​How easy is brushing hair?

Simple, right? You do it every morning…

Same technique, same tool…

But what if I told you…

You’ve been doing it wrong your whole life?

Sounds kind of silly? Hear me out…

There might be a BETTER brush you’re unaware of…

that could breed a hairstyle that gives you more confidence…

It’s possible – with the right info.
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​Straight Thin Hair
When it comes to straight hair in general, there’s a 3-inch rule: if your hair doesn’t bend within the first 3 inches of length from the scalp, it’s straight.
Here are some details that distinguish thin straight hair from its thick counterpart:

• Thin straight hair has a more fragile texture, which means it has to be brushed more carefully.
• It’s more lightweight and tends to fall flat over your head.
• There’s more difficulty in increasing its volume (which is why some men choose a side part hairstyle to shape it up).
• It can get weighed down by hair products, causing the strands to look stringy.
• It’s more prone to becoming oily.

​Straight Thick Hair
These are the key points about thick straight hair that separate it from its thin equivalent:

• Thick straight hair covers the scalp better.
• It contains all 3 hair layers – the cortex, cuticle & medulla – which means it takes more time to dry up.
• The texture isn’t as fragile as thin straight hair, so it can be styled in different ways more easily.
• It may be resistant to certain chemical treatments/relaxers or hair coloring.
• It can have more volume if layered correctly by a stylist
• It tolerates heat better

Wavy Hair
This category refers to the wave-like patterns created by slightly curving hair. The hair shafts do NOT coil up within the first 3 inches of length. Instead, they resemble loose and stretched out S-shapes.

You can grow out wavy hair to resemble a mini lion’s mane and enjoy plenty of texture. However – this will require more maintenance.

One advantage of this hair type is flexibility – it can be styled in several different ways. It’s also less likely to be tousled by the wind than straight hair is. But it also frizzes easily, so it’s important that you maintain the waves.
 
Coiled Hair (Curly With Large Curls)
Large curls require that the shafts create very distinct S-shapes (the more extreme ones being E-shapes) within the first 2 inches from the scalp. People with coiled hair are blessed with lots of coverage over the head.

There are guys who get to grow their hair out and become a “white boy ‘fro.” They don’t have to resort to the same fancy styles that straight-haired men use to add volume.

The actual hair strands here can either be coarse or fine (although it’s more often fine). Coarse strands are more prone to frizziness while with fine strands, it’s harder to create well-defined curls.
 
Kinky Hair (Curly With Tight Curls)
This is the most textured hair type. Its coiled intervals are so short that the shafts form sharp Z-shaped twists (hence “kinky”). These twists form within the first half-inch of length from the scalp.

Kinky hair is most commonly found in men of African descent. The hair can be grown into a classic Afro and gain lots of volume. You can also choose to shave it off and make it a fade cut.

The downside is these coils aren’t as well-defined as large curls, due to their naturally short state. They require much more maintenance since they can look fuzzy and unkempt after some time. Dryness and shrinkage may also be serious problems if you’re not careful.
​

​Choosing the right hair brush can solve different problems your hair might face, or even prevent them from happening at all. That’s why you need to start by knowing the anatomy of a brush.  

As shown above, each hair brush type is totally dependent on the 3 major parts.  

Oval hairbrushes are usually the oval version of the Paddle brush, which does a fantastic job in massaging your scalp and redistributing hair oils.

Rectangle hairbrushes range from the Denman brush or Vented brush to the thinner, rectangular kind of Paddle brush. All of these can create more volume at the roots, flip up the hair or curl it under.

Square hairbrushes are basically the original Paddle brushes (as they resemble paddles). They’re useful in getting rid of frizz or tangles without putting much pressure on the hair.​

Round hairbrushes have either natural or synthetic bristles all over the head. When partnered with a blow dryer, they work great for shaping your hair into multiple styles. But they also come in various sizes – compatible for tight curls or even long waves – so choose the brush size carefully based on your hair length.

​Each Type Of Men’s Hair Brush

Below are the other men’s hairbrush types which are worth considering. Each one of them has its own set of advantages.
 
