You’d think there wouldn’t be much to applying hair product. Just rub in hands and put in hair.

Right?

Well, no. You can apply product incorrectly, leaving you with visible, undistributed globs, uneven styling, or flat-looking hair.

Over the years, I’ve picked up tips from my barbers on how to get the most out of my hair product and apply it effectively. It comes down to a few simple tweaks to its application. Three have been particular game-changers for me:

First, apply product to slightly damp hair. For a long time, I’d just plop product in my hair immediately after my shower with my hair sopping wet. That just dilutes the product, giving you less hold and uneven application. Now, I give my hair a thorough towel-drying first. 

Second, apply the product from back to front. Before, I’d apply it from front to back. I reckon a lot of dudes do. The problem with that approach is that you end up putting most of the product in the front of your hair, which can cause clumping in the part of your hair that’s most noticeable to others. Starting from the back and working your way to the front avoids that.`

Finally, don’t use too much. A little goes a long way with hair product! Too much and you risk clumping and uneven styling. 

Follow these tips and those in the illustrated guide above, and you’ll be a regular ol’ Dapper Dan.

Illustration by Ted Slampyak

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

You notice white flakes on your shoulders when wearing a black t-shirt or dark suit. 

You’ve got dandruff. 

You’re not alone. 50% of adults have dandruff. I’m part of that 50%. I’ve got a more severe type of dandruff called seborrheic dermatitis that I’ve been managing since my early 30s. 

While dandruff isn’t a symptom of a serious health issue, those white flakes can get itchy and uncomfortable, aren’t a great look, and can be pretty embarrassing. As we’ll see, dandruff isn’t caused by a lack of proper hygiene, but poor hygiene does make it worse, so that while it may not be fair, people viscerally associate dandruff with “unclean.” 

To get the lowdown on managing and treating dandruff, I reached out to celebrity trichologist (a hair and scalp specialist) David Adams, co-founder of FOURTEENJAY salon in NYC. He takes care of the hair of models and actors, folks who are ever in the camera’s eye. Dandruff can hinder these people’s livelihoods, so David’s become an expert on managing this issue.

Do You Have Dandruff or Just a Dry Scalp?

Before you start treating yourself for dandruff, David recommends that you first figure out if you actually have dandruff or simply a dry, flaky scalp. 

“A dry, flaky scalp is caused by a lack of moisture on your scalp,” he told me. “When your scalp gets dry, skin gets irritated and flakes off. It’s like having dry skin on any other part of your body.” 

The flakes from dry scalp are typically small and, well, dry. 

If you have a dry, flaky scalp, using a moisturizing shampoo and a scalp treatment will typically take care of things.

Dandruff is a different beast.

Dandruff flakes are usually bigger and oilier than flakes from dry scalp, and they’re caused by another issue altogether.

What Causes Dandruff?

Your skin produces an oil called sebum at the hair follicle. Sebum is made of both saturated and unsaturated fats. Because your scalp has many hair follicles, your hair produces a lot of sebum. Sebum is what can give your manly mane its shine. 

Millions of microbes live on your skin. Among these is a fungus/yeast called Malassezia globosa. Sometimes having M. globosa on your scalp isn’t an issue.

But this fungus can become a dandruff-producing problem if your immune system decides to overreact to Malassezia eating your sebum.

Yes, the yeast on your scalp loves to feast on sebum. And because your scalp has a lot of sebum, it’s like a Golden Corral for M. globosa. But it can only eat the saturated fat part of sebum; it leaves the unsaturated fat part behind. These leftovers pry open the skin barrier on your scalp. Your body detects these skin breaches as a problem and induces an inflammatory response to patch things up. 

As part of this inflammatory response, your scalp goes into overdrive in creating new skin cells. These rapidly-made skin cells don’t mature properly, so instead of being integrated into your scalp, they form large, oily clumps around your hair follicles, which are then shed. 

A dandruff flake is born. 

People’s immune response to M. globosa will vary. Some people have no response (these people don’t get dandruff), while some people have a mild-to-medium response (these people do get dandruff).

People who have a severe inflammatory response get seborrheic dermatitis — a more extreme form of dandruff. If you have seborrheic dermatitis, you’ll have itchy, reddish/yellowish, scaly bumps on your scalp, in addition to dandruff flakes. These bumps and scales can sometimes be painful. What’s more, seborrheic dermatitis can appear on your face — especially along your hairline, near your nose, and on your chin. Some people get it on their chest and back. 

Scientists aren’t sure what’s behind these varying immune responses. There are a lot of theories. Some people might have too much Malassezia on their scalp. Other people might have a more permeable skin barrier. Some people might produce too much sebum (men produce more sebum than women, which might be why men are more likely to have dandruff). Other people might just have an overactive immune system. Some scientists speculate that severe forms of dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis may be the result of an autoimmune disease. Stress, food allergies, and certain types of weather might influence the immune response and thus the amount of dandruff a person has too. 

Whatever the cause of dandruff, and whether it’s the regular or seborrheic dermatitis kind, it’s not something you can cure. Once you have dandruff, you’ll likely have it for the rest of your life. The best you can do is manage it. 

How to Manage Dandruff

David provided the following field-tested tips for managing dandruff. Seborrheic dermatitis is addressed in about the same way, although especially severe cases may need to be treated with steroids.

Because dandruff shampoos can be harsh on your hair, David recommends starting conservatively by taking better care of your scalp. If that doesn’t work, then move to a dandruff shampoo.

Wash your hair regularly. You can still get dandruff even if you practice good hygiene. But poor hygiene can make the problem worse.

In recent times, some hair gurus have started recommending that people not wash their hair regularly since shampooing strips hair of its natural oils. But David argues that “This is just wrong, especially if you have dandruff.” 

While David said it’s true that not washing your hair can give it a cool, funky, model-in-a-magazine-type texture and help it maintain its natural shine, “what it’s doing to your scalp is terrible. When you don’t wash your hair and you have dandruff, you’re letting all that sebum, fungus, and skin cells just sit on your scalp. You’re just giving that yeast food to create dandruff.”

So if you have dandruff, wash your hair every day. 

Brush your scalp. Before you shower, David recommends brushing your scalp with a special scalp brush, like this one. “It loosens any skin cells or scales on your scalp so that you can wash them off in the shower.” 

Massage scalp with cleansing shampoo. Before you start using an anti-dandruff shampoo, David recommends using a gentle cleansing shampoo. He likes using this one from Philip Kingsley with his clients (it is expensive, though). “It’s designed for people with flaky scalps, but isn’t harsh on the hair like anti-dandruff shampoos. You can use it every day.”

