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The Best Men's Hair Brands On Earth (According To Esquire Editors)

Photo credit: Triumph & Disaster, Oliver J Woods, Murdock
Photo credit: Triumph & Disaster, Oliver J Woods, Murdock

From Esquire

You want the best. And heck, you deserve the best. But there's a lot of choice out there, and sometimes the best is hard to find. Fortunately, we know where to find it. Every week, the Esquire editors reveal their favourite brands, from under-the-radar steals to luxury loves, so you can invest in the best clothes, watches and accessories that money can buy.

This week, the stuff that'll ensure you have a good hair day, every day.


Photo credit: Ruffians
Photo credit: Ruffians

Ruffians

Tom Banham, Digital Editor

SHOP

"I haven't had my hair cut by a professional in 2020, having taking advantage of lockdown to grow out a self-inflicted (and ill-judged) buzzcut. That last trim was at Ruffians, the wonderful, Edinburgh-born barbering chain to whom I've entrusted my hair for the last six years. In that time they've launched an excellent line of hair products, which have been a balm while I've been barred from their scissors and hair clippers.

"As my mop's expanded, I've moved through the range, from matt clay to keep it in shape when it was short and wispy, to hair cream once my double crown started to stick up, and finally to the sea salt spray, which creates an illusion of just-been-catching-waves volume now that it's all thatchy. Being a paranoid sort, I've still not booked an actual trim. Fortunately for me (although not for Ruffians' barbers) its products are so good that I might not need one for a while."


Photo credit: Murdock
Photo credit: Murdock

Murdock

Charlie Teasdale, Style Director

SHOP

"I get my hair cut at Murdock and am regularly blown away by how good the products are. I love the Quince & Oakmoss shampoo, and the sea salt spray, which is so good we included it as one of eight hero products in the new Esquire Grooming Box. Hair Play is a great styling product, as is the pomade, and I quite often mix the two together to get the reworkable nature of the former and the shine and hold of the latter.

"The best product, though, is the Beard Moisturiser. Applied post-shave, it serves to calm the skin and leave the hair soft, and it smells great. (And if you go to Murdock in Covent Garden, ask for Adonis)."


Photo credit: Beast
Photo credit: Beast

Triumph & Disaster

Dan Choppen, Fashion Assistant

SHOP

"I have been on a long, long journey to find the best pomade. My ventures have taken me far and wide, exploring all gloopy, nice-smelling corners of the men’s haircare world. Thankfully, Triumph & Disaster have finally put an end to this cruel task with their Fibre Royale.

"For me, it is the best pomade about. They use a soothing blend of beeswax, argan oil and kawakawa (it’s a real thing, I promise) to mould your hair, but also to help treat the scalp (very important), and not leave it all dry and sad (very bad). It’s a balancing act between strong hold and low volume and delivers a natural, shine-free look. Oh, and it's natural and sustainable."


Photo credit: Oliver J Woods
Photo credit: Oliver J Woods

Oliver J Woods

Finlay Renwick, Deputy Style Editor

SHOP

"At this stage it feels like I’ve tried every clay, wax, pomade, oil and hair concoction in the known universe (or at least the wider Hackney area). A bit of Baxter of California, some Triumph & Disaster and Le Labo, all extremely good and luxurious options, but I think I may have recently found my forever clay and haircare range (is that… a thing?). It’s by Oliver J Woods, a celebrity hairdresser (he has neck tattoos and everything) who has chopped, sheared and trimmed the great and good of London’s highest council tax bracket for decades.

"A couple of years ago he created his own haircare and grooming range and it’s a hit. The cedar and sandalwood shampoo? Divine. The perilla oil? A beard and hair softening essential. Slap it on your face in place of daily moisturiser; dunk your head in it. My personal favourite is the Abyssinian clay. A gentle matte effect with natural ingredients and just the right amount of hold. It is truly The Good Stuff. All of these winning ointments are housed in elegant black packaging with slightly off-centre font. It works well, it smells good and it looks great on your sink."


Photo credit: Amazon
Photo credit: Amazon

Johnny's Chop Shop

Nick Pope, Deputy Digital Editor

SHOP

"As a teenager I battled against my wavy mop on the daily. My weapons? A Babyliss mini straightener and a tin of Dax wax, a thick, bacon grease-like gunge that is, somehow, simultaneously sticky and slippery. It made me look like a Bugsy Malone heavy, and feel like I was wearing a motorcycle helmet, but it was the only industrial-strength substance that could do the job. It tamed the beast.

"Little did I know that I was the beast all along. I’ve since learned to embrace my waves, and the first step in that journey was finding a hair product that made them flourish. After much searching (of my soul and Superdrug), I landed upon Johnny Chop Shop’s matt paste: light enough that it doesn’t weigh hair down, but sturdy enough to maintain shape and provide texture. A game changer, in other words."

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