UrbanUpdate

We’ve got bad news and good news.

Bad News: You’re probably using too much styler in your hair. In fact, we’re betting on it.

Good News: You can use less! And it saves you money and makes you look better.

Here's the deal: As a principle, the best starting point is a dime-size amount, regardless of which styler you use. It’s small enough that you can add more if necessary. However, we challenge you to use only a dime for a few days to see if you get the same effectiveness with less (thus getting more mileage out of each tub).

With this ten-cent baseline, there are two factors that might alter the amount of product you should use: How much hair you’re working with and the hold (sturdiness) your style demands.

1. How much hair do you have?

More hair = more product: Naturally, guys with thicker or denser hair may need more product to help control things. If the same amount of fiber is applied to two different heads—one with thinning, wispy hair, the other with thick strands and a full head—it’s going to go a lot further with the first guy, since he’s working with far less.

Apply it at the roots: However, always start with the baseline amount—one dime’s worth—and emulsify it evenly in your palms. Then apply it directly to the roots of the hair, which is where you gain control of the style’s direction. This will prevent you from using more product than necessary. With wet-application products like gels, pastes, and creams, try combing the product through your hair; for any dry application, target just the roots, and use any remaining product from the palms to help shape the finished look or tame strays.

Long hair comes with its own rules: Guys with longer hair will only need more product if they are applying it wet (so creams and pastes). For example, if your hair is long enough to be tucked behind your ears, you’ll want to use more styling cream than a guy who wants to effortlessly let his three inches of hair blow freely in the wind. Even if he’s combing the cream through his shorter hair, he can stick with a dime; with your longer hair, you should start with that, then work your way up in small intervals until you land on the right amount.

2. What kind of hold do you want?

More is usually not better: With some products—like gel—using more will get you a higher hold. But for others—like pastes and creams—there's a diminishing return of effectiveness. Adding more doesn't necessarily give you more control.

In that case, try switching products: One thing to keep in mind is that sometimes, instead of using more product to get higher hold, you can use a different product altogether—one with stronger hold in the first place. For example, if you style your hair while it’s still damp, you’ll get higher hold out of a dime size of paste, as opposed to the same amount of cream. The cream will give you a light hold with medium to high shine, and the paste a medium grip with low to medium shine. However, if you use paste in dry hair, a dime-size amount will only give you light hold with low shine, while the same amount of fiber will keep everything firmly under control, with no shine.

Quantity rarely affects shine: If you’re trying to achieve a certain shine with your hair, you should also focus more on the type of product you’re using, instead of the amount of product used. There is always something available that hits your sweet spot of hold and shine, when used properly.

Watch Next: Hair-Product Secrets of GQ Editors

Hair-Product Secrets of GQ Editors

Adam Hurly has been covering men's grooming since 2013 (and for GQ since 2016). He is also a travel writer. In Fall 2024, Adam is launching Blue Print by Adam Hurly, a men's grooming platform. Adam resides in Lisbon (previously Berlin, NYC, and San Francisco). He is a Sioux Falls, SD, native... Read moreWriterInstagramRelated Stories for GQHair