Because no matter how hard you try, you can never seem to style your hair as perfectly as your barber did when you were in for your last trim. No more. Let’s dive into the ever so important art of self styling.
It’s 8 am, and again you’re standing in front of the mirror getting yourself ready for the long day ahead. Yesterday you got a fresh haircut, you feel on top of the world. Ten minutes before you have to get out, and all that’s left to check off the list is styling your hair. Grabbing your favorite wax or pomade and a comb from the small cabinet above the sink, you begin doing what you always do.. and alas. What looked so good when your barber styled it, today is just missing… something. You can’t quite put your finger on it, and while you’re still certainly happy and looking great, you can’t seem to figure out exactly what kind of magic your barber used on your head. Out the door, and on your way.
Ever been here before? Most non barber folk probably have likely found themselves in a similar situation. No matter how hard you try, you can’t make your hair look exactly the way it did when your barber styled it last. Self styling is its own art form, as well as its own challenge!
After reading five tips we’ve found to be helpful, we hope you’ll be a bit closer to mastering it and becoming a pro at nailing down that exact look you want. After all, you know your hair best, being as you spend well.. every day with it.
1. How much time do you have to put into styling in the morning?
Styling takes time, and it takes patience. If you expect to achieve a look that took your barber 5 minutes to style, complete with blowdrying, combing, hairspray.. and whatever else is on the list; expect that it will take you a bit more time. It’s a different skill to style yourself than it is others, and your barber is a professional, so take it easy on yourself.
If you don’t have the time or can’t be bothered to blow dry, then you won’t easily be able to achieve a look that involves that technique. Perhaps consider getting an easier to manage hairstyle, one that takes only a minute to two to style, such as a cropped hairstyle or a nice fade and short top you can push to your preferred side. Time is of the essence.
2. Experiment. Let your bathroom be a laboratory.
On a day off when you have nowhere to be, take some time and products, then go to town just messing around and experimenting with different techniques / styling while trying to achieve your desired look. You’ll never know unless you try, and five minutes before the bus comes to work is certainly not the time to be messing around.
3. Make sure you have the right products and tools.
It’s a simple case of you get what you pay for. Your local grocery store may have a decent styling product for cheap, but you can only expect it to go so far. You invest in your haircut, consider investing in your hair styling products as well! Explain to your barber what kind of look you hope to get.
They will be happy to recommend a top quality product to you that will get the job done well, all the while taking into account what type of hair you have to work with. You’ll be able to feel the character and integrity of a good product. Likewise, if you want to achieve a super sharp slick back, you’ll need a good comb. Find out what you need, and get yourself the proper tools.
To be practical, take a look in our webshop here, or stop by one of our shops to find products we have found to be incredibly well made and of the utmost quality.
If you find yourself being overwhelmed in a never ending forest of products though, we’ll get even more practical.
For Curly Hair – While often, curly hair can be left untouched and achieve a good finished look, using some form of products can give it extra edge and defintion. To get more control, try using a mousse or styling cream.
For Straight Hair – Honestly, the sky is the limit. Or.. your hair is the limit in this case. Straight hair is perhaps the easiest type to style, and you can take any avenue you really feel like going down. Nearly any product should work well enough with your hair, though its up to you to decide if you want shine or no shine, volume or not so much.. etc..
For Thick Hair – While you might not feel it is a blessing, it is my friend. Despite being a potentially difficult to style blessing. Thick hair requires a product with a good hold. This is why we would say go for a pomade if you are hoping for a look that leans towards the shiny side, or a good wax for a more matte finish.
For Thin Hair – Texture, volume. These should be your focus if you have thin, thinning, or receding hair. You’ll be in the clear if you can manage to avoid products that really weigh down the hair. That means choose something like a hair spray, mousse, cream, or lighter wax. Find something water based and light.
4. Don’t be afraid to use the internet!
Google is your friend! The World Wide Web is a surprisingly informative place, don’t hesitate to use what is right in front of you. Though it sounds cliche, look up tutorials of people with similar hairstyles putting it all together. Watch and watch again. After that, watch one more time. Then try yourself.. repeat, repeat.
5. Again, ask your barber how they style your hair.
Take notes! Ask them to slow down and show you every step. It’s part of our job. Be attentive and try to recreate the steps yourself. Again, they are a professional, so perhaps your first few attempts won’t go as well. But you’ll be on your way in no time, with a bit of practice just as with any other skill.
While we can only convey so much in a short article here, we hope that this helps you on your self styling journey; or at least gives you motivation to keep at it and give it another go with styling your hair!
Sign up for our newsletter to keep up with all things MacLaren Barbers on our home page HERE, and to get a heads up on giveaways and all sorts of other good stuff.
Otherwise, we hope to see you in the shop soon! Book a time with one of our barbers HERE!
