Staying well-groomed is not nearly as effortless as it should look. From mastering tie knots to keeping your toenails from sprouting their own toenails, the official list of requirements for looking good seems to grow longer by the day.
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You can make the task of looking constantly vaguely presentable easier with four simple words: short, back and sides. Like an impeccably tailored suit (only less expensive), opting for this king of the cuts is your quickest route to looking good without even trying. You save time and can press snooze a few more times in the morning: you don’t need us to tell you it’s a winner.

Not all short back and sides haircuts are created equal, though. Here are the key styles to consider if you want to smarten up.

The French Crop

Requiring minimal maintenance, the French crop is a fuss-free cut that’s still flexible enough to be tweaked to taste. “A French crop is basically a short haircut, not quite military-inspired but pretty tight on the sides and generally, the hair on top is worn forwards as a cropped fringe,” says Charlie Cullen, international artistic director at British hairdressing brand Toni & Guy. “The styling on this cut can be minimal as the hair is short, worn forward and not too fussy.”

Ask your stylist or barber to take the hair very short through the back and sides, while leaving the hair on top slightly longer (a couple of inches at most). The ‘crop’ part of this style’s name comes from the top section’s choppy, textured finish.
As for the front hairline, you can either ask to have your fringe cut short and neat or keep some length for styling forward across the forehead.

Classically masculine, the French crop suits guys of any age and face shape, provided your stylist or barber makes subtle alterations to suit. Round faces, for example, will benefit from especially short, sharp sides and plenty of texture through the top section to add some height; meanwhile, it’s better to frame longer faces with longer sides (to add width) and a slightly flatter top section.

The Quiff

A natural born showstopper, nearly every man’s tested a quiff out at least once in his life, and its beauty lies in the fact that it can be worn as subtle or extreme as you like. Any stylist or barber worth their salt will know that a quiff is all about length and volume at the front, so striking a balance is key when it comes to this cut.

“Ask for long enough length in the front so that you can actually wear and style it worn up away from the face,” says Cullen. “If it’s too long it will flop down. Generally a quiff works better when it’s not texturised – when it has too much texture it doesn’t look as groomed or classic.”

If you take the back and sides particularly tight while leaving a good deal of length on top, your quiff will look much more dramatic due to the extreme contrast – so have a clear idea in mind as to how you want your quiff to look before your stylist or barber starts chopping. The crown area of your hair also needs to be cut shorter to allow the quiff shape to stand out.

Textured & Undone

If you’re more bedhead than painstakingly sculpted Lego hair, a low-fi, ‘undone’ take on this hairstyle is likely your best bet.

“The textured short back and sides cut that you should go for depends on the thickness of your hair,” says Cullen. “If it’s fine don’t go as short with your fade on the back and sides as it will expose your scalp. Ask for the top to be point cut or cut with a razor to give a rougher, rugged texture – think classic Brad Pitt during the 90s.”

Thanks to its relaxed structure, an undone style frames most face shapes well. That said, to ensure yours is shown in its best light, whoever is cutting your hair should maintain the right balance between the length of the hair on top and that at the back and sides to keep your mug from going woefully off-balance.

The Modern Fauxhawk

Kind of a quiff-lite, the fauxhawk sits somewhere between the easiness of a French crop and a statement style like the pompadour. “It’s a bit like a mohican but a lot more modern – think ex Directioner Zayn Malik for inspiration,” says Cullen.

Whether you opt to take the back and sides really short to emphasise your fauxhawk, or keep it all a little longer for a more even keel, it’s essential to leave the front section – the focal point of this look – longer than the rest, but within reason. “While the haircut needs to be left longer in the middle to qualify as a fauxhawk, you only need a few inches of length so it’s not too [much like] David Beckham’s extreme mohawk from the noughties,” says Cullen.

The Side Parting

Slick and neat, the side parting is the undisputable daddy of smart hairstyles, but it takes some prep to ensure yours is on-point.

Before getting your hair cut for a side parting, take time to establish which way your hair sits so that you can cooperate with Mother Nature. “Look at your natural growth pattern on the front of your hairline – it’s better to work with the hair than against it, so see which direction your hair naturally pushes over towards and cut and style your hair accordingly,” advises Cullen. “Ask for a little bit of longer length in the fringe, but it shouldn’t be too short on the sides as little err too close to literally mimicking Peaky Blinders style.”

It’s a good shout to discuss with your barber or stylist how prominent you want your parting to be too, as that will impact how your hair is cut. By having them taper your back and sides tightly, your side parting will look even sharper. And if you want your parting to be the focal point of this take on the short, back and sides, ask for a hard parting to be shaved in.
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According to findings by male grooming brand The Bluebeards Revenge, 73% of men are planning to make grooming their 2019 resolution

The new year welcomes challenges set to try us: dry January, Veganuary and now, Janhairy, it seems beauty resolutions are now gaining traction among men.

According to a survey carried out by male grooming brand The Bluebeards Revenge 73% of men are planning to make grooming resolutions in 2019. 

The findings revealed 48% of the 2,018 participants are fixed on sporting a fresh new hair style, while 33% want to achieve designer stubble or a bearded look.

Meanwhile, 60% of men who said they change their hair style suggested they would opt for longer locks as their 2019 resolution.

“A new hairstyle is one of the quickest and easiest resolutions to tick off the list,” said Luka’s Barbershop Manager and The Bluebeards Revenge brand ambassador, Callum Marks.

