40+ Best Curly Hairstyles + Haircuts For Men To Try

By Rich Krafting

Updated:

Curl patterns vary but the best curly haircuts, hairstyles, and products for men are the same. Curly hair is a spectrum from S-shaped waves, ringlet curls, tight coils, to Z-shaped kinky hair. As the curl shape gets tighter, hair tends to be drier and more fragile. That just means you need more conditioner and some special treatment.

Here’s how to take care of curly hair with the right products plus 40 short, medium, and long haircuts and hairstyles.

Curly Hair Products For Men

The best curly hair products for men are designed for textured hair. Curls have different needs for cleansing, conditioning, and hold so above all else, use products made for curly hair. Textured hair tends to be dry so the focus is on adding moisture and oil to hair.

Here’s the low down for the product categories:

Best Curly Hair Shampoo

The purpose of shampoo is more about cleansing the scalp than hair. Some people can get away without shampooing at all and just use water and a scalp massage. That won’t work for oilier scalps though. Here are some different options.

Shampoo For Curly Hair

For hair that doesn’t get greasy overnight, a curl-specific shampoo and conditioner set should work. Look for one that fits your budget and appeals to your nose. Here’s a popular brand.

Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner – This is an affordable cleansing and conditioning set that smooths and moisturizes hair as well as provides UV protection.

Dry Shampoo

The recommendation for curly hair is to only wash once or twice a week. That doesn’t work for everyone though. A dry shampoo soaks up oil at the roots and can add another day between washes. It’s also a way to touch up if you hit the gym at lunch and have to head back to work. Again, pick a product that fits your budget.

Co-Wash

Co-wash, short for conditioner only wash, is a fantastic product designed for curly hair. It won’t strip hair of moisture but even better, has a focus on cleansing the scalp. It can be used every day. A common hair regimen for curly hair is one wash a week with clarifying shampoo to eliminate product and scalp build-up and co-wash the rest of the time.

Co-wash does not always need to be followed up with conditioner, just check the instructions of your product. Conditioner can also be used as a co-wash, which is just a long way of saying skip the shampoo.

Renpure Vanilla Mint Cleansing Conditioner – This non-foaming system replaces shampoo & conditioner. Tea tree and coconut oils freshen the scalp while shea butter and keratin soften and strengthen hair.

Best Conditioner For Curly Hair Men

Conditioner is essential for curly hair. As mentioned above, you can use a conditioning cleanser or conditioner alone. For tighter curls and longer hair, additional moisturizing can help fight frizz and achieve the most defined curls.

Sun Bum Curls & Waves Conditioner – Like their sunscreens, Sun Bum conditioner has a tropical beachy scent. This conditioner softens and defines all types of curls, including wavy and fine hair types.

SheaMoisture Curl and Shine Conditioner – This curl-specific brand can be found almost everywhere these days. This formula is for thick, curly hair. The lightweight formula smooths and conditions hair without weighing it down.

Pomade For Curly Hair

Curly hairstyles usually only need medium hold to reduce frizz and keep hair in place. Formulas with cream or wax are extra moisturizing. Other than that, choose between matte and shiny, or something in between.

Challenger Men’s Matte Cream Pomade – For all-day hold without shine, this is your pomade. It works for short to medium length hairstyles and fine to thick hair. If you’re looking to upgrade from gel or replace American Crew Forming Cream, give this a try.

Smooth Viking Pomade – This water-based formula provides two ounces per tin instead of the usual one ounce. The medium hold and “supreme shine” pomade sets curly hair without getting hard. For a more matte finish, apply a small amount to dry hair. For more shine, apply to wet hair.

18.21 Man Made Hair Paste – This medium hold, medium shine paste combines the properties of hair wax and grooming cream, both of which are excellent for curls. It refines texture, controls frizz, and smooths curls with a semi-glossy finish. The Texas-based product features a Sweet Tobacco scent.

Curly Hair Men

The best haircuts for curly hair men work with the type of curl to bring out texture. This works for short, medium, and long looks. Some guys opt for a curly fade that cuts sides short and concentrates length on top. Longer styles often go for a rounded shape. It’s all up to you. Check out these 40 ways to wear curly hair men.

1. Short Crop Haircut For Curly Hair

Short curly crop fade
John Moore

2. Fringe Haircuts For Curly Hair

Cool crop haircut for curly hair
John Carmona

3. Short Haircuts For Curly Hair With Beard

Short curly haircut with beard
Techneek

4. Curly Hairstyles For Men

Fringe haircuts for curly hair men
Whitney VerMeer

5. Haircuts For Black Men With Curly Hair

Short curly haircut for Black men
Roger Dewayne

6. Short Curly Hair

Short curly hair men
Agustin Aylwin

7. Short Curly Hairstyles For Men

Short curly hairstyles me
Federico Novello

8. Short Fade Haircuts For Curly Hair

Short fade haircut for curly hair men
Errod Cutz

9. Short Curly Hair For Black Men

Short curly hair Black men
Ivanildo Mendes

10. Hairstyles For Guys With Medium-Short Curly Hair

Cool medium-short haircuts for curly hair men
SeeCut Hairstylizh

11. Curly Hair Fade For Black Men

Curly hair Black men fade
Thank Q

12. Drop Fade + Curly Hair

Drop fade haircut for curly hair
Glenn Blackburn

13. Curly Flat Top Fade

Curly flat top fade
Alan Beak

14. Classic Men’s Haircuts

Classic men's haircut
Sur Barbers

Medium Curly Hair Men

Longer hair means more texture. These mediu curly haircuts range can have long bangs or have some length all over. We define medium length as anything below chin length. Check out these cool looks.

