You want healthy, youthful skin. So, you follow a men’s grooming routine and take skincare for men seriously.
But what’s going on with your hair?
You're making a huge mistake if you’re not paying attention to your haircut or hairstyle. A great hairstyle flatters your face shape and takes your look to the next level. This may seem small, but it can give you an advantage, both in the business world and in your personal life.
The wrong look, on the other hand, can be a total disaster. Here’s everything you need to know about men’s hairstyles so you can choose the right one that suits your face shape.
Keep Your Hair Goals and Personality in Mind
First things first: before you change your hairstyle, you need to think about your hair goals and your lifestyle. As you’re thinking about factors like your face shape, hair texture, or facial hair, consider first the way you want to present yourself to others. The ideal hairstyle suits not just your appearance but also the way you want others to perceive you.
Looking to leverage your looks in the business world?
Stick to a more conservative hairstyle that is edgy enough to draw attention. This typically involves short hair, little to no facial hair, and a clean fade. Don’t push boundaries too much; taking your look too far can make you an outsider instead of just setting you apart from the masses.
Personal life needs some attention?
Find a hairstyle that draws attention to your best features and matches your personality. Here, it’s important that you wear the hairstyle and that it doesn’t wear you. So if you don’t think a particular hairstyle suits your taste or comfortability, don’t give it a try.
Just want to mix things up?
That’s fine, too. Choosing hairstyles for men is about more than just getting ahead at work or finding a significant other. Enjoy your hairstyle for the sake of itself. Take a daring new step into a cutting-edge haircut. In the worst-case scenario, it will always just grow back.
Also, consider how much time you’re willing to invest in styling and general upkeep. Some hairstyles for men require lots of maintenance, including regular visits to the barbershop or the use of styling products. You have to keep this in mind before you choose a new style.
Understand Your Hair Texture and Face Shape
Once you understand your broader goals and the general look you’re going for, it’s important to consider your physical limitations, such as your hair texture and face shape.
Sometimes, a specific hairstyle suits multiple face shapes, but that may not be true for every single hair style. There are some hairstyles for men that work great with a round or oblong face shape. Some face shapes might not go well with long hair; others may look more unique with natural waves rather than just plain, straight hair.
Matching face shapes with hair style, hair types, hair texture, and other factors is a bit like a game. Choosing among hairstyles for men might require you to do a bit of trial-and-error before you can say that a particular hairstyle suits you perfectly.
Remember that choosing a hairstyle that doesn’t complement your natural texture and shape will never work. It pays to learn a bit about your hair type, face shape, and hair texture so you can make the right choices for your look.
Consider Your Hair Texture
Generally speaking, your hair texture will fall into one of these categories:
- Thick: Works with most hairstyles for men, whether long or short hair. Great for textured looks.
- Wavy: Longer styles complement the natural movement of this hair type.
- Curly: Keep it short for a more conservative look, or be edgy and show off your natural curls.
- Straight: Beware of sharp, spiky looks. Otherwise, you have plenty of options for this hair type.
- Fine: Shorter cuts and styles that build volume will complement this hair type the best.
Do You Have a Receding Hairline?
More than your hair type or texture, you must also consider whether you have a full head of hair or a receding hairline. If your hairline is receding, you can still create a flattering look. But it’s something you have to take into consideration when thinking about your style. A messy look with more volume, for example, might be more flattering than a short or overly styled look.
Also, if your hairline is receding, it’s important to take good care of the hair you do have. Our Daily Revitalizing Hair Care Routine, which includes our natural shampoo and conditioner, helps strengthen your hair and moisturize your scalp. That promotes hair growth, restores natural shine, and increases volume, helping you maintain your hair’s natural texture.
Know Your Face Shape
You might be wondering, “Why should I think about my face shape too much? It’s just hair. Any style would probably work for any face shape, right?”
Nope. And once you choose a style that suits your specific face shape, the difference can be glaring. The right hairstyle will highlight your strongest facial features and soften any features you don’t want to draw attention to. Here are a few guidelines:
Oval Face Shape
If you have an oval face, you’re in luck: all hairstyles for men will work for you. Whether you want to grow out long hair or keep it short but with thick facial hair, your oval face shape gives you the freedom to explore many hairstyles for men.
That said, you can’t go wrong with a classic, short cut with hair slightly longer on the top. We recommend that you avoid any look that exacerbates the roundness of your features.
Round Face Shape
If you have a round face shape, you want to create the illusion of height and angles to strengthen your features. Styles that are short on the sides and longer on top will accomplish this, giving you height and length.
