How to texture mens hair

A Stylist's Guide on How to Texture Men's Hair Like a Pro

Written by: Piers Le Moignan

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Time to read 10 min

Giving your hair a textured look is a surefire way to exude suave sophistication. You can texture your hair if it’s short or medium-length, using products like salt spray and hair clay – and it’s actually really easy to do yourself at home once you know how.

 

In this comprehensive guide, we cover some of the key techniques, at-home step-by-step, FAQs and more. We’ve also enlisted the help of award-winning celebrity men's groomer Charlie Cullen, who’s shared some of his expert tips for achieving that fresh out-the-salon look.

 

With the right products and techniques, attaining hair perfection is well within reach. So, scroll down and take note as we share our product recommendations, tips and tricks, and step-by-step instructions to help you achieve perfectly textured hair every time.

The 3 Ways to Texture Men's Hair

Our customers love spending time perfecting their looks and taking pride in their appearance. Adding texture to their hair is a big part of their hair routine.

 

The feedback we get from customers is that our products are perfectly suited to achieve a textured look and, paired with the right techniques, make a dream combination.

 

With that in mind, there are three common ways to add texture to your hair, depending on a) how much effort you want to put in and b) how much texture you want to create.

 

We'll start with the easiest and quickest method, using our Marine Mist Sea Salt Spray.

(1) Use Texturising Sea Salt Spray

Sea salt spray is one of the easiest ways to add texture to your hair, and it's a personal favourite of ours. The sea salt expands your hair fibres, giving the appearance of thicker and wavier hair, ultimately creating that textured style you're after.

 

It works for thick and thin hair, and the reviews of our Marine Mist formulation praise the fact it doesn’t gunk up your hair, is subtle once applied and that a little goes a long way.

Product recommendation: Our Marine Mist sea salt spray is perfect for achieving this look – it contains natural and organic actives that nourish your hair while providing an effortless, beachy texture.

(2) Style With Hair Wax or Clay

Hair wax and clay are another popular option for creating texture in men's hair. These products provide a stronger hold than sea salt spray, so they're ideal if you need your hair to stay put.

 

Another great benefit of using wax or clay is that it helps create a super-tailored look by softening and smoothing flyaway strands. It’s ideal for longer hair but can be used for all hair lengths.

 

Our customers tell us that our Hybrid Hair compound offers excellent value for money vs competitor products and doesn't leave your hair feeling greasy or sticky.

Product recommendation: Our Hybrid Hair styling compound combines the benefits of wax and clay, giving you a versatile texturising product. 

 

We spent two years formulating this product to ensure it provides the perfect balance of hold and nourishment for your hair, powered by natural and organic actives.

(3) Make It Permanent With Razor Cut or Point Cutting

This method is more advanced and best left to the professionals, but it's an excellent way to add texture and movement to your hair. By using a razor or scissors with thinning blades, your stylist can create different lengths and textures throughout your hair, leaving you with a more natural and effortless style.

 

We wouldn't recommend you try doing this yourself at home – it requires a certain level of skill, and you don't want to end up with another lockdown trim disaster. But you can get a stylist like Charlie to do it for you.

by elenavagengeimvia Canva.com

Step-by-Step: How to Texture Men's Hair at Home

Achieving your desired look takes practice and the right products. Here’s our six-step process for texturising your hair at home using Marine 

 

Mist sea salt spray and Hybrid Hair (our combination product offering the benefits of wax and clay).

 

The texturising techniques are very similar whether you use spray or wax, so we've combined them into the following steps, with some expert tips and tricks from celeb stylist Charlie Cullen to help you out.

Step 1) Start With Clean Hair

Always start with freshly washed hair. It's rule 101 for any hairstyle.

 

Styling dirty hair is difficult because it accumulates oils and dirt over time, which makes the hair strands heavier and greasier. So, the first step is to wash your hair.

 

We recommend using shampoo and conditioner that's formulated with natural ingredients, like our Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner

 

These carefully formulated products will cleanse any dirt and leftover product without stripping your hair's natural moisture and oils. 

 

Plus, they'll give your hair a boost of volume, which will help when it comes to styling later.

 

The hair products you use really do make a difference to the way your hair looks.

Combing mens hair
by rovsky via Canva.com

Step 2) Towel Dry Your Hair

If your hair is dripping wet when you step out of the shower, grab a towel and gently squeeze out any excess water.

 

You shouldn't dry your hair completely because we want to apply the products to damp hair – but not sopping wet hair.

 

Tip: Use a microfibre towel to reduce frizz and prevent any unnecessary damage to your hair.

Step 3) Apply the Marine Mist Sea Salt Spray

Take your sea salt spray and apply a generous amount to your damp hair – 4 to 5 pumps for our Marine Mist. Make sure you spray the product evenly on all of your hair, from roots to ends.

 

Use a comb or your hands to distribute the product gently through your hair. This part is so important because it will help you achieve an even look.

 

 It’s especially important for men with medium-length or longer hair as you don’t want areas of your hair that have (and don’t have) Marine Mist in it.

Step 4) Apply the Hair Clay

This step is optional or can be used in replacement of the sea salt spray. Applying hair clay will increase the texture of your hair as you run it through and provide a firmer hold compared to sea salt spray.

