The Grooming Manual
7 Haircare Tips for Men
You take good care of your skin and your body. You work hard to eat right, exercise, and look your best. In fact, you've dared to understand how to look younger, you go-getter, you.
Great. But how’s your hair looking?
If your answer is “not great,” -- or if you don’t even think much about your hair -- you’re making a huge mistake. Think about it: smart grooming doesn’t stop at your hairline! So you need to learn how to take care of your hair properly if you want to stay looking great.
The good news? Hair care for men isn’t as hard as it may seem. Here are 7 essential, easy-to-follow hair care and hair health tips for your men’s hair routine.
Understanding Hair Care for Men Basics
Taking care of your hair is simple once you understand the basics and it starts with knowing your hair type.
Is your hair oily or dry? Frizzy or flat?
Once you’ve identified your hair type, look for products that work best for your hair type. But before using any products, always check out ingredient labels.
Many products are filled with harsh chemicals that actually damage your hair, so whenever possible, choose products made with natural ingredients like our hair care products. Here are some additional key things to keep in mind before we dive into our essential hair care routine.
Scalp
Taking care of your scalp is a priority for men's hair health. A healthy scalp is vital for lustrous hair. There are three main types of scalp conditions - oily, dry, and normal - and each type requires a different hair care routine. The first step to ensuring you take care of your hair and scalp properly is identifying your scalp type.
Oily Scalp
Constant slick and greasy hair (without any product use)? You have an oily scalp. When your scalp produces too much sebum, the oil can build up creating a greasy look.
An oily scalp can be caused by various factors including overwashing, hair type (such as straight hair), and reactions to hair care products. To combat oily scalp for men’s healthy hair, avoid overwashing and use products specifically formulated for oily scalp.
Dry Scalp
Flaky hair with an itchy head? You have a dry scalp. When your scalp loses moisture quickly, it becomes dry.
Dry scalp can be caused by a number of factors, including weather, hair care products, and even stress. Treatment depends on the severity and factors behind it.
Remedies include using medicated shampoos or switching to an all natural moisturizing shampoo, washing hair less frequently, drinking more water, and managing stress levels.
Normal Scalp
Shiny hair with no split ends? You have a normal scalp. A normal scalp is free of flakes, redness, and irritation. It should look smooth and clean between hair follicles with no dryness, sunburn, or irritation.
To maintain a normal scalp, use all natural hair care products only as needed depending on your hair type. Avoid overwashing your hair which could lead to a dry or oily scalp.
Hair Type
There’s a lot that goes into having healthy hair for men, and it starts with knowing your scalp and hair type. Hair types can be classified as curly, wavy, straight, or kinky.
No matter what type of hair you have, it’s important to keep it healthy. To ensure healthy hair for men, use the right routine shampoo and conditioner, get regular trims, and avoid excessive heat styling.
Here is a breakdown of each hair type and the best way to take care of each one.
Curly
Anyone with curly hair knows that it can be a bit of a handful. The key to maintaining healthy curls is to avoid over-washing, use a deep conditioner regularly, and get the right haircut.
And when it comes to styling products (or any products in general), avoid anything with harsh chemicals - they’ll only damage your hair in the long run. Opt for products made with all natural ingredients like our All-in-One Wash for Men to quickly cleanse your hair, body, and face.
Wavy
Wavy hair is prone to frizz and can be difficult to style, but you can tame your waves. First, avoid overwashing your hair. Every three days should be plenty. Before shampooing, always detangle your hair either with a wide-toothed comb on dry hair or your fingers on wet hair. Follow up with a conditioner to hydrate and soften your hair.
Straight
While the easiest hair to maintain, straight hair still requires some TLC. And yes, you can overwash AND overbrush straight hair.
Rather, shampoo every 2-3 days followed by hair conditioner to replenish moisture. Then pat your hair dry instead of rubbing to prevent breakage. Brush your hair twice a day; once when you get ready in the morning and in the evening before heading out or after a shower.
Kinky
Kinky hair is naturally dry, but it can be maintained for men’s healthy hair. Depending on your lifestyle, shampoo every 7-10 days to avoid stripping your hair of its natural oils, leading to dryness.
In between shampoos, use a good conditioner to keep your hair moisturized. Avoid environmental chemicals that can damage your hair, such as those found in pools, in addition to steering clear of hair care products containing harsh chemicals.
