Help. I have never styled my hair. I have questions.

Obviously the place to come to for this kind of advice is Giant Bomb. I value your fashion advice above all else.

But really, it doesn't matter how poor your advice is or isn't, because it's still better than what's going on in my head.

I have never really styled my hair. I have so many questions:

1. Where the hell do you find unbiased information in regards to what kind of gel (or whatever) to buy? Everything I see is "hey you should really buy our fantastic product that suits this very thing! It's not overpriced at all!" Just point me towards the cheap shit that works.

2. Can I exercise with hair product in?

a. If I go for a run is my hair just gonna turn into a gross turd?

I. only if I use a lot? (I'm only planning to use very little.)

b. Is it normal to exercise with your hair "done?" I never paid enough attention to other people to be able to answer this myself. Are you only supposed to part-way "do" your hair?

3. Is it gonna deteriorate throughout the day, or can I style my hair in the morning and be good until night time? I assume I'll wanna style my hair again before going out for the night.

4. Any recommendations on styles? My hair is a... long medium (I don't fuckin' know) right now. I'll take all suggestions except for a Baby Bieber cut.

5. How do I know when to cut it? How often do people with fixed hairstyles typically cut their hair? I've just kind of let this pile of crap on my head go from buzzed to long-medium and then buzzed it again for the last couple decades.

For context, I'm a grown-ass 24-year-old man living in the US. I'm white and have dark brown, only very slightly curly hair. I can't grow a real beard; only a neckbeard and shitty sideburns. I'm fit, but skinny, if that's relevant.

You should probably link some pics of what you want. Different gels give different levels of solidness which work better for certain cuts rather than others, also fashion is subjective.

@corruptedevil: I don't really think that pertains. I said I welcome suggestions, but most of this post is looking for more basic answers.

I haven't used any in many, many years, but when I did, I seem to remember one gel being pretty much the same as any other. Just don't get suckered into some $50 bottle of the stuff.

I think if you are 24 and are just now starting to think about this stuff then its not meant to be. Just cut your hair short and wear a baseball cap like a man.

Back when I was a dirtbag that slicked my hair back, I used the cheapest crap I could get. So, as an answer to "Which one should I get" most are entirely the same.

@71ranchero: Hats make me look like I'm 12. I hate hats, anyway. They make people look 300% more boring as soon as I see them. And, nah, that's silly; I'm not just now thinking about this stuff; I'm just now acting on it. Regardless, I have around 6 years of bachelorhood to make use of. I either cut my hair short and show off my receding hairline or I get a good hairstyle.

@sinusoidal So 50 bucks is expensive? Good to know.

If you don't say what you want, you're not going to get any answers. There are a ton of different products that do different things. Do you want a dry look? A wet look? Do you need volume? American Crew Fiber is pretty good but looks dumb for certain styles. You want to stay away from the cheapest stuff because it's gross and will just make your head a sticky crusty mess. Why don't you just go get your haircut and ask for their suggestions.

Don't use straight up gel, it's too Crazy Town. Here's my advice use pomade or wax, I use American Crew. Also, if you can afford it go to a real stylist and get a haircut there, no Supercuts generic dude #3 cut.

P.S. Don't worry too much about this shit, a sweet hair style is not gonna make people think you're not boring if you actually are.

@hunkulese: I think I make it pretty obvious I don't know what any of those things mean. Seeing how quickly your first reply was, I highly doubt you read the post before replying, so don't get hung up on one little bullet point of my post that I assume you assumed was the entirety of the post. I answered your last question in the post: because I'm not gonna trust the advice of someone who has something to gain by pointing me towards their "preferred" (as in: their sponsor's) products.

Medium short cut, part however you want (though a center part only works on a select few, beware), no products. If you can rock the Brad burns (or Pope chops, your choice) I'd say go for it. Or go long and gather it just above your neck (lower than most women wear pony tails (however, long hair is not for every duder), no sideburns with long hair though.

No Axe spray (really, stay away from stuff that makes you smell - but use the stuff that keeps you from smelling - if you know what I mean).

If you go for a hat a fedora is a good choice when you wear a jacket or a standard collared shirt (stay away from trilbys [which is what many people mistake for a fedora these days] unless you are skinny with very narrow shoulders). A good hat can make you look better than you'd think and will make you stand out (but, please, take it off when you go indoors).

Trust me.

@oldguy: Fedoras seldom look good on anybody, man. So do trilbys and all similar hats. I gotta disagree with that advice for the sake of OP.

@artofwar420: Other people have mentioned American Crew, so I'll look it up. I can't afford it at the moment, but I plan to go to a proper stylist some time in the next couple months. And I'm not really worried about anything; I just know I'd look much better and make better first impressions if I didn't look like a man-child (with long hair) or a man with a receding hairline (with short hair).

