Categories
Men Men's hairstyles

How to Style Your Hair Like a Barber Would

how to style your hair like a barber would?

You just got a great haircut, it looks perfect, and it’s laying down in all of the right places. Then, the next day, after a shower, it looks a little less than perfect. You’re using the product you bought at the barbershop and you’re trying to get the front to do that thing your barber did but it’s not happening.

It’s frustrating because you want to look sharp every day, not just the one day a month you get to see the barber.

There are a few factors that could be to blame but I’m going to share my top 3 solutions with you here because I want you to be able to style your hair on your own so you look sharp and feel confident every day of the week.

This list of questions is where I start when my clients bring this complaint to me. 

 1. Do you use a blow dryer?

Using a blow dryer can be intimidating or even taboo for people who grew up thinking it’s just used for long hair.

The truth is, almost everyone with a short hairstyle has something to gain from using one as well. 

To use an analogy, blow-drying your hair is like using primer before you paint. If you don’t prime the surface, how will the paint stick and perform well? It won’t. Then you have to cake on the paint to get the appearance you want.

Hair is the same way. Prime your hair with a blow-dryer and you’ll get much better results from the product you’re using.

2. How are you combing your hair?

Do you just ruffle your hair with your hands? Use a wide-tooth comb? A brush, perhaps?

All of these will give an entirely different look.

If you want a sleek, polished look, use a comb with fairly wide teeth and a pomade with high shine. As you comb, lay the spine of the comb flat on your head and use it to flatten the hair.

If you want a cross between polished and messy, use a comb to flatter the hair and raise the front. Then, drop the comb and use your fingers to ruffle the hair. The idea is to get the hair in the right place, then add the texture.

For a more natural, messy look, use a brush first get the hair into place, then rough it up with your hands. The brush will add a bit of volume so that it’s not so flat to the head.

3. Do you have the right product for your hair type?

Products generally vary in two ways: hold and shine. 

When choosing a product you need to think about your hair type and how you want your hair to look. 

Thin hair:

I always recommend a Matte Clay Pomade for thinning hair. Any product that has a higher shine or a heavy hold will weigh down your hair and cause it to clump together, looking even thinner.

I would also recommend using a fine-tooth comb as this will spread the hair evenly, keeping it from clumping together.

Medium & Thick hair:

If you want a clean and polished look, use a medium hold Natural Pomade. You could also use a light or heavy hold for this look depending on how much shine or hold you want. For high shine, go with a light hold. For high hold, go with the heavy hold. 

For a messy/textured style, grab a Matte Clay Pomade. Use a generous amount after blow-drying your hair and use your hands to style it.

Curly Hair:

I personally have curly hair and frizz is the main problem I face. I use two products for this. I use our Beard Oil when my hair is still damp and then top it off with the medium hold Natural Pomade

Once my hair drys, it retains the curls I want while keeping frizz to a minimum. 

The main thing you want to avoid with styling curly hair is combing or brushing it too much. This will cause the hair to straighten out a bit and you’ll have to wet it to reactivate the curls.

I hope these tips help you look sharp and feel confident in your appearance after you start incorporating them into your daily grooming routine. The next time you see your barber, ask them what type of product they would recommend for your hair type.

You May Also Like:

How To Use Beard Oil And Balm And Difference
How To Use a Matte Clay Pomade
Men’s Haircuts: The Definitive Guide 2022
Categories
Men Men's hairstyles

The Crop Haircut For Men

The crop is a hairstyle that has been popular in Europe for a long time. It’s slowly starting to trickle over into the states. It has tons of variations but is mainly characterized by the blunt, short fringe in the front and short, textured hair throughout the top that drops to a skin fade on the sides.

The west coast was the first to catch on. Now we’re seeing a bit of an uptick in requests for this hairstyle in the southeast.

Lucas, pictured below, has a versatile hair type and head shape that can take on many different forms. He’s had slicked-back pompadours, short textured haircuts, and lately, the crop has been a repeat choice. The main reason it’s been a repeated look is that it is extremely low maintenance.

