How to Get Your Boyfriend to Shave His Mustache

Co-authored by Eric McClure

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

If your boyfriend is experimenting with his facial hair and he has landed on a mustache that you aren’t in love with, you may be wondering how you can get him to shave it off. In fact, you may even be wondering if it’s okay to ask him to shave in the first place. Rest assured that your boyfriend probably wants to do whatever he can to be attractive to you, so communicating honestly can help a ton here. But even if you don’t want to address the problem head-on, there are plenty of subtle tricks and tips you can use to convince him to start shaving. In this article, we’ll break down everything you can do to get your boyfriend to stick with a clean-shaven style.

Things You Should Know

Ask him directly and politely. In most cases, kind honesty will be the quickest way to get your request across.
Drop subtle hints to suggest you dislike the mustache. Ask him if it is itchy, or talk about your dad's mustache.
Respect his decision if he loves his mustache.

1

Ask him to shave.

Just be honest and politely request that he loses the 'stache. If he’s secure enough about your relationship and the way he looks, open up about how you feel when it comes to his facial hair. It’s often best to be straightforward and honest, and if he doesn’t really have serious feelings about it, this is the way to go. Besides, a lot of guys would much rather be as attractive as possible to their partner than keep a mustache.^{[1]
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- “Hey, don’t take this the wrong way or anything, but I’m not crazy about the mustache. How do you feel about shaving?”
- “Are you married to the mustache? I kind of miss your clean face and it hurts to kiss you now. Would you be interested in going back to that?”

2

Offer something in exchange.

If you can change something to suit his preferences, broker a deal! Does he love short hair and you’ve been rocking long locks for a while? Is he fond of glasses but you’ve been using contacts for a while? If so, offer to change something for him if he ditches the mustache. This is a fun, playful way to go about it, and it sends the message that you respect him enough to acknowledge that you’re asking for something potentially important.^{[2]
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- “I’ll make you a deal, if you get rid of the mustache, I’ll dye my hair back to that color you liked.”
- “Hey, I’ve been thinking. I’ll start breaking the skirts out again if you give me a break from that mustache. What do you think?”

3

Compromise with a different style.

If the mustache bothers you, maybe a goatee or beard won’t. If it’s specifically the mustache that isn’t doing it for you, ask him to grow the rest of his facial hair out or adjust the style. This can be a great solution if he simply likes having facial hair and he’s experimenting with a new mustache that you don’t love, and it can also be a good middle ground between the mustache and shaving everything off.^{[3]
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- “Look, I like the way you look with a mustache, but I really miss the beard. Do you have any interest in going back to that look?”
- “I’m not the biggest fan of the 'stache, I’m not going to lie. I love that goatee look, though. Why don’t you grow the rest of it out and then trim your beard?”

4

Reminisce over clean-faced photos.

When you stumble on a 'stache-free photo, mention how cute he was. If you want to subtly convince him to shave on his own without straight-up asking him, make flirty, positive comments when you look at old pics and videos where he didn’t have the mustache. Do this a few times over the course of a week or two and he’s very likely to shave voluntarily.
- “Oh wow! You look so cute here. Look at that face!”
- “How old are you in this photo?! You have such a handsome vibe here. I love that clean look.”

5

Mention how old he looks.

With new photos and outfits, casually refer to his age. Most men want to retain their youth, so mentioning how “mature” or “distinguished” your boyfriend looks might motivate him to lose the mustache.^{[4]
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Research source} When he asks you how he looks before you two go out for dinner, or when he shows you photos of him with the 'stache, drop some subtle hints that he’s looking a little older.
- “Wow, look at you! You’ve got this old-school vibe going. You’ve got real George Clooney energy going on.”
- “I really like this photo. You’re so distinguished and mature looking here.”

6

Ask him if the 'stache is itchy.

Planting the thought in his head might nudge him in the right direction. Every now and then, ask him if the mustache bothers him. Ask him if it gets hot, itchy, or hard to clean. Scratch it and say things like, “Does that hurt?” The more questions like that you ask, the deeper you’ll plant the idea that the mustache isn’t worth the trouble.^{[5]
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- “Does that mustache bother you at all? It seems like it would get really itchy and annoying.”
- “Does food get caught in your beard?”

7

Fix loose hairs for him.

If you touch and fidget with his 'stache, he may cut it out of annoyance. Act like you’re doing him a favor by removing imaginary crumbs or fixing nonexistent cowlicks. Smile and politely “fix” whatever problem he has by touching his mustache. Play it off like you’re being sweet and doing him a favor. He may get so annoyed (or think that stuff gets caught in it enough) that he just shaves.
- “You’ve got a loose hair here. There, I’ve got it. You’re all good now.”
- “Uh oh, looks like there’s a crumb in your mustache. There, I picked it out.”

8

Explain that your dad had a mustache.

This is a good excuse that’ll motivate him to shave. Nobody can blame you for being a little grossed out if your boyfriend looks like your dad, so your BF should understand if you ask him to shave on these grounds. Unfortunately, this kind of relies on your dad actually having had a mustache in the past. If he hasn’t and your boyfriend ever finds out, he probably won't be too happy.
- “Look, I don’t know how to break this to you, but my Dad had a mustache just like that when I was a little kid. I don’t know how I feel about this look.”
- “I hate to tell you this since I know you love the new mustache, but you’re reminding me of my old man.”

9

Tailor your approach to your boyfriend’s personality.

Go about this in a way that is least likely to hurt your boyfriend. How you go about getting your boyfriend back to his former, clean-faced self depends on what kind of guy your boyfriend is. If he isn’t the type to get offended easily, you may be better off just straight up asking him to shave or talking about it openly. However, if he’s a little touchy or he seems especially proud of his mustache, you may want to be a little more subtle and suggestive.^{[6]
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Research source} Ask yourself:
- Does my boyfriend put a lot of value on his looks? If he likes dressing to the nines and prides himself on his looks, asking directly could be a good way to go.
- Has my boyfriend been super excited about his mustache growing out? If so, he may get really bummed out if you reveal you aren’t the biggest fan.
- Does your boyfriend tend to lash out when he’s insecure? If he’s a little sensitive when it comes to the way he looks, you’re probably better off going for a more subtle approach.

10

Try getting used to it.

If the mustache is brand new, give it a few days to grow on you. You may just be in shock, which is totally fair. If you’ve never seen your man with a mustache, it’s natural to be a little stunned. Try to live with it for a few days at least—especially if your boyfriend is super excited about the new mustache. You may just find yourself growing fond of it after a while!^{[7]
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11

Respect his decision.

If he chooses to keep the mustache, let it go if you can. As much as you may not be a fan, your boyfriend is in charge of his facial hair at the end of the day. If you’ve talked to him about it and/or dropped enough hints to send the message that you don’t like it and he still isn’t changing his tune, try to live with it.^{[8]
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- If this is seriously a dealbreaker for you, tell your boyfriend. If it’s between you and the mustache, he’ll probably lose the 'stache. Don’t take this dramatic approach unless it’s totally necessary, though.