If you have a thicker hair texture, you can also go with a messy style on top with shorter sides. Flattops look great on round face shapes, too, and you can always use some pomade on the top to add volume and character. Avoid longer styles, as this hairstyle suits longer or sharper face shapes more.
Square Face Shape
A square face shape is characterized by masculine features and a strong, defined jaw. Those with square face shapes can emphasize those chiseled features with a classic undercut, a slicked-back cut, a medium-length fade, or a buzz cut. More generally, aim for haircuts that have short, tight sides with a little volume on the top. Use a pomade on top to add some texture and style.
Diamond Face Shape
Men with diamond face shapes can also explore a number of hairstyles for men. If you have a diamond face shape, balance your look with greater hair volume on top. That helps create the illusion of an oblong face shape. A cut that’s squared off on top, like a pompadour or quiff, also complements this face shape well. So will a classic schoolboy cut: brushed forward, fuller on the sides, long bangs.
Upside Down Triangle Face Shape
Triangular face shapes need a style that balances out the edges. A medium-length men’s hairstyle or long hairstyle works best for a triangular face shape. Parting your hair in the middle of your forehead will also balance out your face shape, making it look less wide and more balanced.
Long Face Shape
Guys with longer, narrower face shapes will find that medium and short hairstyles usually work best. Here, we recommend that you keep the length the same on the sides and the top, and style both the top and sides with a firm hold pomade to keep hair in place.
Get Your Cowlick Under Control
So you’ve factored in your hair type and face shape and you now have a particular style in mind. The next thing to do is figure out how to avoid bad hair days. No matter the hair type or texture, every guy deals with bad hair days from time to time, and they’ll ruin pretty much any style.
The key is to try to make these days few and far between. A good place to start? Get rid of that cowlick.
A pronounced cowlick is a section of your hair that stubbornly grows against the grain. That little cluster of misdirected hairs tends to stick out like a sore thumb, especially if you have thick, straight hair.
It can sometimes feel like all the combing, brushing, and styling in the world just won’t make a big difference. That’s not true, though. The way you cut and style your hair can affect how pronounced your cowlick is. There are hairstyles for men with a lot of cowlicks specifically, and these are naturally more flattering than others.
For example, your cowlick may not be noticeable at all if you keep your hair clipped short. So if cowlicks are making your hair a total mess, a shorter style may be something to consider. If you want to keep a longer style, a medium or strong hold product like our Flexible Hold Wax Pomade will hold your style in place despite its tendency to twirl away with your cowlick.
Keep in mind here that flexible-hold products are ideal because you can readjust them as necessary if your hairs start to stray. If you want that flexibility along with a matte finish, try our Styling Clay Pomade.
Learn The Best Hairstyles For Men: Talk to Your Barber
Your barber is an excellent resource anytime you have a concern about your hairstyle. They can help you determine your face shape, hair type, and natural texture. Also, if you have receding hair, the barber you choose can make or break your look. The best barbers can make magic happen by choosing the right hairstyles for men with a receding hairline, one that not only obscures their receding hair but also suits their face shapes.
The next time you go in for a trim, ask them if there’s a way they can adjust your haircut to take your style up a notch, give the illusion of a thicker hair type, or address other specific concerns you have. For example, ask them what hairstyles for men with cowlicks are best.
This is what they do for a living. They’re experts in hair type, face shapes, and everything hair. Trust their advice, and don’t be afraid to invest in a good barber.
Invest in a Great Hair Care Routine
Finally, invest in top-quality hair care products that won’t strip your hair of all its natural oils. Harsh, damaging products remove these oils and hurt your hair shafts, leaving your mane a dry, damaged mess (yes, even for those with a thicker hair type.)
Our gentle shampoos—our Daily Strengthening Shampoo and Relieving Dandruff Shampoo—use natural ingredients to cleanse your hair without dehydrating or thinning it out. This will keep your hair from looking weak and drab over time.
Don’t skip the conditioner. It’s critical if you want to maintain your hair type or manage your hairstyle. Conditioner replaces moisture lost by a shampoo (and even the best shampoos take some moisture away as they wash away dirt and grime.) It also keeps your hair strands healthy and prevents the dryness that can get them out of control.
Our Revitalizing Hair Conditioner is made with organic aloe, borage oil, and avocado oil to ensure maximum hydration and to promote healthy hair growth.
Don’t skip either step if you want a great style that lasts.
