GROOMING TIPS

5 TRENDING HAIRSTYLES FOR 2019

By Chris Sayer, 8 February 2019

With the help of Denis Robinson, Creative Director at award-winning British barber supremos Ruffians, we hereby decree these five hairstyles to be big, real big, this year…

A picture of a man with a brushed buzz hairstyle.

The brushed buzz

A favourite of modern hair lord Zayn Malik, the brushed buzz takes an age-old hairdo and brings it right up to 2019 with a small but impactful tweak.

‘The buzz is a classic,’ says Denis. ‘But this style leaves a slightly longer top, and, when groomed with a dry-finish product, is perfect for any guy looking for some variety with their short hair. Ask your barber for a demi-buzz, sheared tight on the back and sides, with 1cm left up top. You can square the corners off, but I prefer them rounded.’

Best of all, keeping this look fresh is dead simple. If your hair’s on the finer side, hit it with a hairdryer to fluff it up, then apply a matt clay. For thicker hair, towel it and apply a tiny amount of styling paste when it’s totally dry.

A picture of a man with a scissors short hairstyle.

The scissor short

Scissor cuts are breaking through the recent all-powerful trend for striking bladed fades, and, thanks to well-groomed leading men like Luke Evans, are regaining their place on the barber’s station in 2019.

‘Guys wanting to stand out from the pack will be clamouring for this,’ Denis predicts. ‘A scissor cut looks sharp, but also adds a touch of dapper elegance to shorter hair. It’s achieved with a soft scissor taper with soft edges, a scissor-over-comb around the back and sides, and a longer-than-a-finger length on top.’

At home, salt spray is your friend. Apply before you dry for a little lift, then add either a matte, demi-matte or high-shine finish depending on your preference.

A picture of a man with a high and groomed hairstyle.

The high'n'groomed

If your ‘do was marching to the drumbeat of the French Crop renaissance at the end of 2018, then listen close – this one’s for you. This year sees a tidying up of that style, with a return to a neat sweeping of the top away from the forehead.

‘Go high, tight and sharp on the back and sides, mixed with length on top,’ Denis suggests. ‘Then, you have the choice of a hard part or a soft blend.’

Keep your smart part in place with an application of paste after a towelling. This’ll add texture in all the right places and break it up a touch.

A picture of a man with mid-length hair.

The heart-throb mid-length

Pull out a shot of man-of-the-moment Timothée Chalamet from pretty much any magazine right now and thrust it into your barber’s hands if you want to dodge the short-and-sharp trend and make a big statement with your longer, fuller hair.

‘You’re after all-round classic square layers with this style,’ says Denis. ‘Make sure you keep some of the weight in there – this one’s all about volume – and ask for a precision cut.’

And you’ll keep that volume turned all the way up by rubbing a volume cream into the roots with your fingers, to give your locks a sense of soft movement.

A picture of a man with a curtain hairstyle.

Pictures: Getty Images

Remember when the classic curtains of the 90s boyband made a massive reappearance two years back? Well, they’re here again, this time with a way looser feel.

‘It’s all about looking casual, effortless and low maintenance with your curtains in 2019,’ advises Denis. ‘Go for a softly graduated structure with textured layers throughout.’

True to form, this look doesn’t require too much to maintain. Work a small amount of pomade into well-towel-dried hair before running a hairdryer through it. Then it’s all about softly styling in those textures. Take a bit of time with this – too groomed and you’ll come across more geeky than cool.