Credit: @maccmobilebarber/ Instagram

How to style it

To style the crop, we recommend using the Matte Clay Pomade.

First, scoop a small amount and emulsify it in your hands. Then, spread it through your hair when it is slightly damp. Mess up the top with your hands until you start to see the amount of texture you’re looking for.

You can let it air dry but for best results, use a blow dryer while texturizing the top. Make sure the fringe falls evenly and you’re set.  

How to ask for it

At the barbershop, ask your barber if a crop will work with your hair texture and head shape.

To make sure you are on the same page with your barber. It’s best to have a few photos ready so you can visually express what you are hoping the result will be. Often we see details in the photo that people who aren’t barbers or hairdressers have a hard time explaining. So when you show us a photo and point to the parts of the haircut you like and dislike. It helps us establish a mental picture of what you’re envisioning.

What we look for when determining if it’s right for you is a hair pattern that wants to lay forward and has a moderately thick recession area.

We will ask you whether you want to take the sides all the way down to skin and if you will be styling the top with a product. If you will be styling it, we will leave a bit more length and make sure there is plenty of texture for you to play with.

You May Also Like:

How To Use Beard Oil And Balm And Difference
How To Use a Matte Clay Pomade
3 Blowout Techniques You Need To Know
Blown Dry Vs. Hot Tools – Reducing Heat Damage
Don’t Shampooing And Conditioning Every Day
Men’s Haircuts: The Definitive Guide 2022
Categories
Hairstyles Men Men's hairstyles Women

3 Blowout Techniques You Need To Know

Did you know there’s more than one type of blowout?

We use three main types in the salon every week, but before we get into those, let’s talk products for a second. Many people bypass this crucial step and it’s so very important to get a smooth, fly away free blowout.

Always use a style prep on damp hair before drying and be sure that it follows the type of look you’re going for. When using something for volume, spray directly at the roots and when using something to smooth frizz, be cautious of how much you use because it can easily weigh your hair down and leave it looking flat.

1. Sleek and Straight

Credit: @clare.yuko/ Instagram

This blowout can be achieved several different ways; with a round brush, flat brush, or even vent brush.

The trick to this style when using a round brush is to keep the brush completely straight through the ends. If you bevel the brush too much, the ends will have a little more curl and bounce to them and not have that sleekness you’re looking for.

2. Volume

Credit: @halocouture_tampa_distribu/ Instagram

This blowout is all about direction. For volume on the sides and back, pull your round brush straight up while blow drying.

When blow drying the top, bring your hair down towards your face and once it’s completely dry and cooled off, pull it back away from your face. This will give you maximum height and effortless volume.

3. Big Loose Curls

Credit: @tinycindymakeup/ Instagram

This blowout is by far the most popular however it’s also the one that not many people know how to achieve at home. A good trick to try while you’re watching tv at home or relaxing on the couch with a good book is to just hold your round brush in your hand and practice rotating the handle back and forth. This will help you get used to that motion before trying it on your hair. When you’re ready to try it on yourself, start with small sections first.

Blow-dry from root to ends and continue to rotate the round brush the entire time to keep maximum tension. Lastly, roll the round brush up from the ends towards the roots and keep rolling up and down to create a curl.

Once you’ve finished the entire blowout, run your fingers through your hair to loosen the curls. Finish with some hairspray or oil to control fly-aways and you’re good to go!

You May Also Like:

Blown Dry Vs. Hot Tools – Reducing Heat Damage
Blow Dryer’s Guide To Brushes
How To Use Beard Oil And Balm And Difference
How To Use a Matte Clay Pomade
Categories
Hairstyles Men Men's hairstyles Women

Blown Dry Vs. Hot Tools – Reducing Heat Damage

Have you ever left the studio and loved how your hair felt after it’s blown dry into a style, or wondered why it feels so great compared to when you style your own hair?

