We all know how Justin Bieber got famous. It’s his hair. Sure, he can sing or whatever.
But we all know it’s the hair.
Whether you’ve got frizzy hair, curly hair, straight hair, or very little hair, here are seven easy-to-apply hair styling tips for men.
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Choose the Right Product
Wax, paste, gel, clay, cream, pomade, goop, slime… whatever. Which one should you use?
It depends on the look you’re going for.
Pastes and clays are better for that messy, casual look.
Gels are more suited to that Leonardo diCaprio in Wolf of Wall Street style (slick hair, but not insane).
Paste, clay, and wax should be massaged into dry hair. Otherwise, they tend to clump the hair together.
They work best when finger-combed, giving you more of a casual look.
Creams and gels should be worked into wet hair. Not sopping wet, mind you, but towel-dried. You can either finger-comb creams and gels in, or you can use a standard plastic comb for a sleeker look.
With all products, gather up a dime-sized dollop and warm it up between your palms, then work it in from the roots. If you don’t warm it up and spread it out, you can end up with a sticky mess on the back of your head.
Not good, captain.
Here’s my top pick for hair product:
Coming in firmly under $20, this pomade is a quality product offering excellent value for money. You get a whopping 5 oz of it, which is about 20% more than you get with most other quality pomades at this price point. If you’re a ‘set and forget’ type of product guy, and not happy with your current hair product, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in giving this pomade a try.
Use Less Shampoo
Do you think men washed their hair once a day 10,000 years ago?
You know, sometime between hunting down breakfast and fending off an attack from the enemy tribe that finally learned how to cross that river?
Hell no.
Hair biologically can’t replenish its oils quick enough to justify washing every day.
Keep the shampooing to once every two to three days.
You can even push it further if you’d like, but just make sure you’re not turning into a grease ball in the name of getting back in touch with your caveman roots.
Other than that, simply rinse your hair with water in your morning shower and you should be fine.
My favorite shampoo is from Lumin, and it helps a ton for guys with dandruff (which I struggle with in a big way).
Keratin helps smooth the strands of your hair, giving your mane a fuller, more luxurious look. Think somewhere between Joe Exotic and Fabio.
Add More Volume
This one is a need-to-know if you have thinning hair, or if you’re going for the pompadour look, ala:
The modern pompadour is often paired with a taper, or fade as in the above. For a rundown on the differences between a fade, taper, and taper fade, check out our piece here.
To add volume to your hair, use a blow dryer and a comb.
Keep combing your hair up and drying at the same time and you’ll find that it tends to stay up.
Another method is to blow dry your hair upside down. Let gravity do the work for you.
After all, it’s one of the fundamental forces of nature.
And take it from us—gravity is much safer than using electro-magnetism to add volume.
Get a Hair Styling Discovery Kit
Half-ounce samples of five high quality hair styling products from Blumaan. Ideal for travel or for figuring out what kind of product works best for your hair.
Having trouble finding the right product that gives you both the hold and the texture you want?
Sometimes the best thing you can do is to experiment. Try out different products until you find the one that works best for your hair type.
Don’t worry, your head won’t light on fire (unless that’s what you’re looking for), nor will there be any noxious fumes.
Clean Up Around the Edges
Grooming is all about maintenance, gentlemen.
Keep a small electric razor on hand so you can clean up around the edges of your hairline. The Norelco OneBlade is a solid option:
This keeps your hairstyle nice and tidy between haircuts.
After a little while, your hair will obviously start to regrow to the point where you’ll need another haircut. But using an electric razor for maintenance will save you both money and time.
Want more info? FashionBeans have put together this excellent article on how to make your haircut last longer. If you’re maintaining a beard for the first time, check out our beginner’s guide to beards.
Use Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo is awesome. Having a bottle around is particularly helpful if you’ve just had a late night with too many drinks and your eyes feel like fuzzy hamburgers.
Or you know, if you’re traveling.
It’s sort of like the deodorant of hair products. If you’re on the go (or again, too hungover to shower), a little dry shampoo will at least keep you from looking like a grease-ball.
Dry shampoo absorbs the grease in your hair and on your scalp, and it’s amazing what a little of the stuff can do to clean you up.
If you don’t have a bottle already, you can try talc powder, which achieves the same effect.
Don’t Forget to Combat Humidity
Humidity is the mortal enemy of styled hair. The moisture in the air adds weight to your hair, causes it to frizz, and dilutes your hair product which lessens its hold.
If you live in a humid climate, here are some tips:
- Check the temperature before you go out. This is an obvious one, but information is power and all that
- Opt for an anti-humectant pomade such as this one from Aveda.
- Keep some product on hand when you’re traveling or at work. When your hair starts to frizz under the blistering sun, give yourself a spritz.
- If all else fails, wear your hair shorter. The shorter your hair, the less product you’ll need, and the less you’ll be affected by moisture in the air.
Our go-to pre-styling hair oil for maximum frizz control.
Bonus: Save Money by Making Your Own Pomade at Home
This one didn’t make my ‘simple hacks’ list because it’s not all that simple. But it’s totally worth checking into if you’re looking for the perfect product and don’t want to spend all your money trying every brand.
It’s pretty easy making your own product at home, though it’s a little messy.
Look into buying some of these products in bulk: beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter, vitamin E oil, and coconut oil.
Add the beeswax, one of the butters (or both), and one of the oils (or both) to a small pot and heat it all up on the stove until it melts and blends together.
It may take a bit of trial and error to get the mixture right for what you’re looking for, but there are plenty of online recipes and tutorials for you to check out. Like this one:
Add an essential oil like sandalwood for a more earthy, manly scent.
A D.I.Y product like this has a couple of advantages. First, it’s much cheaper overall. The bulk ingredients are an investment, but you will have a year or more worth of hair product ready to be mixed.
And second, there are no harmful chemicals in it. This is satisfying to know since you’re rubbing the stuff on your scalp every single day.
FAQs
How do guys make their hair look wet all day?
Mousse, gel, and pomades, when applied on wet hair, can help you have that “wet-hair” look all day long. However, make sure you do your research before buying because some products are matte, and others have high shine. You want a high shine product for wet looking hair.
How do guys get a messy hair style?
Towel dry your hair and use a sea salt spray. This will add a lot of texture to your hair. After it is mostly dry, style with a matte clay. Rather than combing your hair, use scrunching motions with your fingers to build texture in your hair.
How can I grow my hair really fast?
Try taking biotin supplements and make sure you’re eating enough protein (at least 50g a day). While this won’t make your hair grow at a superhuman rate, it’ll certainly help speed the process along and leave you with healthier looking hair, too.
