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…
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
How to shape a beard: The ultimate guide for every face shape
Trimming a beard

You never want to be caught with a scratchy, messy beard while you're out and about. Regardless of the time of year, it's vitally important to keep your beard grooming on point. For starters, having high-quality beard oil or beard balm will definitely help you get started, product-wise. Whether you're still getting the hang of growing one out, or are a seasoned pro, it's crucial to upkeep and maintain the best beard shape for you and your face shape. Yes, you read that right, learning how to shape a beard will help you maintain the best beard shape for your facial features.

Shaping your beard takes diligence, yet it yields incredible results and will make you look more handsome, as opposed to Tom Hanks in Cast Away. Whether you have experimented on your own with trimming your beard or not, now is the perfect time to learn how to trim your beard properly to freshen up your look.

Read more
How often should men wash their hair? Experts weigh in
Washing hair in shower

How often should men wash their hair? It's an important question you may not be asking.

"Men aren’t as educated with haircare as women," said Mezei Jefferson, former assistant vice president of education curriculum and digital content for L’Oreal. "Men are growing savvier, but more so in the beard care arena." That means you still may be washing your hair improperly, but that’s a whole complicated matter in its entirety. Let’s just focus on one aspect you’ve been getting wrong for years: Hair washing frequency.
How often should you wash your hair?
You should wash your hair every one to three days, according to Jessica Wu M.D., Los Angeles dermatologist and author of Feed Your Face.

Read more