Hair products for men

Hair products for men.

Remember back in the day when us manly men had only one hair styling product to choose from? Yes, Gel. Then ground breaking developments in the early eighties saw “Mousse” break into the market. Scrunching that lovely white foamy stuff into our permed mullets. Crazy days.

Nowadays us men have even more choice of products to choose from.
Unfortunately many are often making the wrong choice.
I think the problem is familiarity.
Many of us are probably using the same product and brand as we did when we were 16 years old. Just like our grandfathers who are still using Brylcream and Old Spice. We see that familiar bottle or tube on the supermarket shelf and we grab it, because “It’s what I’ve always used”

So to the point; what hair styling products to use for you manly barnet.
Well your hair type and style will dictate your choice.

Matt Clay.
Great for the dry bedhead look. Also good on fine hair to give body but use sparingly.

Wax.
Works well on thick hair. It’s a thick dense product so take care when using it. The product can come out the pot in hard to distribute lumps. Wax does give reasonable hold though. For my honest opinion, don’t use it on fine hair, and use it sparingly. You don’t want those locks looking like they’ve been dipped in chip fat. For a good tip on using a wax see this video.

Pomade.
This  is a gem of a product for todays styles. Many moons ago these were oil based  and a friggin’ nightmare to get out of your hair. However the modern offerings are usually water based and are easy to remove with shampoo. Don’t use it if your hair is prone to being oily / greasy. Pomades unlike Gels don’t go all flaky, yet it can tame curls and waves like a gel but the hold will be flexible.

Gel.
Gel has been around for years now. It’s popular and easy to use on most hair types. The product is a good one for controlling fly away hair, again use sparingly for this purpose. When the product dries, it goes hard and thats when it can start to flake. Gels come in various strengths soft medium and strong hold. Gels are great for getting volume into limp hair. A small amount through your damp hair then dry with a hairdryer and brush will give your lifeless barnet a lift.

Styling Creme.
This is a product that is a bit of a cross between a clay and a Pomade. It will give a flexible hold but leaves a sheen on your hair. Generally the hold is not as strong as a Matt Clay.

Final words on using hair products for men

Application is vital. Distribute evenly from roots to ends. Keep it away from your scalp. It’s easier to add more so use sparingly until you become confident in the product of choice.

Don’t keep piling the stuff on your hair day after day without washing it. Many don’t even use shampoo. Most products don’t just rinse out, they always leave residue on your hair. This results in  horrible build up. A Barbers worst nightmare can be a punter with layer after layer of built up product on their hair. It needs to be washed out.