How to Take Care of Your Hair: 7 Tips for Men
Here are our 7 top tips for a healthy hair care routine for men:
1 - Use Natural, Gentle Shampoo
Your hair deserves to be treated with a product that contains only natural ingredients that cleanse gently. Avoiding shampoos with long lists of harsh chemical ingredients is a must for men’s hair health.
Since we’re dedicated to only using the best natural ingredients in all our products, you won’t find any petrochemicals, sulfates, parabens, phthalates, or silicones in either of our shampoos. Here’s what we recommend for men’s hair routine instead:
Daily Strengthening Shampoo
Made with hydrolyzed wheat protein (to thicken and strengthen hair), amino acids (to increase follicle volume and shine), vitamin E (to promote healthy hair growth and men's hair health), and peppermint and tea tree oils (to relieve irritation and soothe the scalp).
Relieving Dandruff Shampoo
Made with Ziziphus joazeiro bark extract (to eliminate bacteria and fungus that cause dandruff and flakes), jojoba (to dissolve the build-up on your scalp that can lead to flakes), and aloe vera (moisturizes and nourishes for maximum scalp and hair care for men).
2 - Don’t Shampoo Every Day
Hair health for men is as important as it is for women. A lot of guys get in the habit of using shampoo every day, assuming that they should be washing their hair every single time they hop in the shower. But for many men, this is simply not the case.
The oils your scalp secretes are meant to nourish your hair, protect it, and keep it healthy. Shampooing too often strips those oils out, making your hair look dull, brittle, and weak.
This is a concern if you have naturally dry or thin hair, or if you use a harsh shampoo with sulfates, parabens, and overly drying detergents.
We’re not suggesting that you skip the shampoo altogether (your hair gets sweaty, dirty, and gross - please wash it as part of your hair care routine). Instead, switch to a strengthening, volumizing shampoo and consider adjusting your frequency of hair washing as necessary depending on your hair type and other factors.
How Our Daily Strengthening Shampoo Can Help
The good-for-your-hair ingredients in our Daily Strengthening Shampoo - like hydrolyzed wheat protein, amino acids, and vitamin E - strengthen hair shafts and nourish individual strands.
Hair care for men greatly relies on the products you use, and ours are packed with natural ingredients that put men’s hair health as a top priority.
What About Dandruff?
This is still true even if you’re trying to deal with an outbreak of dandruff. Our Relieving Dandruff Shampoo has the scalp-soothing, dandruff-eliminating effects you need even if you use it every other day - or less often if you have an especially sensitive scalp.
And one more men’s hair health tip to remember: your hair should still feel slightly oily after washing it, as that signifies that your natural oils are still intact and you’re not stripping your strands away into nothing. Who would have thought that your hair care routine would include keeping your hair slightly oily!
3 - Use Hair Conditioner
Sorry guys, but shampoo alone isn’t enough for men’s hair health. Remember: even the most natural shampoo can remove nourishing oils from your hair, and it doesn’t do much to protect your hair against day-to-day damage and the elements.
Choose the Right Hair Conditioner
Men’s hair health relies on the right hair conditioner - one with the best natural ingredients - to promote healthy hair for men. What does hair conditioner do that’s different than shampoo? Unlike shampoo, hair conditioner doesn’t simply wash away oil and grime. Instead, it:
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Nourishes your hair and scalp
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Replaces lost oils
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Promotes hair growth
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Protects and strengthens your hair’s cuticle
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Maximizes hair health
This leaves your hair moisturized, strong, and shinier over time. Our Revitalizing Hair Conditioner supports your hair and scalp with organic aloe, borage oil, and avocado oil. It’s also 100% chemical-free. A good conditioner is a men's hair care routine must.
How to Take Care of Your Hair Using Conditioner
Unless you have really long hair, you only need to apply a nickel-sized amount of conditioner about two-three times a week for optimal men’s hair health - and make sure that you work the conditioner into your scalp and through the ends of your hair. After all, the scalp is where your hair grows, so making sure that your scalp is part of your hair care routine is necessary for strong, healthy-looking hair.
And don’t worry - it won’t make your hair greasy if you have naturally oily hair. Just pay attention to how your hair responds and adjust the frequency of application accordingly.
4 - Visit Your Barber Regularly
Do you endlessly delay your trips to the barber? Try to put it off until you can’t possibly wait anymore? If so, this is one of the simplest but most important hair health tips for you.
