If you’re reading this, congratulations; there are swathes of men out there who would give their left arm (or worse) for thick hair like yours. Considered by many to be the most attractive quality your hair can have, you’ve already won the men’s hair lottery.
However, having thick hair is not all sunshine and rainbows. It brings its own set of questions: What are the best hairstyles for men with thick hair? How do I ask my barber to take my thick hair into consideration? How often does thick hair need cutting and how on earth do you style it?
Fret not, we’ve got you covered. This comprehensive guide is backed by expert advice so you know which haircuts are on trend but, even more importantly, which haircuts best suit your thick hair and how you can keep it looking good for weeks after your trim.
Whether you’re going for a short, medium, or long look, whether you’ve got the curliest locks going or things are getting a little fine, this guide will see all your thick hair questions answered.
In This Thick Hair Story
What To Ask Your Barber
As with any haircut, the best thing you can do is walk into your barber’s armed with images of what you want your hair to look like once it’s grown out. If you provide a visual reference your barber can help get you there. We’ve rounded some of the most popular long hairstyles for men, with an extended gallery at the bottom of the page.
Beyond this, the use of thinning scissors at some point during your trim is almost always essential for those with thick hair. As Renee Baltov of Sydney’s own Barberhood recommends:
“Barbers use different techniques for thick haircuts. The first step is thinning it out and then we’d recommend different hair products since thick hair is naturally hard to keep in place.”
Renee Baltov
To ensure your chosen cut doesn’t retain the heavy look, make sure your barber spends the time to really thin out the thick strands to give the style an overall primped look. There’s no style that thick-haired men should avoid per se. If the haircut looks ridiculous, it has more to do with the barber’s skill (or lack thereof) than the thickness of your hair.
How Long Should My Thick Hair Be
As we’ve said above, with a good enough barber you can go for any length you like. If it doesn’t look quite right, that’s on your hairdresser, not your hair. However, there are a few things worth pointing out to make the choice a little easier…
Thick hair that isn’t cut or thinned out properly will make a man look like a porcupine, and there’s a significantly higher risk of this happening with short hair, opening you up to a look that protrudes in all directions.
Many thick-haired men find that mid-length hair works really well for them, allowing them to embrace the natural weight of their hair without it becoming totally overwhelming. We maintain this is a great option, especially if you go mid-light on top and undercut on the back and sides; this will help the trim look fresher for longer.
Styling Advice From The Experts
We asked Adam Walmsley, a hairdresser and salon owner with over 20 years of experience cutting men’s hair, all about thick hair for men.
Styling and maintaining thick hair:
- Thick hair can often appear dried out or coarse, but this can be helped with the right products. First, don’t go too harsh with shampoos. Avoid ‘deep cleansing’ shampoos and look for something that’s focused on moisturising the hair. You could even add a leave-in conditioner to your routine to help with this.
- If you’re looking for something that will hold your thick locks in place, look for a gel ahead of any other products. Gels will help tame your thick hair by controlling its volume, allowing your hair security and style all day.
- If you’ve got shorter hair, you can use something even stronger like beeswax or dry clays from Davines. These will give your hair a lot more definition by separating the hair again, allowing you to control the thickness of the hair by giving it a bit more texture.
- Be the blow-dry king. It’s imperative that men with thick hair who want to style it right understand how to blow dry. The long and messy hair look can be achieved through blow drying whilst the rockabilly or high sheen pompadours can be achieved with strong hold matte or high shine hair products.
Davines: This Is A Strong Moulding Clay 75ml
This Is A Strong Moulding clay allows for lets you get creative with hairstyling, providing a long-lasting hold without a sticky or wet-looking finish.
Our Favourite Celebrity Haircuts For Thick Hair
Jake Gyllenhaal
1/8
Aaron Taylor Johnson
2/8
Bradley Cooper
3/8
Donald Glover
4/8
Zac Efron
5/8
Robert Pattinson/Joe Jonas
6/8
Chace Crawford/David Gandy
7/8
Jason Momoa/Zayn Malik
8/8