Curls have gotten a bad rap for a long time. Admit it: when you think of men with curly hair, you’re picturing the untamed tresses of a Game of Thrones heathen or the overly-tamed wig of a 17th century French nobleman. What you’re forgetting about are the lovely locks that have become Entourage star Adrian Grenier’s signature style, or Justin Timberlake’s notorious closely cropped curls. 

But we’re here to abolish those curly stigmas. Remember when your mum told you to eat your crusts to get curls? Mum always knows best. Plus, curls get the girls, it’s a fact. Luscious, thick, full hair is innately attractive to a woman because a) it means you’re not going bald any time soon and b) your children are likely to inherit the same attractive hairline.

Naturally wavy hair can pose a few challenges, but it also has the advantage of looking fuller and standing out from the omnipresent crowds of straight-haired, side-parted clones. We say it’s time to embrace your mane’s twists and turns, with these men’s curly hairstyles.

Men’s Curly Hairstyles: Tips & Tricks

We all know that curly hair isn’t the easiest to manage. One minute you’re rocking glossy Shirley Temple ringlets and the next you look like Lenny Kravitz, and not in a good way. It might seem like one extreme or another for guys with curly hair, but there are some easy ways to maintain those waves and have them looking pristine and effortless in no time.

1. Shampoo only once every 2-3 days to keep hair from getting dry, and use a moisturising conditioner to cut back on frizz.
2. If your goal is tight and tidy curls, use a high-hold, matte-finish styling product, and work it in from the roots when your hair is still damp.
3. If you want to maintain volume in your curly mop, use a moisturising sea salt spray.

EXPERT TIP – Anthony Nader, RAW Salon Sydney

Embrace those curls you were born with guys and maximise the texture and different hair shapes this season.

A few tips for men’s curly hairstyles to consider are;

• If your hair strands are on the thicker side and you can’t manage the day to day styling, ask your hairstylist for some razored out pieces haphazardly cut throughout as this will give your hair more manageability and also be less buffi.
• Don’t use a dry matt product as this will only make your hair larger than life and also your curls will be less defined.
• To keep your curls looking and feeling soft, make sure you use a moisturising conditioner to keep hydrated.
• When having your haircut, I always point cut the very ends, as this gives your curls more softness rather than cutting a blunt straight line which will only give the illusion of a “boxie” hard edged appearance.

Men’s Curly Hairstyles: How To Wear It

Now you’ve mastered curly hair maintenance, let’s get down to hairstyles. Whether you prefer it long curls, short curls or in between, luckily there’s plenty of inspiration from the fashionable fellas of Hollywood.

Game of Thrones heartthrob Kit Harington is a prime example of long curly hair done right. The actor keeps his tresses shoulder length and fuss-free. If you’re partial to a shorter style, One Direction’s Harry Styles and Gossip Girl’s Penn Badgley make a statement with styles that are longer on top and cropped around the years. As for mid-length styles, look to Orlando Bloom and Matthew McConaughey for slicked back and sharp hairspo.
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Styles to avoid are anything that resembles Justin Timberlake during his NSYNC days or the parted ringlets of Lost’s Hugo Hurley.

Fade haircuts and the variants that come with it are fast becoming the classic go-to look amongst the legions of stylish gents.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a fade basically refers to long (or at least, longer) hair on top of the head, and short hair on the sides of the head and the back. Whether you opt for a skin fade haircut or a taper fade haircut is entirely down to you – we’ll look at both in a moment.

The fade cut is incredibly versatile, so is a suitable option for most guys when heading to the barber for a fresh trim. But what exactly should you be asking your barber when talking about styling options and how to even start thinking about styling it? Allow us to reveal all.
 
How To Ask Your Barber For A Fade Haircut

When you’re sitting in the barber’s chair, you can’t simply ask for a fade. Instead, you must tell your barber or hairdresser exactly what kind of style you want. The more precise you are, the more accurate they will be at delivering your wishes. The fade cut can actually be broken down into various styles: low-fade, mid-fade, high-fade and taper-fade to name a few.

While it’s certainly true that the fade cut will suit the majority of guys, your face shape will determine which style of fade works best for you.

You can also choose the length you want your fade to be. Naturally, you’ll want to aim for as short as possible – some guys even choose to have no guard on the clippers to get a skin fade – but a good starting point would be a number 1, fading up into a number 2.

Ultimately, if you’re not sure exactly what type of fade or what length to get, ask for your barber’s recommendation, or take a picture in with you of someone else’s hair that you like the look of. They’ll let you know if it’s possible.

Best Men’s Fade Haircuts

​What good is all this talk about the different styles of fade without some images and further explanation on them? Here are some of the most common fade haircuts for men to ask for on their next barber visit.

