How to Get Your Husband to Shave His Mustache

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If that thing your husband is growing on his face is starting to worry you, you might have to say something about it. Of course, he is entitled to make his own decisions about his facial hair. You’ll have to make your case boldly to convince him that he looks better without the mustache.

Ask Him

Be honest about why you don’t like it. It’s only going to confuse him if you say you like his facial hair to be nice and then two weeks later, when you realize it’s not going away, you ‘fess up. Tell him if you think it’s creepy or if the bristles bother you when you kiss. Ask him to shave it for you, and he just might.

Bring Up Age

Show him how much older it makes him look. A research study conducted by scientists from Canada and New Zealand showed pictures of the same men, bearded and then clean shaven, to both male and female test subjects. Subjects said that the men looked “older and more aggressive” with facial hair, and women rated the men more attractive when they had shaved the beard off. If your husband is sensitive about his age, he might just choose to shave after considering this study.

Bargain

Sometimes a little incentive can change his mind. Offer to do something nice for him, or change something about your appearance, if he’ll shave his mustache. If he likes your hair long, but you’re wearing it short, tell him you’ll grow it out if he goes clean shaven. Figure out what he would like most and then offer him a bargain.

Compromise

Letting facial hair get in the way of your marriage is symptomatic of a bigger problem, says advice columnist Emily Yoffe of “Slate” magazine. Your husband should be able to make a style choice that you don’t love without threatening the relationship. If he still cares about his mustache too much to shave it off, Yoffe recommends making a compromise, such as asking him to trim it regularly or wash it with shampoo to soften the bristles. Then do whatever you want with your own style and learn to live with the 'stache.