In this series of blow drying “how to blown dry” blogs. We’re going to cover all of the information you need to know about the importance of blow dry styling, to keep your hair looking and feeling its healthiest.

First in the series, we’re going to cover why it is both healthier and longer lasting to straighten and smooth your hair with just a blow dryer vs. with a blow dryer + flat iron.

Blow drying is less damaging to your hair because rather than keeping the heat in one place. The heat from the blow dryer is constantly moving. When you apply a flat iron to your hair, you’re doubling the heat and concentrating it on a specific section over, and over again.

This is applying unnecessary and repetitive heat to your hair, potentially causing damage. A blow dryer and proper round brush would be more gentle on your hair. Especially the finer sections around your face and ears.

Did you also know that with a blow dryer, you can add volume to your hair? With the correct brush, and by holding the blow dryer at the right angle. You can achieve a voluminous, smooth look instead of a flat, stick straight look.
  • The combination of the round brush and blow dryer work together to remove the water from your hair, allowing you to have a few more days of wear with your style(with the addition of dry shampoo).
  • Flatirons and other hot tools have a higher heat setting than most blow dryers do – a huge red flag for heat damage. The plates on the flat iron trap your hair between it, creating tension and friction at an unsafe heat setting of 400-450 degrees.
  • Remember, when it comes to protecting your hair from high heat, opt for a complete blow drying routine instead of a flat iron.

You May Also Like:

3 Blowout Techniques You Need To Know
Blow Dryer’s Guide To Brushes
Categories
Hairstyles Men Men's hairstyles Women

Blow Dryer’s Guide To Brushes

Do you ever leave the salon wondering how to recreate that perfect blowout you just received? The key is using the proper tools for your hair type and desired style. Let’s touch on a few basics blow dryer’s guide : 

Here are three ways to teach you how to dry your hair correctly and keep your hair health.

1. The Round Brush 

This universal brush is used to create volume, waves, and smoothness. The larger the barrel, the softer the curve of the hair. If you have thick, coarse hair, a round brush with nylon bristles may be best as they detangle and glide through thicker hair easier than their boar bristle cousin.

The boar bristle round brush is great for fine to medium texture and creates a smooth cuticle while stimulating the scalp and distributing oils. Round brushes are great for creating multiple styles and the most popular brush used in the salon to create those beautiful blowouts we all love. 

2. The Paddle Brush

If you prefer minimum volume, have extra thick or coarse textured hair, this is the brush for you. Paddle brushes detangle easily and are most convenient for long hair blowouts at home. They tame frizz and leave your hair flyaway free. As I mentioned with the round brdush, nylon bristles are best for thicker hair while boar bristles are the go-to on fine to medium texture. 

3. The Vent Brush 

Last but not least is the vent brush. This is used more frequently for quick blowouts on shorter hair as they create a faster dry time and are easy to navigate through all hair types. Curly thick hair will benefit from the use of a vent brush as to not disrupt the hairs wave pattern. 

Don’t forget – brushing wet hair is not ideal! It can cause breakage. Detangle first with a wide tooth comb and blow dry your hair about 75% with your fingers before sectioning with clips and using your selected brush.

Stay tuned for one more blog in this series!

You May Also Like:

3 Blowout Techniques You Need To Know
Blown Dry Vs. Hot Tools – Reducing Heat Damage
Categories
Men Men's hairstyles

How To Use Beard Oil And Balm And Difference

A common question we hear in the Barbershop is “what’s the difference between beard oil and beard balm and how do I use them?”

Whether you have a five o’clock shadow or a beard down to your waist, it’s important to know the best way to care for your beard. In this blog, I’m going over two things that will help you keep your beard soft, conditioned, and under control.

  • The difference between Balm and Oil
  • How to use them

So, what’s the difference?

Oil conditions, Balm controls.

Beard Oil is used to nourish, soften, and moisturize your beard and the skin underneath. If your beard is dry, itchy, uncomfortable, or the skin on your face is flaky and irritated, you could benefit from an oil.

