Best Men’s Hairstyles

Are you looking to adopt a new style?

Maybe you’ve never bothered styling your hair or you’ve grown tired of doing your hair, in the same way, every day.

In which case you’ll be wanting to adopt a new hairstyle that suits you. You can’t always just go for any hairstyle though.

Certain styles can only be achieved by having the right type of hair. For example curly hair, wavy hair, thick hair, or thin hair.

Hair type will limit what products you can use and certain products are better at achieving certain styles due to differences in hold and shine.

So read on and you’ll know everything there is to know about the best men’s hairstyles. Once you know which hairstyles are the best you’re going to want to know what the best hair products for men are too so check out our article on them.

Now, let’s get into the best men’s haircuts.

 

What Hair Products To Use And When To Use Them

Wax

You’ll want to use this if you have longer, curly, or wavy hair. Wax can be greasy and has thick viscosity but provides a solid hold. Wax will give you a high shine and a strong hold providing a wet but sleek look.

Cream

This is the one to go for if you have wavy or curly hair with some body. It’s especially effective for curly hair as it can set the curl without it getting frizzy giving a more finished look. Once applied you’ll have a light, low-shine, natural-looking hold.

Pomade

Use this one if you have sense, coarse hair. Styling pomade has a matte finish and tends to be more clay-based giving you a drier, lived-in texture. I’d recommend using pomade for short to medium styles. It will help you achieve a low to a high shine with a firm hold.

Hairspray

The great thing about hair spray is it can be used effectively by anyone with any hair type. Some brands have released products with a low-key grip so you can still make amendments and don’t have everything locked into place with no hope of running a finger through your hair. Hair spray is more of an afterthought and should be used as a finishing touch to keep everything where it should be. It will give a medium to a high shine, as well as a medium to strong hold.

Paste

Hair paste is best used on medium to thick hair. It’s like a heavier cream with a decent amount of viscosity and tack. You’ll want to pick this if you’re seeking a finished but natural look for short- to medium-length haircuts. It provides medium shine and medium hold.

Sea Salt Spray

This isn’t a commonly used product but you may want to try it if you have finer, long, or thick hair. It’s great at adding texture and giving dimension as well as more volume without looking too over the top.

Balm

This one is ideal for fine hair. Balm doesn’t have much weight to it and should be used to achieve a natural look. it will give you a medium shine and low to medium hold.

 

Face Shapes

Here we’ll look at the different face shapes, how to identify them, as well as some tips on how best to style them.

Diamond

Narrow forehead and chin with strong cheekbones.

1. Plenty of volume
2. Soften angularity of features
3. Scissor cuts

Heart Diamond

Broad forehead, rounded cheekbones that slope down to a small chin.

1. Increase length on top, which falls naturally with gravity
2. Let the hair grow out on the back and sides

Oblong

A tall, rectangular face with rounded corners. The forehead is broad but a similar size to cheekbones and jawline.

1. Even or balanced cuts
2. Styles that work with gravity
3. Classic scissor cuts

Oval

Somewhat broad forehead with narrower cheekbones and a round, tapering jawline.

1. Wear hair off the forehead to create volume and angles on top

Round

Circular and wide cheekbones with a tapering jaw and forehead.

1. Aim for height and volume
2. Tight back and sides
3. Opt for hard-textured cuts

Square

The face is wide at all points. Broad forehead, strong cheekbones, and an angular jaw.

1. Tight back and sides, fades or undercuts
2. Any length on top
3. Layering to accent features

Triangle

Jawline stronger than cheekbones with a smaller but relatively broad forehead and pointed chin.

1. Use plenty of length and volume on top
2. Reveal the forehead with a swept-back quiff or side-part
3. Be generous with texture

 

Quiff

A popular and common haircut for men and easily one of the most well-known men’s haircuts, the quiff haircut has been popular since the 1950s and is popular due to its versatility and simplicity.

This is a voluminous hairstyle that sees the hair at the front of the head styled upwards and backward, compared to other similar styles like the pompadour, which sees all of the hair styled up.

It can be styled with almost any type of hair and face shape so you can adopt a quiff whether you have longer hair or medium-length hair.

 

Pompadour

When it comes to popular men’s haircuts, the pompadour has been around for decades and its adoption rate hasn’t faltered.

The pompadour haircut itself is fairly similar to the quiff, with short sides and long hair on top being the two main features of the style.

To style the pompadour, you’ll need a strong hair product, blow dryer, and comb. Start by applying your wax or pomade. Then comb all your hair back, slowly providing some lift and volume. Once you get the general shape, blow-dry to apply heat and keep the shape you’ve styled. Then add a dash of hairspray to keep it in place.

 

Curly Hair taper-Fade

Now if you’ve got curly hair then this is the go-to hairstyle for you. Curly hair can be difficult to style but with this taper fade, you’ll look sleek and draw the attention of everyone in the room.

