Men's Hair question

[Maguire]

This section mentions "hair" as an object of discussion so i figure i'll pose the question burning. If this is somehow the wrong section (i know its FOR GIRLS.. but its a hair question right.. that counts.. right?) please do me the honor of moving it elsewhere but i actually have been meaning to ask this for a LONG time. Basically for me, wearing hats is annoying and difficult because it means i can't use gel in my hair. My hair's type is what's known as a "jewfro" which, despite my not being jewish, i've been cursed with. Its not too curly, but not straight, and is totally useless to style, it just sort of sits on my head and bunches up. I'm sure there are others with this plight. I've tried bryllcreems, pomades, hair tonics, and various combinations with no luck, and resigned myself to drowning it in hair gel in order to at least make it look semi orderly.

My question is how exactly can i make my hair slick and neat like they did in the bygone era. I've seen actors with my kind of hair who in period pieces have it slicked back accordingly. Is pomade effective or am i just using it wrong? And furthermore, what can i use that will stay in place, but still allow me to wear a hat. We see examples of people back then having their hair completely messed up just quickly combing it back into place and it staying that way (billy drago/frank nitti in the rooftop scene of the untouchables does this). I know this is a "metro" question perhaps, but unlike those of you with straight hair or very curly hair, when i wake up, i've got a huge poofball on my head and i'd love to find a way to tame it without resorting to hair straighteners/losing my hair.

I've started getting whats called the "german military cut" ( like this one: http://www.dererstezug.com/GermanHaircut.htm) because it most accurately reflects the style of the era i like, but this has not completely solved my problem. I'd really like to be able to have neat hair without having to sacrifice wearing a hat.

I'm aware there are like five different issues here presented at once, if anyone can shed any light/give any advice it would be appreciated. My apologies for inconsistancies, incoherence, etc in this post.

 

[rikrdo]

Have you tried this:?:

1. Brylcreem in damp hair. and then use a hair (Blow) dryer to style.
2. After initial styling is satisfactory, add pomade and blow dry again.
3. If results are OK, you are done. If not, add some more pomade and comb it in.


Hope this helps.

 

[scotrace]

Moved to General Attire. "Beauty" is for the ladies.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

Most people you see on pictures have thinner hair that would keep more or less on its own. We wild-boar haired men have to give up or use disgusting amounts of pomade. My hair isn't curly, but I have "cute" cowlicks.

(I tried Layrite lately, and it really washes out easily at least.)

 

[Charlie Noodles]

Maybe you could conk your hair like Cab Calloway.

 

[flat-top]

Actual beeswax based pomade (not fake salon stuff) will make your hair straight. It's made to straighten hair way curlier than yours!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Moved to General Attire. "Beauty" is for the ladies.

This one still sticks in my craw.

bk

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Why can't you use gel? Are do you mean a gel that doesn't really dry or stays a little oily / sticky?

What I *used* to do was mix some gel with the hair groom / leave-in conditioner / whatever you want to call it, but it didn't keep the slicked down wet look I was aiming for. Then one day I put in the hair groom and combed it in, the phone rang with a friend wanting to go to lunch downtown, so then I put some gel in to hold it in place. I got home several hours later (after wearing my hat) and my hair was still slicked down, "wet" looking or to use the term a friend razzes me with, my "helmet hair" was still in place.

 

[scotrace]

This one still sticks in my craw.

bk

At your age and with that sedentary lifestyle, y'might want to schedule a craw flush.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

lol :eusa_clap lol :eusa_clap

 

[Maguire]

Why can't you use gel? Are do you mean a gel that doesn't really dry or stays a little oily / sticky?

What I *used* to do was mix some gel with the hair groom / leave-in conditioner / whatever you want to call it, but it didn't keep the slicked down wet look I was aiming for. Then one day I put in the hair groom and combed it in, the phone rang with a friend wanting to go to lunch downtown, so then I put some gel in to hold it in place. I got home several hours later (after wearing my hat) and my hair was still slicked down, "wet" looking or to use the term a friend razzes me with, my "helmet hair" was still in place.

I do use gel and it does harden, but if anything happens with it (ie a strong wind), it ends up unfixable and ridiculous looking for the rest of the day. I'm also not looking to spend 2 hours fixing my hair. I want to keep it under 5 minutes at MAXIMUM because more than that is unbecoming of a man.