Making grooming a priority includes regular trips to the barbershop. Though it depends largely on your hairstyle and the length you like to keep, we recommend that you try to go at least every month.
A barber knows how to style a guy’s hair better than us regular guys! This isn’t just about keeping up your look. Men’s hair health is constantly threatened by exposure to the elements, heat, and friction from clothing and day-to-day activity. This weakens strands, leading to split ends and dryer, more damaged hair.
Regular cuts or trims can effectively get rid of this damage, leading to stronger, healthier hair over time.
5 - Choose a Hairstyle that Flatters Your Face
This isn’t just about men’s hair health - it’s also about style. Not all hairstyles are created equal. And not all guys will look the same, even with the same haircut. It’s important that you choose a hairstyle that fits and flatters your unique face shape.
First, think about your face shape and your hair texture. Then check out hairstyles that are designed to flatter you (you can learn more about choosing the right hairstyle for your face shape here).
These tips for men’s hair styling aren’t meant to limit your options based on the recommendations - you can find some version of any style that will work for you. It’s just about understanding what enhances your particular features and how to choose a style that will give you a great look.
6 - Take It Easy on Your Hair
If you’re rough, tough, and careless with your hair and hair care routine when washing and styling, you’re doing yourself a major disservice. (This includes being too rough on things like back hair removal). But a lot of guys tend to have a hard time with what might be the easiest of our men’s hair care tips: be gentle.
Your hair will look much better if you treat it gently once you get out of the shower and start styling. More specifically, be gentle when:
Drying Your Hair
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Don’t aggressively rub and pull at your hair with a towel - that generates strand-weakening friction which is bad for men’s hair health.
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Avoid super hot showers - the high temperature water strips away your natural oils.
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Leave extra hot hair dryer settings out of your hair care routine. Long-term exposure to such high temperatures will leave your hair brittle and dehydrated, basically looking like hay.
Instead, gently towel-dry your hair when you get out of the shower. And if you do use a hair dryer, be sure to turn down the heat, keep the dryer moving, and hold the dryer further away from your scalp.
Styling Your Hair
In the same vein, men's hair health routines usually involve yanking on tangles or pulling on your hair when brushing or styling. This will both irritate your scalp and lead to hair thinning over time, especially for guys that have already started to lose their hair.
One of our top tips for men’s hair styling is to get in the habit of gently brushing your hair (using the right conditioner will make everything smoother and easier) and taking your time working through any tangles you might have.
7 - Use Natural Styling Products
Finally, you’ll want to finish up your hair care routine with natural, healthy-for-your-hair styling products.
Too many styling products contain harsh ingredients that not only dry and damage your hair but also leave you with a thick, crunchy look - not good for men’s hair care. Plus, hair gels, pomades, and waxes are absorbed into your scalp much more than shampoo and conditioner. So if you’re using a product with potentially harmful ingredients, those chemicals will creep down into your hair follicles and negatively impact your hair growth. Not great.
That’s why you’re better off using a natural and organic styling product - and why our pomades contain hydrating, non-damaging ingredients, like beeswax, castor oil, vitamin E, and argan oil.
There are lots of options here for men’s hair routine depending on the finished look you’re going for.
Texturizing Sea Salt Spray
We made our Texturizing Sea Salt Spray to add volume, texture, and natural waves to your hair for a beachy waves - inspired look. It's alcohol-free with sea salt, vitamin E, and hydrolyzed proteins for a no-shine, matte finish that also strengthens your hair, among other benefits of sea salt spray. To use:
- Apply 5-10 sprays of Texturizing Sea Salt Spray to dry or damp hair (for a more matte finish, dry hair is best).
- Spread the product through your hair using your fingers or a comb.
- Style your hair as usual.
Classic Firm Hold Gel Pomade
Formulated with natural ingredients, our Classic Firm Hold Gel Pomade is perfect for achieving a high-shine, firm hold focusing on hair health for men. To use:
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Push your fingers into the pomade and pull out a nickel-sized amount.
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Warm the pomade by rubbing it between your hands until desired consistency is achieved.
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Work the product into your hair front to back with a comb for the best results.
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Style the top of your hair as usual.
The more your hair dries, the stronger the hold will be.
