Are you looking for the secret to effortless, stylish hair without all the frustration of trial and error? You are not alone. Most men find it hard to know which products will work with the right type of hair they happen to have. It’s overwhelming, given all the products available on the market. The good news is: that with the right hair-styling product, you can transform your look in just a few minutes with absolutely no fuss or frustration.
Below, I reveal the top 10 best hair styling products for men to help you achieve that perfect style you’ve always wanted—whether polished and professional or laid-back and textured. Ready to unlock your best hair days? Let’s dive in!
Why Hair Styling Matters for Men
The Role of Grooming in Modern Men's Fashion
Those days when men only needed to roughly comb through their hair and splash on aftershave are officially gone. In the fashion-conscious modern world, grooming has become an important part of your image. Well-styled hair enhances your appearance by complementing your overall look, whether you’re dressed casually or in formal attire. A proper hairstyle can boost your confidence and show that you pay attention to even the minute details. Presenting yourself well can make all the difference between looking average and making a great impression, whether on a personal or professional level.
Hair-Styling to Build Confidence
Confidence does come from within, but it’s hard to refute how a nice hairstyle can successfully pull it all together. When your hair looks good, you feel better psychologically, leading to increased confidence. Think of it like the icing on the cake for your look—whether you want to appear clean and professional or prefer a casual, tousled look, good hair gives you an added bounce in your step.
Versatility for Different Events Deserves Different Hair Styles
Just like your attire, your hairstyle should change with the setting. Be versatile enough to go from a business meeting to a casual meetup with friends with ease. You can switch from sleek and professional to textured and relaxed with the right product choice. From formal events to casual weekends, your hair can say a lot about what you’re doing, and that involves having the perfect products for you on hand.
What Are the Important Features to Consider When Buying Hair-Styling Products?
Hair Type: Why It Matters
Understanding your hair type is the foundation of choosing the right product for your hair. Different textures and thicknesses of hair react differently to various products. What works for fine, straight hair may not work as well for thick, curly hair. By understanding your hair type, you can find a product that works in harmony with your hair’s natural characteristics while helping you attain your desired look. Let’s take a closer look at hair texture: straight, curly, wavy, or coarse.
Straight Hair: Sometimes, straight hair can appear flat or lacking in volume. Pomades and gels will create sleek styles, shiny but controlled. To add further texture, clay can provide body and definition.
Curly Hair: This hair type requires a good dose of moisture to maintain definition. Generally, hair cream or mousse helps bring out the curl pattern without frizz. A soft hold is added, keeping the curls in shape without making them rigid.
Wavy Hair: For wavy hair, lightweight products are the best to give it texture without weighing it down. Sea salt sprays and light pomades create a casual, beachy look that enhances your waves.
Coarse Hair: For coarse hair, use strongly holding products like waxes or clays, as these help regulate volume and maintain structure. These products provide control for thick hair while adding definition and hold.
Intended Hold: Light, Medium, or Strong
The amount of hold you need depends on style and duration. Each hold level has its merits; it’s important to understand what works best for your hair type and style.
Light Hold: Perfect for natural, relaxed styles that need flexibility and movement—great for casual, everyday looks.
Medium Hold: A balance between flexibility and structure, it holds well enough for daily styles, keeping shape without stiffness.
Strong Hold: Ideal for structured and well-defined hairstyles that need to last all day. Strong hold products keep your hair in place through various conditions, making them ideal for formal events or demanding environments.
Finish: Matte vs. Shine
The finish of a product makes a significant difference in how your hair looks. Matte products provide a more natural finish, while shiny products offer a sleek polish. It depends on the occasion and your style.
Matte Finish: For those who prefer natural and subtle looks, this is the best option. In casual or professional settings where you don’t need to appear overtly groomed, matte-finish products work wonders. They absorb light, giving your hair a textural appearance with no shine.
Shiny Finish: Perfect for formal events where you want a polished, groomed look. Pomades and gels provide a wet, shiny finish that reflects light, creating smooth and sleek hair.
Ingredients: What to Avoid and What to Look For
Hair products contain various ingredients, some beneficial and others potentially damaging over time. It’s crucial to read the label and choose products that nourish and protect your hair rather than dehydrate or weaken it.
Ingredients to Avoid: Sulfates, parabens, and alcohol strip hair of its natural oils, leaving it dry and prone to damage. They might also cause itchiness or dandruff on your scalp.
Ingredients to Look For: Features natural ingredients such as clays, beeswax, shea butter, and essential oils that help style your hair while nourishing and moisturizing it. Antioxidants and vitamins promote scalp health and prevent long-term damage.
10 Best Hair Styling Products for Men in 2024
Here’s a rundown of the top 10 hair-styling products for men in 2024 to help you find what you’re looking for, whether your hair needs texture and volume or just needs to be held down and defined:
Sleek, Retro Look - Pomades
They work wonders for slick, classic hairstyles like pompadours, side parts, and slick backs. With a medium to strong hold, they also add shine for a high-gloss finish. Pomades are water-soluble, making them easy to wash out while offering flexibility throughout the day.
Recommended Product: Suavecito Original Hold Pomade
Smooth application, medium hold, and high shine make Suavecito’s Original Hold Pomade a favorite. Excellent for retro styles, it doesn’t leave residue due to its water-based formula, making it easy to rinse off.