Pocket Comb

• I love how simple yet effective the pocket comb is. The teeth are closely packed together, allowing it to evenly distribute moisture or product all over the hair.
• Smaller versions can grab at the roots better, which makes it easier to smooth the hair out or style some bangs. This comb also helps if you use any medication for your scalp.
• Best for: Thick Short Straight Hair

Rectangle Brush

• This is a less common form of the paddle brush with a longer and narrower head.
• Best for all hair types

Vented Brush

• This is an all-purpose type of hairbrush. It styles your hair without flattening its shape or hindering the texture. It’s a great choice for adding more volume.
• The bristles are flexible, widely spaced and they pass through the hair smoothly. Holes are included along the backside to allow more airflow. These so-called vents speed up the drying process while heat from the blow dryer targets the hair from different angles.
• Best for: Thin/Thick Straight Hair (any length), Wavy Hair (any length), Coiled Hair (any length)

Military Palm Brush

• If you want ultimate control whenever you brush your hair, this is the type for you. It’s usually made of nylon bristles that efficiently detangle and smooth the hair.
• There’s a durable strap on the back that helps keep your hand stable as you move it around.  It only takes a couple of strokes – going in the direction of the hair growth – to fix up your hair fully.
• Best for: Thin Short Straight Hair, Short Wavy Hair, Coiled Hair (any length), Kinky Hair

Wide-Tooth Comb

• This comb has a row of teeth which are more widely spaced than the average comb or pocket comb.
• The material is normally wood or plastic, but wooden combs are better in distributing oil/product evenly without causing static.
• It runs through the hair smoothly, making it easier to detangle strands.
• It doesn’t require much pulling on wet hair, so there is less risk of damage.
• Best for thin/thick short straight hair, kinky hair and coiled hair (any length).

Oval Brush

• This is an oval version of the paddle brush, with bristles that are more tightly packed.
• Best for wavy hair (any length) and coiled hair (any length).

Paddle Brush

• This brush effectively flattens out frizz, adds more shine and massages the scalp.
• The bristles emerge from a soft rubber cushion that makes them collapse as they touch the scalp – preventing hair from getting split or stretched out.
• The tips are designed to minimize scalp damage or hair snagging.
• It’s recommended that you use it before flat ironing.
• Best for thin/thick long straight hair.

Round Brush

• This cylinder-shaped hairbrush comes in different sizes (smaller ones form tighter curls) and bristle types.
• A round metal barrel (which contains the bristles) gives it a more defined movement.
• The handle comes in a variety of grips that provide traction.
• It’s useful for styles in which the strands have to bend more.
• It’s perfect for men who want to fix up their curls or wavy patterns. 

Denman Brush

• This men’s hairbrush is also known as the classic styling brush.
• The head is designed to bend the hair slightly while you’re brushing it.
• There are traditionally 5, 7 or 9 rows of bristles in order to undo all tangles.
• It does a great job in redistributing oil – adding more shine to your hair.
• Best for short-haired guys who want their hair to appear slightly thicker.

Hair Pick

• This is a flat, squarish comb that’s equipped with long teeth and a handle along the midpoint.
• It’s useful for styling/grooming longer hair.
• Best for kinky hair.

Foldable Comb

• This comb is exactly what the name describes – foldable. The teeth are spaced together tightly.
• The handle also functions as a casing, which comes in handy if you want to take the comb with you to groom your hair throughout the day.
• Best for thin straight hair.

​Hair Brush Sponge

• This is a specialized men’s hairbrush made of high-quality, spongy material.
• It’s meant to run through the hair in small circular motions with a light touch.
• Tiny holes are designed to ensure ideal spacing between each of the twists of your hair.
• It must be used on hair that’s a little damp (using either water or gel).
• Best for kinky hair.

Hair Brush Bristle Types​

Here’s a breakdown of the different types of hairbrush bristles and the benefits of each one.  

Q. I like to wear hats and have to in the winter, in the hills. But they always leave me with hat head at work. Is there any solution?

A. Whether you are a hat guy who regularly wears a hat or you only wear one when the weather turns frigid, the problem of how to prevent unsightly hat head is a common winter question. Hat lovers have been seeking answers for years. For many, going out without a hat in the winter simply isn't an option. To keep you looking good when you take off a warm winter hat, here are some helpful suggestions.

To do the least amount of damage, choose a loose-fitting hat. Stiff brimmed hats like fedoras and close-fitting styles like stocking caps are the most likely to mess up your hair.

Make sure your hat is the right size. Hat head (sometimes called "hat hair") is most common when you wear a hat that is too small or too tight. Ideally, you should be able to fit a finger in between the hatband and your head; this will keep your hair from flattening and getting indentation crease marks around the brim. When possible, consider going up a size to minimize the pressure on your hair.

