The start of November means some big events are right around the corner. Daylight Savings Time ends in less than a week. The election cycle will finally stop dominating our newsfeeds. Christmas shopping commences. But for millions of men around the globe, this isn’t November-it’s Movember, which means it’s time to start growing a mustache.

Since 2003, The Movember Foundation has successfully encouraged men all over the world to raise money for men’s health issues simply by growing a mustache. Men who participate commit to 30 days of unhindered growth. During the month, which is also affectionately known as No Shave November, they post updates across social media and ask their followers to donate to the cause. It’s an effective (and creative) fundraising method that’s raised over $710 million since its start.

So basically, you let your mustache grow for a month and that’s it, right? Wrong. Just like a beard, growing a mustache requires some effort and a small product assortment for best results.

Step 1-Manage Your Mustache Expectations

There are some guys out there who end up looking like Ron Burgundy after only a couple weeks. They’re part of an elite group of men who experience otherworldly facial hair growth. Don’t expect to see a bushy ‘stache after only a month. It takes a lot of time to truly cultivate a great mustache. Remember that you’re doing this for charity, not aesthetics. If you don’t have a fully grown beauty by November 30, it’s not the end of the world. Growing a mustache takes time and commitment.

Step 2-Start Prepping on Day One of Growing A Mustache

The Movember Foundation suggests you start out clean shaven so that your mustache growth can have a real impact. This means you’ll start out with some stubble. It’s important to keep your skin moisturized twice daily until you see some significant growth. Exfoliate at least once a week to wash away the dead skin cells. And keep a close eye on how your mustache grows in so you can determine how you want to style it.

Step 3-Take Care During the First Stages of Growth

When you start to see some growth (i.e. anything more than 15mm), it’s time to start treating your mustache like a beard with some essential beard oil products. Beard oil is a must to keep the hair soft and encourage healthy growth. For a refreshing scent that leaves your mustache with a cooling sensation, try a peppermint beard oil. Also, if you find that your mustache is growing over your upper lip, be sure to trim it to keep things nice and neat.

Step 4-Keep It Clean

The more hair you’ve got above your lip, the deeper you’ll need to clean. Beard shampoo soap is key to deep conditioning your mustache without stripping away its natural oils. If your mustache is especially bushy, you’ll need to shampoo every other day. But if your growth is moderate, you can probably get away with once or twice a week.

Step 5-How to Style Your Mustache

As your beard grows in, you need to settle on a style. Your trimming and long-term care habits will depend on how you choose to style your ‘stache. The handlebar mustache, that classic throwback style with the curled edges, requires some pomade to hold the curls, and it looks great with a full beard.

If your growth is minimal, go for the pencil mustache and own it. The key here is to keep it lean by shaving your mustache into a thin line. For guys whose growth is more significant, let your mustache take its natural shape. But the natural and pencil mustaches look best without an accompanying beard.

For the practical guy who likes his natural growth all over his face, rock the beardstache. This is basically achieved by allowing your beard and mustache to simultaneously grow to their natural lengths. Just keep them both lightly trimmed occasionally to avoid tangling or split ends.

Whether you stick with your new look for just the month or rock it long-term, Movember is a fun way to give back to men’s health. Just be sure to take care of your mustache and beard so you give back in style.