The ‘textured spike’ as well as the ‘cropped sweep’, ‘middle part flow’, ‘messy mane’ and ‘mop top haircut’ are the five hairstyles predicted by TheSalonGuy to be most popular for this season.
TheSalonGuy, aka Stephen Marinaro, is a hairstylist and media personality with 20+ years in the beauty industry, whose highly viewed YouTube channel features hairstyling tutorials, tips and motivational tools. He also has his own line of hair products.
Marinaro describes the ‘textured spike’ as ‘a unique haircut’ that has a fairly tapered side, while the top has a spiked but textured look. He continues: “The key to executing this style is making sure the top of the hair does not look solid. To create the textured spike, use a hair paste or texture powder, which is crucial to get that perfect movement.”
Commenting on the ‘cropped sweep’, Marinaro explains that it is cropped through the sides and back, while leaving the front long. “This style is blended, but there is a severe weight line throughout the haircut. To create the sweep, you want to have the hair hang forward naturally, by brushing through the front, leaving a neat and professional look. It is recommended to use a sea salt spray or leave-in spray to make the overall style more kept.”
The ‘Middle Part Flow’ is parted in the middle while the sides ‘flow’, meaning the hair connects from the top to the bottom. Says Marinaro: “This trend is widely known on social media because it embraces the natural part of men's hair and creates a volumed style. Note, the middle part isn't severe, rather you want to get volume and embrace the natural part of your hair. For prime styling, use a sea salt spray to help hold the hair in place while keeping it natural.”
If men want total freedom with their hair and are constantly running their hands through it, then Marinaro believes the ‘messy mane’ is the look is for them. “Try to make this a textured and volumed style, while also leaving it messy and controlled. The best products for this would be a blow-dry cream or sea salt spray to help leave it layered (i.e. shorter into longer lengths) and controlled.”
The ‘mop top haircut’, which was featured in a recent Salon International newsletter, is proving extremely trendy due to its appearance on social media. According to Marinaro, the key point is to show the tapered sides and back, which can be created using a #3 or #4 guard. It blends into the top back of the hair by keeping the top length 3.5-5 inches long.
“Curls at the top are essential for this look, which can be done by getting a perm to add texture. Having flips or waves in front will keep men trendy and looking like a social media star,” he says.