Low Fade 
​A low fade haircut is a perfect entry point into the world of fades, as it doesn’t require too much of the hair on the sides of the head to be removed. Instead, your barber will only cut the hair just above your ears. You can choose to have a hard low fade, which will see your hair go from a grade 0 or 1 to a 3 or 4, for example, or it can be blended more naturally, going from a 1 to a 2.

Mid Fade

The mid fade presents itself as being a great all-rounder. It’s less ‘boring’ than a low fade, but doesn’t have quite the same impact as a high fade. As its name suggests, the mid fade starts further up the sides of your head, roughly in line with your temple.
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A mid fade works with virtually any hair length on top of your head. Pair with a long pompadour, a short French crop, or even a buzz cut, and it doesn’t matter if you have straight or curly hair.

High Fade

The high fade is becoming increasingly popular for men, although there’s no denying it works best for guys with short hairstyles. This allows the dramatic change between the fade and the hair on top to be seen more clearly.
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A high fade can be worn by guys with all hair types too, whether it be straight, curly, afro or Asian

Taper Fade

A taper fade is a combination of the taper haircut and the fade haircut. These two styles on their own are often mistaken for one another, but there is actually much to separate them. A taper cut doesn’t exhibit as much of a drastic change between hair lengths but sees the hair taper inwards as it reaches the ear. It also only concerns the hair just over the ears and at the neckline.

A fade, more often than not, shows skin and follows the hairline all the way around, so even the back of the hair is faded too.
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A taper fade sees the hair gradually get shorter and shorter as you move toward the ears, before blending in with the skin. It’s possibly the best fade hairstyle for all guys, as it works with all hair types and any style you wish to have on top. It can also work wonders for all face shapes too, as the taper can be modified to suit.

Temple Fade

Also known as the Brooklyn Fade, the temple fade can have its history traced back to the 90s. Predominantly popular with black men with afro hairstyles, the temple fade has since found its way into haircut mainstream, where it is a viable option for anyone.
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A classic temple fair haircut will see the hair fade abruptly from the temple and down towards the ear. Only the hair in front of the ear is touched.

How To Style The Fade Haircut

There are several ways you can style your fade haircut. For a high fade – where the sides are short up above your ear – working some matte-effect product through the hair on top will give a tousled, stylish look.

Patricks M2 medium hold pomade will do the job here, offering a good amount of hold, but is pliable enough so that your hair will do exactly what you want it to. We’d recommend Patricks M2 for any fade style.

A fade doesn’t necessarily mean the hair on top has to be short either, just as long as the sides are faded, you have a fade. This means you can also opt for a pompadour hairstyle for a vintage vibe. A classic pompadour calls for a high-shine, so a pomade will be your friend here. Reuzel Blue is the perfect product for proving a strong hold and a high sheen.

You’ll want to add on some hairspray to really make sure your look stays locked in.
If you prefer a less subtle look, a quiff will do the trick. This doesn’t need to be so shiny, so a matte paste or cream will allow you to run your fingers through your hair to restyle it throughout the day.

How To Maintain The Fade Haircut

The main downside to rocking a fade hairstyle is that it will grow out and look unfaded pretty quickly. With this in mind, you’ll want to revisit your barber every two to three weeks to keep your hair looking its faded best.

Men’s Fade Haircut FAQs

What are other types of fade haircuts for men?
Burst fade, temple fade, shadow fade and bald fades are some of the variations of the fade haircut. Each is defined by the point where the fade begins.

What is the most popular style of the fade haircut?
The low fade haircut is the most popular cut because it is timeless and trendy at the same time. It is also versatile. You can add the low fade to any men’s hairstyle, short or long, for a clean-cut and fresh finish on the sides and back.

How do I know which fade haircut is for me?
Some fade hairstyles look best for a particular face or head shape. A drop fade, for instance, suits men with round or square face shapes. Play around with fades and find the one that suits you the best.

The classic taper haircut is a low-maintenance, high-performance style that’s classic and timeless. It’s easy to get, and you can modify it to your personal style. It’s one of those styles for men that simply can’t go wrong.It works well with all face shapes and hair types, and it strikes the balance between casual and professional. If you’re in need of a tidy haircut for your job or simply want a polished style, the classic taper haircut is for you.

What do I need for the classic taper haircut?

Since the classic taper haircut is a flexible style, you can tweak it to your liking. Because of that, there are no set requirements for hair length. Shorter hair will give a more professional, classic appearance, while longer hair will give a more contemporary appearance and will almost look like a quiff in some regards.
The length is completely up to you.

How to Get the Classic Taper Haircut

In many ways, the classic taper haircut is like the disconnected undercut. The hair on the sides and back is tapered quite short while the hair on top is left long. However, the classic taper haircut is more old-school and formal.

