Long Hair, Don’t Care
In today’s society, men growing their hair longer is often seen as going against the mainstream. But this wasn’t always the case. In the Old Testament, the Nazirites would go for long periods of time without cutting their hair to show devotion to God, and in ancient Greece, long male hair was a symbol of wealth and power.
Long hair was also widespread among English and French men in the 11th and 12th centuries. In fact, men generally had longer hair and beards all the way up until World War One, when short hair was introduced for soldiers.
With long, heavy beards now a major grooming trend for men, it was only a matter of time before long hair was back on the fashion agenda. We’ve already started to notice a lot more men beginning to grow their hair out over the past couple of months, so with this in mind we’re set to offer some tips on how to do just that, along with examples of current longer hairstyles that are popular…
Growing Your Hair
Growing your hair into a long style can take quite some time. As a stylist, I would personally recommend getting it cut regularly during the process to keep it in its best condition and maintain the shape. Not getting it cut often enough can result in the ends splitting, which will eventually make the hair look really fine and wispy (there’s a reason your girlfriend is always checking her hair for split ends!).
As it grows, your hair can begin to dry out for a number of reasons. This is why it’s imperative that you use a good shampoo and conditioner to keep it healthy. If it starts to look dry then a leave-in conditioner will help combat this by locking in moisture.
You can also cause damage to your hair if you don’t apply a heat protector before using electrical hairdressing equipment such as straighteners and hairdryers. This is really important if your hair is long as a lot of the natural oils from the scalp can’t work their way to the end of the hair shaft. That’s why your hair can feel and look healthier at the root compared to the ends.
- Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo And Conditioner Duo 500ml
- Redken Clear Moisture Duo 2 Products
- Kms California Moist Repair Conditioner
- Philip Kingsley Remoisturizing Conditioner 1000ml
- Moroccanoil Heat Styling Protection Spray 250ml
- Paul Mitchell Heat Seal 250ml
Long Hair Styles: The Right Cut
Here at Hooka, we’re noticing that having movement in your hair is extremely popular. For men especially, the way your hair is cut can help create this desired movement.
My advice would be to not over-complicate the style: unless your hair is fine I think it’s nice to get your stylist to razor or point cut it – both of these techniques will prevent any harsh lines and give the hair a more natural ‘grown out’ feel.
Avoid having your layers cut too short as this can make the hairstyle appear very dramatic – depending on the length, it could start to look like an outgrown mullet. I would also suggest steering well clear of a full fringe, unless you are totally pushing the boundaries! Instead, if you want something contemporary, why not opt for one of last season’s key hairstyle trends, the topknot, or look to have the sides and back shaved in order to create a slightly disconnected effect?
When getting unruly or wavy hair cut, it’s important to decide how much you want to accentuate the waves or curls – in general, the shorter the layers the more curl you get. If the layers are kept long then the weight of the hair should pull some of the curl down naturally. Discuss it with your stylist beforehand if you’re unsure.
Natural-Looking Long Hairstyles
Below you will find a selection of longer hairstyles that are natural-looking with a lot of movement. Able to be styled and parted in a number of ways depending on the occasion, they are a lot more versatile than you may initially think:
Curly Long Hairstyles
The great thing about long, curly hair is that it offers movement, character and texture naturally. As you can see below, you can control the amount of curl via both length and product choice:
Styling Long Hair
Styling long hair can be as easy or hard as you want it to be. Many of my clients choose to wash their hair in the evening and let it dry naturally overnight for that lived in look.
Other clients choose not to wash their hair but use a dry shampoo instead. This type of product is great for all hair types and so easy to use: just spray the dry shampoo into your hair and run a towel through it. No water is required, and if it still needs softening a little then try applying Fudge Dry Conditioner too – it’s the only one currently available on the market.
- Sebastian Professional Drynamic Dry Shampoo 212ml
- Batiste Dry Shampoo Clean & Classic Original 400ml
- Tigi Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo 300ml
- Fudge Dry Conditioner 100g
If your hair is wavy or curly, always apply a product to your hair after washing to make it more manageable. Something like Kevin Murphy Motion Lotion, Kevin Murphy Body Builder or Fudge Hot Hed Mousse would be ideal here.
You can either let the hair dry naturally, or for more definition and a stronger curl, blow dry the hair using a diffuser on a high heat, low speed setting to avoid making it too fluffy.
- Fudge Hot Hed 200g
- Kevin Murphy Body Builder Volumising Mousse 350ml
- Style By Kevin.murphy Motion. lotion 150ml
There are some great finishing products on the current market for long hair. If you’re looking for an anti-frizz product to scrunch into dry/wavy/curly hair then try Fudge Ends or Kevin Murphy Easy Rider.
Alternatively, if your hair is straighter or fly-away, consider running a hair oil through it like L’Oreal Mythic Oil or Moroccan Oil – this will help smooth the hair and give it a super healthy shine.
- Fudge Ends Miracle Treatment 50ml
- Kevin Murphy Easy Rider 110ml
- Loreal Professionnel Mythic Oil 125ml
- Moroccanoil Treatment 100ml
Colouring
If you’re thinking of having colour applied to your hair, there are so many possibilities. Personally, I think Jared Leto’s hair looks incredible where he has the ends lighter than the roots – this is called the balayage technique and it can be as subtle or dramatic as you like.
To make the hair look healthier you could always apply a semi-permanent colour, which can add tone or darken your hair. Some in-salon colour brands can produce this effect but still keep your hair multi-tonal, such as L’Oreal Dialight.
Final Word
Now is the perfect time to consider growing your hair out. After all, the topknot has never looked cooler and men’s fashion is all about being more individual.
Just remember that it can be a lengthy process, so stick with it and remember to look after your hair by continuing to get it cut regularly and using a quality shampoo and conditioner.
