Oct 18, 2024

Men's Grooming and Hair Styling Mistakes That You Should Stop

You’re not unattractive. You are just not at the top of your grooming game. No matter what the season, no matter how busy you are, if you want to have the best looks, you will have to put in  some effort. Even the most handsome faces can turn unappealing when they are not taken care of well. 

Men typically only put effort into their grooming whenever there is an event they must attend or when they have to be someplace special or with someone special. Otherwise, they tend to let things fall into nature’s hands. 

In order to gain something, you have to give something, and in grooming terms, you have to give your time and effort. If you have a consistent grooming routine, but you are not seeing the results that you want, then there is a chance that you may be doing something wrong.

Let’s find out what mistakes are halting your progress and keeping you away from becoming a more handsome man.

1) Using Excessive Hair Product

The side effects of using an excessive amount of hair product depends on what type of product you have been using. Excessive hair waxes and gels can leave your hair looking greasy and/or dirty. 

Hairsprays, when not removed and left untreated, can make your hair crunchy and hard and may flake.  Hairstyling creams can weigh down your hair, leaving it looking limp, if used in a large amount. 

Overusing products has significant side effects. But certain aftermaths are common for overusing hair products. They are:

  • Dandruff: Most of the hair products can strip away moisture from your skin, leaving it dry.  We all know what severe dryness triggers: Dandruff Flakes.
  • Scaly skin: Products that are drying can dehydrate your skin to a dangerous point. When devoid of moisture, your skin will get scaly and may feel tight and uncomfortable.
  • Hair loss: All the rumors are true, and if you notice a bunch of hair on the bathroom floor after hairstyling, then try changing your products. Overusing hair products can weaken the hair follicles over time — causing the hair to fall out easily. The harsh styling chemicals present in waxes and sprays are typically to blame.
  • Damaged hair: Haircare and styling products are meant to repair hair, but when used in large amounts, they frequently can reverse the effects. They can start reacting with your hair, causing the strands to become more damaged. Keep in mind that this damage is not usually permanent, and the recovery starts as you stop using the product.

 

2) Using Poor Quality Products

Don’t let your sensitive and precious hair be at the mercy of cheap products. The market is saturated with substandard products. Make sure to read reviews and do thorough research before settling on one to purchase. 

You will not have your desired results using cheaply made products. Some of them even can contain third-rate chemicals that can be especially damaging to your hair. The money you saved on the products will be consumed in treating the damaged hair.

We always suggest you purchase hair products from reliable brands. Everything from essential oils to hair sprays for finishing should be top-quality. Otherwise, you will compromise the health of your hair. The side effects of poor-quality products can include; allergic reactions, skin irritation, redness, loss of hair, lack of shine, and the halting of hair regrowth. 

3) Not Moisturizing the Hair

Do you ever wonder why your hair feels dry and dull all the time? There can be a number of mistakes in your routine. First, you have to realize that skin is the largest organ in your body, and a huge portion of its composition is water. 

If you are not consuming enough water, then the skin is devoid of a source of hydration. It is vital to drink enough water to have younger-looking, moisturized, and wrinkle-free skin.

Moreover, if your skin and hair are being treated with a good-quality moisturizer this should provide extra hydration for your skin. Moisturizers can take care of dryness by working to repair your skin’s moisture barrier over time and by decreasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Essential oils are also a nice option. You can mix them up with a carrier oil that has moisturizing abilities like coconut oil to get even better results. Start by using it two to three times a week. You should see results within a few months.

4) Always Getting the Same Haircut

Are you afraid of getting a new haircut? We know the reasons, not because we are telepathic but because they are extremely common. You usually think that if the barber messes up your hair or the cut didn’t suit you, then you have to stay home for weeks. We get that, but, don’t be afraid! You have to take some risks in life. Without potential risk, life would be boring, just like your same usual haircut! 

The best method to avoid mistakes is to discuss the haircut with a barber thoroughly. You can even use images to explain the whole style to your barber because, as they say, a  picture speaks a thousand words.

5) Ignoring Overgrown Hair on the Nape of Your Neck

After getting a haircut, you may have noticed that your barber cleans up the back of your neck. That is a necessary step, as it creates a nice clean edge in order to give a polished look. 

No matter how well kept your hairstyle is, if you have a hairy or fuzzy neck, it can destroy your overall hair style.

Most barbers do shave it away. But if you are letting your hair grow long, and avoiding the barber, then there is a chance that the nape hair has overgrown. Pay the barber a visit, and ask him to just go for the nape.

6) Going for the Wrong Hairstyle

You can’t select the best-looking haircut you see in the magazines or on your favorite celebrity and ask your barber for the same exact look. Choosing a hairstyle tends to be trickier than that!