Hair Waxes: Versatile and Long-Lasting Hold
Hair waxes are versatile, providing a pliable hold that lasts throughout the day while adding texture and definition. Unlike gels, wax provides flexibility, allowing for restyling without stiffness. Suitable for both casual and formal styles, depending on the amount used.
Recommended Product: TIGI Bed Head for Men Matte Separation Wax
The wax provides a firm hold with a matte finish, creating messy and textured styles. It is easily reworkable throughout the day, making it great for those who like to adjust their look.
Hair Clays: Ideal for the Matte and Textured Look
Clay-based products are ideal for a firm hold with a matte and natural feel. Clays add texture and volume without weighing down or making hair greasy, perfect for an effortless, tousled look. They work well on thick or coarse hair, maintaining discipline without compromising separation.
Recommended Product: Baxter of California Clay Pomade
The Baxter of California Clay Pomade offers great hold and a matte finish, making it suitable for rugged, textured styles with effortless cool. It works particularly well on thicker hair, giving it a body without shine.
Hair Gels: For a Wet, Shiny Finish with Firm Hold
Hair gel is ideal for structured or slick styles that must stay in place throughout the day. It works well for creating polished formal hairstyles and spiky looks.
Recommended Product: American Crew Firm Hold Styling Gel
American Crew Firm Hold Styling Gel provides maximum hold with an added shine for sleeked-back styles and high-gloss looks. Its alcohol-free formulation prevents drying out the hair while keeping the style in place.
Hair Creams: Best for Lightweight, Natural Control
Hair creams are great for a natural finish that offers light control and tames frizz. They work best on looser, more casual styles and are excellent for longer or wavy hair.
Recommended Product: Jack Black Sleek Finish Texture Cream
This texture cream provides light control, managing flyaways without leaving hair stiff or greasy. Its lightweight formula is perfect for daily use, offering just enough hold to maintain a natural finish.
Hair Sprays: Lock Your Look in Place
Hair spray keeps your hairstyle intact in windy conditions or high humidity levels. It provides a strong hold without weighing hair down or making it crunchy, maintaining the style throughout the day.
Recommended Product: L’Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Hair Spray
This hairspray keeps everything in place even on the craziest of days, while letting your hair look and feel natural. The fine mist prevents a stiff or sticky texture, making it perfect for setting formal styles or managing flyaways.
Hair Mousses: Add Volume and Bounce
Mousse is excellent for adding volume and definition to thin or curly hair. It provides light hold and adds body and bounces, making it ideal for giving life to flat hair or curls.
Recommended Product: OGX Locking + Coconut Curls Decadent Creamy Mousse
This mousse contains coconut oil to add moisture to curls while giving definition and lift to wavy hair. It enhances natural texture without weighing down the hair.
Hair Paste: Flexibility and Medium Hold
Hair paste is a versatile, medium-hold product that offers flexibility and reworkability all day. Ideal for those who need a natural, textured look but want to reshape as needed. Paste gives a matte finish and works with many hair types.
Recommended Product: Hanz de Fuko Modify Pomade
Hanz de Fuko’s Modify Pomade offers medium hold with a reworkable finish, allowing reshaping throughout the day. Versatile enough for both casual and professional settings, it’s a staple for serious grooming regimens.
Sea Salt Sprays: Effortless, Beachy Waves
Sea salt sprays give hair a subtle texture and tousled fullness reminiscent of a day at the beach. They add light to hold and volume, perfect for creating messy, casual styles with a matte finish.
Recommended Product: Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray
Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray provides texture and volume while avoiding greasiness. It’s perfect for an effortless, relaxed beachy look.
Styling Powders: Instant Volume and Texture
Styling powders are excellent for giving volume and texture to fine or thinning hair. They offer a matte finish with light hold—perfect for lifting roots and adding body to otherwise flat hair.
Recommended Product: American Crew Boost Powder
Boost Powder by American Crew instantly adds volume and lift, bringing life to fine hair. It’s ideal for adding a textured look without extra weight from creams and gels.
Application of Hair Styling Products
The Right Amount
When using hair products, less is more. Too much product can make hair greasy and weighed down. Start with a small amount, about a pea-sized amount for thicker products like waxes and clays, and adjust as needed.
Even Application Tips
Warm the product with your hands to ensure even distribution without clumping. Apply the product at the roots for volume and lift, and work your way to the tips for definition.
Layering Products for Better Results
Layering can help you achieve even the most complicated hairstyles. For example, use sea salt spray to create texture and follow up with wax or clay for hold and definition. Avoid over-layering, as this can cause buildup and make your hair look greasy.
The Importance of a Good Hair Care Routine
Prepping Hair Before Styling
Clean, healthy hair is the foundation of every great hairstyle. Keep your hair clean and shiny by using high-quality shampoo and conditioner. Applying product to dirty hair creates buildup, making it look dull and lifeless. Styling should be done on clean, slightly damp hair.
After-Styling Care: Washing and Conditioning
Remove styling products at the end of each day. Buildup can prevent hair from being as healthy as it should be. Use a clarifying shampoo at least once a week to remove buildup, and follow with a moisturizing conditioner to keep your hair gentle and manageable.
Achieving effortless style is easy with the right hair-styling products. Whether aiming for a sleek and formal look or a casual, textured style, there is a perfect product for each hair type and occasion. The more you understand your hair’s needs and the benefits of different styling products, the more you can elevate your grooming routine and boost your confidence. Experiment with different products to find what works best for you, but remember, a great hairstyle starts with healthy hair.