Don't worry. I will never step within five feet of a fedora. I'll never wear any hat that isn't designed to just stop the sun from destroying my head on hot days.

But keep in mind that if you ever need a hat that says "mug me, I have jelly arms" you cant go wrong with the Fedora! It does have a use.

@development: I get that man, good on you for trying to upgrade yourself. Good luck out there, and buy condoms.

I used to have really great luck finding a guy who could cut hair great for cheap, but he moved and I ended up with a lot of bad haircuts. Unless you can find someone competent, a good haircut might cost you $25+. I see a woman now who rents out a chair at a salon that's not obvious to the general public. I suppose people go every 4 weeks normally. I tend to switch between 4-6 weeks depending on the cut.

Right now I have the popular cut a lot of men have, kind of like what Alexis has. 1-guard on the sides high up; 2-guard on the back all the way up to the back top (to avoid the swirl I usually have); and the top long enough where I can part it and comb it to the right and back. It's the perfect haircut for avoiding the shag without shaving the entire head, but I have to go at least 4 weeks to maintain the style. (Example). I should say that I have thick, fine straight hair, so it works for me.

For product, I've resorted to Paul Mitchell lately. Sculpting foam for casual, dry holds. Pomade for wetter, tougher holds (I'm told American Crew works, as well). Coconut oil or almond oil in the shower works wonders. Keeps my hair shiny and in place. Some of my best hair days come from a little bit of coconut/almond oil. Also, a little bit of hairspray is not a bad idea. I use a little to make sure everything's in place.

I've exercised with product in, and they all usually do a good job staying in place, but I typically shower afterwards anyway, regardless of staying in or going out.

I typed too much...

Hair fashion advice: Alistair from Dragon Age Origins.

I personally just take machine and cut my hair so short that I don't have to worry about it until it grows out and becomes too big that I have to think of styling it, then I just cut it down again. I have never had a real style since I was a kid in the 90's and even then I probably looked like this...

@wjb: Thanks for the info! For real. Whew... that's probably the kind of cut I'd want... but it's risky, since I'd likely be doing it myself the first time or 2. I know that sounds nuts, but I'm good at cutting my hair... I just haven't been adventurous at all... hence this post. Hmm... lots to think about.

@dagas: I actually used to have Alistair's hairstyle, funnily enough, but my receding hairline put a stop to that. I started to look more like this:

@development: It took me several months to finally be content with the style I have now. If you ever go to a stylist, visuals help them a lot. I remember trying to tell people at Smart Cuts what I wanted and they looked at me like I was insane. That dude in the picture was in a Sprint (?) commercial last Super Bowl, and I thought, "That's exactly what I fucking want!" A few months later as I was shopping for clothes online, the same dude modeled for literally three different clothing companies. Levi Stocke, I believe.

I was lucky to find someone I could trust. It's the same stylist my mom goes to, and I knew the woman would be all right because my mom usually hates people.

Good luck, dude. I had the same stupid haircut as a child, then when shaved heads were acceptable by the time I was in high school in the mid-90's, I did that (or grew my hair out) until graduating college. By 20's and now 30's, I've done a haircut different from the last every time I go. I'm happy with what I have now.

I'm sorta looking for suggestions on hair products too. Does pomade made your hair super hard? I have curly hair and when it's long enough I wear a hat to contain it, but if I don't wear a hat that day it just looks like a shitty half afro-thing. I need something to keep my hair I guess soft and straighter?

Quiffs seem to be the in thing these days, at least round my parts. nearly every kid/young man I see has a gelled up quiff, Mark Kermode style. I personally use Dax Wax Red, I don't know if you can get that in the states but it keeps my hair in the shape I want for most of the day as long as I brush it back into place with my hand every couple of hours. Even works when I'm walking in hot weather and I sweat like a motherfuck.

Why are you looking to sabotage this poor young man's chances at looking like an approachable human being!?

As regards to hair product look to gels for a wetter/stiffer look and use putties/waxes for a softer/drier look, you'll need to experiment with what each does for you depending on your cut.

Just don't use gel because it'll make you look like a sex offender.

To the style you're going for, have you just sat and looked through one of those hairstyle magazine things (or website for you young'uns) to decide on something you like? Or are you just basing it on what is supposedly cool these days? 'Cause I'll be honest with you, most of the people I see with styled hair look like they did it in the dark. The common one around seems to be super short back and sides with a weird tramline 3/4s up the head, and then like 10cm of hair on top usually peaked off to one side. A bit like one of those troll toys you got as a kid.

But yeah, go with what you like and not with what is 'cool'.

@alexw00d: Hah! Yeah I wouldn't make myself wear anything I didn't personally like. I'd feel so uncomfortable if I did that. I'm kinda into the... pompadour thing people have nowadays (is that what you're also talking about?), but the more toned down version; not the almost buzzed sides version. Basically I'm planning on cutting my sides and back (and trimming up the top), and parting my hair towards one side, and doing the various techniques I learned from watching a few videos from this hip new website, http://www.Youtube.com.

