What it Takes to be a World Champion Beard and Stache Holder

Does your facial hair have what it takes to compete in the World Beard and Moustache Championships? The world's oldest barbershop is here to help!

Beards shaped like ships; goatees that actually look like goats; and mustaches twizzled to the length of football fields. We’ve all seen those spectacular photos from the World Beard and Moustache Championships. What is it like to actually participate in these hair-raising Olympics?

An Inside Look at The World Beard and Moustache Championships

Los Angeles-based Jeffrey Moustache won the Musketeer Category at the 2015 contest in Leogang, Austria. Victory, he recalled, was a nerve-wracking affair.

“Instead of the usual cartoonish musketeer, I wanted to be ominous and almost scary – like a kind of grim reaper,” he said, describing a detailed look that included a four-piece black suit, tall round hat, and faux fox overcoat.

Alongside this highly distinctive aesthetic, keeping his cool on the day was vital. “The humid weather kept messing with my styling so I had to reshape my ‘stache less than a minute before walking up to the judges on stage,” he said, adding that the walk itself was a sweat-triggering stress test.

“It’s your moment to shine and you have to try and do the correct walking movements while also keeping your composure. My hot, heavy clothing meant that I was drenched but I somehow powered through it!”

The self-imposed torture was worth it in the end, of course. “Afterwards, you walk off stage and wait for them to present the numbers. But my friends had been keeping track and they said I’d finished ahead of everyone in the category – I couldn't believe it!”

When we sat down with Jeffrey, he was gearing up to compete in the world championships in Austin. But he also had some sage advice for whiskered wannabes itching to have a go at a local, national or international facial hair contest - and for those wondering about the basics of beard maintenance and care.

Standing out from the crowd, Jeffrey said, is vital. “Be unique and different but also classy: the Europeans founded this and they see it as a presentation of elegance.” The bottom line, he added, is to be yourself and have fun. “It’s basically a pageant of showboating men and if you take it too seriously you won’t get anything out of it.”

Facial Hair Freestyle

The history of facial hair long predates the World Beard and Mustache Championships, but this well-known competition has been around for decades, possibly since the 1970s. Overseen by the World Beard and Moustache Association, the international mustache and beard competition is held every two years in an officially sanctioned city. National Beard and Moustache Champions from all around the world travel to places like Antwerp, Belgium and Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany to compete in the international battle of the finest facial hair.

Covering sixteen judging categories, the contest has room for winners of every variety. Competitors are judged in three groups: mustaches, partial beards, and full beards, according to the type of facial hair they sport.

Within each of the three groups, there is a freestyle category (for example, the full beard freestyle), along with several hand-picked classic styles. From the imperial mustache to the Hungarian mustache, handlebar, and beyond - the competition presents natural full beards, sideburns, and everything in between.

The international competition isn’t the only time for beard-wearers and mustachioed men to show off their artistry. Countries all over have national competitions organized by groups like Beard Team USA dedicated to finding winners to take to the big leagues. When it comes to champions of local and global competitions, one thing is clear: The most stylish studs attune their looks to the ever-changing facial hair trends.

Like these competitors, Truefitt and Hill closely follows the dynamic trends in modern facial hair antics. Developing an expanded Beard Range to match the changes customers needed, Truefitt and Hill offers a product portfolio designed for beard-wearers everywhere.

Giving Your Full Beard the Full Treatment

For beards of all shapes and sizes, Truefitt & Hill is delighted to be part of the grooming ritual of men all over through our beard range. Whether you're a dedicated champion, a first-time facial hair artist trying a classic verdi or a Dali mustache, or merely a modern man grooming for everyday greatness, the world's oldest barbershop is ever at your service.