With men’s hairstyles shifting from fades and tapers to soft, longer looks, we asked long-haired barber Vincent Quinn from Hard Grind Dundee to give his top tips on how to grow out your hair properly.
“Growing out your hair is first and foremost an exercise in patience and it’s not as simple as you might think,” says Vincent, who was crowned as Scotland’s Best Barber for 2017. “It will require many weeks of dedication, regular trips to the barbershop and a period of time will pass when you hate how your hair looks. But persevere and you will have the long flowing locks you’ve always wanted,” added Vincent, who is also an ambassador for The Bluebeards Revenge male grooming brand.
If you’re struggling to grow out your hair, read Vincent’s expert tips below!
Find a barber who specialises in scissor work
Barbers are best known for cutting men’s hair into short, spicy styles. But with the trends changing, many have had to improve their scissor work in order to cope with longer looks. If you want to grow your hair out, make sure you seek the help of a barber with impeccable scissor skills. Try checking out a barber’s social media pages to see what sort of styles they cut; look out for an abundance of longer cuts as this will show competence with scissors.
Get your hair cut regularly
I know it sounds completely counterproductive, but stay with me as regular cuts at the barbershop are essential if you wish to grow your hair out successfully.
The shape of your hair has to be worked into something balanced to keep the length between the sides and neckline even. Removing split ends will also help to speed up the growing process.
This is even more important when you remember that the hair growing at the neckline is usually about two inches lower than the hair growing around the ears. So, if left to grow without regular reshaping, you’ll be rocking a turbo mullet of doom before long!
Take the weight out of your hair
At some point throughout this process your hair will inevitably start to drive you absolutely insane – it will become impossible to style and feel super bulky. Most men sack off the idea of growing their hair at this point which is a shame because it’s easily overcome. Ask your barber to remove some of the weight from your hair during your next visit – it will instantly become easier to work with and feel a lot less unbearable.
Look after your hair
All of the advice above is pointless if you’re not looking after your hair at home. Hair care is so important for long locks, so make sure you’re using a high-quality shampoo and conditioner on a regular basis to keep your hair moisturised and smooth.
It’s also worth investing some cash into a hair product that suits the style you want to achieve – I’d suggest a sea salt spray for a natural, textured look with enough hold to keep your long hair in check.