 

If you’re using Hybrid Hair with Marine Mist, apply it after combing through the sea salt spray by taking a small amount of Hybrid Hair and warming it between your palms.

 

Work it through your hair, making sure you get even coverage again. Again, a little goes a long way, thanks to the quality of our product, so add it to your hair gradually rather than all in one go until you achieve the desired level of coverage.

by puhhha from Getty Images via Canva.com

Step 5) Toussle Your Hair

Once you’ve distributed the product through your hair, it’s time to create some texture by tousling it.

 

You can do this by shaking your hand through your hair or scrunching it up with both hands – this motion will increase the texturising effect. You can also add product to specific sections of your hair to create more texture in certain areas.

 

It’s going to take a few minutes to get the right look, and Charlie recommends using the following technique to get it right every time.

“I always recommend using your hands as a styling tool, you can spread your fingers to loosely rake through the hair to dress it back before scrunching into place. Also, by using the flat side/palm of your hand, you can make a more compact shape at sides. I’d then start scrunching at the back of your head and moving to the front.”

Charlie Cullen

Step 6) Leave to Air Dry or Diffuse

It's your choice as to whether you leave your hair to air dry or use a diffuser.

 

If you use a diffuser, make sure it's on a low-heat setting so it doesn’t damage your hair and keep moving your hair with your fingers as you dry it to maintain the texture.

 

Using a diffuser is best suited to those with medium-length or longer hair, but you can use this technique on shorter hair if you choose to.

air dried hair
by Maridav via Canva.com

5 Texturising Tips from Charlie Cullen

As well as our steps above, Charlie has laid out his top 5 tips for texturising men’s hair at home.

Tip 1: “Everyone’s natural texture is different, so mix up your approach to find the perfect texture for you.”


Tip 2: “Avoid clumps of product by using small amounts initially and rubbing into hands well.”


Tip 3: “Choose a haircut that will compliment and help encourage a textured look.”


Tip 4: “1min of cold air at the end of diffusing will calm frizz and set style.”


Tip 5: “Revive your style in the evening by using marine mist on dry hair.”

How Long Does Styled Textured Hair Last?

Everyone's hair is different, so the length of time your textured look will last will also vary. 

 

But it should last you a good couple of days, or at least until your next hair wash day. Of course, sleeping on your hair will cause it to flatten, but you can always refresh it in the mornings.

 

To reinvigorate your hair, simply dampen your hair again with a water spritzer and reapply your sea salt spray, or run our Hybrid Hair compound through your damp hair to revive the hair texture.

Does Texturising Work on All Types of Men's Hair?

Yes, all types of men's hair can be textured using the right products and techniques. 

 

One of the reasons a textured look is so popular is that it can work on all types of men's hair, even if you don't have a naturally wavy hair type.

 

If you tend to have flat or straight hair, texturising can revive your hair with volume and movement. And it works incredibly well for hiding fine or thinning hair. The volume created by the texture will give your hair a fuller appearance and mask any thinning areas.

 

Even if you have short hair, you can still achieve a textured look.

man texturising his hair
by Africa Images via Canva.com

Achieve a Textured Look Today With Salt Grooming

Adding texture to your hair is an easy and effective way to switch up your look – but it's all about the products and techniques you use. 

 

Follow our stylist's steps above and grab yourself our recommended products for achieving a perfectly textured men's hairstyle today.

 

Head on over to the rest of our blog for more men's haircare advice and styling tips.

FAQs

How Do You Texture Men's Short Hair?

Follow the same steps as you would for texturising long hair, but you may want to use less product. Make sure you really comb through your hair to distribute the sea salt spray or clay evenly and tousle it with your fingers to create texture.

What is the Best Product for Creating a Messy Hair Look?

Sea salt sprays like Marine Mist are one of the best products for achieving a messy hairstyle. Our Marine Mist contains a blend of Atlantic sea salt, vitamin B5 and proteins that create effortless texture and volume, even on straight, flat and fine hair types.

Is Sea Salt Spray or Hair Clay Better for Texturising Hair?

Sea salt spray and hair clay both work well for adding texture to hair, so we wouldn’t say either works better than the other. Hair clay offers a longer hold than sea salt spray, so it is the better choice if you need your hairstyle to stay in place. Sea salt spray is a bit more convenient and only requires a few pumps of product distributed through your hair to create texture. Using the two together gives you the benefits of both.

Piers Le Moignan

Piers Le Moignan is the founder and CEO of Salt Grooming, an award-winning British luxury men’s haircare and styling brand. 


Founded in 2018, Piers has quickly grown the company into a global brand that has distributed to 43 countries and counting.


Headquartered in London, Piers leads an agile workforce of 10 employees and consultants, including the company’s formulation team which features some of the UK’s leading cosmetic scientists. Piers is responsible for overseeing logistics, supply chain, and performance marketing, and is the driving force behind Salt’s product innovation and brand/creative direction. 


Previous to foundership, Piers spent a decade at some of London’s leading creative agencies, developing global brands and communications for the likes of Adidas, Jaguar Land Rover, British Airways, and more.

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