OK you guys, for our first “men’s grooming” post I thought there was no one better to talk to than @TheMensGroomer himself!
I’ve known Jason Schneidman for years now. I’ve had the privilege of getting some awesome cuts from him and others at his shop in Venice Beach, CA (which is a straight-up haven of men’s style and self-care) and I’m constantly inspired by his epic service work with men who are struggling with substance abuse and homelessness.
For real, this dude is a badass icon of men’s wellness, so check him out on Instagram if you haven’t yet.
But to start us off, I asked him for a few easy tips to guide us on how to style our hair, while taking better care of it at the same time. Read on to get the gist of it all. —Chris
We’re all adults here, right? You know to shower and wash your hair, especially if you’re single and… maybe don’t want to be. “If you’re trying to get a date, hygiene is key,” Jason says. “You’ve got to smell good—and if you don’t shampoo your hair, then you don’t smell good.” Makes sense.
But at frens(he) our research is showing that how much you shampoo can also make your hair less healthy, too. So how often should we shampoo? That depends on your lifestyle and hair type. For instance, if your hair texture is kinky, curly, or tightly coiled, a weekly or biweekly wash will prevent your hair from drying out. Some other guys can get away with shampooing every other day, unless their hair and scalp is greasy or dirty. But if you’re hitting the gym daily, then break out the shampoo more frequently.
“Yeah, great, but my hair looks like shit when it’s just been washed so I usually use styling products, which means I need to wash it more,” says Chris — and if you’re like him, Jason has been reading your mind. There are some great cleaner styling products made for this. For example, Days of Dirt, his own made-in-America grooming cream, instantly makes hair look lived-in and not so squeaky-clean, while not being so thick that you’ll just have to wash it again. Put a nickel-sized amount in your hand, work it throughout wet/damp/dry hair, and you’re in good shape.
Of course, if you want to add a little more style—because sometimes that’s the vibe—it takes less time and product than you might think. “People hit me up on Instagram all the time, asking me what to do with fine hair and how to get volume?” Jason says. “There are a few styling techniques that only take a few seconds.” So instead of pushing your hair upward with stiff hairspray, this is how to create volume by styling it down—which looks more modern, plus you won’t need as much junk. You’ll need a hair dryer and a bit styling product, and less than 10 minutes.
Step 1
Towel-dry hair, straight out of the shower go get dressed first come back to the hair spray a little thickening spray (like R&Co Dallas spray) or surf spray in the root. If you don’t have those, you can go old school with a little bit of mousse in the root.
Step 2
Blow-dry your hair till it’s almost all the way dry. Then, in the front of your hairline, hold the hair straight up and heat the root for a couple of seconds. Continue to hold the hair up as it’s cooling for a couple more seconds. This will give you more volume than any product.
Step 3
Then spray an aerosol texture spray like Oribe Dry Spray or Unite Texturiza Texturizing Spray. “The texture spray will add a bit of guck to make your hair feel thicker,” Jason explains.
For a finishing product, we suggest Jason’s own California Born styling paste or Morris Motley matte styling balm.
When using the paste, Jason says to take about a half a gumball size and put it in the middle of your hand. Heat it up really good, make sure there’s no clumps, and put it everywhere. “Don’t just push the paste in the front of the hair,” he says. “A lot of guys put most of the product right in the front. Start in the back and work your way forward instead.” (I feel like everyone one of us makes this mistake.)
“Styling your hair doesn’t have to take long, and you don’t have to be precious with it,” Jason says. “And then you’re good to go.”