When you shampoo your hair, firmly massage the shampoo into your scalp until you’ve covered your entire head three times. The focus should be on your scalp. “A lot of men think shampooing is about cleaning your hair, but it’s actually about cleaning your scalp, so keep your focus on the scalp,” David said.

Thoroughly rinse out the shampoo. 

Remember, if you have dandruff, don’t skip on shampooing. You’re just setting yourself up for dandruff flakes. 

Apply conditioner, just on the ends of the hair. Shampooing does strip your hair of its natural oils, so David recommends applying a conditioner. We’ve previously gone into detail about hair conditioners for men; check out that article. 

David emphasized that you should only apply conditioner to the ends of your hair. You don’t want conditioner on your scalp — that would just provide oily food to the yeast that live on it. After applying conditioner to the ends of your hair, rinse it out thoroughly.

Move to an anti-dandruff shampoo if the above doesn’t work. Give the above routine a shot for a few weeks. David sees an improvement in most clients who regularly use the Philip Kingsley cleansing shampoo. 

If you don’t see improvement in your dandruff, consider buying an over-the-counter anti-dandruff shampoo like Head and Shoulders, Selsun Blue, or Nizoral. All of these anti-dandruff shampoos contain antifungal medication that kills the Malassezia that munch on your scalp’s sebum. 

The three main antifungal medications in anti-dandruff shampoos are pyrithione zinc (Head and Shoulders), selenium sulfide (Selsun Blue), and ketoconazole (Nizoral).

Anti-dandruff shampoos with salicylic acid or tar coal remove excess skin and slow the growth of skin cells on your scalp.  

While all these shampoos can relieve dandruff, they are, as aforementioned, really harsh on your hair. “Using these shampoos regularly will leave your hair looking and feeling brittle and dry,” David told me. In fact, when an actor is trying to remove a temporary hair dye, David recommends using an anti-dandruff shampoo, as it strips everything out of hair — whether color or oil — so effectively.

I’ve tried all of the above shampoos. Head and Shoulders works if you use it every day. You can’t skip. But it does leave my hair dry and wiry. Using a good conditioner and a styling product that provides some moisture can counter the ill effects an anti-dandruff shampoo will have on your hair. 

Nizoral is my go-to anti-dandruff shampoo when I have nasty flare-ups of dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis. I just massage it into my scalp and let it sit for a few minutes. During those times when seborrheic dermatitis also migrates onto my face, I’ll massage some of the Nizoral suds into the affected areas and let it sit there, too. I’ll typically see improvement immediately, but especially after the second day of use. The downside of Nizoral is that it really dries your hair out. Make sure to use a good conditioner with it!

Update: Early in 2023, I discovered a brand of grooming products geared towards people with seborrheic dermatitis and serious dandruff called Dermazen. I started using the shampoo, facial cleanser, and lotion everyday and my seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff has cleared up completely. It’s pretty dang amazing. Highly recommend. 

Figure out triggers. David also recommends figuring out what’s triggering your dandruff flare-ups. “Certain foods like sugar and dairy can cause dandruff flare-ups in some people,” David told me. Stress (and even excess caffeine consumption, which also elevates cortisol) can trigger dandruff too, so do things to chill the heck out. I’ve also noticed that dry weather can cause my dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis to flare up. I get flare-ups when the weather gets cold and dry in Oklahoma, or if I go to the Mountain West during the summer. Just have to stick to my scalp-care routine more closely during those times.

See a dermatologist. If the above tips don’t get your dandruff under control after a few months of use, visit a dermatologist. They may prescribe prescription-strength antifungals or steroids to get things in check. 

Dandruff is annoying. Some people have it worse than others. If you’ve got dandruff, you’re not to blame, but there are things you can do to better manage it. Follow the tips above, and you’ll have fewer flakes on your shoulders and feel more confident when you wear your favorite black tee.

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

There’s nothing like the experience of getting your hair cut at a quality barber shop. The smell of talc and hair tonics is evocative. The feeling of a hot towel on your face is relaxing.

Another thing that adds to the pleasant experience of a barbershop is the unwritten code of etiquette that should prevail there. Understanding and following these guidelines can make your visit to the shop more enjoyable and allow you to develop a positive relationship and rapport with your barber that can last for years to come. 

To get the lowdown on barbershop etiquette, I hit up AoM’s resident barber, Thad Forrester, co-owner of Hudson / Hawk Barber & Shop. Thad has been my go-to consultant for content related to hair for years, ever since we made some videos together back in 2016 (check out “Shave and a Haircut,” “How to Get a Side Part Haircut,” and “How to Talk to Your Barber“), and I liked Thad’s haircuts so much that I’d sometimes drive all the way from Tulsa to his Hudson / Hawk location in Springfield, Missouri just to have him cut my hair. This was particularly true after I grew my hair out; cutting my long, thick, poofy hair is tricky, and I couldn’t find anyone locally who did it well. So I’m really excited that Thad has added to the Hudson / Hawk locations in MO and AR by opening a shop here in T-Town. If you live in the Tulsa area, make sure to check it out! You’ll likely bump into me there getting my Sam Elliott hair trimmed. 

Wherever you go to get your hair cut, here are some rules to follow to do so like a gent:

Be punctual. Respect your barber’s time by punctually arriving to your appointment. Most barbers schedule back-to-back appointments. One late client can throw off their entire day.

Cancel well in advance. If you have to cancel an appointment, do so with as much advance notice as possible — a couple of hours beforehand at a minimum — so that the barber can try to fill that spot. 

If you accidentally no-show for your appointment, the generous and gracious thing to do is call your barber and pay for the haircut you didn’t get. This will obviously pain you, but by not showing up, you basically robbed your barber of a paying client who could have filled your spot. So if this is a barber with whom you want to maintain a positive, long-term relationship, pay for the missed haircut.

This is a problem you can avoid by keeping your appointments.

Communicate clearly. Know how to talk to your barber. Clearly communicate the style you want and any specific requests or concerns. If possible, let your barber know the kind of haircut and haircare you want when you make the appointment, so he can allot an appropriate amount of time for completing the service.

Stay still. Keep your head still and follow your barber’s instructions to ensure a clean and precise cut.

Put away your phone. Texting, scrolling Instagram, and talking on the phone won’t allow you to stay still, which makes your barber’s job harder. Also, when you’re on your phone, it prevents you from interacting with your barber: answering questions he might have about your cut and making the kind of friendly chit-chat that builds increasingly comfortable rapport. 

Practice good hygiene. Make sure your hair is clean and freshly washed before your appointment. Barbers don’t appreciate having to work on filthy/sweaty/greasy hair. 

If your barber will be washing your hair at the shop before he cuts it, your hair doesn’t have to be clean-clean, but it shouldn’t be so dirty that your barber will be reluctant to put his hands in it.