Or choose a knit hat with more breathable, looser stitching for less damage. Extremely fitted hats are more likely to leave your hair looking flat.

Select lightweight materials such as cotton or fleece rather than wool or other heavy fabrics. Heavy fabrics weigh the hat down and make hat hair worse. Wool -- although traditional -- also causes static electricity and fly-aways. To help fight it, rub the inside of your hat with an unscented dryer sheet, spritz static guard inside your hat, or spray your hair with just a little frizz-controlling hairspray.

Be sure your hair is totally dry before putting on your hat. Not wet, not even damp, but bone dry. When wet or damp hair dries underneath a hat, it will dry super-flat and take on the shape of the hat itself, literally causing hat hair.

Remove your hat as soon as you get indoors. The longer you wear it, the more damage it's going to do. When you're inside (on a train or in your car) during your morning commute, you can remove your hat to give your hair a little breather time.
Revive your hair when you remove your hat: simply shake your hair loose and rub a small amount of gel into your hair to restore it. Do not brush your hair to get rid of hat head; it is sure to make it worse.

Men should keep (besides a toothbrush and toothpaste) their normal hair product in their desk drawer. You can stop at a nearby bathroom when you arrive and do a quick touch-up with a comb before you even get your coffee. And later, if you need to head out to a meeting or get a last minute after-work invitation, you're ready to restyle your hair effortlessly.

Any of the usual hair-styling products works. It can be a splash of water or carry a small travel-size bottle filled with your favorite: a water-soluble gel, pomade, paste or cream. If you're going to fight frizz with water after you remove the hat, dampen your hands (not soaking wet), and run them lightly through your hair to maneuver it back into shape.

On hat days, another option to take with you or keep in your office is dry shampoo. Travel-size versions fit perfectly in your bag or your desk drawer. Dry shampoo has a dual role: not only does it absorb excess oils (its original purpose), but it's also great for bringing volume back into flat hair in no time.

Here's another solution. If you're outside for mere minutes rushing from building to car, consider wearing a hooded coat instead. It will do less damage than an actual hat. Or, if you don't have a coat with a hood, you might try a loosely tied scarf ... or a pair of earmuffs.
​
There are a few workarounds to avoid this situation in the first place, as well as quick fixes you can use to revive hair that has lost its shape. See which ones work for you.

By LOIS FENTON

This article appeared on Arkansas Online
(you may need to refresh the page a couple times for the article to open)

“It takes a few years to grow it out,” Chris Healy tells me on a call. “Once you have long hair, it’s a part of your identity.”

As the longtime owner of a gorgeous mane, Healy has navigated the pitfalls of that identity. “Up ‘til now you’d have to go to the women’s haircare aisle to find hair ties and other products,” he explains. “It’s a little bit embarrassing. You’re trying to hide the hair ties in the shopping basket with an oil can and a football. It’s an awkward, uncomfortable experience because they’re all really made for women. So we set out to create not just a product, but a community.”

That community is The Longhairs, which Healy, 35, and cofounder Lindsay Barto, 31, started in December 2014. The two have their own digital marketing agency called Round Two Creative Group. A few years ago, they hit on the idea for a new business, which they would call Hair Ties for Guys. Both were in the process of growing out their hair at the time and realizing the trials and tribulations that went along with that. They conceived of and wrote up a commercial before they even had any products to sell.

Since they had no product for which they needed a commercial, they decided to launch a website first, with four blog posts and an inaugural holiday party called “Long Manes and Candy Canes” to celebrate. “Our audience has grown considerably. It started with two, which is both of our moms,” Healy says. The Longhairs now gets more than 22,000 unique visitors per month, and it has a robust email list and a YouTube channel with almost 12,000 subscribers. On the site, Healy and Barto go by the handles El Rubio (the blonde) and El Moreno (the brunette).

Healy, who lives in San Diego, is a bit of an evangelist on the subject of men with long hair. He speaks and writes about the subject with sweeping grandiosity, and while some of his lines are delivered with a smile in his voice, I immediately get the feeling that he’s dead earnest about his topic. “We’re just two guys who really fricking believe in this idea,” Healy says. “If we had to say something about our brand, I’d say it’s genuine.”