@dudeglove Thanks for the answers. Helped a lot.

@dudeglove said

I said 24, not 14 (I kid, I kid).

Whatever you do. do not use the same product Cameron Diaz used in " There's Something About Mary"

@marcsman: True story:

[spoilers because this is probably extremely gross! You've been warned. Stop eating. I hope this isn't mod-worthy; sorry if it is; it is basically the Something About Mary situation for women]

@development: I just threw up a little in my mouth. But that is funny.

@development: Eh I think it's an English thing then, I tried to find a picture and failed. Anyway, as long as you don't come out of this looking like Gareth Bale I think it'll all be good hah.

I've got my hair cut so that all the hair in the front from my right eye, gets parted to the left. I have medium-long hair, and I use this stuff.

Also, I've been using this shampoo and conditioner for a couple a months.

These days, when I remember, I brush my hair with this awesome brush. I'll brush way more often as it gets longer. You could get it on Amazon, and I highly recommend it as its worth it in the long run. Actually, I got it for $18.50 at the time, and now its $28. Yeesh..

All depends on the kind of hair you have. Some hair styles don't work with certain types of hair.

Go see a stylist. You may have to see a few stylists. I was never happy with my haircuts until I found this girl who was dating an Asian guy. She knew how my hair handled and was able to get it to actually play nice. I told her I was a fencer, and she recommended a product that keeps working, even when I'm dripping sweat. It'll even hold after I take my mask off again, and again, and again.

@zelyre: You still use that product? In case I end up wanting it, what's the name?

@blu3v3nom07 I actually have that shampoo. I was gonna buy the conditioner... but I have no idea what conditioner is supposed to even do (told you guys I know nothing)... guess I'll look that up.

By experience 10$ is enough.

@development: Really, I think the best you can do is go to a hair stylist (preferably at a salon that looks like it understands its business). Ask a hair stylist (you might need to make an appointment) to advise you on hair product but first explain to them what result you're looking for. Let the stylist demonstrate how to use it (how and where to apply it, how much of it). Ask questions when you have them, they're trained for this stuff.

Then buy the recommended product (it will be expensive; anywhere between 30 and 70 USD) and familiarize yourself with it for a while (most products bought at a hairdresser should last you several weeks to several months). By the time you're almost out of product, you'll know what "the good stuff" is and how it works. From there you can try out cheaper stuff you can buy at the place where you get your shampoo.

Now, I know this sounds like a hassle and will require an initial investment (hair stylist appointment and expensive product), but, and here's the thing, it'll enable you to get an excellent point of reference against which you can 'measure' all alternatives.

@rvone: He's against asking anyone that actually knows anything about hair. There's a big conspiracy to gouge him.

@development: I use mouse instead of gel, gel seems messey. Mouse will hold your hair and if you use a blow drier just right it looks very natural. Also good when working out. For gel I always remember hearing putting in too much can clog your pores.

For the brand I usually go with Pantene, it might sound girly but I don't want to get the cheap stuff. Who knows what they put in that stuff.

Good Luck!

@development: Joico Spiker Hair Glue.

It is very much glue. It's -very- potent stuff and with my extremely stubborn hair, a pea sized amount diluted with water will work wonders. I do wear my hair short, spiked, and kinda messy. I'm not sure how well it'll hold up if you're trying to do something neat.

This is so wrong. Sorry to call you out but I don't want this guy to get bad advice. No you don't need to buy $50 hair product. But everything is definitely not the same. There is different styles and qualities of hair gel. There is in fact a lot of garbage out there. I've been using hair product for over 10 years.

What I would recommend is get a few picture you like and go to your hair cutter/stylist and ask them if they can do something and see what product they put in your hair and ask them questions about cutting and styling it. If your hair person is anything like mine they will be happy to help.

When I used to get my hair cut when I was younger I would just want it to be fast and simple, but now I enjoy getting my hair cut and styled.

Different types of hair will need different products and such. Asking your hair cutter will be your best bet.

If you're unwilling to post pictures, you're going to need go to a stylist. Everyone's hair is different and different styles look different with different textures and thicknesses of hair and face/head shape. You say your hair is 'a long medium' but that's all relative. I'm guessing since you're mentioning gel that your hair is actually pretty short; an inch/cm measurement (or guess) would help. You should google 'hair styles for men' or equivalent because they're usually sorted by length and hair type (straight, wavy, curly, etc.). That's about as far as you're gonna get without going to a stylist.

Honestly you should go to a stylist, hopefully one that a friend can recommend. Have them look at your hair and the way it naturally falls and they can recommend you a few good hairstyles. Once it's been styled they can tell you what you should use to maintain that look. As someone with very... assertive hair, it was a revelation when I found a cut that worked naturally for me and I didn't have to drown it in product just to make it behave. Back when I actually had time to get it cut, I could roll out of bed and it would look great, and with a tiny amount of control paste I could sex it up a bit if I wanted to.