Don’t put product in your hair before your cut. When your hair is full of creams and gels, it turns your barber’s job into a sticky mess. 

Respect other clients. Keep your voice down and avoid disruptive behavior and controversial topics to respect the experience of other clients. 

Be politely assertive when you see a problem with your haircut. If you see your barber doing something with your hair that you don’t like, let him know right away so he can course correct. 

If you aren’t satisfied with the finished product, don’t mumble “It looks great” when the barber asks you what you think and then go and leave a negative review online. Try discussing the issue with the barber first. As Thad says, “A good shop and barber will appreciate hearing how they can do better. We all make mistakes. The measure of a good shop is how we address them and try to make them right. Going direct to the business owner or barber shows mutual respect and is more well-received and likely to be considered seriously.”

Tip generously. A good rule of thumb is to tip 20% of the cost of your service. If you appreciate the service and experience, take care of your barber, and he will take care of you!

Show appreciation. Say thank you and show your barber your appreciation for their work. A positive attitude and a smile go a long way in creating an enjoyable barbershop experience. 

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

With our archives now 3,500+ articles deep, we’ve decided to republish a classic piece each Sunday to help our newer readers discover some of the best, evergreen gems from the past. This article was originally published in January 2015.

To be a well-groomed man, it’s not necessary to be hyper-concerned about your appearance and scent. You want to strike a balance between over-fastidiousness and looking/smelling like you live with bears. Achieving this balance is easy when you set yourself a reasonable grooming schedule. Just like your home needs regular maintenance, so does your body and hair. Above you’ll find a handy checklist for making sure you’re a presentable gent.

For tips related to performing the above tasks, check out these resources:

• How to trim a mustache and beard
• Best old-school drugstore aftershaves 
• Best natural deodorants for men
• How to make flossing a habit
• How to trim ear and nose hair
• Archive of haircut articles
• Archive of shaving articles

Like this illustrated guide? Then you’re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness! Pick up a copy on Amazon.

Illustration by Ted Slampyak

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

With our archives now 3,500+ articles deep, we’ve decided to republish a classic piece each Sunday to help our newer readers discover some of the best, evergreen gems from the past. This article was originally published in November 2017.

When I was a boy, whenever there was a food or activity that I didn’t want to partake of or participate in, my dad, like most dads in America, would tell me, “It’ll put hair on your chest!”

When you’re an eight-year-old boy, you intuitively understand that one of the things that makes you a boy and not a man is the fact that you don’t have body hair. So the idea that you could consume some gross food or do some unpleasant thing and instantly sprout chest hair, thus getting one step closer to manhood, was intriguing.

My dad’s claims were all the more believable because the man has a chest rug that would put Tom Selleck, Pierce Brosnan, and Sean Connery to shame. My eight-year-old logic was thus: “Dad says this gross stuff will put hair on my chest. Dad does/uses this stuff. Dad’s chest is really hairy. Therefore, it will, undoubtedly, put hair on my chest, too.”

Of course, my dad (like all dads) was joking when he said “It will put hair on your chest!” But when you’re just an impressionable lad, you don’t have a finely tuned sense of humor and you take everything your parents say at face value. So like many boys, I fell for this ruse over and over again. But, alas, no matter how much horseradish sauce I ate or how hard I worked in the yard, I never grew a single pre-pubescent chest hair.

In fifth grade I finally realized I’d been conned after I watched that video about puberty (I think it was called “Greg’s Story”?) that they showed in health classes in the early 1990s. That day I learned that testosterone and genetics determined chest hair growth, not eating or doing unpleasant things.

My dad had his go-to things that he claimed would put hair on your chest. I was curious if they matched up with what other men heard from their fathers. So I asked our followers on Twitter what their dads said would make them more hirsute. I was surprised by the consensus of the answers; this is apparently a well-established cultural custom.

Below I highlight ten of the most common things we were told as boys would put hair on our chests (but actually don’t). I hope it will help further the tradition of benign parental cons (i.e., Santa Claus, tooth fairy, “your face will stay that way if you make it for too long,” etc., etc.).

Black Coffee

My dad was and is a big coffee drinker. And he always takes it black. To an adult, coffee smells and tastes divine, but to a seven-year-old, it smells and tastes wretched. When I snuck a sip of my dad’s brew and told him it tasted awful, he, of course, told me that cups of hot joe put hair on your chest. But only black coffee, mind you. He was very explicit about that. Add cream and sugar and you’re destined to have a chest like a Ken doll.

Tabasco Sauce (or Anything Spicy)

Many men reported that their fathers told them Tabasco sauce or spicy peppers would fertilize their pectoral hair. My dad did the same. Nothing happened to my chest, but my face did get really red and sweaty.

Bread Crust

Like many kids, I’d avoid eating bread crusts. But according to fathers across the country, bread crusts contain nutrients that will put hair on your chest. Maybe they were on to something. There’s been a marked decrease in testosterone levels that coincides with the rise of crustless, ready-to-eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Young boys are being denied the crust nutrients that will help them grow chest hair. Call your congressman! This is a travesty!

Hard Work

Tom Sawyer duped his friends into whitewashing his Aunt Polly’s fence by telling them how much fun it was; dads dupe their boys to do their chores by telling them it will put hair on their chests. Hard work — particularly down and dirty manual labor — was a common chest hair-promising activity amongst our Twitter followers. It’s a trap!

Wheaties

Just as putting on PF Flyers would make you run faster and jump higher, Wheaties promised to improve athletic performance immediately after consuming a giant bowl of their bran flakes. My dad also told me that the Breakfast of Champions would put gold medal-caliber hair on my chest. Despite going a month straight eating Wheaties every morning back when I was ten, I still couldn’t do a single pull-up and my chest was still silky smooth. Thanks a lot Walter Payton (and Dad)!

Whisky

Many men were told that whisky would put hair on their chests. The jolt it gives you as it goes down pushes the chest hair out. This is a proven scientific phenomenon. It’s why ladies shouldn’t drink whisky. Google it.

Spinach

Spinach, while packed with nutrients, tastes a little bitter and is unpleasantly soggy when cooked. No wonder kids don’t like the stuff. But I held my nose and swallowed it whole based on the promise it would put hair on my chest and would help me grow disgustingly disproportioned forearms like Popeye. Alas, my spinach eating was in vain.

Horseradish Sauce

My dad was a fan of the horseradish sauce. When I tried it for the first time as a boy, I got that walloped-in-the-nose feeling you get when you eat the stuff. Vowing never again to eat horseradish sauce, my dad encouraged me to change my mind, saying it would, of course, put hair on my chest. So I continued to dip my carrots in it. Apparently my dad wasn’t alone in saying horseradish sauce would grow your chest carpet. This was one of the most common items our Twitter followers responded with. While I didn’t grow chest hair from eating horseradish sauce as a boy, I did develop a love of this punchy cream.