The “itchy phase” that every man goes through with a new beard can be cured with just a few drops of oil because it replenishes the natural oils on the face, hydrating the skin, and keeps the coarse beard hair softened so that it doesn’t scratch the skin.

We recommend using beard oil first thing in the morning or right after a shower.

Beard Balm is for taming, controlling, and shaping the beard, plus we pack some vitamin-rich goodies int there to further the work of the oil.

When your beard gets frizzy, scraggly, and has fly-away hairs, you need a balm. To keep the stray hairs in their place, the waxes and butters in our balm go to work, moisturizing and tackling the hair into place. The weight of the ingredients calms the poofy, fluffy look that happens when your beard is too dry.

Without a balm, your beard will look wiry and untamed but using our all-natural products will keep the beard feeling and looking right. We recommend following beard oil with balm daily to keep things nourished and controlled.

How to use Oil and Balm

1. Start with a few drops of oil

First thing in the morning or after a shower, start with putting a few drops of oil in your palm, adding more if necessary.

2. Apply oil under the beard

The point of using beard oil is to condition and nourish, so it’s best to apply under the beard first, working the oil into your skin.

3. Get a small scoop of balm

Take a small amount of balm from the tin and emulsify it in your hands. Scoop more as you see fit. Depending on how wild your beard is and how long it is, a little balm may go a long way or you may need a big scoop.

4. Apply balm over the beard

Run Balm through the beard, making sure to apply it evenly. You’ve already gotten under the beard with the oil so use the balm more as a finishing coat.

5. Comb through to shape and distribute evenly

Using a comb or a brush, work the oil and balm through the beard to distribute them evenly and bring shape to your beard. Comb vs. brush is a huge debate but we say to each his own! As long as you get the look you’re going for, you’re doing it right.

You May Also Like:

Men’s Haircuts: The Definitive Guide 2022
Categories
Men Men's hairstyles

How To Use a Matte Clay Pomade

When used correctly, this Matte Clay Pomade will be the most versatile pomade in your arsenal. It’s easy to scoop & apply, helps you maintain volume & texture, and keeps your hair soft and healthy unlike store bough pastes and clays that dry out and damage your hair

By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to confidently use the Matte Clay Pomade to get the look you want. Styling your hair daily won’t seem so intimidating, and you’ll be in control of your hair instead of letting it control you.

Step One: Get A Good Haircut

Starting with a haircut that fits your lifestyle and head shape is half of the battle against unruly hair that has a mind of its own. Book an appointment with one of our Master Barbers to take care of this step.

Step Two: Use A Blow Dryer

Hair stays where it dries. By using a blow dryer to take your hair from wet to dry, you’re commanding it to stay where you want it and you’re sealing the cuticle, making it a breeze to work with. To fully seal the cuticle, use the “cool” setting at the end once your hair is dry.

Starting on the sides and moving to the top, use the blow dryer to smooth, shape, and direct your hair. Most people don’t know this, but you can do 75% of the work with the blow dryer just by spending 5 minutes smoothing and shaping the hair. If you let it do the work for you, the Clay will do the rest and keep your hair where you want it.

Step Three: Scoop & Emulsify

Scoop small amounts of Clay from the jar and emulsify it between your palms until its a smooth, even coat. Emulsifying the clay thoroughly in your hands is how you avoid having uneven distribution in your hair.

Step Four: Spread Evenly

Lightly apply the Clay to your hair, making sure you distribute the Clay evenly. Go against the direction your hair lays to get a tackier hold by coating the underside of the hair. For a dry, matte look, use less Clay while still ensuring your hair is lightly coated. For a groomed, polished look, add more Clay until you’ve achieved the amount of shine you’re going for.

Step Five: Finish The Look

Use a comb to get an even, smooth look or use your hands to have a rougher, textured look. Since the Clay is not water or alcohol-based, you can restyle at any point throughout your day. 

