Practical Tips and Techniques for Styling Men’s Hair With Confidence
Are you looking to change up your look due to a change of seasons, a new job, current trends, or just because? As you should! When it comes to men’s hair styling, it’s all about the proper cut and products — but first things first. You’ve got to identify your hair type and face shape. Not sure where to start? We’ve got you. Ahead: the ultimate guide filled with tips for styling your hair like a pro — you’ve got this.
Understanding Your Hair Type and Face Shape
Whether you want a classic cut or a new and trendy look, you should have a grasp of your hair type and face shape to ensure it flatters your features while being easy to style and take care of.
Identify Your Hair Type
Hair is categorized as either straight, wavy, curly, or coily. Hair type research suggests that the shape of the hair follicle determines a person’s hair type, and genetic factors play a significant role.
While you can typically determine which type you have by looking at it, you can do the touch test when it comes to texture.
- Rub a small piece of hair between your fingers. Don’t feel anything? Then your hair is considered fine.
If you can feel some texture, it’s medium. Notable roughness, or a wiry feeling, indicates a coarse hair type.
Determine Your Face Shape
It’s helpful if you can determine your face shape by measuring it because it will help you choose the most complimentary hairstyles. All you need is a flexible measuring tape; here are the areas to measure:
- Horizontally across your forehead, halfway between your hairline and brows.
- Between the highest points of your cheekbones to the outer corner of your eyes.
- From the beginning of the jaw to the tip of the chin. Multiply twice to get the entire jaw measurement.
- The face length from the center of your hairline to the bottom of the chin.
Oblong
An oblong face length is long, and the forehead, cheekbones, and jawline are the same measurement. The best cuts help make the face look wider to balance the length, such as a textured style with fuller sides or a side-swept crew cut.
Diamond
A diamond-shaped face is characterized by a narrow forehead and a pointed chin — the cheekbones are the widest part of the face, resulting in a chiseled jawline. Cuts like a faux hawk, long fringe, and textured top are among the most flattering.
Square
This face shape is naturally wider, so avoiding cuts that provide more width is best. Opt for a quiff, classic side part, buzz cut, French crop, or pompadour because they feature short and tight sides.
Heart
Since the chin of a heart-shaped face is narrow in proportion to the forehead, the goal is to make it appear more prominent with a wavy textured side part or messy fringe cut. Avoid middle parts and styles with a lot of height on top.
Triangle
Volume is the secret to evening out a face shape like a triangle. It’s also helpful to have even sides to give the illusion of a wider forehead and cheekbones, so consider a crew cut, comb-over, or textured quiff.
Oval
While an oval face offers more versatility than other shapes, you should avoid fringe around the forehead because it can make your face appear more round. Opt for a crop with faded sides, mid-fade pompadour, a taper fade with a quiff, or an undercut.
Round
To help conceal roundness, choose a cut with lines and angles that is fuller on the top, such as a side-swept brush-up or a spiky cut. While faded sides make the face appear slimmer, avoid a buzz cut as it can accentuate roundness.
Choosing the Right Men’s Hairstyles
Even if you feel confident in understanding your face shape and hair type, talking to a pro can ensure you choose the best cut. Clear communication is vital!
You’re not expected to know all the correct cutting and barbering terms. In fact, it’s best not to get technical when explaining what you want because the terminology you’re using may not be correct. Instead, show a picture or two and discuss important factors like your lifestyle and how much you’re willing to put into the styling process.
Classic and Timeless Haircut Options for Men
- Buzz Cut: If you’re looking for a men’s simple hairstyle, you can’t beat the classic buzz cut. This military-like style is achieved with clippers, so it falls high and right with a slightly longer patch of hair on the crown.
- Side Part: Also referred to as the Ivy League or Harvard clip, this cut is a preppy play on the classic crew cut. The key is leaving the hair on the top front longer so it’s easier to be styled into a side part, while the hair on the crown is cut shorter.
- French Crop: This cut remains a classic because it flatters most face shapes — especially round — and doesn’t require a lot of styling. It’s a bit like the Ceasar, but the sides are shorter and more faded, and the forehead fringe is a bit longer.
- Brush Up: This simple yet polished cut accentuates the hair on the top of the head by trimming the back and sides in a short taper, fade, or undercut. To achieve more volume at the crown, style with a hairdryer.
- Messy Mid-Length: This cut is a classic due to its versatility (man bun or pony, perhaps?) and effortless styling. However, visit a stylist or barber proficient in scissor cutting to achieve a precise square-layered haircut.
Trendy and Modern Haircut Styles to Consider
- Quiff: This style aims to achieve height at the front, though less dramatically than a pompadour. It’s cut short at the back on the sides so that the top towards the hairline is the star of the show.
- Faux Hawk: Unlike a traditional mohawk, this modern-day alternative is more edited and subdued — the sides are tapered, and the top is crested versus being spiked or completely shaven.
- Textured Crop: One of the most popular cuts of the last decade! The top is long and tousled, while the rest of the hair is clean and cropped and is often accompanied by a short fringe.
