would say that it is a medium/firm hold, and the color is a dark yellowy beeswax. It is very easy to soften up between your fingers by rubbing some wax in between them. I would say this is one of the easiest waxes to warm up! Spreading it through the ‘stache is very easy once the wax is warmed up. I did notice that I needed to add a bit more to the ends of my ‘tache to keep it in curls. (I also fixed this problem by adding some of the Sticky As Hell.) With that problem solved I was met with infamous “fangs” as the day went on. -They were not serious fangs, just a little droopage in the center of the ‘tache throughout the day. But fear not, I was able to fix them by readjusting the ‘stache, and sometimes adding a little bit more wax.

As for the It’s Sticky As Hell:

When I spoke with The Count about this wax, I asked him how much stiffer it was going to be than his Classic wax. “This new wax will be very stiff.”

Oh no, I hope its not as stiff and tricky as Rex Wax.

Well, good news! It’s not! It’s Sticky As Hell is exactly what it should be, a firmer version of the Classic! Which is a good thing!!

Actually the only bad thing about It’s Sticky As Hell being the firmer version of the Classic, is the fact that it has the same smell. Although the scent is not as strong as the Classic, it still has the same smell… Which is something that I eventually got used to after using the wax every day. The color was a little bit lighter then the classic, which actually surprised me considering it is the firmer wax. But hey color doesn’t really matter when it turns out clear in the ‘stache. EDIT FROM THE COUNT ABOUT COLOR: 

The slight difference in color between your two tins is unrelated to the different styles of wax. It is due to the very nature of beeswax. We use only 100% natural beeswax with no dyes or other additives, and so far we have been able to source all of our beeswax from the same bee farm. The bee farmer explained to us that the wax changes in shade from season to season based on the pollen the bees are working on at the time.

It's Sticky As Hell. As you can see it's a little lighter then the Classic

Warming this stuff up was almost the same as before, it did take a little bit longer because this is definitely a firmer wax. But once it was warmed up it was easy to apply to the ‘stache. If I were to compare this stuff to any other wax I would have to say it is most like Firehouse (WT), It has none of the Tackyness that Firehouse has, But the firmness is close.

As for the hold, It’s Sticky As Hell is more of what I needed to hold the big curls that I like in my ‘tache. I did not have to do too much adjusting throughout the day, but a few little things here and there (mainly because I am quite picky about how my ‘stache looks). Thankfully I did not have to worry about the dreaded “fangs” when I used It’s Sticky As Hell, because of the firmness it has.

Overall my experience with Count Justinian’s waxes was very pleasant!! I love how easy the Classic is to warm up and apply to the ‘tache, and I love the firmness that It’s Sticky As Hell has to offer! The one and only downside this wax has is definitely the scent, but like I said before I’m sure The Count could easily fix that. The color of the wax is neutral so you don’t have to worry about it changing the color of your ‘tache, unless you have a DARK DARK colored ‘stache.

I Highly suggest you go check out The Count and his waxes! The price for his wax is what I would say on the cheaper side, at $8 a tin and $2 for shipping and $.50 for the second tin. I got myself both tins of 1oz wax for $18.50!! Definitely one you should all add to your collection!

BONUS PIC. It's Sticky As Hell on the left, Classic on the right. As you can see It's Sticky As Hell is a tad bit lighter color then the Classic

Until Then

-Keep That Upper Lip Waxed

High Life Stache Wax (Bonus Review)

I first found out about the High Life products from a teacher at school (who used to have a handlebar but shaved it off ) He told me that this wax had a great smell and held great. I did some research online about the wax and found out that High Life is a pomade company and happens to make a mustache wax am luckily they were a company based out of Tempe Arizona, where I happened to be going to school. I made my short journey to the tattoo/barber shop Electric Haven Tattoo where it is sold/made, and was surprised to find out that a 1oz tin was only $4, which is one of the cheapest I have found!

When I got home and finally opened the tin and was pleasantly greeted by a coconut/piña colada smell. At first the smell was overpowering and VERY strong, Strong enough to fill he room with the smell of coconut (which the lady of the house was quite happy about)! Although the smell was very pleasant I was a little worried that when applied the only thing I would be able to smell for the day would be coconut. But thankfully after in the ‘stache the smell wore down to a slight whiff every once in a while.

You can see that this stuff just looks light. It also looks a little greasy (Like a pomade)

When I first tried to scrape out some “wax” I was surprised to find how soft it was, the only reason I put wax in “” is because this stuff is more like a pomade then a wax! this stuff is REALLY soft! (not soft like a lotion(CVS Brand) but nowhere near as solid as Bounder) This stuff is a pomade, and being made by a pomade company I am not the least bit surprised. Since this stuff is so soft there is no need to spend any time warming it up -which is good for a quick ‘stache. Spreading it through the ‘stache is very simple, no need to worry about clumps or uneven coverage, just apply to the center and comb it throughout. Since this stuff is so soft it is hard to form the large curls that I normally choose, so I had to settle for a more natural, flowing ‘stache. Throughout the day I had to keep an eye on the ‘stache so I was not a victim of DSS(Droopy ‘Stache Syndrome) – Which is easy with such a soft wax.

Overall I would say High Life Stache Wax Is a good wax if you are looking for a flowing ‘stache while still having the shine of being waxed. The smell of this stuff is FANTASTIC, so if you want a great smelling ‘stache which the ladies will love- this is the stuff! Since I was not able to get the full curls that I normally choose, I keep this stuff as a “Top Coat” for the smell.

SIDE NOTE- Lately since my beard has been getting a little long I have been using this stuff in my beard to keep it nice and neat throughout the day. Just spread a little bit in the beard and comb it through, Gives me a fantastic smelling face and a nice and shiny neat beard.

If you want to get yourself a tin of High Life Stache Wax head on over to their site! Or you can order it from The Grease Shop –I guess they no longer carry it.

For European orders shoot them an email: info@pomadeshop.de

Happy staching everyone

Gotta spread the Love of the Handlebar!!

Another great blog about living the Handlebar Moustache Life!
Make sure you go check out this blog!

Keep ‘Staching!

What’s New?

Hello again!

Currently I am on my search to find the top moustache wax brands. I have already emailed a few brands and am waiting for replies about their wax. So far on the list I have:

Sideshow Psycho

Foad Wax

Gravy Jay’s

and Mr. Natty Twizzle

Already I have had contact with Rex Wax from Oregon and am now waiting to my tin of wax to arrive!

I am in the process of reviewing Bounder Extra Firm Moustache Wax and should have the review up in a couple of days. – So make sure you keep checking back for the review.

The Wax collection so far! Just recieved the Rex Wax today! Can't wait to try it out and review it.

If any of you have a wax which you would like to see reviewed PLEASE let me know so I can start the process of contacting them!!!

AND MAKE SURE YOU SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THIS BLOG!!!

-Until then

-Mr.SuperCooper