Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Grooming

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

The Manual’s Guide to Hair Styling for Men

Cator Sparks
By

mens hair styling tips shutterstock 168088526
Image used with permission by copyright holder

With summer wrapping up (say it ain’t so!), it’s time to put more focus on school and career and less on achieving a great tan. During the summer, we sometimes tend to let things slide a little bit in the grooming and dress department. Beach hair, swimsuits and flip flops rule. Yet getting back to a smarter regimen isn’t always a bad thing, and is actually something we look forward to. One of the most obvious grooming areas is your hair. We want to look on point for those first days back in class or on the job.

Recommended Videos

We spoke to Brian Porteous of Portland, Oregon’s Heritage Barber Shop for some expert men’s hair styling tips.

Related

Brian’s main mantra is to “Go with whatever is natural and what your hair wants to do.” As he explains, “Most cuts are getting away from the really coiffed, really styled and really heavy product look.” Here are some additional suggestions:

brian
Image used with permission by copyright holder
  • If you want to do a floating part, you can throw your hands through your hair, find the part, add some product and you are good to go. A wash and wear sort of cut.
  • It’s always beneficial to use a little product. If you’re new to hair products, you might start with a water-based putty or light cream that has a slight hold, yet is easy to work with.
  • You don’t want to go too short or add a lot of product to thin hair. Leave it longer on the sides and top and add just a little product.

Related: The Manual’s Guide to Summer Hair Care

Brian also answered some questions from our readers:

How soon before a big event should I get my haircut?

Come in a month to a month and a half before. Figure out the haircut you like and get it done. Four days before the event get a touch up and the day before, just get a trim around the ears and neck. You don’t want to look like you just walked out of the barber shop on the big day.

How do I quickly refresh my hair?

Get a towel as hot as you can with hot water and put it on your head and leave it for 10-15 seconds. You can press it against your head too and it really acts like a shower opening up your pores and relaxing your hair.

This article and video was brought to you by Old Spice

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Cator Sparks
Cator Sparks
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Cator Sparks was the Editor-in-Chief of The Manual from its launch in 2012 until 2018. Previously, Cator was covering…
Does beard growth oil work? What you should know
Man putting beard oil on his beard.

Growing the perfect beard is a lifelong quest for some, and though there are plenty of tips to help you grow a beard, sometimes you can benefit from a little outside intervention. You might have seen adverts for beard growth oil and wondered if that would help you grow a thicker and more lustrous beard, along with various other oils for softening or brushes and other tools to help maintain your skin.

There's a lot of options when it comes to the world of facial hair grooming, because for your beard to look full and well groomed, you need to not only trim it to the right shape but also make sure that both the hair and the skin of your face are well looked after and in good condition. You might also just need to be patient, as it can take some time for facial hair to grow in to the length that you want. The basic advice for growing in a beard that looks great are to give it time and make sure you're taking care of your health -- like getting enough sleep, eating a health diet, and taking exercise. But we all know we're supposed to do those things anyway, and there are some products that can help give your beard a nudge along the way.

Read more
How often should you change your razor blades?
Razor being rinsed under water.

It's a hassle and an annoyance, but when it comes to your daily shaving ritual something that you absolutely don't want to skip is changing out your razor blade. Trying to shave with a dull razor is bad for your skin and can cause razor bumps, plus creating a higher likelihood of problems like infections, and it will do a poor job of removing hair, resulting in a patchy shave. If you're not up for trying out a straight razor, then you'll need to get into the habit of regularly swapping out the replaceable blades on your razor or using fresh disposable razors instead. Knowing when to swap out your old blades for new ones will help keep your skin happy and your face looking its best, so our guide can help you work out how often you need to change your razor blades.

How often you should change your razor blades
According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, you should change your razor blades or throw away disposable razors after every five to seven shaves. High-quality razor blades should last five to seven shaves if you take care of them properly and keep them clean. However, cheaper disposable razors may wear out sooner.
Signs it’s time to change your razor blades include skin irritation after shaving, a less close shave, patchy areas or spots missed, skin that still feels rough after, dullness of the blades, feeling hairs are getting pulled instead of cut, and excessive friction of the blades across your skin that it feels like you have to drag it over your skin.
Moreover, a razor that has an accumulation of gunk that can’t be rinsed away should be immediately discarded, as this causes nicks and infections by dragging unevenly across your skin and introducing harbored bacteria into your pores.

Read more
Best men’s cologne sales: Save on Tom Ford, Creed, and more
Someone spraying a Tom Ford cologne on themselves.

The best cologne is an important investment for everyone. You might look great but your scent is a great way of endearing yourself to others, whether at a work meeting or on a date. More importantly, you want to feel great about how you smell, right? Learning how to apply cologne is vital before finding the best men’s cologne sales so you can invest in some great new scents. We’ve tracked down all the best men’s cologne sales and listed them below so you can soon find the right aroma for your personal brand.
Today’s best men’s cologne sales
Across the internet, you can find great men’s cologne sales on major brands like Montblanc, Prada, Versace, Tom Ford, and many others. It’s a great idea to stock up on a few different scents so that you have different colognes for different occasions. Here are the best men’s cologne sales around today.

Creed:
Dior:
Cartier:
Clive Christian:
Hermes:
Versace:
Tom Ford:
Givenchy:
Burberry:
Prada:
Montblanc:

Read more