You’ll only need around 2 to 3 inches of length in the front and 1 inch or so in the back and it’s incredibly easy to style with you only needing to towel-dry your curls, apply some matte or low-shine curl-enhancing cream, and voila!

 

Faux Hawk and Mohawk

The mohawk and faux hawk are a classic style that has seen a resurgence in recent times. This cool men’s haircut best suits those with longer-length hair on top and can be matched with natural sides or a high skin fade.

Both styles include the distinctive strip of longer hair running down the middle of the head. For a more conservative haircut that can be worn everywhere and every day, we recommend you get the faux hawk as it looks more natural and you can experiment with the size of the middle strip depending on how much you want to be noticed.

Overall though, the faux hawk and mohawk can accommodate a variety of different types of fades with different lengths on top so you can try this out even if you have shorter hair.

 

Slicked Back

When it comes to popular men’s hairstyles a slicked back hairstyle will no doubt crop up in conversation. While it’s not necessarily a case of the slicker the better, you will want to invest in a strong-hold, high-shine gel or pomade to give your hair a good amount of sheen.

An effective slicked back hairstyle does ask for some longer hair on top as the hair at the front needs to go to the back hence the name.

If you ask your barber you’re planning on adopting this hairstyle for men then they’ll cut it in a way so you can achieve this style.

 

French Crop

The French crop is a men’s hairstyle that can look good pretty much regardless of your hair or face shape making it one of the most accessible on this list.

It’s a versatile haircut that has remained popular for decades due to its low maintenance upkeep and effortless appearance. Defined by its short back and sides, slightly longer top, and then the signature short fringe that can be blunt cut or point cut, the French crop is a men’s hairstyle that is easy to achieve.

You can let the french crop dry naturally and leave it as is, or you can apply a small amount of matte-effect styling product to towel-dried hair for a more textured look.

 

Buzz Cut

Probably one of the oldest hairstyles on this list is the buzz cut which is most famous for its usage by the military due to it being simple and easy to maintain. A buzz cut is defined by its short length cut close to the head using an electric shaver. If you want to know how to shave your head then check our article as well as our guide on the best head shaver.

A buzz cut is the most low-maintenance men’s hairstyle around with little need to shampoo it and no need to style it either. A buzz cut is also a great hairstyle for balding men, as it cuts out the awkward thinning hair stage and goes straight to a short haircut. The buzz cut will never go out of fashion so try it out.

 

Ivy League Haircut

A traditional haircut for those with straight hair. The Ivy League haircut is another go-to style that can be whipped up in just a few minutes.

The distinctive features of this cut include short head hair parted to the side with faded sides. For a more conservative finish, choose a low taper fade; otherwise, a high skin fade can offer tons of contrast.

You’ll only need around 2 to 3 inches on top with a fade of your choice on the sides then just style it into position.

 

Spiky Hair

Spiky hairstyles have evolved massively over the years. While your first image may be that of Billy Idol or punk rock bands of the 90s this style has changed drastically since then.

By adding texture with a small amount of hair product to seeing your scalp, you can pull off this edgy haircut and customize it into just about any way you want.

The latest trends have seen younger guys going for messy spiky hair which gives that more natural, rougher look. This is a cool hairstyle that can be adopted by all hair types so try it out!

 

Fade Hairstyle

Fade on the sides can be applied to almost any of these men’s haircuts and should all be sampled so you can get a good idea of what style gels with what fade. Fades are when short hair on your sides fades in towards the top of your hair which is longer on top. These faded sides can be subtle or more prominent and can be cut almost anywhere into the sides of your head.

Low Fade

One of the best things about fade haircuts is that they can easily be tailored to suit your tastes meaning there’s room to experiment which is always fin when styling your hair. For example, if you want a look that’s understated yet still utterly stylish, the low fade haircut makes an excellent choice.

Mid Skin Fade

For a standard fade look, we’d say to go for a mid-fade cut. Transitioning from long to short around the temples, this haircut appears stylish and smart.

High Fade

Featuring sides that quickly taper from long to short, the high fade is a striking and stylish look. This is probably the most difficult of the three as doing it wrong will be very noticeable and hard to amend so seek a barber’s help.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is long hair low maintenance for men?

Once you get past the growth stage long hair can be fairly low maintenance and, for men, can be styled in several ways. Long hair on men looks great if the hair is medium to thick in density. If you have wavy to curly hair then make sure you have added length.

Which face shape is most attractive?

The heart shape, otherwise known as a V-shaped face, has been scientifically proven to be the most visually attractive face shape to have. Heart-shaped faces like those of Hollywood star Reese Witherspoon are deemed as more beautiful.

How often should a man go to the barber?

Getting a haircut every month or 2 is a good rule of thumb for most men with short or medium-length hairstyles. Longer hairstyles can get away with going 3 to 4 months but if you have a specific hairstyle that you like to maintain then you can go more frequently as some men visit once a fortnight.