Don't listen to your hairdresser/cutter. I can't tell you how many hairdressing friends I have and they all say the same thing about their products. They normally represent a brand of hair care products (Joico, Redken, Schwarzkopf, etc etc) and they will always say that you "NEED" this certain product for your hair type, that to maintain this style you NEED this and that and the other thing... You don't, unless you have frizzy hair. But even then Olive Oil will solve that big time.

The thing with cheaper products is that they vary a lot. You will need to find the right type that works with your hair, and this will be done through either luck or trial and error. If you have hair that is only slightly curly, my guess is that you won't need a fibrous wax like me - whose hair is annoyingly straight and thick (think Rock Lee or Guy Sensei from Naruto [without the actual haircut]) - so I'm guessing a pommade or matte pommade would work well in your hair. I don't know though, as I don't have that hair type and don't style others' hair.

Another thing to consider is your skin. I have stopped using products altogether because when my product-covered bangs would touch my forehead, I would break out in pimples in that area. If you sweat a lot this can run down your face in the sweat and thus I wouldn't really recommended to work out with product in.

Take or leave my information though. For background on my advice, I've been very experimental with my hair for all my life. I had bright green, blue, red dyes in it when I was between 13-16, colored gels, many different types of products, cuts, stylists, trials and errors, etc. I never found that I was truly satisfied with a haircut, ever. I'm now growing my hair out long. I wash my hair once a week, and with a water/baking soda mix that works absolute wonders. Stylists don't want people knowing about this. My most recent cuts were a classic side part, before that was that undercut that is way too common in Europe now, and before that was the Jimmy Darmody from Boardwalk Empire (if you know it).

I'm not saying don't go to a stylist, you should definitely do that if you want short hair obviously. But take everything they say with a grain of salt, especially when it comes to products. And also don't get a cut that requires a lot of maintenance - they love giving those because then you will either be forced to come in often to get it kept up (more $$$ for them) or you will lose the cut and it'll start looking like any regular old head of hair (or worse). I'm talking things like short, classic side parts with tapered ears, designs in the side... hell anything with short sides. Undercuts. Any of those require frequent trimmings and cuts because with short sides it'll just grow out and look puffy and disgusting in 2 weeks.

As for recommendations, I would start with the AXE lineup of hair products. I know, it's AXE, BUT they have a wide variety for different hair types, and they're not ridiculously overpriced. If you can somehow find one of those trial kits with the tiny samples of each type, that would be a huge help as you can try one every day and experiment. I think they have around 4 or 5 different types of gel/wax/pommades. It's what I used for a long time and I was really surprised.

Also I saw someone said something about Fedoras.... stay the fuck away from Fedoras. They only look good if you're a detective or have access to full suits and a trenchcoat.

Thanks for the story T_T

@dagas said:

Hair fashion advice: Alistair from Dragon Age Origins.

I was a kid in the 90's and even then I probably looked like this...

OH GOD! This hits a little too close to home for me. (I'm just going to keep telling myself I looked cool like Eddie Vedder.)

lol

@rvone: Other people are suggesting going to a stylist, so I'll do that, but not for a couple months until I'm at my new job. It makes sense to go that route so I can at least have a basis for comparison, like you said.

@zelyre Ah, probably not for me, then. My hair is very slightly curly, but it's still very thin (especially on top, thanks to my male pattern baldness) and pretty easily maneuvered.

@ajamafalous It's actually longer, then, I guess. Probably a good 3 inches on top. Even if I wanted to post pictures I couldn't, 'cause my phone is a POS and it for some reason won't let me upload photos or send them anywhere.

@xyzygy I think for the hairstyle I want (the pompadour-thing or the quiff-thing) I can manage it and trim it on my own once I get the initial cut. Like I said I've been cutting my hair (albeit pretty boringly) for awhile now so I at least know how to trim stuff up, so I'm not really worried about getting hustled by hairdressers. I'll probably buy an AXE gel or wax or both along with some American Crew, just to get a small sample size of what I'm working with.

@hunkulese Huh? Oh... it's you again. I just realized I thought you were CorruptedEvil (the first poster in here) when I replied to you before. My bad.

Thanks for the advice, fellas or ladies. I feel way more ready to fix/ruin my hair now!

You keep mentioning that you're balding.

Just shave your head. Honestly, it's no big deal.

It's like tree sap. For your hair.

@whamola: It's not that bad yet. I probably got 2 or 3 years until people will actively notice, and probably a good year at least after that. The day I have to resort to a comb over will be the day I buzz it. Is that Richard Feynman? It's interesting that his hairline stayed (more or less) like that til the day he died.