Worcestershire Sauce

Worcestershire sauce is a fermented liquid made up of (among other things) anchovies, vinegar, onions, and garlic. In other words, to a kid, it’s an exotic, slightly intimidating elixir, and of course, a chest hair grower. This is a form of supposed chest hair Rogaine I actually enjoyed. Worcestershire’s got a nice, savory, umami taste which makes it great for adding to meats. Trying to amplify the sauce’s chest hair-growing abilities, my brother and I experimented with making a concoction of lemon juice, tomato juice, and pepper, which tasted gross to us, but is just the the kind of cocktail John Wayne enjoyed.

Buttermilk

This was a new one to me, but several dudes said that their dads told them buttermilk would put hair on their chests. The tart, acidic taste of buttermilk likely made kids turn up their noses to it, thus causing fathers to nudge them to drink it by affirming its follicle-stimulating effects. Doesn’t work to give you that Connery-esque chest carpet, unfortunately, but it sure makes a mean pancake.

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

Growing up, I’d watch my dad gather his EDC every morning: 

Billfold

Fish and Wildlife Service special agent badge

Pen

Pocket knife

Pistol

Pocket comb

The other day, I found myself thinking about the last entry on that list, and how many other men my dad’s age also carried a black comb in their back pockets.

If you watch movies and TV shows from the 1950s through the 1980s, you frequently see dudes busting out their pocket combs to give their hair a quick once-over before interacting with a gal they hope to impress. 

The Fonz had a pocket comb. 

The greasers in The Outsiders had pocket combs. 

The greasers in Grease had pocket combs. 

Edd Byrnes had a pocket comb, and Connie Stevens (sort of) sang about wanting to borrow it.

Me? 

Except for the occasional switchblade comb I’d get at Chuck E. Cheese, I never regularly carried a pocket comb in my life.

And based on observations of men my age, I don’t think most of them carry or have carried a pocket comb either. 

What gives? 

Why did the men of past generations carry pocket combs, but their children and grandchildren don’t?

Let’s investigate. 

“Bedhead” Hairstyles and Changing Hair Products

There are two potential contributing factors to the fall of the men’s pocket comb. 

According to New York Times writer David Colman, the first factor contributing to the decline of the men’s pocket comb was a change in hairstyle trends that happened in the late 90s through the first decade of the 2000s. 

Instead of neatly coiffed hairdos, many men were going for the “bedhead” look. Thanks to Zac Efron, Robert Pattinson, and One-Direction-era Harry Styles, dudes started purposely styling their hair to look artfully mussed. 

When you’re going for a messy look, you don’t need to carry a pocket comb to keep your hair looking tidy and tight throughout the day.

But I never went in for the bedhead look, so the rise of a more nonchalant hairstyle wasn’t why I never carried a pocket comb. 

I think the big reason other men of my generation and I didn’t carry a pocket comb was that we didn’t need to, thanks to hair products that provided a better hold than what our fathers had available.

For most of the 20th century, when men styled their hair, they used an oil-based product like Brylcreem or Wildroot. While these products give your hair that Cary Grant shine, they don’t provide a lot of hold. You’d need to occasionally comb your hair back into place throughout the day, so you had to carry a comb in your back pocket to perform these touch-ups. 

Fast-forward to the late 1980s, and you see the rise of a new type of hair product: hair gel. 

Hair gel provided shine and all-day hold. You could style your hair with gel and be confident it would stay in place the entire day. Gen-Xer and Millennial dudes embraced hair gel wholeheartedly.

I know I did. 

I’d slather my hair with LA Looks hair gel and then comb up the front like most suburban white dudes did back in the late 90s. (Shoutout to the 40-year-old dads still rocking this hairstyle — a preponderance of which seem to reside in Utah. 1999 Blink-182 would be proud of you.) My hair would be nice and crispy and stay in place throughout the school day. Never needed to restyle it. The gel would seep out of my hair during football practice from all the sweat in my helmet and burn my eyes. But it was a small price to pay for an all-day hold. 

Because hair gel kept my hair firmly in place, I didn’t need to re-comb it during the day. Hence, I didn’t need to carry a pocket comb with me. I venture that’s the reason many men of my generation didn’t and still don’t use a pocket comb. They didn’t and don’t have to.

Thanks to advances in hair product technology, today there are products on the market that provide both shine and all-day hold, without the crispiness of 90s-era hair gels. These products have perpetuated men’s ability to set their hair in the morning and forget about it the rest of the day, cementing the disappearance of the pocket comb. That’s not to say it’s gone entirely extinct. I still see men bust out a pocket comb now and then. But they’re usually over 60 or some young hipster. 

Thus, in the end, changing hairstyles, but more importantly, changing hair products, led to the demise of the pocket comb. Case closed on this grooming mystery. 

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

Since growing my hair to Sam Elliot length, I’ve had to think more about my mane. That’s the biggest downside of having longer hair: it requires more upkeep. For starters, it takes longer to dry. When I had short hair, I’d quickly run a towel through it and get on with my day. Now I’ve got to really squeeze the excess water out and even learned how to wrap a towel around my head like ladies and Ferris Bueller do so it can dry while I perform my other human maintenance tasks.

It also seems like there are more opportunities for my hair to look terrible now that it’s longer. The thing I have to battle the most is what my family describes as my hair’s inherent “poofiness.” If I don’t tend to my hair, I end up looking like Albert Einstein. In fact, on a recent road trip, I walked into a gas station in the middle of nowhere along I-40, and the hillbilly clerk behind the counter exclaimed, “Man, bro! You look just like ol’ Albert Einstein! Damn!”

To counter my poofy, Einstein-esque hair, I’ve had to learn about and start using a product I’d been aware of my entire life, but never actually understood: conditioner. Even if your hair isn’t as long as mine, you’d likely also benefit from learning about this oft-ignored step in one’s grooming routine.

What Is Hair Conditioner?

Up until this point in my life, the extent of my knowledge about conditioner was gleaned from watching TV commercials for the product. I vaguely understood that it “nourished” hair and made it look healthier. 

I also knew that some of the shampoos I had once used had conditioner in them, like Pert Plus and Head & Shoulders 2-in-1. 

Since adopting longer hair, I’ve come to a better appreciation of conditioner.

The best way to think of conditioner is as lotion for your hair. 

Just as lotion makes your skin smooth, moist, and healthy-looking, conditioner does the same for your hair. 

