If you’re the type to panic every time you head to the hairdresser, or if you’re bored of your look and are searching for something classic, my advice is simple: find your signature hairstyle.
To me, a signature style is that go-to look you can always rely on. It’s a perfect match for your face shape, easy to style and, most importantly, reflects your personality and lifestyle. It’s a look that makes you feel cool and confident, but true to yourself.
If that sounds too complicated, I’m here to assure you that finding your signature style is easier than you think. I found my look a few years back; being a hairstylist, I always felt I had to surprise and impress my clients with an innovative cut or avant-garde style, but as I’ve grown older, it’s clearer to me that an elegant, slicked-back style is the right look for me. It’s fool-proof, quick and easy to do, and fits in with my lifestyle. Most days, all I need is a good-quality hair pomade to create the style – I’ve recently discovered American Crew’s Pomade which gives me the perfect look and holds all day long, even when I’m rushed off my feet in the salon or out on the town with friends.
Your signature hairstyle should be easy to style, so let’s tackle that first. My number-one tip is to embrace the texture of your hair. Whether it’s curly, Afro or straight, short or long, it’s unique and that’s what makes it wonderful! Take a look at celebrities with similar hair to yours and celebrities whose hair you’ve always admired. Is there a guy whose look you love, but have never been quite sure how to replicate it? Or maybe there’s a quirky style you’ve spotted that you’re building up courage to try out yourself. Whatever it is, screenshot it and build a moodboard of your favourite looks, it’s a great place to start and you can come back to it whenever you need a bit of inspiration.
Next, we’ll look at how to match those looks to your face shape, to find out what will suit you best. If your shape is square, lucky you! You have the most freedom in finding your look, as so many styles look great on this shape – the thing to really think about here is your lifestyle and personality. If you lead a busy life and your hair is longer, consider a sleek man bun to keep it out of the way and look smart in seconds every morning. If your hair is shorter or more difficult to manage, I’d recommend an undercut, Justin Bieber-style. It looks great whether your hair is straight or curly, and with regular trips to the salon, it’s an easy one to maintain.
If your face is round, choose a hairstyle that optically elongates the face. One option would be a slicked-back style, with plenty of volume on the hairline – take a look at Leonardo DiCaprio to see what I mean. Just make sure you always have wax to hand to keep this style looking sharp. Something with a high-shine finish helps to make this style really elegant; perfect if your job requires a smarter dress sense or you love living the high life in the evening! I really like Jack Black Wax Pomade which controls the look and keeps it looking super sleek.
If you’d like a longer look for your hair, think about a middle parting a la Gabriel Aubry, which is incredibly flattering on rounder face shapes. And if you’re not sure about your new look, consider your facial hair too; beards are perfect for an oval face as they help to frame and elongate it. Just be sure to keep your facial hair immaculately groomed to match your slick new look! I’ve recently discovered Braw Beard Oils’ Lover oil which is rapidly becoming a must-have for me. It helps to keep my beard looking good and it smells great too, plus I love that it’s made with all-natural ingredients – a great addition to your grooming routine.
With heart-shaped faces (wider at the temples and hairline, narrower at the chin), I’d recommend making your signature look one that incorporates a mid-length, with plenty of volume to balance your proportions. If you have straight hair, like Jared Leto, this may be more of a challenge, but a good hairstylist will be able to create that voluminous look by snipping some subtle layers into the lengths. And for extra lift in your life, add a volumizing spray or mousse into your haircare routine – I’ve found that Redken’s Full Effect Mousse has a great effect on straighter, slippery hair to give it texture and height.
Wavy or curly hair should naturally look fuller, so you can play around with different cuts and textures to get the look that’s right for you. Model Jon Kortajarena is a great example of how to get wilder hair looking wonderful, the height and texture in his hair perfectly balances the sharp angles of his face– a great inspiration to those of you rocking razor-sharp cheekbones!
Feeling inspired to find your signature look yet? I’d encourage you to have a play around to find the look that sums up your style – in the long run, it will make your haircare routine so much simpler. Don’t forget my key points though – your signature hairstyle should reflect your personality and make you feel your best every day, and it also has to fit in with your everyday style and your daily routine too. There’s no better time than the start of a fresh new year to experiment with your look and try out new products, new styles or a brand-new cut – you might just find the one that suits you perfectly!