You May Also Like:

Men’s Haircuts: The Definitive Guide 2022
Categories
Men Men's hairstyles

How To Ask Barber For You Want Haircut

Many times, I hear people say they have no idea how to ask for the haircut they want, mainly because they don’t want to say the wrong thing and get a crummy haircut just because what they saw on Instagram as a “side-part undercut skin-fade” may be totally different from what I or another barber might interpret that to be. The amount of insider lingo out there is intimidating

Disclaimer: If you do use insider lingo after reading this, it’s no worries! We won’t judge you for one second. We are only concerned with getting you the look you want, no matter how we get there or what words help us get on the same page.

When Devin first came to the barbershop, he had super long, blonde hair. He wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to do, so over the past few haircuts we’ve been trying different, slightly shorter styles until we landed here. He wouldn’t have known how to ask for this haircut in particular, but I’m going to tell you the same thing I told him to ask for next time in language that every barber or hair dresser should understand.

We try our best not to use inside lingo. It’s confusing for you and it makes the whole experience intimidating and you worry you’re being judged for not saying the “right” things.

We believe it’s our job to figure out how you want your hair cut and make it work for your head and lifestyle, so we will keep the fancy words about bone structure and cutting techniques and everything else to ourselves for the most part. After all, you didn’t study to be a Master Barber, we did. 

Processed with VSCO with e6 preset

Here’s what you need to say

  1. Keep the top long, textured, and blended into the sides and back.
  2. Keep some weight or length on the sides.
  3. Taper the bottom almost down to skin.
  4. Tell them (or me) how you will be styling it. In this case, its messy, loose, and pushed back.

Don’t worry about whether this is called an Undercut or a David Beckham or a Brad Pitt from some movie. Your barber basically just needs to know how short you want your hair in those three places. Top, sides, & bottom. If you’ve ever booked an appointment with us, you’ll remember we didn’t ask you much more than that. Stick to commonly used words like long/short, weight, and texture and you’re good to go. 

Styling this haircut

To achieve the finished look, we used a blow dryer to get the hair moving in the right direction and tossed a small scoop of XXX Natural Pomade in to give it hold while maintaining a natural shine and loose feel.

You May Also Like:

Men’s Haircuts: The Definitive Guide 2022
Categories
Men Men's hairstyles

How To Use Pomade

We’ve all been in front of a mirror, frustrated, mad, going through tons of pomade because it just isn’t working and we can’t tame that dang cowlick or get the volume we want or whatever our unruly hair is deciding to throw at us. Thankfully, the solution is pretty simple. Follow these five steps and you’ll never be frustrated with your hair again. See video below.

Pomade used: Natural Pomade – XX – Pipe Tobacco
Comb used: Kent R5T  

1. Get A Good Haircut

Starting with a haircut that fits your lifestyle and head shape is half of the battle against unruly hair that has a mind of its own. Book an appointment with one of our Master Barbers to take care of this step.

2. Use A Blow Dryer

Hair stays where it dries. By using a blow dryer to take your hair from wet to dry, you’re commanding it to stay where you want it and you’re sealing the cuticle, making it a breeze to work with. To fully seal the cuticle, use the “cool” setting at the end once your hair is dry.

When using natural, oil-based products like ours, always start with dry hair. Period. Oil and water don’t mix, so if you use an oil based product in wet hair, the product will not bind to your hair and you can kiss goodbye any chance of having a strong hold.

3. Scoop Generously

Use the top of your thumbnail to break through the waxiness on the surface so you can scoop as much as you need. A lot of times, the reason you aren’t getting the hold or finish you want is because you aren’t using enough pomade to do the job.

Using the right pomade for your hair type is important as well. We will discuss how to pick the right product in a later post. For now, we recommend starting with something versatile like our Medium hold Natural Pomade.

4. Spread Evenly

Emulsify the pomade between your palms and spread it lightly and evenly throughout your dry hair. Its okay for there to be a little bit of pomade left on your hands. That means your hair is evenly coated.