When your hair is dry, it tends to look frizzy and feathery. In my case, when my hair is dry, it poofs out like Albert Einstein, causing gas station clerks on I-40 to chortle at me. 

What dries out hair? Shampooing is the biggest culprit. When you shampoo your hair, you strip your hair of its natural oils. My hair looks the poofiest after I wash it.

Sun, chlorine, and saltwater are other factors that can dry out hair, so living the Salt Life or Lake Life can mess with your mane. If you live in a dry climate, your hair will naturally be drier. Drying your hair with a blow dryer can dry your hair out as well. 

Gray hair is also drier hair. When your hair grays, it loses some of its natural oils. It tends to be frizzy and wiry. This is likely the biggest contributing factor to my Albert Einstein poof. I’m mostly a silver fox now. 

Conditioners battle dryness, frizz, and potential poofiness by coating your hair with oils, silicones, and emollients that hydrate and make it appear smoother, shinier, and fuller. Conditioner also makes your hair easier to brush and comb. 

Types of Hair Conditioners

When I realized I’d need to start using conditioner regularly, I went to the conditioner section of CVS, thinking I’d just grab the first conditioner I saw. 

But thanks to capitalism, I discovered that there is a Darwinian diversity of conditioners to choose from, from rinse-out conditioners to leave-in conditioners. Then there are the shampoos that include conditioners in them. Could I just use that?

Here’s the breakdown of the most common types of conditioners that you’ll encounter and how they operate:

Rinse-out conditioner. This is the most common conditioner you’ll run into. You just apply it to your hair while in the shower, leaving it on for a few minutes before rinsing out. The results are pretty much instant: your hair looks tamed and shinier. If you’re looking to start using a hair conditioner, look for the rinse-out variety, as it’s the easiest to use.

Leave-in conditioner. As the name suggests, a leave-in conditioner is a conditioner that you leave in your hair. Rather than applying it in the shower and rinsing it out, you put it in your hair after you get out of the shower and before you style your hair. Leave-in conditioner traps moisture in your hair and keeps it looking healthy all day. It’s really like putting lotion in your hair. 

Leave-in conditioner comes in two types: spray and cream. The spray is easier to apply and disperses in your hair more readily. The cream kind is heavier on the oil than the spray, so it really makes your hair feel shiny and supple. The downside of the cream is that it takes more work to distribute it through your hair evenly, and depending on your hair type, it can make it look greasy and weighed-down. 

Leave-in products also have a greater chance of causing breakouts; the oils and emollients can migrate from your hair to your skin, especially as you sweat, clogging your pores. (While leave-in products are more apt to cause breakouts, all hair products, even the ones you rinse out, can potentially trigger acne. If you notice that you’re breaking out along the outer rim of your face/along your hairline, your shampoo and/or conditioner may be to blame. Try mixing up the products you use.)

Shampoo+conditioner. You’ve likely used a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner at some point in your life. A lot of shampoos marketed to dudes are 2-in-1. Dudes like convenience, and what’s more convenient than turning two steps into one? But do these combo products actually condition your hair?

Kind of. 

When you wash your hair with a shampoo+conditioner, you don’t give your hair enough time to soak the latter component in; you’re essentially washing the conditioner out as you apply it. You might have a bit less frizz using a 2-in-1 compared to using shampoo alone, but it’s not going to give you that shiny and full look compared to using a straight-up conditioner. 

If you’ve got shorter hair, you can probably get away with using a 2-in-1. If you’ve got long hair that tends to frizz and get poofy, you’ll need to use a straight conditioner by itself. 

Keep in mind that all conditioners vary in the heaviness of their conditioning. Those with dry hair will want something more hydrating; those with greasier hair will want something lighter. If your hair is thin/thinning, look for a volumizing conditioner, which will add more fullness. 

How to Use Hair Conditioner

Wash your hair less frequently. Your hair has great natural conditioners that it comes by organically. Applying manufactured conditioner becomes more necessary once you strip these natural oils away by washing your hair with shampoo. So don’t shampoo your hair too much — you can probably get away with washing it less frequently than you currently do.

What if you’re someone who gets sweaty on the daily, needs a daily shower, and finds that shampooing makes your hair too dry, while simply rinsing it with water doesn’t quite remove its funk? Here’s a pro tip: Try “washing” your hair with conditioner. Put a big blob of conditioner in your hand and work it through your hair the way you would shampoo, massaging your fingertips into your scalp. Rinse out. This will remove the sweat-embedded salt and funk from your scalp/hair without stripping it of its natural oils. Return to a shampoo wash once your hair gets sufficiently greasy. 

Use as needed. You probably don’t need to frequently apply a conditioner if you have shorter hair. Apply as needed when your hair is dry/frizzy. The product you put in your short hair to style it may act as a de facto leave-in conditioner. 

If you have longer or drier hair, you may need to add conditioner daily. In my case, if I skip a day of putting conditioner in my hair, it starts looking poofy. 

You’ll definitely want to apply conditioner after you shampoo your hair. Remember, shampooing strips your hair of its natural oils, leaving it looking dry and frizzy. Conditioner will restore your luscious mane after you’ve shampooed it. 

The longer and thicker your hair, the more generous you need to be with the conditioner. If you’ve got a lot of hair, you’ll need a lot of conditioner to ensure you cover all its strands. More than you’d think. Most conditioner bottles say to use a quarter-sized dollop of conditioner. I’ve found that I need a half-dollar-sized amount or more. 

Spread it evenly through your hair, focusing on the ends. You want to coat as much of your hair as possible with the conditioner, especially ensuring you get some on its ends. This will help reduce split ends and frizz.

Let it sit for about three minutes and then thoroughly rinse out. For rinse-out conditioners, you’ll want to let the conditioner sit in your hair for around three minutes (the longer, the better). I apply my conditioner first thing when I get in the shower (or right after I wash it on the days I shampoo). Then I clean my body while it sits in my hair. I let it sit for another minute or two (since washing my body only takes 60 seconds or so). Then I rinse it out as the last thing I do in the shower. If you’re prone to acne, wash your face after you rinse the conditioner to ensure you clean any residual conditioner from your skin.

Make sure to get all the conditioner out of your hair while in the shower. If you don’t, you’ll start getting a build-up of conditioner in your hair that will leave your hair looking dull and greasy, and could lead to breakouts. 

If you don’t have a few minutes to let the conditioner sit, even working it through and immediately rinsing it out will smooth your hair some; it just won’t work as well as if you’d given it more time to soak in.

For leave-in conditioner, apply after you get out of the shower and before you style your hair. While your hair is still damp, apply your leave-in conditioner. Make sure it’s evenly distributed in your hair while focusing on the ends. After you’ve applied your leave-in conditioner, give your hair a good brushing to evenly distribute.

