Our Guide To The Best Curly Hairstyles For Men

Long live the lion’s mane. Indeed, curly locks can be seen adorning the heads of men throughout time: from Michelangelo’s David through to contemporary celebrities like Jason Mamoa. Oh, and like all the Jonas brothers, among other glitterati.

Whether you’ve got short, medium, or long locks, you’re sure to find the best curly hairstyles for men right here.

What you need to know

• Curly hair needs a little more TLC than its straighter counterparts. But no worries, it’s much less upkeep than a fade. With the right hair styling products, and a few minutes in the morning, you’ll rock the handsome tumbling barnet you’ve been dreaming of.
• Curls are naturally drier, so curly hair needs more nourishing care. Long waves fare best with lots of moisture to keep them from frizzing up—medium curls: likewise, and shorter curls require a slick of gel or cream to keep them defined.

If you need a little help styling your hair, these are the most popular hair care products for men right now:

Not sure curly is your vibe? Take a look at our guides to taper fades for men for other ideas.

Curly Hair With A Quiff

Wavy Hair With A Fringe

Short Afro Curly Cut

Long Curly Hairstyle

Slicked Back Wavy Style

Modern Curly Hair With Tapered Undercut

Messy Curly Quiff

Wavy Drop Fade

Heavy Angular Fringe

Curly Hair With A Pompadour

Curly Skin Fade

Long Messy Curls

Extra-short Curls

Medium Curly Quiff

Bowl Cut Wavy Hair

Curly Slicked Back Style

Short Messy Style

Long Afro Style

Tousled Top With Short Sides

Textured Curls With Undercut

Curved Fade With Curls

Curls Faded Undercut

Side-swept Curls

Curls Brushed And Textured

Curly Fringe Style

Loose Wavy Hair With Undercut Fade

Curly Hairstyle With Beard

Side Part With Curly Hair

Gradual Fade With Styled Curls

Fade With Sideburns And Beard

Fancy Curls With Tapered Design

Shaggy Curls And Fringe

Rusty Waves And Curls

Curly Top With Pointy Line Up

Classic Taper And Scissor Crop

High Volume Curls

Fine Faded Side With Dyed Curls

Fine Curls With Vivid Mid Fade

Curly Top With Sharp Low Fade

Curls With Cuts

Sleek Temple Fade With Short Curls

Bowled Round Curly Top

Intense Curls With Subtle Widow’s Peak

Curled Top With Clear Mid Fade

Curly Taper Fade

Intense Short Curls With Crystal Mid Fade

Tight Curls And Drop Taper

Temple Fade With Curled Top

Different Shades Of Blonde

Highlighted Curl With High Fade

Short Fohawk With Lineup

Undercut Curls With Sleek Fade

Medium Fade And Curly Top

Wet Curls With Clean Line Up

Shiny Thick And Small Curls

Dense But Controlled Curls

Front Curls With Side Fade

Tapered Bed Head On Wavy Hair

Curly Short Crop And Taper

Curly Top With Controlled Volume

High Blob Top With Low Fade

Dense Curls With Fancy Neckline

Casual Curls Top With Tapered Sides

The Golden Curls

Overloaded Curls With Thin Hair

Brush That Curl Up

Wet Dyed Curled Top With Low Fade

Tousled Wavy Hair

Short Curled Mullet

Short Afro Curls With Temple Fade

Messy Curled Shag

Thin Hair And Thin Curls Are The Best

Thin Hair Curly Shag

Spring Rolled Blonde Thin Curls

Semi Wavy Textured Side Part

Fancy Curled Mullet With Side Patterns

Medium Curled Side Brush Up

Mid Part Curled Up Shag

Medium Curls With Christ Fade

Short Tight Brushed Up Curls

Curled Brush Up With Mid Hard Part

Less Maintenance Curled Mess

Thin Side Parted Short Curled Brush Up

Thin Afro Curled Top With Drop Fade

Thick Curls With Retro Touch

Drop Taper With Beard Blend

Curly Brushed Up Shag

Thin Dense Curls With Tapered Sides

Stylish Curly Mess

Messy Curled Side Brushed Shag

Trendy Curled Top And Mid Fade

Round Curl Shag With Blonde Thin Hair

Dusty Rugged Curled Toss

Thin Wavy Shag

Dense Curled Shag With Temple Undercut

Forehead Falling Medium Curls

Thin Curled Strands With Rusty Blonde Dye

Big Curls Shag With Undercut Taper

Rusty Blonde Highlights With Curled Top

Subtly Mid Parted Curled Mess

Layered Curled Shag

Men’s curly hairstyles tips: How to maintain curly hair?

Make no mistake: a full hair of curly hair is simply irresistible. Not to mention, not everybody is blessed with bouncy waves (or any hair at all!); so, if you’re one of the lucky ones, we implore you to make the most of it. Wondering what to do with curly hair? Guys with maintenance on the mind, read on:

Save the shampoo

Be sparing with your shampoo: Yep, when it comes to washing, less *is *more. Instead of stripping your hair of its natural oils on the daily, simply spritz a good dry shampoo throughout your roots for quick refresher.

Let us be clear: we’re not advising against showering every day (unless your goal is authentic caveman), but just limit the shampoo to (at most) every other day to keep those tresses in tip-top condition. This applies to long, medium, and short curly hair, no matter how tight or lose your ringlets.

Oil up

Just as your facial forestry demands a good beard oil, so does your curly hair. Pick up a nourishing hair oil, and work it through your locks for an instant moisture injection. This is particularly important for thick, curly hair, since it tends to dry out quicker. Use hair oil after washing your hair, and incorporate a weekly hair mask into your routine for extra hydration points.

Go lightweight

Guys with thinner (or thinning) curly hair, heed our advice. When you’re selecting hair products, opt for lightweight mousses, creams, and gels. Curly hair is a sucker for weighing down, which can create an imbalanced aesthetic (read: flat roots contrasting with wild, frizzy ends—so unless ‘never-ending monsoon season and no access to shampoo’ is your desired look, it’s not cool, friends).

Trim, trim

While longer curls can get away with less frequent barber trips, you’ll still need to show up every now and then to snip those splits. Look sharp, short, and mid-length curls: you’re not exempt; no matter the length, you rely on those ringlets looking healthy, nourished, and split-end-free, so book a monthly (or so) snip and blow-dry at your barber to stay on top.

And finally? Don’t leave your self-care with hair. Nothing works better with tumbling locks than clear, healthy skin, and a spritz of fragrant cologne.

Stay in style: our quick tips

Now you’ve got your locks as healthy as can be, the next phase is: styling. The good news? It’s as easy as pie and won’t eat into your morning.

Long curls: Long curly hair is super versatile, especially if it’s on the longer side. Tie it up, go man-bunned, or wear those locks loose for a Greek god vibe (it was cool then, and it’s cool now, we promise).

Medium curls: Keep your curls neat and slick by using a mattifying wax or gel after showering. While your hair is damp, distribute it from roots to ends for defined, shiny locks.

Short curls: Number one rule? Keep it trimmed, lest you begin to resemble a certain Frodo Baggins. However, aside from regular trims, you can simply rustle a touch of curl-defining product throughout to keep those curls from merging together.