If you’ve seen the latest boy perm trend, you already know that curly hair for men is coming back in style. Curly hair has absolutely taken over the hair industry as of late, with barbers and celebrities alike showing off their favorite curly styles. If you have naturally curly hair, you’re probably loving all of the attention. If, on the other hand, you don’t have naturally curly hair, you’re probably wondering how you can keep up with the latest trends.
If you’re looking to style your hair the right way, there are several ways to approach it from hot tools to styling creams and texturizing sprays. Keep reading to find out how to style curly hair for men whether you’re blessed with natural ringlets or want to fake it for the day.
Photo Credit: @gomezproantonio.
What is the best haircut for curly hair for males
The best haircut depends on your hair length and preference. Your stylist can work with you to figure out what haircut will look the best based on goal length, face shape, and desired level of maintenance. Some of the best haircuts for men with curly hair include medium or long hair on top paired with an undercut or fade for easy maintenance.
Brews Thickening Spray
This spray creates the look and feel of thicker, denser hair
What should men use for curly hair?
The products you use on curly hair often depend on the desired look. If you want to add more volume, hair mousse, pomades and styling sprays can help you achieve that. We suggest using Redken Brews Thickening Pomade to create a densifying effect for an instantly fuller look and feel. Prefer styling spray? Redken’s Brews Thickening Spray will do the trick to create the look and feel of fuller, denser hair.
If you want a sleek, controlled look, opt for a hair gel like Redken Brews Holding Gel. This formula provides hair with medium hold and medium shine.
Photo Credit: @franchosbarber.
How To Style Natural Curly Hair For Men
Keep your ringlets moisturized
When it comes to styling, the last thing you want is dry, crunchy curls. Since curly hair is more prone to dryness, you’ll need to add a few moisturizing products to your shower routine. Start with a shampoo and conditioner like Baxter Of California Daily Fortifying Shampoo and Conditioner. This system repairs and cleanses hair without drying while promoting healthy hair growth. If you’re dealing with extra parched strands, use a leave-in treatment like Redken All Soft Mega Hydramelt Moisturizing Hair Lotion.
Add volume
Nobody likes flat, lifeless curls, so the best way to wake them up is by creating much-needed volume. If you have those curly ringlets, why not embrace them to the fullest? We recommend Redken Brews Cream Hair Pomade, which is a water-based product designed to create texture and flexible styles, making it ideal for curly hair.
Find your ideal styling tool
Finding the right styling tools is essential—especially when it comes to naturally curly hair. If you’re looking to blow dry your hair, we recommend using a diffuser. A diffuser works to apply heat evenly throughout your hair and prevents frizz and flyaways while keeping ringlets intact.
Air dry
Looking to take a day or two off of heat styling? Try air drying your mane. To keep your curls managed and frizz-free, apply a dime-size amount of hair mousse like Redken Full Frame 07 All-Over Volumizing Mousse throughout your hair while it's still damp. Planning on letting your curls dry out naturally? A wet brush or wide tooth comb is your best for detangling while preventing breakage.
Lock in your curls
Before you head out, you want to make sure your curls stay in place the entire day. For those with medium to thick hair, we suggest using Baxter Of California’s Hard Cream Pomade to provide textured definition and strong hold with a low-shine finish. If you want to make your curls appear thicker while locking in your style, use Baxter Of California’s Thickening Style Gel. This flake-free formula thickens and strengthens hair while taming frizz.
Photo Credit: @artlessdog.
How To Get Curly Hair For Men
Texturizing Products
The first thing you want to do if you’re coveting curly locks is to try and coax some texture out of your hair. Ask your barber to cut layers into your ‘do. One-length haircuts can be weighed down by heavy products, making it harder to coax your strands to curl.
Once your barber has given your locks some much-needed movement, try styling your hair with a texturizing spray like Redken Triple Dry 15 Dry Texture Finishing Spray. Simply spritz your hair and scrunch, then watch as texture you never knew was possible begins to form. Mousse is another product that not only brings out the natural texture of your hair, but also provides hold.
Pro tip: It’s not crazy to think that more hair product equals more curls, but less is more when trying to create ringlets. Heavy products can weigh down your strands, making it impossible for them to curl up. Start with a small amount of product and add more as necessary.
Heat Styling
If texturizing products aren’t cutting it, you’re going to need something a bit more heavy-duty: hot tools. If you’ve never used a hot hair tool before, don’t worry. They look much more complicated than they actually are.
A curling iron is the hot tool most stylists recommend if their clients are hoping to create curls. Before you purchase an iron, think about how big you want your curls to be. If you want very tight coils, pick up a curling iron barrel that measures just three-eighths of an inch. For looser curls, a 2-inch curling iron should work just fine.
Start by applying a heat protectant like Biolage Thermal Active Heat Protectant Spray throughout your mane. To curl your hair, start at the back of your head. Work with 1-inch sections of clean, dry hair, spraying each one with heat protectant before wrapping it around your curling iron. Hold or clamp each section of hair until it’s just heated through, approximately 30-60 seconds depending on your hair’s thickness. Continue curling 1-inch sections of your hair until you’ve completed your entire head.
To make your curls look effortlessly lived-in, brush them out. After you’ve curled your entire head, rake a comb through your hair to loosen the curls until you achieve your desired final look.
Heat Free Curls
If you’d rather avoid hot tools, there are a few ways to create curls in your hair without using heat. Our favorite method is a twist out. To create this look, begin at the back of your head and work with half-inch sections of damp hair. Split the section in half and twirl both pieces of hair together, creating a two-strand twist. Continue twisting sections of hair until you’ve completed your entire head. Allow your hair to dry completely before removing the twists.
Chemically Treated Curls
If you love the way curls look and want to wear them every day, consider a permanent wave (otherwise known as a perm). For this process, your hair is set in curls of your desired size and treated with chemicals that allow the ringlets to remain for months at a time.
While the name might lead you to believe the results are permanent, maintaining a perm is quite a bit of work. Expect to head back to the salon every few months to touch up your roots. Even though a perm requires you to make more trips to the salon than usual, you’ll save tons of time every morning styling your hair. For curls this good, it just might be worthwhile.
With these tips, tricks, and product picks in mind, you’re ready to achieve your best curls ever.
Interested in more expert styling tips? Use our salon locator to book an appointment at a barber shop near you.
Brews Thickening Spray
This spray creates the look and feel of thicker, denser hair
Full Frame 07 All-Over Volumizing Mousse
A moisture-rich foam for adding body throughout the hair.
Dry Texture Finishing Spray
Texturizing spray for all hair types that adds soft texture and lightweight volume for effortless style.
Thermal Active Heat Protectant Spray
A heat protectant styling spray.
All Soft Mega Hydramelt Moisturizing Hair Lotion
A leave-in treatment delivering lightweight moisture to severely dry, coarse hair.