There you go. A dude’s guide to hair conditioner. No more poof; no more frizz; no more gas station clerks on I-40 saying you look like a mad scientist.  

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

With our archives now 3,500+ articles deep, we’ve decided to republish a classic piece each Sunday to help our newer readers discover some of the best, evergreen gems from the past. This article was originally published in July 2019.

The power of a good haircut to transform a guy’s appearance and attractiveness is vastly underrated. I think we’ve all seen a case where someone decided to try a different style, and as a result, practically looked like a new, significantly more handsome man.

But finding that kind of transformative haircut isn’t a matter of chance, as haircuts aren’t one-size-fits-all deals. You know this if you’ve ever seen a haircut that looked good on another dude, and asked your barber to give you the same style, only to find out it looked terrible on you.

Different hairstyles are better suited for different face shapes. What looks good on Brad Pitt could make you look like a grade-A, poindexter dud. 

But how do you figure out your face shape, and thus the haircut that complements it best?

It’s easier than you think, and to help guide us through the process, I talked to master barber Thad Forrester, owner of Hudson / Hawk Barber & Shop.

The 6 Common Face Shapes of Men

Thad breaks down most faces into six shapes: oval, square, rectangle, round, diamond, and triangle. 

Here’s a breakdown of the characteristics of each:

Oval Face Shape

Face length is greater than the width of the cheekbones, and forehead is wider than the jawline. The angle of the jaw is rounded rather than sharp. Imagine an upside-down egg.

Square Face Shape

All measurements are somewhat similar in ratio. The angle of the jaw is sharp rather than rounded. This is the most classically masculine face shape.

Rectangle/Oblong Face Shape

A rectangle face shape is like an oval/square shape combo. Your face length is long (like an oval), but your forehead, cheekbones, and jawline are similar in size (like a square).

Round Face Shape

If your cheekbones and face length have a similar measurement, then you likely have a round face. Cheekbone measurement is also larger than the forehead and jawline measurements, which are about the same. The angle of the jaw is soft rather than angular. 

Diamond Face Shape

A long face with wide cheekbones and a small jawline. Chin is pointy. 

Triangle Face Shape

Triangle face shapes may have different kinds of chins, but they share the characteristics of having a wide, prominent jawline (as measured across the corners/hinges of the jaw). The second-largest measurement is the cheekbones, followed by the forehead. 

Which Face Shape Are You?

So those are the primary face shapes. How do you figure out which one you have?

Well, figuring out your face shape can be tricky. You’ve probably never thought about your face having a distinct shape, so when you try to categorize it, you’ll be doing a lot of hemming and hawing: “Well, I guess it’s round, but if I angle my head this way it looks square. Wait. Now it’s a diamond.”

And as Thad told me, a lot of guys that come in to see him have a tendency to think they have the masculine face shape of Brad Pitt. They’ll show Thad a photo of Brad on their phone and say, “I think I have a similar head shape as Pitt. Can you give me the same haircut that he has?” 

Thad has to nicely tell these guys, “No, no you don’t. You look nothing like him actually.”

So how do you figure out what shape your face and head are?

For starters, you can measure it at four key points:

1. Jawline: Measure horizontally from point to point at the corners/hinges of the jaw.
2. Cheekbones: Measure across your cheekbones, starting and ending at the pointiest part below the outer corner of each eye.
3. Forehead: Measure across your face from the peak of one eyebrow arch to the peak of the opposite arch.
4. Face Length: Measure from the center of your hairline to the tip of your chin.

Measure those points with a tape measure, write them down, think about the ratios between them, and then go back up to the last section to figure out which face shape you have.

If measuring your face feels weirdly tedious, Thad recommends a more straightforward way to figure out your face shape: outline it on a mirror. 

Grab a dry erase marker and stand in front of the mirror. Pull your hair back with one hand if it’s long. Outline your head. Make sure to keep your head as still as possible. 

Take a step back and look at it. 

“Your outline isn’t going to look like a perfect triangle or diamond,” says Thad. “But look at key points like your cheekbones, jawline, and forehead and how they connect with one another. If you think you see a triangle, draw a triangle within your outline to see if it matches up. If not, try again.”

How to Choose the Right Haircut for Your Face Shape

Two General Guidelines

1. Pick a haircut that will make your face look oval. Regardless of your particular face shape, Thad recommends picking a hairstyle that makes your head look more like an oval: “The oval face shape is sort of the ideal head shape because it’s symmetrical and well-proportioned. So, for example, if you have a rounder head, you’ll want to pick a haircut that will make your face look longer to get a more oval-looking face. If you have a triangle-shaped head, you’ll want a haircut that gives you more width at your forehead so it looks less pointy, and more rounded at the top.”

2. Take your beard into account. “Your beard can also add length or width to your face, so you need to consider that when selecting a hairstyle,” Thad advises. “For example, if you have a long rectangle face, having a haircut with height plus a long beard is going to make your head look even longer, like Beaker from the Muppets. You don’t want that.” Meep meep, indeed. 

But beards can also help contour your face into that ideal oval shape, Thad told me. “Let’s say you have a round face, with a not-so-prominent chin. A longer beard and a haircut with some height can help lengthen your face to make it look more oval.”

With those two general recommendations in mind, let’s dig into specific haircut recommendations for different face shapes. 

Oval

“Guys with oval face shapes look good with any type of hair and beard style,” says Thad. “You can wear a big pompadour, you can wear a nice crop with a fade, you can do an undercut. You can wear a short beard, long beard, or middle beard because the proportions of that head shape allow for it.” 

So if you’re a guy with an oval-shaped face, feel free to experiment with different hairstyles. 

While the oval face shape allows for a wide variety of styles, Thad did say there are some things you want to avoid: “Don’t pick a style with bangs or heavy fringe. They’ll make your oval face look more round.”

Square

Men with square-shaped heads should go with haircuts with short, tight sides. “Any bulk on the side is just going to make your head look wider,” explains Thad. A standard side part haircut, kept tight on the sides, works here, though Thad particularly recommends going with a haircut that gives some height to your face to lengthen it and give it a more oval look. Haircuts that provide texture on the top like French crops and quiffs will do that. A pompadour with close sides will give you some height as well. 

If you want to really embrace the masculine angles that a square shape gives your face, Thad recommends rocking a buzz cut; “Think Jason Statham. That guy has a really square face, and he makes that buzz cut look good.”

Round

“Men with round faces want to pick a hairstyle that gives some length to their face,” says Thad. “You also want to avoid bulk on the sides, as that just makes your head look rounder. So keep things tight.”

French crops, pompadours, quiffs, brush backs, and comb-over styles will give you height. And if you keep the sides short, you can also create the illusion of angles in your face, giving you a more masculine appearance. 