You have to take into account your facial geometry, your hair type, your facial features, and the thickness of your hair. Once you consider these factors, you will end up with the perfect hairstyle and cut for you! Usually, a hairstyle should reverse the appearance of your exaggerated facial features and geometry. In layman terms, a hairstyle should be able to make your round face slimmer, and your thin face look fuller.

7) Using Products in Wet Hair

The water will make the product thinner and less effective. It will not stick to your hair as well, and can give you a weighed down look, which can be troublesome. The diluted product will not get absorbed in your hair as easily and can form a greasy, oily layer on top of your strands.

Although some products are fine to apply on wet hair, it is preferable for most to be used on dry hair. 

Blow-dry to  get rid of all the extra moisture present on your hair first before using any gel or wax.


8) Overgrown Sideburns

Nothing looks more unkempt than overgrown sideburns. Maintaining them in a way that compliments your hairstyle can be a tricky job. 

You have to choose the right length, too short of sideburns look just as weird as much longer and overgrown sideburns. 

The length to choose depends upon the style you want to carry. For example, if you want to go for an 80s style, then longer sideburns are preferable. But for modern men hairstyles, shorter sideburns go with almost every style.

9) Not Considering Your Hair Type

For every hair type, there are certain products and styling techniques that go better. You cannot have an efficient haircare and hairstyling routine without considering your hair type. 

For example, particular products harm curly and kinky hair but prove beneficial for straighter hair. Therefore, the first step that you should do is determine the exact type of hair that you have.

10) Applying Color at Home

This is a rookie mistake that most of us make at some point in our lives. Home hair coloring can be convenient as it can save you a good deal of money. Be careful though! You could end up spending more trying to correct a hair coloring mistake than you would have, had you just gone to the salon in the first place. 

In professional hands, the risk is a lot lower. So, instead of letting your inexperienced self handle it, let your experienced barber take care of all the coloring.

11) Forgetting the Beard and Mustache

Some men prefer a rougher look, but if it gets too scruffy over time, then what is when you should tend to your facial hair. Untrimmed and uneven edges look unkempt, especially when you are not letting your hair go long.

You may be wondering why it is impossible to recreate the same style your barber did. It is because of the fact that the hair on the face grows very quickly. You have to trim the edges of your facial hair every day or at least every two or three days. It will help you remain fresh looking.

12) Being Afraid to Try Something New

It makes sense that it scares us to go for a new haircut, hair product, or a new style. You may be nervous and wonder if you could pull off the new look. However, we suggest you always keep experimenting on yourself. You never know what type of new thing may end up becoming your next favorite.

13) Washing Hair Often

Your scalp produces natural oils that are typically enough to nourish your skin and hair. Shampoo cleanses away these oils as well as other build-up material. Overusing it can strip away all of your natural oils, leaving your scalp dry, and we know that dry scalps open doors for dandruff. 

Moreover, using shampoo can also cause hair breakage. This is why you might have noticed that shampooing every day has made your hair brittle and dry. It is enough to shampoo twice or maximum thrice a week. More than that is not healthy and could cause damage.

14) You Have Outdated Hair Products

Whatever brand you are using, more than likely after a year, they launch a new set of tools and products. If you can spend extra money going for the latest ones, it is the best thing you can do for your hair. 

High-quality older products are not bad for your hair, but if you have a better choice, then why not use it?

15) You Are Not Using Sun Protection

The harmful UV radiation can penetrate the protective outermost layers of your hair strand, and attack the core. 

Overexposure to these radiations over time can weaken your hair permanently. In a worst-case scenario, it can start a chain reaction leading to hair loss. Be sure you have an efficient working sunscreen or at least wear a cap or a hoodie to cover your hair when you go out in the open sun.

16) Not Protecting Your Color-treated Hair

Colored hair is sensitive, and the color will fade if you do not look after it. There are hairsprays available on the market that will help your hair-color last longer.

Have you ever wondered why the hair color and tone slowly changes over time? It is because every time you wash your hair, you wash away color. That is why your intense blue color changes to a lighter tone, and your blood-red hair changes to a dark-pinky tone. We suggest you wash your hair less frequently to stretch the time between colorings.

17) Not Getting Help From Oils

Oils are the food of your hair. If you are lazy and skip oil treatments, then your hair is going to pay the price at a high level of dryness. The oils not only keep your hair hydrated but also strong. Essential oils like lavender and tea tree oil have proven to be effective against hair loss disorders. 

Make them a part of your routine to always look your best. Using an oil treatment two to three times will be enough to give your scalp the required nourishment that it needs. You can also purchase essential-oil-rich hair care products that are also available on the market.

18) Leaving Hair Products in for too Long

Hairstyling products like gels, waxes, and clays work magically to hold a style. But you have no idea how much damage they can do if you do not wash them out soon enough.  Some lazy men let the gel stay in and hope it will disappear on its own by absorbing in the skin. What they don’t know is that it will turn into problems for your hair causing severe dandruff and irritation. In some cases, it also has triggered allergic reactions.