Men's Hair Care

Hairdressing aids, from new nonalcohol (and less drying) mousses and finemisting nonaerosol pump sprays to neutral or natural-color gels, are more popular than ever, the look is decidedly unfussy and masculine. Use dressings to add sheen, hold and volume to the basic, unpretentious cut. Bizarre colors and spikes are out, and harsh cuts are giving way to softer, more organic styles. That's great news for young lawyers, businessmen and other professionals who want to be up to date without feeling ridiculous.

With this ground-swell emphasis on the natural as opposed to the severe contrivances of recent years, the trick is to keep a cleancr look compelling. That calls for well-defined lines with some texture for a romantic touch.

Determine your basic face shape and then play up your assets and downplay your weak points. For example, if you have a very round face, an asymmetrical cut may best break up that unrelenting line. A wide face should have height on top for a sense- of upsweep, and a weak chin would benefit from a short-cropped beard. Long faces and long noses need a cut that bevels out and away from the ears to add fullness to the sides, and a mustache may add a desirable horizontal line to the excessively vertical face.

> Stick to a faux part, or off-center line. Avoid severe demarcations or center parts.

>Sideburns can be aging. Keep them short-but not too short.

> Don't be afraid of shorter styles if your ears stick out. Instead of keeping hair long enough to cover them, opt for a cut that adds texture and volume above them.

>Check out styles in magazines and then consult your stylist on how those looks might fit your face shape, occupation and personality.

While men generally want to avoid artificial highlights-the frosted look-some are using low-lighting for anti-aging cosmetic effects. The best candidates for this treatment are light-haired men, with slightly darker colors used to add depth or to play up hair that otherwise might be invisible in a thinning area. The hair stylist weaves patches of color directly onto the hair, using foil. Color should last from a few weeks to a few months, depending upon the formula used and your hair's absorbency.

Forget about over-all tinting is a way to cover gray. It's unflattering and unnecessary. A more sophisticated method is to have your stylist weave your natural color through the hair, allowing some gray to remain as a highlight. The result is subtle and organic while giving depth and texture.