My issue with gel also is that sleeping with it is uncomfortable, and lying down with it potentially ruins it anyway, even mid day for a nap. From my experience pomade maybe effective on day one, but day 2 it looks awful and is difficult to remove.

 

[Rittmeister]

I have been experimenting for some years with various pomades. Most of the traditional ones like Royal Crown have petroleum jelly (also called petrolatum) as their principal active ingredient. They work but are a little sticky and do not wash off the hands well. I have found that pomades based on castor oil (and other plant extracts) work as well or better without the stickiness and greasiness. American Crew is a good brand marketed to men, but you can find products in the women's section that are as good and less expensive. The one I am using lately is Head Organics Stylng Wax (www.headorganic.com) and I am happy with it. I keep my hair in a modified German cut and this product is working well with the cut. Over the years the consistency of my hair on the top has deteriorated to being not as thick and straight. The castor oil pomades are doing as good a job as the petroleum jelly based ones in keeping it in place.

 

[Joe_Frances]

The guys in bygone eras used Brilliantine, and so do I!

Yardley makes Gentlemen's Brilliantine, it give hold and shine. You are going to need to get some Brilliantine, and find a hair cutter/stylist who can put the whole package together for you.

I have wavy hair that can get unruly, but it is not as challenging as yours is, it seems. I have it cut longer on top and shorter on the sides. I use Brilliantine every day (well sometimes I used John Allan's Blu Pomade too, which is very good). Brilliantine give a beautiful shiny, non-greasy hard hold that loosens up with combing.

Brilliantine is a well kept secret for guys who want hold, shine, styling ability, but no gels or sprays. It's the real mccoy.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

I do use gel and it does harden, but if anything happens with it (ie a strong wind), it ends up unfixable and ridiculous looking for the rest of the day. I'm also not looking to spend 2 hours fixing my hair. I want to keep it under 5 minutes at MAXIMUM because more than that is unbecoming of a man.

My issue with gel also is that sleeping with it is uncomfortable, and lying down with it potentially ruins it anyway, even mid day for a nap. From my experience pomade maybe effective on day one, but day 2 it looks awful and is difficult to remove.

My routine's 5 minutes or less. If anything happens to mess it up, I just rewet it, comb & off I go (hence liking the "slicked down, wet look" - nobody can tell if I've done a quick touch-up). And I've got hair that looks like Medusa if I don't wash and "re-goop" it every day.

 

[Maguire]

Have you tried this:?:

1. Brylcreem in damp hair. and then use a hair (Blow) dryer to style.
2. After initial styling is satisfactory, add pomade and blow dry again.
3. If results are OK, you are done. If not, add some more pomade and comb it in.


Hope this helps.

I tried this. the results were not satisfactory. thanks for the advice though! on to the next sets of advice.

 

[John in Covina]

Maybe you could try the hair staightener. I've seen on Saturday or Sunday mornings a half hour ad on tv for this heated clamp comb device that seems to straighten the most unruly hair.

 

[johnnycanuck]

I have thick, wild, Harry Potter hair. So I try to keep it in a "cop cut". A cross between a Caesar and a crew cut.
For styling I find Coppertone sweat proof/water proof sunscreen works great. Easy to style, great hold, and not to greasy.
Brylcreem is what my father used to use to style his hair. My grandfather thought it was a waste of money. "Why would you spend money on that if you already have Vaseline in the house?"......... oh my. That would give your hair a wet slick look.
Johnny

 

[Edward]

Do what I did - shave it all off! lol

Well, ok, I only went for the full shave in the end as there was no longer any hiding how much it had thinned, but still..... you'd be amazed at how much less hassle it is. No more bad hair days, no hat hair.... bliss!

 

[John in Covina]

Hair straightener devices

They look like these:
http://www.folica.com/appliances/straightener.htm

Unless they invent nano-bots to do the straightening, these seem to be the only non-chemical answer.

 

[The_Phantom]

I have recently started to use Murrays Original and have never looked back. My hair is...how do you say....like Michael Richards cross a poofy afro but with Murrays i walk around with slicked hair all day - ANY STYLE.

The key is to have a shower, towel dry hair FAST and add Murrays while the hair is still 'steaming'. I then towel dry a bit more to mix it through. With unruly hair it's important not to agitate it too much - use a brush before using a comb to slowly ease the hair into whole-day co-operation.