A Helpful Hair And Beard Guide For Men

Let’s face it, women really do have a lot more to take into consideration when it comes to hair care. But what about the men?? This post has my tips and tricks for men on how to care for their hair and beards.

How often should men get a haircut?

This varies from person to person! Men’s hair on average grows ½” per month. Depending on what style you wear, you may need to come in every 2 weeks while others can push it up to 8 weeks.

Although I do notice in the summertime men tend to come in more frequently, while in the winter months they can push it a little longer. I think this is mostly due to wanting a summer cut vs. keeping it a little longer in the colder winter months.

Typically a shorter style will need to come in sooner than a longer one if you want to keep up with the same look. I offer my guys a free neck clean-up in between visits for those that just need a quick sprucing at their hairline opposed to an entire cut.

On average men should get their haircut every 4 weeks.

How often should men shampoo and condition their hair?

Men, PLEASE do not use a 3-in-1 shampoo conditioner and body wash. There is a reason these products are made separately. They each serve their own purpose, and you aren’t doing yourself any favors by only using one bottle for your entire body.

While men don’t have to worry about fading their hair color, shampooing every single day can still dry out your hair and scalp. That being said, if you use a heavy product daily then yes you to need to wash it every day to remove the product and to avoid build-up.

If you don’t use heavy product, try skipping days between shampooing it to avoid drying it out. You can still rinse it with water in the shower. If your hair is on the oilier side, try not getting it wet at all and using a dry shampoo instead! More on dry shampoo in the next section.

If your hair is on the dryer side, I recommend using conditioner only, every other day. This will help replenish the lost moisture from over shampooing.

***Since I’m sharing the products that I love to use with you guys, this page includes affiliate links to these products. If you take action and purchase a product through clicking one of my links, I’ll make some commission money from it at no extra cost to you. This enables me to be able to continue giving you awesome hair tips, so thanks! ***

American Crew

• Daily Shampoo only, Conditioner only – Daily shampoo and conditioner for normal to oily hair and scalp
• Moisturizing Shampoo – Shampoo geared towards dry hair and scalp

Can men use dry shampoo?

Yes, men can use dry shampoo too! If you produce a lot of oil then this will work wonders for you. You can use this on days you don’t wet your hair, or use it as a styling aid when your hair is dry. It helps to absorb excess oil while adding texture and fullness.

To use: Spray on DRY HAIR. It is called dry shampoo for a reason! Hold the can 8-10 inches away and rub it in with your fingers. Style and you’re done!

A second option is a dry shampoo paste. This acts as a styling product that gives a light hold as well as a dry shampoo because it absorbs excess oil. This mainly adds texture to the hair.

R+Co

• Death Valley Dry Shampoo – Absorbs excess oil while adding texture and fullness

Hanz De Fuko

• Quicksand Dry Shampoo Wax – A texturizing matte wax that gives hold while absorbing any excess oil

How do men get rid of dandruff?

Dandruff can be a serious and embarrassing issue for some men. There is a lot that can be going on with dandruff and dry scalp, and I have written an entire blog post on this. I’ll give a quick summary here, but if this is a huge problem for you then I recommend reading my other post here.

Determine if it’s dandruff or dry scalp

Dandruff comes from too much moisture on the scalp, and dry scalp comes from too little moisture. If you sweat a lot, more than likely you have dandruff.

Dandruff flakes are often bigger and when you scratch your head, you can feel moisture at your scalp.

If the flakes are small, hard, and bright white, then you likely have a dry scalp.

How to treat dandruff for men

If you have dandruff then this needs to be treated with a medicated shampoo. My first recommendation is Head and Shoulders or Selson Blue. If this doesn’t do the trick then a trip to the dermatologist might be in order. They will give you a prescription for a stronger medicated shampoo to treat the dandruff.

How to treat dry scalp for men

If your scalp is just dry, then this can be fixed relatively easily at home. If you don’t use conditioner regularly, then that’s the best place to start. But if conditioner doesn’t help, start skipping days between shampooing. You can condition your scalp on the days you don’t use shampoo. The natural oils should begin to moisturize your scalp if you aren’t stripping them away as often.

You can also try a scalp treatment once a week to exfoliate the dead skin cells and add moisturize.

• Tea Tree Shampoo And Conditioner – Invigorating shampoo and conditioner
• Hair And Scalp Treatment – Once a week treatment to exfoliate and moisturize dry hair and scalp

How to care for a beard

If you didn’t know, there are certain steps to be taken to maintain a clean and healthy looking beard. I have seen some men treat their beards like their first born child, and others that don’t have a clue what they’re doing.

Did you know that on an average year your beard will grow around 5.5 inches? Props to the guys with some killer long beards for having the patience to grow that out! Men also have around 30,000 hairs on their face.

For best results, you should not be washing your beard with face wash. This can be very drying to your beard hair and cause it to appear frizzy and out of control.

