What to do when it’s time for a new hairstyle

If it’s true that “clothes maketh the man”, then the same is definitely true of hairstyles.

You can tell a lot about a man from his hairstyle – or at least we think we can. It’s easy to make assumptions about someone’s personality, who their friends are, what they’re into and even how successful they are, based solely on their hair.

Despite this, a lot of guys are still rocking the styles they’ve had for as long as they can remember – often what they had in high school. It’s understandable – you get comfortable and figure you may as well stick with what works, right?

The problem is, what looked good back in the day may not have the same effect now. For one thing, our faces change as we get older, so your ‘do might not suit for your current face shape and features. Plus, it never hurts to stay fresh and current – it’ll get you noticed, keep you looking youthful and help to make a strong first impression.

If you know it’s time to make a change to your hairstyle, but you’re not sure where to start, here’s what you need to do.

Make a commitment

If you’re going to do this, you’ve got to do it right. If you go through with a half-hearted effort, you may as well not do it at all.

Change can be scary. If a fear of the unknown is holding you back – what if it looks stupid? what if I do the wrong thing? – keep in mind that it’s hair. It famously grows back. In the unlikely event that it’s a complete disaster, the good news is it won’t stay that way forever.

If you’re still not sure, float the idea with your friends and family. If the answer you get is a unanimous yes, you’ll know what you’ve got to do.

Know your stuff

Nothing is as simple as it seems – even choosing a haircut. You might have an idea of the kind of style or styles you like, but just because they look good on someone else, doesn’t mean they’ll be right for you. You need a style that suits – and enhances – your face.

When it comes to face shape, for example, balance is key. If you’ve got a round face, you need a squarer style, with short sides and height at the top, so your face doesn’t look even rounder. Whereas guys with a triangular face shape will benefit from a style that minimises the forehead and makes the chin look wider.

Keep an eye out for what looks good on people with similar features to you and look into what will be best for you – there’s heaps of information online.

Look at photos and talk to the pros

Now you know which types of styles are for you, it’s time to nail exactly what you’re after. The best way to do that is to look at photos – there’s plenty online or in magazines – and pick out the styles that you like. Choose a few of them and save them to your phone or print them out. That way you can show them to your barber or stylist – they’ll appreciate this, as they know exactly what you’re after.

Remember, barbers and stylists are experts on hair. They’re specially trained to be able to give you advice and talk you through your options, and what will work and what won’t.

With a few examples of what you like, and some input from the person who cuts your hair, you’ll be able to nail down your new style.

Keep it looking good

So, you’ve got yourself a sweet new style? Now it’s up to you to make it your own and keep it look its best between cuts. Your barber or stylist will be able to give you some styling tips, but having the right products are key.

Two identical cuts could end up looking completely different depending on what is used to style them. Do you want a texturised, matte look – like Walker Fiber offers – or a Don Draper-esque shine – which Specter Pomade will give you? Again, you’ve got to figure out the difference and decide what works best for you.

Finally, your hair won’t look good if it’s not clean and healthy, so make sure you’re shampooing and conditioning your hair (although not too often!). Our Hunter Lab Shampoo will give you a natural high-performance wash that will leave your hair fresh, while the Hunter Lab Conditioner – even better, grab them as a combo and you’ll get a reduced rate.