- New Ceasar: This popular runway cut pays homage to the classic Ceasar but features longer bangs that can be worn slicked down.
- Wolf Cut: While this cut is also popular with women, thanks to K-pop and TikTok, men have been wearing this trendsetting style, and it’s suitable for many hair textures. It’s shaggy, full of volume, and slightly resembles a mullet. It’s definitely for the confident man looking to make a statement.
Need some more inspiration? Check out our post on trending men’s hairstyles!
Essential Men’s Hairstyling Products and Tools
Even the sharpest cut requires the right men’s hair styling products and tools to complete the look. Both play a significant role in attaining various styles.
Different Types of Hair Styling Products
Hair products for men are essential for keeping your cut and style fresh and polished. They can help you achieve a range of goals, including increased volume, shine, and texture while controlling frizz and providing hold.
One of our newest formulas is perfect for the man looking to add a little “oomph” into their style. It’s formulated with results-driven ingredients like Procapil™ to help strengthen your strands from root to tip, resulting in fuller, more voluminous hair. It only takes one-to-two pumps of this easy-to-use volumizing foam to achieve results, and it can be used in combination with other Jack Black hair products.
Pro Tip: Check out our post about Volume for Men’s Hair and how to achieve it!
Here’s another welcome addition to the Black Jack family of hair styling products. It’s a high-grade leave-in balm for the hair and beard that helps provide ample hydration while banishing frizz and flyaways. Over time (and with regular use), it can improve strength and texture, resulting in healthier-looking hair. It’s lightweight, absorbs quickly, and won’t leave behind any residue or cause flaking.
Several pomades are on the market, but ours offers buildable control and a natural-looking hold with a matte finish. It’s perfect for adding definition and texture or sculpting the hair into a particular style without leaving behind any traces of residue.
Despite its lightweight texture, this versatile cream provides long-lasting control and exceptional anti-frizz benefits — even for those with dry-to-normal coarse, thick, or wavy hair. It can be used before or after blow-drying if your style requires it.
You can still achieve the hold you need without crunch, buildup, or flaking. Our unique, alcohol-free gel delivers a flexible, natural-looking grip and control without weighing the hair down with a sticky residue.
While this concentrated blend of oils works wonders for the facial and body skin, for hair, it can be used as a styling, conditioning, or finishing product to help reduce frizz and increase shine, thanks to key ingredients like Argan, Jojoba, Plum Seed, and Olive Fruit oils.
Tips for Selecting the Correct Products
Deciphering the correct products depends mainly upon your hair type — even before styling goals. Check out our comprehensive guide to choosing the Best Styling Products for Your Hair Type.
Tools of the Trade
Your cut and styling goals dictate which tools you need to achieve your look. Start with the basics. Jack Black Durable Styling Comb is the ultimate grooming tool that comforts the hair and scalp. It features small and large teeth, so it can easily handle all hair types. It’s perfect for everyday styling and detangling.
Depending on your style, you may need a boar bristle brush, straightener, and hair dryer to achieve volume.
Tips for Everyday Haircare
One of the leading benefits of everyday hair care is that it prevents hair from becoming dry, brittle, and damaged. An effective men’s hair care routine should include regular shampooing and conditioning to remove dirt, oil, and product buildup while providing adequate hydration. Scalp care is also vital as it will help restore your hair's natural luster and shine while promoting growth.
Washing and Conditioning Techniques
Washing and conditioning are the cornerstone of any haircare routine. Jack Black has developed a Shampoo and Men's Hair Conditioner to suit all hair types and needs. We’ve put together detailed advice on How Often You Should Wash Your Hair, followed by the Jack Black Hair Conditioning Guide so you can take these simple yet effective steps to the next level.
Common Haircare Mistakes to Avoid
- Using the wrong product for your hair type
- Using too much product or incorrectly
- Shampooing too often or not enough
- Not providing adequate moisture
- Neglecting regular trims and areas like sideburns, mustache, beard, and the back of your neck
- Not switching up your cut to meet your hair’s current needs
- Choosing the wrong haircut/style for your face shape and hair texture
- Not replacing your men’s haircare products regularly
How to Keep Hair Healthy and Nourished
When it comes to healthy hair, don’t neglect scalp care. It’s crucial for achieving and maintaining the health of your follicles. Regular exfoliation removes product and dead skin cell buildup, which makes it easier for natural oils to nutrify, hydrate, and protect your scalp and hair.
Jack Black recently released an Exfoliating Scalp Scrub + Shampoo, a multitasking 2-in-1 scalp exfoliator and cleanser in one that removes excess oils and product buildup while gently scrubbing away dead skin cells. The result is stronger, healthier-looking hair. It’s gentle enough for daily use and helps soothe an itchy, dry, or oily scalp.
Styling your hair doesn’t have to be complicated or intimidating, but it requires a basic understanding of your face shape and hair type. Unsure? Don’t be afraid to consult your stylist or barber for advice. When it comes to styling products, Jack Black has you covered.