Start with a beard shampoo which is much more gentle on the hair than a regular shampoo. It also won’t clog the pores on your face like a regular shampoo can. Beard hair is much more coarse and wirey than the hair on your head, so different products must be used.

After the wash you should follow with beard oil. This conditions the hairs and helps them lie down smoothly. It will be easier to manage for trimming and will look much more well-kept.

Depending on your beard type, you can use beard oil every day to once a week. If you use it every day I recommend using a smaller amount, and if you only use it once a week then make sure you are fully saturating the beard. Play around with how much you use and how frequently to find what works best for you.

Layrite

• Beard Oil – Almond oil beard oil that conditions and smooths beard hair
• Aftershave – Closes pores and calms skin after shaving to avoid razor burn

Viking Revolution

• Beard wash and conditioner – Softens, smooths, and strengthens beard growth
• Beard care kit – Beard wash, conditioner, oil, wax, and comb

Thinning hair

Thinning hair can cause a huge impact on self-esteem. I recommend the first thing you should do is talk to your doctor to see if there is any underlining issue other than genetics that can be causing your hair loss.

I have an entire post on thinning hair here with even more tips and recommendations on what to do when you begin to notice hair loss. While it may be difficult to reverse hair loss, there are a number of products that you can use to drastically mask the appearance of thin hair.

Start with an anti-thinning shampoo and conditioner. This will stimulate your scalp while adding a little density to each hair strand. Try not to over-wash to cause any extra tension on your hair. When your hair is thin, it is much more fragile and susceptible to damage or breakage.

Blow-drying your hair can also create more fullness and volume. I recommend spraying in a thickening spray before-hand that will protect it from the heat as well as add density.

Dry shampoo can help to add texture and body. And there are even dry shampoos that are colored that cover your scalp and significantly reduce the appearance of thin hair.

Paul Mitchell

• Anti-thinning shampoo, conditioner, and tonic – This trio helps to stimulate the hair follicles to strengthen the hair and give the appearance of thicker, fuller hair

American Crew

• Alternator Styling Spray – I recommend spraying this in before blow-drying to give extra body to fine and thin hair

Best Mens Hair Styling Products

Choosing the right styling product can be tricky. Follow my steps below to figure out what product will work best for you.

1. Determine hair type

Hair type plays a huge role in helping you making your decision. If you aren’t sure what hair type you have, check out my post here. Coarse and thick hair will require a product with a stronger hold than thin hair types.

2. Matte or shiny

The choice between matte or shiny really comes down to personal preference and whether you want it to look like you have product in or not. Matte is natural and dry looking, while shiny will give the appearance of wet hair.

Most of the time, guys choose to go with a matte look.

3. Amount of hold desired

The amount of hold desired often is reflected on your hair type. If you have coarse, straight, or curly hair then chances are you will need a higher hold styling product in order to hold the hair in place.

Fine hair with a medium wave pattern typically is naturally more pliable and doesn’t need as much strength. But again this all depends on the style you are aiming to achieve.

4. Type of product

The type of product is again personal preference and desired hold. There are creams, clays, pomades, pastes, waxes, and gels.

Clay, paste, and wax are typically matte products. Cream can be either a matte or shiny hair product. And Pomades and gels will have the most amount of shine.

Each of these products can come in any level of hold.

American Crew

I want to point out that the most common product that 90% of my clients use is Fiber. It is in the blue container and is high hold, low shine.

• Forming Creme (Green) – Medium hold, medium shine styling cream
• Fiber (Blue) – High hold, matte styling fiber
• Defining Paste (Orange) – Medium hold, matte styling paste
• Heavy Hold Pomade (Black) – Strong hold, high shine pomade
• Creme Pomade (Red) – Low hold, matte pomade
• Grooming Creme (Grey) – High hold, high shine styling cream
• Pomade (Brown) – Medium hold, high shine pomade
• Firm Hold Styling Gel – Firm hold, high shine hair gel

Conclusion

Men often struggle with knowing what to do with their hair, usually because they were never informed on how to care for it. On average, they should get their haircut every 4 weeks. Some get it cut as soon as 2 weeks, while others push it to 8 weeks.

If you use hair product daily, you’ll need to wash your hair every day to remove the product. If you don’t use styling product, you can skip a day or two between shampoos especially if you have a dry scalp. You can either wet your hair and rinse it only, or you can use dry shampoo if you don’t wet it.

Dry scalp and dandruff are common among men. On the other hand, dandruff is characterized by too much moisture usually from sweat, while dry scalp is usually from over-shampooing. They are each treated with different products depending on which condition you have.

Beards should be shampooed with beard wash and moisturized with beard oil regularly.

For thinning hair, a trip to the doctor should be your first step. As far as maintaining your hair at home, you can use a specific thinning hair products to mask the appearance.

The most common styling product for men is the American Crew Fiber which has a strong hold and low shine. You can get any variety of hold and shine that works best for you.

If you have any further questions for me, leave them in the comments! As always, Have A Good Hair Day!

Last updated 12/18/2023