Men's Hair Products: What Makes Them Different?
When you drag yourself into the shower in the morning and grope blindly for the shampoo and conditioner are you squinting through the steam to make sure you are using your own hair products and not those of your spouse or partner? Does it matter which products you use on your hair? Is there a difference between men's and women’s hair care products?
According to hair care experts, there are a few minor differences between the best hair products for men, and those marketed for women, and people should be aware of these small variations before they decide to share.
Differences in Men’s Shampoo
The best hair products for men, such as men’s shampoo, tend to be stronger and more grease-cutting than those for women. Men’s scalps typically exude more natural sebum than women’s, and because it’s presumed that many men have jobs involving more physical labor or exertion than women, and therefore their hair may become dirtier and sweatier, there are slight differences in products intended to clean men’s hair.
For these reasons, men’s shampoo tends to have stronger cleaning agents than women’s products. The best hair products for men are meant to cleanse short hair that is trimmed often, so less care may be taken in protecting and moisturizing hair or promoting hair longevity in their products.
For this reason, men with long hair should consider using products with less soap and detergents, and more moisturizers. Or they can simply share women’s hair care products with their wives or partners. Women’s shampoos and conditioners are formulated to protect, defend, and moisturize long hair in addition to cleaning it.
Another difference in men’s shampoos are the frequency of blending products, such as two-in-one shampoo and conditioner products, and even three-in-one products that are body washes which double (or triple) as shampoo and conditioner. Again, because men typically have shorter hair with more frequent trimming, their hair care products are not formulated for hair protection.
Fragrance is another difference you’ll find between men and women’s shampoo. Women’s hair products are more heavily scented, and men may not find smelling like fruit and flowers appealing. Men’s products tend to be more lightly scented with mint, herbs, sandalwood, pine, and other fragrances considered more typically masculine.
Packaging Differences
Another obvious difference between hair care products targeted for men compared to those of women is that you’ll find much more streamlined packaging with colors that resemble steel or chrome in men’s product lines. You’ll see a lot of gray, black and blue product packaging in the men’s hair care aisles, with shampoo bottles minus the pictures of juicy, squirting fruits or herbs and flowers generally found adorning women’s shampoos. Men’s product packaging is clearly designed to appeal to men for obvious reasons, but there is no reason that women can’t use men’s hair care products if there is one that contains the specific ingredients that she’s looking for.
In fact, the best hair products for men are often less expensive than women’s products and come in larger sizes. Conversely, however, because there are so many more product lines for women than men, it’s easier to find good sale prices and discounts on women’s products than men’s, so there is no reason that a man can’t decide to use a woman’s shampoo and conditioner if there is one that works well for him. Thin hair, for example, may benefit from a men's product with a lot of cleaning power.
The Best Hair Products for Men That Women May Want to Share
Men’s hair holding products like sprays, mousses, and sculpting gels are all about hold, whereas similar products for women tend to offer lift, volume, and similar amenities. If a woman wants to sport a hairstyle that requires strong holding power, using a man’s hair gel or spray may give her an advantage. Men’s products are also great for adding texture to women’s longer hair and can easily be used interchangeably.
Resources— StyleCaster, HuffPost, Quora
About The Author