15. Medium Length Men’s Curly Hair

Curly crop top fade
Sé De Lux – Peluqueros

16. Curly Crop Fade

Curly crop fade haircut
Sé De Lux – Peluqueros

17. Fringe Over Low Fade Haircut

Long top, short sides curly hair men
SeeCut Hairstylizh

18. Thick Curly Hair + Drop Fade

Thick curly hair men
Ericles Cassiano

19. Afro Haircuts For Curly Hair

Curly afro haircut for men
Daniel P. Barbosa

20. Medium Length Curly Hair For Men

Medium curly hair men
Davidson

21. Nineties Haircuts For Black Men

Curly haircuts for Black men
Kevin Luchmun

22. Curly Mop Top

Curly mop top haircut
Flávio Xavier

23. Medium Length Hairstyles For Black Men With Curly Hair

Curly hair medium length Black men hairstyles
Sheldon

24. Medium Length Curly Fade

Long curly top over mid fade haircut for men
Braid Barbers

25. Long Top, Short Sides Haircut For Curly Hair

Curly mohawk fade
Fabio Castro

26. Curly Fade Haircut From The Front

Curly fade haircut from the front
Fabio Castro

27. Curly Undercut

Curly undercut for men
A the Barb

28. Hairstyles For Thick Curly Hair

Thick curly hair men
Samuel Gons

Long Curly Hair For Men

For maximum curls, keep growing that hair. These haircuts from chin length and longer. Keep scrolling for some ideas for curly hairstyles too.

29. Shoulder Length Curly Hair

Long curly hair men
Matheus Camargo

30. Curly Shag Haircut For Men

Curly shag haircut for men
Erik Van Gils

31. Long Ringlet Curls For Men

Medium length curly hair for men with beard
Evan Germond

32. Bob Hairstyles for Wavy Curly Hair

Wavy curly hair men bob haircut
TTM Management – Matthew Scott

33. Curly Hairstyles With Bangs

Curly haircut for men with bangs
Uros Mikic

34. Low Fade + Long Curly Hair

Long curly hair men with low fade
SeeCut Hairstylizh

How To Style Curly Hair For Men

Sometimes you want to pull curly hair back, whether it’s for athletic activities or hot weather. Here are some cool ways to style curly hair for men.

35. Man Bun + Low Fade

Man bun + low fade
SeeCut Hairstylizh

36. Man Bun + Undercut

Undercut + man bun
Jordan Rutledge

37. Half Up Hairstyle

Ashley Tyler

38. Long Curly Hairstyles For Men

How to style curly hair men
Sé De Lux – Peluqueros

39. Bandana Hairstyles For Curly Hair

Bandana hairstyles for curly hair men
Evan Germond

40. Elastic Comb Hairstyle

Elastic comb hairstyle for curly hair Black men
Derek Garcia

41. Curly Ponytail + Braid

Curly ponytail for men with braid
Sheldon

How To Get Curly Hair For Black Men

The products you use on hair changes the shape of curls. Healthy, moisturized hair will be have a defined shape while dry hair will be frizzy. In addition to plenty of conditioning, here’s how to get curls for Black men.

Start with picked out hair and spritz it with a spray bottle until hair is damp. Work a moisturizing hair with an oil like Wild Growth Hair Oil through hair. Grab a generous amount of a thick conditioner like Cantu Men Leave-In Conditioner. Work it through hair until it feels thoroughly coated. Add more water or conditioner as need.

The last step is a curl pomade like Cantu Men Cream Pomade. Again, scoop out a healthy dollop and work it into hair, rubbing back and forth from root to tip. At this point, the texture of curl should have elongated and separated into ringlet curls. The finished result may be looser or tighter depending on your hair type but this method easily creates curls. Check out this video to watch the transformation.

We use affiliate links and may receive a small commission on purchases. Please read our disclosure.

Related Content

Best pomades fro curly hair

The 7 Best Pomades for Men’s Curly Hair

Curly hairstyles are so popular for men right now that the perm is back. So next ... Read more
Best clay pomade

The Best Clay Pomades For All Hair Types

If you want hair to look like it hasn’t been styled, this is the product for ... Read more
Cool Mexican Hairstyles For Men

33 Ways To Wear Short Sides, Long Top Hair For Men

Most men’s haircuts follow the short sides, longer top formula. These short sides, long top hairstyles ... Read more
popular haircuts for men

50 Popular Men’s Haircuts: Fresh New Styles For 2022

The most popular men’s haircuts include a little bit of everything. That’s why we have 50 ... Read more
kids mohawk fade

Kids Mohawk Haircuts: For Boys + Girls

The mohawk is one of those looks that never goes out of style It works for ... Read more
Permed Mullet

The Permed Mullet Is Back + Better Than Ever

The planets have aligned to bring back one of the greatest hair men’s hair trends of ... Read more
Slicked back hair

Slicked Back Hair

Slicked back hair is one of those classic men’s looks that keeps getting reinvented and never ... Read more

The E-Boy Haircut: What it is and how to get it

Before we get to how to get an e-boy haircut, an e-boy is “a boy who ... Read more

41 Mohawk Haircut Styles That Make A Statement

The mohawk haircut has come a long way from the punk rock style. Punk may be ... Read more
Curly tape up haircut

21 Ways To Wear A Tape Up Haircut

Let’s start by answering the question, “what is a tape up haircut?” Tape up is another ... Read more

17 Fresh + Modern Spiky Hair Styles + Haircuts

Spiky haircuts and hairstyles are one of the top men’s hair trends. Like other long-lived looks, ... Read more
South of France hairstyle

15 Ways To Wear The South Of France Haircut

The South of France haircut, also known as the gentleman’s mohawk, is one of those instant ... Read more