Flexible Hold Wax Pomade
For the best hair styling men, our Flexible Hold Wax Pomade offers all-day flexible hold while conditioning your hair with Vitamin E for a natural healthy shine. To use:
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Push your fingers into the pomade and pull out a nickel-sized amount.
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Warm the pomade by rubbing it between your hands until desired consistency is achieved.
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Work the product starting from the side and back of your head, working your way to the top of your hair as usual.
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Style your hair as usual.
Styling Clay Pomade
For a no-shine, matte finish, look no further than our Styling Clay Pomade infused with natural ingredients like argan oil and aloe to provide an all-day hold while nourishing your hair. To use:
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Push your fingers into the pomade and pull out a nickel-sized amount.
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Warm the pomade by rubbing it between your hands until desired consistency is achieved.
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Work the product into your hair front to back, using more where necessary.
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Style the top of you hair as usual.
Shaping Paste Pomade
To add definition and texture while controlling frizz for men’s hair care, choose our Shaping Paste Pomade. Not only does our pomade offer low shine, but it’s also formulated with red algae extract and hyaluronic acid to strengthen hair and lock in moisture. To use:
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Rub a small amount into your palms.
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Work the product into your hair with your fingers applying more as needed.
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Style your hair as usual.
Bonus Hair Care Tips for Men
Healthy hair isn’t just about using the right shampoo and conditioner for men’s hair health. It’s about more than just using the right products. In addition to understanding your scalp type and hair type, you need to make some simple lifestyle changes to keep your hair healthy and prevent hair loss.
Taking these simple extra steps will go a long way toward keeping your hair healthy while maintaining your desired style. Keep reading to discover these lifestyle bonus tips.
How to Take Care of Long Hair for Men
Anyone with long hair knows that it requires some extra care and attention. Follow the tips already provided above to maintain healthy hair.
Avoid using harsh products and opt for products made with natural ingredients. As an extra precaution, beware of water pH levels when washing hair as low pH levels can lead to dry, brittle hair that is easily tangled.
Hats & Caps
While a beanie might keep you warm on a cold day, it can damage your hair with prolonged wear affecting your hair care routine for men. Tight hats can put pressure on the roots of your hair, causing breakage and limiting new hair growth. And while heat is essential, the extended heat on your head can cause sweating and oil build-up.
Chlorine
While great for killing bacteria, chlorine can strip away your hair’s natural oil. As a result, chlorine-exposed hair becomes dry, brittle, and difficult to manage.
To avoid damaging your hair, wet it with fresh water before jumping into the pool. Once you’re out, follow up with a good conditioner to replenish any moisture lost. A good conditioner is an essential men's hair grooming product.
Sun Damage
Excessive sun exposure not only harms your skin, it also damages your hair. UV rays can cause your hair to become fried - dry and brittle - leading to breakage and split ends. To prevent sun damage, follow the men’s hair tips already provided and wear a loose-fitting hat to shield your hair. Choose one that is breathable so that your scalp doesn’t get too hot.
Cold Water
While hot water might feel more refreshing, cold water is actually better for your hair as part of men’s hair routine. Cold water helps to block the blood capillaries in your scalp. This decrease in blood flow can actually help to reduce inflammation around the hair follicle making your hair look stronger and healthier. Cold water also helps to retain moisture in your scalp.
Why Brickell Men’s Products
We Focus on Natural Ingredients
Here at Brickell, we use only the highest-grade natural ingredients because we believe that they make a difference - in both the quality of our products and the health of your hair.
We know that not everyone is as concerned with ingredients as we are. But for those of you who are, rest assured you're getting the best possible product when you choose Brickell.
Products Made Especially for Men
We know that men’s hair is just as important as women’s hair; hair care for men is more than just shampoo and conditioners. That’s why we’ve formulated our hair care products specifically for men providing a range of products to create the style your hair deserves.
Our products are packed with high-quality ingredients that are not only effective but that you will also love.
Key Takeaway
Now that you know how to take care of your hair, it’s time to put these tips into action to create a hair care routine for men. For healthy hair for men, always use natural, gentle products (e.g. shampoo, conditioner, and pomade) whenever possible and be careful not to overwash your hair. After every shampoo, follow up with a good conditioner. Don’t forget to check in with your barber for regular trims and man hair styling tips.
Ready to get started? Check out our hair care and styling products or learn more in our complete collection of helpful hair care tips. Here’s to good hair days!