“Don’t forget beards if you have a round face,” says Thad. A longer beard will elongate your face and make it look like you have a chin. “Avoid really short beards or stubble if you have a round face,” he adds. “It just highlights the fact that you don’t have a chin.”

Rectangle/Oblong

“With a rectangle face you’ve got to be careful with a few things because the face is longer than it is wide,” says Thad. “You want to avoid hairstyles and beard styles that make your head look longer and skinnier,” i.e., you want to avoid the Beaker effect.

To that end, Thad recommends avoiding hairstyles that leave a lot of length on top since that elongates your head, as well as haircuts that are really short on the sides since that makes your head look skinnier. Basically, you want to shoot for something that’s not too long on the top and not too short on the sides. Textured haircuts with medium length on the top and the sides will be your best bet. A classic side part works well for guys with rectangular faces, as long as you keep the length on the sides longer. Fringes will add some width to your face, so consider that as well. 

If you want to grow a beard, keep it short. A long beard will only make your face look skinnier. 

Diamond

Men with a diamond-shaped face have wide cheekbones, but narrow jaw and brow lines. To make your face more oval looking, Thad recommends going with a haircut that will add width to your forehead. “A guy with a diamond-shaped face kind of has a pointy, narrow forehead head. To reduce that, go with a haircut that adds some bulk there, like a fringe cut or a textured crop.” 

One thing to avoid is a haircut with short sides. “That will just accentuate the narrowness of your forehead,” says Thad. 

Thad also likes recommending beards to men with diamond-shaped faces. “A nice full beard can expand the skinny jawline on a diamond-shaped face,” Thad told me. “Combine that with a haircut that adds some width to your forehead, and your diamond-shaped face is starting to look more like that ideal oval.”

Triangle

Triangular faces start with a wide jawline, narrow a bit at the cheekbones, and then narrow even more at the forehead. “You want to add volume and length on the sides to reduce the pointy look of a triangle-shaped face,” says Thad. French crops, textured quiffs, and fringes can do that. Guys with triangle-shaped faces will look good with longer, fuller ‘dos. Think Wayne Coyne from the Flaming Lips. That mad scientist, rock ‘n roll look. 

Thad recommends that men with triangle-shaped faces avoid beards. “A beard will just make your already wide jaw look wider and make your forehead look even more narrow and pointy,” he says. If you want some facial hair, just go with some stubble.  

In determining your face shape, and the best haircut for it, you can ask your barber/stylist for advice. Unfortunately though, not all of them are actually very adept at making this determination. Better to figure out a plan based on the information above, and go in with a specific request at the ready. 

__________________

Thanks to Thad from Hudson / Hawk Barber & Shop (locations in Springfield, Columbia, and Kansas City, MO, and Bentonville, AR) for his tips.

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

With our archives now 3,500+ articles deep, we’ve decided to republish a classic piece each Sunday to help our newer readers discover some of the best, evergreen gems from the past. This article was originally published in October 2020.

When communicating with your barber on what kind of haircut you’d like, it’s important to know the meaning of the terms that can be part of that conversation.

Two common barbering terms that often get confused by the layman are “taper” and “fade.”

It’s easy to confuse these hairstyle descriptors because, as we’ll soon explain, all fades are tapers, but not all tapers are fades. 

To ensure you never ask for a fade, when you meant a taper, read on.

What Is a Taper Haircut?

A taper haircut gradually changes your hair length, typically starting out longer at the top of the head and getting shorter as you go down to the natural hairline on the nape of the neck and sides of the head. The length of a taper can vary. You can have a really long taper (hair is longer) or a short taper (hair comes down closer to the skin).

Unless you’re growing your flow out or you got a buzz cut, most haircuts for dudes will involve some sort of taper.

What Is a Fade Haircut? 

A fade is a taper that gradually takes the hair down to the skin, so that it looks like the hairline on the sides and back of your head “fades” away before it reaches the natural hairline. 

Basically, a fade is a really short taper. Hence, all fades are tapers, but not all tapers are fades.

Fades are a bit trendier and give your face and head a bit of an “edge” — both in terms of its literal lines as well as in the overall impression or vibe the hairstyle gives off.

Fades can start low, mid, or high. Low fades start fading closer to the ear, mid fades start fading just above the ear, and high fades can start fading way up high on the head. Which fade you choose will come down to personal preference and the look you’re going for.

The one downside with fades is that they do require regular maintenance to keep that faded-to-skin look fresh and sharp. 

There Is No Such Thing as a “Taper Fade” So Quit Saying It

A lot of people ask their barber for a “taper fade.” When you tell your barber that, he’s probably going to ask you (if he’s a good barber), “So do you want a taper or do you want to fade down to skin?” Remember, a taper is longer; a fade fades to skin. 

Now that you know the distinction between a fade and taper, rather than confusedly putting the terms together, you can use them to convey your desires to your barber more clearly.

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

I’ve rocked a mustache for the better part of 12 years. During that time, I’ve had guys tell me, “Dude! You look like Sam Elliott!”

A flattering comparison. But, until recently, not a wholly accurate one.

For while I sported a Sam Elliott-esque stache, I lacked his long, flowing mane.

For most of my adult life, I rocked a close-cropped side-part hairstyle. It was the dude hairdo to have in the early 2010s when Mad Men and heritage Red Wing boots were all the rage.

A couple of years ago, I was getting tired of my Don Draper hairstyle, decided to embrace my inner 1980’s Sam Elliott, and started growing my hair out. Operation Sam Elliott Hair was on.

The Platonic Ideal of Long Dude Hair: 1980’s Sam Elliott

My first attempt at growing my hair out was in 2018. It started off strong but then got weird. My hair just got really poofy and wide. I looked more like a Chia Head and less like Sam Elliott.

So I aborted the operation and razed my hair back to my standard close-cropped side-part style.

My 2020 attempt at Operation Sam Elliott Hair. Taken right before my mother-in-law buzzed my hair. Mission failed . . . but only temporarily.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, and everything, including barbershops, shut down, I figured it was an excellent time to pick up Operation Sam Elliott Hair again. But like the first time, my resulting bouffant made me look more like a lady who could star in Hairspray than a dude who might conceivably be cast in a Western. At least as an extra.

Abort mission. I had my mother-in-law buzz my unruly mane.

In January 2021, I decided to give Operation Sam Elliott Hair one more try. But this time, I brought in a professional to guide the process to improve my chances of achieving my goal.

In March 2021, I drove two hours up the turnpike to Springfield, MO to pay professional barber Thad Forrester a visit at one of the locations in his chain of Hudson / Hawk barbershops. I first met Thad when we made some hair-related AoM videos together, and he’d given me the best haircut I’d ever had. So I trusted him with my locks. And my yet unfulfilled dream.