First and foremost, The Longhairs is about bonding. Healy and Barto even had cards made up for longhairs to hand out to other similarly-coiffed men they encounter in the wild. On one post entitled “When You See Other Longhairs,” El Rubio suggests giving him a knowing nod and “if you have the means, give him the homie hookup: a discount off his bar tab, free parking, the VIP connection, inside information, the local rate, extra hot sauce, a free beer. Hook a longhair up.”

Education is also an important part of what The Longhairs does. “Women grow up and are indoctrinated into this culture of knowing how to deal with and handle long hair. They’re brushing and braiding each other’s hair at recess and learning as part of their culture,” Healy says. “Most guys are growing it out for the first time as an adult and just don’t know what to do.” So tutorials are a huge part of the site and YouTube channel. The Longhairs’ most-viewed video is called “How to Tie Your Hair – For Men” and has over 180,000 views.

The question Healy gets asked the most is about “the awkward stage.” This is, of course, that period of time, which Healy estimates is about 12 to 18 months long, where one grows out short hair into long hair, thus becoming a Longhair. If you Google “awkward stage hair,” a Longhairs post is the first hit. Healy says it garners thousands of new readers every month. “Parting it can be risky, but worth a shot. You can comb it forward and straight down, but you might look like Lloyd Christmas,” writes El Rubio. “The safest bet is simply going with a ‘messy look.’ It shows you’re not trying too hard, that this is intentional.” The inspirational conclusion: “So be proud. Claim it and rock the shit out of it. Power through the awkward stage with courage and commitment. The Longhairs are waiting for you on the other side.”

Verbiage is important in The Longhairs’ world. Consistent with what we discovered writing about male grooming brands, there’s a certain hyper-masculinity and red-blooded (heterosexual) maleness inherent in the lingo. Flow used as a noun — as in “that dude has an epic flow” — is pretty common. (There’s a small subreddit community, unrelated to The Longhairs, dedicated to men with long hair called “Fierce Flow,” which features a lion with a lush mane as a logo.)

“The flow, the long locks, your glorious mane — there’s a lot of lingo around the whole thing, probably because up until now it has been a topic that had more traditionally feminine lingo,” says Healy. “We use terms like ‘let it ride,’ ‘hair whips and high fives,’ ‘robust head of lettuce.’ It’s just fun. We’re making long hair cool again.”

And don’t even think about calling a man bun a man bun. “You can’t be, like, walking down the street with all your homies and say, ‘Hang on a second guys, I’ve gotta tie my man bun.’ It’s shameful and embarrassing,” laughs Healy. “That is a term that a woman would use to describe a man’s hairstyle. We’re like, ‘Dude, we’re not calling it that.’ That is a men’s hairstyle that is refined and dignified. It has class. It has character. It should be a dignified name, so we call it a highball. Like a fine glass of scotch.”

The highball has variations, like the highball twist, the lowball, and the side part lowball. There are braid styles, too, like the rope, the brave (references to Native American hairstyles abound on the site), the angler, and the reverse double-barrel French revolution. (There’s also a post about cornrows, in which Barto wonders if he feels so uncomfortable wearing them because that’s a style usually worn by black men.) There’s an entire thread for finding these styles all in one place.

A year after the site launched, the duo finally launched their Hair Ties for Guys, which you can buy on the site or through Amazon for $12 for a pack of four. This might be the only situation in which there is not a female markup (dry cleaning, haircuts, etc.). A packet of five similar plain black Goody elastics will run you a mere $5.99 at Target, if you’re willing to wade through a little hot pink branding.

The two started out by reviewing what was already out there on the market. “Man, there’s a lot of shitty hair ties out there,” Healy says. The pair combed through fabric stores and started making prototypes. It took four rounds of development until they had a product they were satisfied with. They also finally made that original commercial that launched the whole idea in the first place. It’s a goofy ad clearly inspired by that viral Dollar Shave Club ad from a few years ago.

The first round of designs, which Healy calls V1, have names like the Shockers (lightning bolts), the Yah Mons (Jamaican-inspired), and the Up All Nighters (drinks). Due to an overwhelming amount of requests from customers, the pair just released a second round of designs that include a pack of plain black bands and other solid colors. Healy says that since they launched the new collections, monthly sales have tripled. The most popular design right now is the Adios Banditos (Mexican-inspired) which has sold out about half its inventory since December. They’ve shipped hair ties to all 50 states and to 45 countries.

