For those occasions where a hat simply won't do, it may be necessary for a man to style his hair. Many men have very little knowledge of how to style their own hair or what style would suit them with the length of hair they have. Often, the only time a man's hair is styled is after a trip to the barber, and though it may look good walking out the door, that look is often hard to replicate.
With a few simple tips, however, any man can go a long way to finding a style that works for him on a day to day basis.
Pick the Right Product
This is key. Everyone has a different type of hair – some have thin hair, thick hair, or oily hair. Length is also important. A very short cut will need little to no product, but longer styles may need several products to turn out right.
For short hair, the best option is usually a wax or cream product. These allow the hair to be styled but remain flexible and not "crunchy". Gel is also an option here, but many gels, especially "sport" gels are meant to hold a style all day, and they do this by going on wet and then drying hard. This produces brittle, stiff hair that can often leave a white residue behind when touched. And while wax or cream will leave hair more malleable, the key is to not use too much, which will result a greasy feel whenever the hair is moved.
For slightly longer hair, hairspray or mouse can be used, although both of these are falling out of fashion. "Flexible hold" mousses and hairsprays are a good option, but too much can again result in a brittle style. Cream and wax can also be used, but won't be able to produce as extreme a style as with short hair, due to the weight of the hair.
Apply the Product Properly
This is where many men struggle. They may purchase a good product for their hair, but then use it improperly, leading to a disappointing result.
The first step is to read the directions on the product. On Garnier's Surf Hair cream, for example, the instructions are to take a dime-sized amount into the palms and rub it to activate the product. This is important. When the paste comes out of the container, it is slightly cold and although a little bit sticky, will not perform nearly as well as when it is heated up in the palms of the hands.
Second, apply the product starting at the back of the head first. This seems counter-intuitive, but is actually very important to the overall look. Often men will completely neglect the back and top of their hair in favour of the front, which is the most obvious area when looking in a mirror. This can result in an "unfinished" look as all of the hair care product is stuck at the front of the hair.
The back and sides of the hair do not need much product, especially with shorter hair. The best idea is to rapidly run the hands and fingers back and forth through these areas to distribute the product and create a more natural look.
When it comes time to style the front the rule to remember is that less is more. The temptation many men face is to use too much product to try and make sure that every hair is perfectly in its place. This will result in an over-use of product and will actually yield the opposite result – as the hair is saturated with gel or paste or cream, it will begin to droop and will no longer hold the shape the user was hoping for.
Don’t be too Picky
Once the product has been applied and the hair is looking reasonably decent, the best advice is to stop and walk away from the mirror. Often men will continue to fiddle with their hair, hoping for the perfect look or remembering the last time they walked out of the barber shop and it looked "perfect". Being too picky will inevitably result in the application of more product and eventually the hair will start to look worse rather than better, and will mean that the hair will need to be washed and the process begun all over again.
Most women do not like a man who has hair that is more styled than their own. A messy, casual look is currently favoured and requires less effort than gouging a part into the skull and making sure that each hair is perfectly smoothed down.
Bearing these tips in mind any man can create an easy, stylish look for their short hair.
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