I told him of my epic quest to achieve 1980’s Sam Elliott hair and how it always ended with wailing and gnashing of teeth and a pile of hair on the floor after I buzzed it all off.

Thad listened attentively and created a game plan to achieve the Sam Elliott Hair of my dreams. After nine months of working with him, I believe we’ve nearly reached the summit.

Here’s what I learned over the course of the journey about what dudes need to know if they want to grow their hair out.

How to Grow Your Hair Long (When You’re a Dude)

Make sure your hair is a good candidate for wearing long. Just like specific beard styles require specific types of beard growth, particular hairstyles require particular kinds of hair growth.

The long hairstyle is best for guys who have thick hair; thin/fine hair can look stringy and unattractive when worn long.

Long hair also won’t look good on a man who’s losing his hair. “A lot of men who start to thin decide now is the time to let it grow for one last hurrah. My advice . . . don’t,” Thad told me. “The longer the hair gets, the more it pulls down on the hair because of the additional weight, leading to more scalp exposure, which accentuates the hair thinning.”

If your hair is on the thicker side, and you’re not balding, then you’re a good candidate for growing your hair out long. If you have thinning hair, definitely consider getting a closer cropped haircut or even a buzz cut. Be sure to check our guide on picking the best hairstyle for balding men.

Visit a barber/stylist when you start growing your hair out to prep it for the process. The biggest mistake that Thad sees guys make when trying to go for long hair is they stop going to the barber completely. “They just end up looking really ragged and like they haven’t seen a barber in a long time. There’s a difference between growing your hair out and not getting a haircut for months,” he says.

If you decide to grow your hair out, visit your barber and let them know that’s what your goal is. “They can start ‘prepping’ your hair for longer growth by cutting it a certain way so that it doesn’t look unkempt as it grows out,” Thad says. “As your hair grows, your barber can make adjustments to your cut so that it lays better and looks better.”

While Thad is a barber (a hair professional trained and licensed in using clippers for close-cropped cuts), he’s also a trained hairstylist (who’s adept in using scissors too). Men who are growing their hair long might consider switching from a barber to a hairstylist. “Barbers are great for close-cropped cuts, but a lot of them don’t have a lot of experience with longer hair. Hairstylists do, though, and they might be in a better position to guide you through the hair growing process,” Thad advises.

Visit your barber/stylist every two months or so for a trim. Even though you’re growing your hair out, you still want to visit the barber every couple months or so. “Again, we want to make sure you look well-groomed during this process and not like you’re growing your hair out,” Thad told me. Regularly visiting your barber can allow him to clean things up and make adjustments with your style.

Growing your hair out is kind of like growing a fruit tree or plant. You let it grow, prune it, let it grow some more, prune it, grow, etc. Once you reach your desired length, you’ll still need to go in for occasional trims to keep it at that length, and to maintain a non-unruly shape.

Besides keeping your hair looking sharp while it’s growing out, your regular visits to the barber will give you a chance to get advice on styling and managing your longer hair.

During my 2021 Operation Sam Elliott Hair attempt, I visited Thad three times for a trim and consult. The regular trims were the key to growing my hair out without looking like Mr. Chia Head. This was the game changer! Below was the progression of how my hair looked after each visit to Thad in the past year:

First haircut in 2021

Second haircut in 2021

Third haircut in 2021; scroll to the end to see a pic of how my hair looks now. 

How to Take Care of and Style Your Longer Hair

While longer hair is often associated with a more freewheeling, bohemian lifestyle, and you do have to get it cut less often than a short style, you’ll quickly learn that, on a daily basis, managing longer hair actually takes a little more work than managing a short ‘do. At least if you want it to look decently kempt. Your styling routine is going to be a bit longer, and look a little different too. Here are a few things that I’ve noticed and learned from Thad on how to take care of longer locks:

It takes longer to dry your hair. When I had short hair, I could just jump out of the shower, give my hair a quick rub with the towel and move on to styling. With my longer mane, I have to spend a few minutes patting and squeezing my hair with a towel until it’s decently dry.

You’ve got to brush your hair. I never really brushed my hair with my Don Draper ‘do. Just combed it into the part. With longer hair, I’ve got to run a brush through it several times like Marcia Brady to get out all the kinks and clumps.

If you don’t have one already, you’ll want to get yourself a paddle brush; you can find out more about the right brushes and combs for different kinds of men’s hair here.

Don’t blow-dry your hair. I tried blow-drying my hair to speed up the drying process. I just got really poofy hair. Looked like a Troll Doll. Thad doesn’t recommend that most guys with longer hair blow-dry it. “It takes a lot of time and tends to leave the hair looking a little too polished for what most guys are looking for when they grow their hair out,” Thad told me.

My hair looks best when completely dry; when wet, it looks like a Jheri curl. So if I have somewhere important to be, I have to keep in mind that it will take hours for my hair to air-dry, and plan when I’ll shower accordingly.

You may need to change your styling products. “The products and techniques you use to style your hair when it’s long vs. short change drastically,” Thad says. “I typically move toward lighter styling creams, sea salt/texture sprays, or leave-in conditioners in most cases.” The thicker styling pomades will just get clumpy in your hair. You can get the lowdown on the right styling products for different kinds of hair here.

If you have wavy or curly hair and want to enhance the waves and curls even more, use a conditioner when you shower.

Thad also recommends experimenting with going longer between shampooing your long hair. For example, try shampooing just one to two times a week. “It just makes your hair look shinier and healthier because you’re not washing away the natural oils in your hair,” he told me. While your body may need washing daily (e.g., if you regularly work out), a rinse, sans shampoo, is all you often need to give your hair. I’ve noticed my hair looks best a few days after my last shampoo.

If you have naturally oily hair, look into dry shampoos to help control the oil. Make sure you are keeping your scalp clean and moisturized to avoid dandruff and flaking.

I’ve been using a pomade for the past few years that Thad developed called Hitch.  You can buy it here. 

Your hands are your best combs for styling longer hair. After I towel-dry my hair, I’ll apply my product with my hands and then run a brush through my hair to distribute the product evenly and make sure I don’t have any knots and tangles. I then use my fingers to style my hair. “Your fingers are your best combs for long hair,” Thad told me.

So there you have it. How to grow your hair long for men.

Big thanks to Thad at Hudson / Hawk Barber & Shop for helping me achieve the 1980’s Sam Elliott hair of my dreams. I may grow it an inch or so longer, but it’s pretty much there. I love it, Kate loves it, and I get compliments from random dudes and ladies while I’m out and about.

Hell yeah, brother.

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.