This week's DoD is Hygeine. /r/Redneck001 didn't have much to say about hair because he apparently lacks it. I have too much of it and suppose I should discuss it.

Introduction

Hair. Some of us have it, some of us don't. Some have less than we want and some have so much it's like they touched by the gods themselves.

I was touched by one such god, as was my father before me, but not his father. I have a full head of thick hair with no receding hairline. It helps skew me about 5-7 years younger (I have been asked how old I am by younger women... "how old do I look?" "I dunno, 28?" "hmm... nice." "How old are you?" grin.)

I'm 35. Shorter hair (than I have) makes me look older, or closer to my age, and a beard makes me look older than I am. Longer hair makes me look younger, but creepy. I look like an alien trying to fit into human society if I shave bald (I did this a couple times, so I know.)

I've had shoulder length hair in high school, a "Ross Geller" (from Friends) cut in high school, which I carried into the Marine Corps where I was shaved bald and then allowed to slowly grow it out into a boot-camp high-and-tight. I had the horsehoe flat top in MOS school (met my wife with this hair cut), and eventually settled into a simple 0-3 fade for the remainder of my enlistment. I tried growing it out again and had a few fadish cuts after the Corps. I did a full Wolverine thing (chops and everything) which was, honestly, pretty bad-ass looking when I was at 210 lbs (it was for a costume thing.) I went back to a 0-3 fade, and I'm now sporting a part on my left side which was inspired by Jason Sudekis' typical style. We have similar head and face proportions, but his forehead is a longer; he has a slightly receded line that works for him. I have more cowlicks that make doing what he does near impossible.

For reference:

While he can have a stylist, at a moment's notice, get him red-carpet ready, the takeaway point here is that he is working well with what he has to work with.

Choosing Your Style

Style is not fashion. Fashion is cyclical and fleeting. Style is your overall look. Your style may incorporate parts of current fashion, but the overall effect of how you dress and look is dictated by your personal style.

Your hair style, believe it or not, can make or break everything else you have going on or can simply accentuate what you have to offer. A huge, jacked, and ripped dude, does very well with a bald head. The same bald head on a man 40 lbs lighter makes him look like a cancer patient. A well muscled athletic guy with a nice fade style evokes a sense of militaryesque qualities. The same cut on a fat man can actually make him look like a pedophile (to me, at least.) Honestly, if you're fat you're losing the game anyways.

Choose your hairstyle based on how much hair you have, your hair texture, your hair line, and your face shape. Without knowing anything about any of this... start with picking a hairstyle that looks good on a person that resembles you. I picked Jason Sudekis and also Chris Pine because I noticed that parted styles were starting to trend more and were, at the same time, timeless. As Mad Men as shown us, what was old is new and some things never go out of style. Jason Sudekis and Chris Pine also shares the same facial type as me: square (though Sudekis is a little rounder than Pine, who is a little rounder than me.)

Reference

We have similar hair lines, facial symmetry, and facial proportions as well as similar hair texture and color.

Here is a good article that talks about texture, style, shape, etc.

Caring for your Style

Your Stylist

First things first: Your hair style will sort of dictate how you get it cut. Some styles are better cut by barbers and some are better cut by stylists. Avoid places like The Hair Cuttery, Great Clips, SuperCuts,, or Sport Clips. These Places are where hair stylists cut their teeth on the public. While many of these people are good at what they do, they tend to be employed no longer than 6 months at those locations because they are always looking for actual salons, spas, and the like. You're going to want a hair stylist/barber who is in it for the long haul; someone who knows your hair and how to deal with it. Also note that many higher end, or boutique-style stylists are usually trained on a higher level than a fresh-out-of-beauty-school stylist. My person is beauty school trained as well as secondary training at a higher academy and an actual barber school and she primarily does men's cuts.

A shitty stylist will give a shitty haircut and two shitty stylists will give two, different shitty haircuts. You may have to shop around a bit to find your right stylist. Also, don't pick a stylist based on what your dick tells you. She may be hot, but her attractiveness has nothing to do with her ability. My stylist is an overweight, pear-shaped woman with numerous tattoos and black-dyed hair. She isn't part of my pre-selection strategy; she just cuts my fucking hair. Don't cut corners when it comes to your hair.

Maintenance Schedule

I get mine cut once every 2 weeks. She fades up the sides, fades into the top, textures the top hair, thins as necessary (I have thick hair), and sometimes I have her skip the top trim and go 4 weeks between top cuts. For the most part she knows what to do, though she asks, "same as last time?" And then I give my specific instructions.

Go in to get your haircut while you hair is styled the way you wear it. This will give your stylist a better template to work from.

If you have greying hair and wish to have less graying hair, this is the time to have it colored. Do not fret about being a guy who gets his hair colored; nobody in there cares. You will be surrounded by women who are doing the same thing. In fact some of them might give you dirty looks because they think you are in their locker room, and some may add to your abundance mentality. No matter, though, you do you.

Home Maintenance

There are tools to this trade: hair dryer, brushes, combs, products, etc. Treat you hair as you would any project; don't half-ass your hair and you won't look half-assed. A good haircut can make the most down-dressed guy look substantially better but a shitty hair cut (and style) can make the best dressed guy look like an asshole.

Get a Hair Dryer

Every picture of an actor, model, etc. is taken after he has had his hair styled using a blow dryer. The heat of a blow dryer relaxes the hair and allows you to dry-style it and train it to a certain direction. It also removes the water (you know... drying...) which is better for styling with product.