“Unlike eight months of hard work in the gym, a haircut can drastically change the look and feel of a man.”

Bradley Wicks, The Bluebeards Revenge Head of Content and Social Media, believes social media is the catalyst for this.

He said: “We currently live in a very social media savvy world.

“As a result, men are finally starting to learn the benefits of self-grooming - whether that’s looking after their skin, the hair on their heads, their beards, or even hair in other regions.”

Wicks continued: “We’re always advertising ourselves in today’s society and we work hard at branding ourselves, creating an image that we want to portray to friends, family and fancies.”

The male grooming market is predicted to reach a net worth of US$78.6bn in 2023, achieving a CAGR of 5.3% from 2017, according to ResearchAndMarkets.com.
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This story is from Cosmetic Business

​When it comes to hair types and textures, has there ever been any one desired as much as curls?! We think not. After all, looking back over centuries of hair styling reveals all kinds of tips and tricks for creating the perfect ringlets, waves and curlicues, from cushion curlers to the ubiquitous curling iron.

Time for an update, yes?! Agreed, and that’s why we’ve rounded up all of our best hacks for turning any and all hair types into the gorgeous curls of your dreams. Bonus: none of them require walking around your home with hot pink curlers in your hair. There’s at least one or two on this list that are perfect for you, so read on and get curling!
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1) Use paper towels!
Yup, paper towels! This household product you’re nearly guaranteed to have already is the perfect tool for curly hair. Bonus? The technique is both no-heat AND an overnight trick. You know how our grandmothers and even older generations would do “rag curls”? This idea is inspired by that classic technique— and doesn’t require you to sacrifice any clothing!

2) Repurpose a flat iron.
If you’re anything like us, you haven’t gone for the ultra-flat-super-straight hair look since sometime in the very early 2000’s— and that means your flat iron hasn’t gotten a lot of play. Don’t throw it out, though; repurpose it to make curls! It’s totally possible and really easy. Simply braid and/or twist your hair, gently run a flat iron over the braids/twists, and voila! Loose, casual “beach” waves in under 10 minutes.

3) Add some tin foil . . .
No, we haven’t bought into any conspiracy theories— just the craziest and coolest way we’ve probably ever seen to achieve our long-awaited curls. If you like the idea of repurposing your flat iron, but don’t have any braiding skill – I’m in your club! – you’ll love this idea. Wrap your hair around your fingers to make a loop, then wrap that in a small piece of tin foil. Pinch each little foil-and-hair packet with the flat iron, then slide off the foil to see your curls!

4) . . . or just start turning that flat iron.
Another way to reuse that flat iron? Just flat out use it as a curling iron! All you have to do is wrap your hair and turn the iron the right way to achieve the curls you want. One less tool to clog up the bathroom!

5) Braid it.
Don’t have a flat iron? Braiding your hair will still work for you! Just braid whatever area of your hair you’d like to see curl, go to sleep, and wake up with waves. This technique is a great, classic go-to.

6) Go formal with a curling iron and a ponytail.
A braid’s not the only style you can reappropriate to give you glorious curls. A regular old ponytail can help you, too! When you use this trick and combine it with a traditional curling iron, you not only get perfect curls, you get them in only FIVE minutes.

7) Knot it.
“OK,” we can hear some of you saying, “I’m sure these tricks work great for those lucky women born with at least a little curl or wave in her hair, but what about those of us with completely straight locks?” Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with another natural overnight technique— no heat or chemical perms required. Just twist, coil and pin your hair into tiny buns all over your head, then go to sleep. This technique is similar to both classic Bantu knots or retro pin curls.

8) Combine some tricks!
If you find that some of these ideas aren’t working well enough for your particular hair on its own, try combining them! Tying your hair into the Bantu knots and then also applying a flat iron will give you wild curls you’ll love.

9) Do a “Friar Tuck”.
Love the no-heat overnight method but don’t really feel like you have the skill (or the patience) to do pin curls, Bantu knots, tiny buns or rag curls? Fear not! There’s an even easier method that also takes its inspiration from retro tricks: the “Friar Tuck.” (And no, we don’t mean the Robin Hood character.) All you need to is take a stretchy headband and put it around your head, then twist and “tuck” pieces of your hair through, under and around it. Go to sleep, and wake up with gorgeous curls!

10) “Plop” your hair overnight.
Yes, we said “plop” your hair into curls. We love this easy trick because it a) let’s you use the hair care products you already own and love, and b) does its magic overnight while you sleep! How great is that? All you need to do is “plop” your freshly-washed hair into a clean T-shirt, wrap the T-shirt around your head, and go to sleep. You’ll wake up with frizz-free, gorgeous curls.

11) Maintain your curls with “pineappling.”
OK, so after trying all of these tricks to get perfectly curly hair, you want the style to actually, you know,stay for awhile, right? Then you need to try “pineappling”! It sounds – and, frankly, looks – a little crazy, but this method of styling your hair in a pineapple-shape before bed is the perfect way to sleep soundly while maintaining your ‘do. It’s also a great option for naturally-curly-haired ladies, too!

We’ve got many great options, any of us can have curly hair! So now, what do youthink? Have you ever tried “plopping,” “pineappling,” or any of the other tricks we’ve mentioned here? Are there any curly hair hacks you know that we didn’t mention? Share with us and with each other!
 
This article appeared on TipHero