You’ll first want to tell your stylist how long you want your hair to be. While it’s up to your liking, a good starting point is two inches on top.

To get the classic taper haircut, start by tapering the sides and the back. (Make sure you tell your stylist how gradual you want the taper to be.) Your stylist may use shears or a hair clipper to achieve the taper. The clipper setting can be as short as #2 or as long as #5, depending on your preference.

You can also specify where you want the taper to end. If you prefer a long taper that ends at the base of the neck, then the clippers should provide a good result. However, if you like a shorter taper that ends more near the bottom of the ears, ask your stylist to end the taper there. It’s possible they will use a straight razor to eliminate all the hair below the taper’s end. If you like this clean-cut look, make sure to ask for the razor trim as well.

Next, ask your stylist to trim the hair on top of your head to your desired length. This can be anywhere from half an inch to four inches. Your stylist will most likely use scissors for this.
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How to Style the Classic Taper Haircut

The classic taper haircut can be styled in tons of different ways, so choose a style that suits you. That said, there are a couple of elements that always work well with a classic taper haircut.

You can’t go wrong with a side part. A part used in conjunction with a classic taper haircut is a winning combination, especially if the part is dramatic.

You’ll also want to consider some good-quality hair products to keep your taper at its best. For shorter hair, any regular wax, paste, pomade, or similar product will work. For longer hair, consider a product with a higher hold. Pomade or paste are ideal if you want your hair to have a glossy shine.

Eufora Men’s Team Co-Lead and barber extraordinaire, Dana Caschetta, knows when her clients are starting to feel a little fatigued and is a pro at helping them switch up their personal style.

“Even short men’s cuts can be flexible if you know how to craft a smart cut so that the wearer has multiple style options,” says Cashetta. “Most men who visit a salon or barber expect a lot of mileage from their cut, so I focus on the shape of a classic fade. Shape can mean just as much as length and blend… if not more. This is where I can truly customize a look to suit a face shape, head shape, and hair texture. If you want to build in versatility so that your client can create different shapes and styles, then there is no such thing as a ‘basic fade.’ It is always custom, and product choices are key in creating the final looks.”

To demonstrate Fade Flexibility, Dana styled different looks all easily do-able for the model at home, post-shoot.

Strong Silent Type

To create this confident and modern take on the Caesar, HERO Firm Hold Gel was worked through clean, dry hair, then combed through to shape and define the waves, providing super shine without crunch.

What is a ‘Mallen streak’?

A white/grey streak is known as a Mallen streak and it is an example of poliosis – which in short means an absence of melanin in the hair which results in a white streak.

Throughout history, the streak has become synonymous with evil – think X Men’s Rogue or the Bride of Frankenstein. The term ‘Mallen streak’ came into common parlance in the 1970s.

Originally coming from the Latin word ‘malignus’ (meaning ‘bad kind’) it was first used by novelist Catherine Cookson in her ‘Mallen’ trilogy. The novels follow the lives of a doomed family who all share the hereditary white/grey streak in their hair. Cookson writes of the pejorative associations of the streak, “nothing good ever came of a Mallen.” But times are a-changing…

Embracing ‘Mallen streaks’

Hopefully attitudes are changing as figures in the public eye now wear their streaks with pride.

“Personally, I would always encourage a client to embrace a streak and work with it as a feature,” says Paul Dennison, colour director at Ken Picton. “It’s incredibly unique and striking and if you cover it, you’ll constantly be fighting the regrowth and trying to cover it up.”

Other notable celebrities with a Mallen streak include politician Ed Milliband, TV presenter George Lamb and author Caitlin Moran.

Paul is a fan of the look and has some tips on how to work with a Mallen streak as a colourist. “It’s a very strong look and because white hair is so clean, it can look really dramatic when sitting next to the darker, natural hair,” he says.
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“I’d aim to enhance that by covering any other greys, so that the front section becomes even more apparent and really stands out. If a client has covered their white hair previously and wants to grow it out and embrace it, I suggest you pre-lighten the ends as much as possible, then tone to the natural colour with a nice ash or clean blonde.”

A grey/white streak has also featured in Tony Haresign’s ‘Mallen Madness’ collection (image to the left). The owner of Esquire Barbershop says of the inspiration behind his collection: “My influences for this collection included 1970s sports presenters, Batman, Catherine Cookson and Film Noir. I was keen to include a Mallen streak in the collection to highlight how striking the grey/white streak can look.”





​Collection image credit:
Hair: Tony Haresign
Assistants: Kayti Dickinson, Blayre Turnbull, Daina Renton
Make-up and styling: Michelle Watson
Suits: Chester Barrie and Richard James, Savile Row
Photography: Matt Marcus