Healy says he and Barto are on track to make The Longhairs a full-time job. They have plans to launch a full men’s haircare collection, in addition to the hats they already have that feature their logo, a pair of scissors tied up with a cord. From a bit of a distance, I thought the logo looked a little phallic (or maybe scrotal is a better word), and Healy was a bit nonplussed about this when I brought it up, though admits that a few people have said that. But he loves it, and so do other Longhairs, including one who emailed them asking if it was cool for him to get it tattooed on his shoulder. “We said ‘Fuck yeah, dude,’ and he came down to San Diego. This is not a little tattoo. It’s nine inches long on his shoulder,” Healy says. (Check it out here, along with the rest of The Longhairs’ delightful Instagram, which features images of Chewbacca, Ian McKellen as Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings movies, and other longhair icons.)

While celebrity men don’t seem to be embracing the longhair lifestyle much now, especially since their most visible proponent, Jared Leto, cut off his hair, Healy thinks it’s a growing trend. He points to the increasing number of athletes, especially in the NFL, who have long hair. “Look at the big headliners like Clay Matthews and Larry Fitzgerald. There are dozens of others,” Healy says. “Musicians are a huge segment. And if you look on TV, these shows like Vikings and Sons of Anarchy.”

One regular-guy longhair is Joseph Knowles, a.k.a. Reddit’s best dressed man, who we interviewed here a few weeks ago. He was the one who told me about The Longhairs when I called him to chat about his, ahem, “epic flow.” He’s recorded a podcast with The Longhairs and will be working with them to help increase their social media visibility. He was happy to share his hair routine, as a seasoned longhair.

Knowles, 26, is a full-time physiotherapy student, and he works a series of odd jobs that all allow him to have long hair and a beard. One is on the maintenance crew at a golf course (“I basically dig holes for a living”), and he also works at a youth center with kids who are 13 to 18 years old and call him “Jesus” or “Thor.”

Finding products was a process, and Knowles credits his girlfriend with helping him a bit. He also discovered the joy of salt spray after spending the day at the beach. “I was like, ‘Oh, sea salt actually does stuff to your hair.’ I liked the way it looked and I didn’t even know they sold products like that.” His current routine is to wash with Dove Mens 2 in 1, then spray Got2b salt spray in it, put it up in a bun (he’s fine with the term “man bun,”) let it dry for a bit, and then take it down. He finishes it with a Gatsby hair cream, which is a Japanese brand he buys in Asian supermarkets in his neighborhood.

Knowles’ preferred hair tie is one his girlfriend bought him at a local drugstore called Stylize: No-Slip Grip bands. Presumably, he’ll get to try some Hair Ties for Guys now that he’ll be doing projects with The Longhairs. He says he likes to wear his hair up because otherwise it sticks in his beard “like Velcro,” but lately he’s been leaving his hair down. “It’s about minus ten [degrees], so I forego a scarf and just wear my hair down.” He’s pretty zen about it all and will no doubt have lots of advice for budding Longhairs.

Gen Z is apparently embracing long hair, too. “The biggest indication to me is the number of little guys with long hair that we are encountering. By little guys, I mean under ten years old, or even anyone under 18 — a lot of high school guys,” Healy says. “There are more and more parents who are letting their sons grow out their long hair because they want to.” He says The Longhairs have received emails from at least a dozen moms about their sons’ long hair, with questions about how to take care of it, how to deal with bullying, and just to thank them for information.

“You should be able to grow your hair however long you want and no one should give you a hard time about it. That’s our position,” says Healy. “We also say to guys who can’t grow their hair long, you can still be a part of the longhair lifestyle, what it means and what it’s about. It’s kind of the idea that you don’t really care what other people think. You can still be a longhair, because longhair lives in the heart.”
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This article first appeared on RACKED

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Some guys will go to great lengths to keep themselves looking good, spending endless hours at the gym, going to tanning salons, getting outfitted in the coolest clobber.
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However sometimes the secret to great style can be as simple as heading down to your favorite barbers and getting a smart haircut. Whether you are feeling adventurous or want a timeless, classic style, the right haircut for your head shape can make all the difference between so-so and downright sexy!

We here at Bored Panda have compiled a list of the best before and after transformations of guys who bit the bullet and went for the chop. We think they look great, check them out below.
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Click on the photo below and see the transformations.