I part mine, but my cowlicks and hair thickness would like to prevent it. When I get out of the shower, I towel dry the shit out of it until it is damp. I find the part with a comb (not a brush) and comb the hair away from it on both sides. With one hand I hold down my part to my head and take the hair dryer, on high, to the other side. I blow against the grain of the hair, starting at the part line, and moving back and forth, drying the hair and adding volume. Then I blow with the grain and then up the front of my face to lift the cowlicky part.

Next, I switch hands and hold the big side of the part and do the same dryer technique on the other side.

Now I use a brush and brush the hair as I would were I styling it.

I do my normal bathroom routine now: shave, skin care, after shave, etc. During this time, the hair is cooling off and settling to it's natural state.

Now is the time to use product.

Products

First and foremost: LESS IS MORE.

You can always add more, but you have to rewash to remove any. Be conservative in its application and take your time. this morning habit shall become your routine.

There are several types of products to choose from:

Gels: Hair gel is the most commonly known type. Be careful with hair gel because they can range from really cheap and shitty to great across a great many brands. I use gel sometimes when I'm just around the house. It will hold my hair the way I need it to, but not perfectly. I use American Crew Hair Gel. It doesn't flake and while it holds firm, it doesn't hold the hair into a hard mass and it smells good. There are so many cheap brands out there (LA Looks and the like.) I have found that the brighter the packaging the worse the product.

Pastes/Creams: Pastes and creams have more thickness to the product than gels. They also tend to be sold in smaller amounts than gels, but you also need less to do the same amount of holding. they will range from firm hold to light hold and the thickness of the product dictates that. On most days, I use Axe Cease Fire Control Cream which is what is in the reference pictures of me. It gives a dry look that looks intentionally styled, but not overly done. I also use Axe Natural Look Cream on some days. It is a lighter cream and can hold my hair without giving it a wet look. Done right, I can run my hand through my hair and it doesn't feel styled.

Pomades: Pomades are like creams, but heavier, and "wetter." They are designed to hold with flexibility and add shine. Think 50's greaser look or pompudour look. If I want to add some shine to my style, I use Axe Clean Cut Look Pomade. After normal styling, I put a small amount in my hand, add water, and rub my hands together to spread it, then I run my hands over the top of my style. I then re-brush to put my hair back. It adds weight to the hair, so use sparingly (unless you are going for the slicked look.)

Putties/Clays: These are very thick products designed to spike the hair or add serious texture to hair that otherwise is heavy and very straight. I don't have much experience with these as they make my hair so thick I can't even style it. It's also very difficult to wash out compared to the other options.

Glue: Hair glue is a thing, and I used it for a while before I started caring more. Glue is what it sounds like. It sets hard and gives a wet look. It is awful to touch, and if you sweat, it will leak down your face and can make you break out. Unless you are a tween, I suggest avoiding glue products.

Remember: LESS IS MORE

Cleaning

Hair is basically extensions of your dead skin. It is composed of keratin and has a nice coating of sebum on it to keep it moisturized and healthy. Shampoo, like soap, strips that sebum layer away and makes your hair dry. Conditioner can re-balance the pH of your hair and add some surfactants to protect it in lieu of the sebum. I recommend washing your hair sparingly, but YMMV. I use actual shampoo only on BJJ nights. If I didn't train, I would wash it once every 2-3 days, and with minimal shampoo. If you use paste or cream products, those will actually sort of "wash" your hair if you just use water. If you only use water, scrub your scalp and hair as you would normally were you using shampoo.

However, if you choose to shampoo your hair every day, I recommend the following procedure (assuming you use a shampoo and separate conditioner.)

  • Wet the hair and scrub it clean with just water.
  • add conditioner to the wet hair and work it in like shampoo. make sure all the hair is covered and slick.
  • wash your body (keep the conditioner in your hair.)
  • Add a small amount of shampoo to your hand, rub around, and apply to your hair over top the conditioner. Now you are washing your haiur with a conditioner+shampoo mixture.
  • rinse as necessary.

This process ensures that the dirt and grime is carried away by the shampoo but that you retain a good amount of the sebum thanks tot he protective nature of the conditioner. It will also jkeep the pH of your hair's environment on target to prevent drying. Shampoos and detergents have very high pH levels whereas your body prefers a pH level of around 7.4.

I use American Crew 3-in-1. As of right now, this link has 33.8 ounces for US$16.13, which is a pretty good deal. I just ordered some to replenish. This product works as a shampoo+conditioner and a body wash. It doesn't dry my skin out like soap, and it smells good too.

Dry your hair vigorously with a towel, then blow dry and style as described above.

Epilogue

Don't worry about losing your hair, or having no hair, or wanting more hair; You do you. If you are losing you hair but don't want transplants or plugs, then work with what you have. If you have no hair, work with what you have. If you want more... then do that. Transplants do work and Rogaine works on some men. But whatever you have on your grape, pick something that is stylish, attractive for you, and fits your style.

Louis CK is balding but he owns it.

Jason Statham is balding but hew owns it.

Vin Diesel has been bald for years and he seems to have no problems. Vin Diesel is also an example of how being muscular solves most problems.

To reiterate, OWN YOUR SHIT, in all regards, because there are far more ways to fuck up a full head of hair than there is to fuck up no hair.