5. Use a Comb to Style

We recommend a Kent Handmade Comb for styling. The saw-cut teeth glide smoothly across your hair and leave beautiful comb lines. If you’ve managed to do most of the work with the blow dryer, combing will be the easiest part. Use this step to finish spreading the pomade and polish off the final shape.

You May Also Like:

Men’s Haircuts: The Definitive Guide 2022
Categories
Men Men's hairstyles

49+ Best Men’s Fade Haircuts In 2022

Fade haircut is definitely in style for men today. It’s fairly easy to maintain, and tends to look pretty good.

The end of the fade is typically going to be 0, which is skin. So you may start with like a 2, then move to like a 1.5, then a 1, and a 0.5. This will give you that nice seamless fade.

The best way to ensure an even fade is to work carefully and slowly. Depending on the hair and your level of experience, cutting a fade can take anywhere from half an hour to several hours.

Depending on the hair and personal style, fades can be high and trimmed or start lower and blend into the neckline.You can also see our details.

Tips

  • For an even and well-maintained fade, plan on trimming the cut every 4-6 weeks.
  • If the person has a cowlick that would make it difficult to fade at a certain point on the head, start the fade just above or below it.
  • Consult the person whose hair you’re cutting as you work to make sure they’re satisfied with the length and overall style.

Warnings

Because fades are a complicated cut, avoid cutting your own hair unless you have hairstyling experience. Cut another person’s hair or have someone cut your hair so the person cutting can see the entire head and blend the cut evenly.

If you’re looking for the latest hairstyles,please watch our complete guide.

1.High Skin_Fade + Slicked Back + Surgical Line

Credit: @jayr_fadez_/ Instagram

2.Taper_Fade + Curls Hair

fadeCredit: @johnnymen_official/ Instagram

3.Burst_Fade + Undercut Pompadour

Credit: @thefamilybarbershop.ec/ Instagram

4.Mid_Fade + Buzz Cut

Credit: @daviii.barber/ Instagram

5.Low Skin_Fade + Comb Over

Credit: @hairmenstyles/ Instagram

6.Mid Skin_Fade + Curls Hair

Credit: @hairmenstyles/ Instagram

7.Mid Skin_Fade + Long Fringe

Credit: @hairmenstyles/ Instagram

8.High Skin_Fade + Buzz Cut

Credit: @hairmenstyles/ Instagram

9.High Skin_Fade + Undercut Quiff

Credit: @hairmenstyles/ Instagram

10.MID Skin_Fade + French Crop

Credit: @hairmenstyles/ Instagram

11.Drop_Fade + Slicked Back + Texture

Credit: @hairmenstyles/ Instagram

12.Low Skin_Fade + Curls Hair

Credit: @hairmenstyles/ Instagram

13.Drop_Fade + Swept Side Part

Credit: @hairmenstyles/ Instagram

14.Burst_Fade + Quiff + Beard

Credit: @haircutsforboys/ Instagram

15.High Skin_Fade + Slicked Back

Credit: @haircutsforboys/ Instagram

16.High Skin_Fade + Undercut +Quiff

Credit: @haircutsforboys/ Instagram

17.Mid Skin_Fade + Top Knot

Credit: @haircutsforboys/ Instagram

18.Burst_Fade + Pompadour

Credit: @haircutsforboys/ Instagram

20.Taper_Fade + Top Knot

Credit: @haircutsforboys/ Instagram

21.Mid Skin_Fade +Short Quiff

Credit: @menshairs/ Instagram

22.High Skin_Fade + Texture On Top

Credit: @menshairs/ Instagram

23.Mid Skin_Fade + Side Part

Credit: @menshairs/ Instagram

24.Drop_Fade + Slicked Back

Credit: @menshairs/ Instagram

25.High Skin_Fade + Surgical Line + Long Fringe

Credit: @menshairs/ Instagram