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You’re a busy man. You’ve got places to be, people to see, and a million other things you’d rather be doing than standing in front of the bathroom mirror styling your hair each morning. But you’re also a man who takes pride in his appearance, so leaving the house looking like you’ve just rolled out of bed isn’t exactly the vibe you’re going for either.
What you need, my friend, is a haircut that does the work for you. Something you can wake up with, run your hands through and head out the door.
Of course, anyone who’s ever walked out of a barber shop with a fantastic haircut only to wake up the next morning looking like a different person knows some styles require a little more effort than they initially let on.
And according to Dean Robertson of Beef’s Barbers in Melbourne, the secret sauce to finding a low-maintenance men’s haircut isn’t chopping it all off, but working with what you’ve got. As he puts it, “A good haircut should do most of the work for you.”
So, for the guys who want to look good with very little effort, we’ve rounded up the best low-maintenance men’s haircuts, with expert guidance from Robertson on which styles suit different hair types, how often they’ll need a trim and what to tell your barber if styling your hair is literally the last thing you want to do.
Which Low-Maintenance Haircut Is Best for Your Hair Type?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of each haircut, here’s a quick rundown of which styles work best for different hair types.
| Hair type | What works best | What to avoid |
| Straight hair | A short crop, crew cut or simple natural shape | Cutting the crown or cowlicks too short, which can make them stick up |
| Wavy hair | A slightly longer cut that allows the waves to settle naturally | Going so short that the hair loses its natural movement |
| Curly hair | A balanced shape with enough length for curls to form | Assuming shorter hair will automatically be easier to manage |
| Fine hair | A cut that retains enough weight to create the appearance of fullness | Excessive thinning, which can make the hair look even finer |
| Thick hair | A well-shaped cut with some carefully removed bulk | Over-thinning, which can leave the hair fluffy and difficult to control |
| Thinning hair | A short crop, crew cut or buzz cut | Growing longer sections purely to disguise thinning areas |
The biggest thing to remeber? Work with the hair you’ve got, not the hair you wish you had. Because while that textured crop might look fantastic on the guy sitting next to you at the barber, there’s no guarantee it’ll behave the same way on your head. Your hair’s natural texture, thickness and growth patterns all play a part in how much effort you’ll need to put in every morning.
What Makes a Haircut Low-Maintenance?
Before you march into your local barber and demand the shortest haircut possible, know this: a haircut that’s easy to style isn’t necessarily one that’s easy to maintain.
“There’s low maintenance at home, and there’s low maintenance between appointments. They’re different things,” says Robertson.
Take a skin fade, for example. Yes, you can wake up, do absolutely nothing to your hair and head out the door looking pretty sharp. But give it a couple of weeks and that crisp fade you paid good money for starts looking a little less crisp. This means another trip to the barber, another chunk out of your Saturday and another $50 or so disappearing from your bank account.
A slightly longer scissor cut, on the other hand, might require a quick run-through with your fingers in the morning, but it can grow out much more naturally without needing constant attention.
And then there’s the matter of your hair type. Whether it’s straight, wavy, curly, fine, thick or blessed with a cowlick, the best haircut is one that works with your natural texture rather than forcing it into submission every morning.
6 Best Low-Maintenance Men’s Haircuts
Now that we’ve established that shorter doesn’t always mean easier, let’s get into the haircuts themselves. These are the styles Robertson recommends for men who’d rather spend their mornings doing just about anything other than styling their hair.
1. Textured Crop
Best for: Straight or slightly wavy hair, particularly if it naturally falls forward.
If your hair has a habit of falling over your forehead no matter how many times you push it back, perhaps it’s time to stop fighting it.
A textured crop is a great option for guys who want something neat without looking too polished. Textured crops typically feature shorter back and sides, with a little more length and texture through the top and a fringe that falls naturally towards the forehead.
And because the whole idea of the cut is to embrace a slightly tousled finish, you don’t need every strand sitting in exactly the right place for it to look good.
Robertson recommends a short crop for men with straight hair, although it’s important to pay attention to the crown and any cowlicks. Cut those areas too short, and you could end up with an annoying alfalfa.
When it comes to styling a texture crop, you can easily get away with towel-drying your hair and letting it settle naturally. Or, if you want a little extra texture, a quick spritz of sea salt spray and a tousle of your hair is all you need.
2. Crew Cut
Best for: Straight hair, or men who prefer a clean-cut appearance
The crew cut has been around for decades, and there’s a reason it’s a favourite among men: it’s neat, uncomplicated and doesn’t need any styling products to look presentable.
Unlike a buzz cut, which keeps the hair uniformly short or close to it, a crew cut leaves a little more length on top, usually tapering shorter towards the back and sides.
That extra length gives the haircut some shape, meaning you can still look like you’ve put a bit of effort into your hair without having to, well, put much effort into your hair.
Robertson says it’s his go-to cut for guys who want something easy to manage, particularly those with straight hair.
The only thing to consider is how often you’re willing to visit the barber. A crew cut with very short, sharply tapered sides will start losing its definition as it grows, whereas a slightly softer finish can buy you a little more time between appointments.
As for styling? A quick comb or run-through with your fingers is about as complicated as it gets.
3. Buzz Cut
Best for: Men who want virtually zero daily styling and aren’t afraid to go short.
If you’re serious about eliminating your morning hair routine altogether, allow us to introduce the buzz cut. With the hair clipped short all over, there’s no parting to perfect and no chance of waking up with a hairstyle that looks completely different from the one you went to bed with. It’s also a popular cut for guys dealing with thinning hair or a receding hairline.
Robertson says it’s a great option for men who are comfortable going that short, although it’s important to remember that not all buzz cuts are the same. For example, you can opt for an extremely close shave or leave a little more length for a softer, less fierce appearance.
And while a buzz cut might be the undisputed champion when it comes to low maintenance men’s haircuts, keeping it looking sharp is another story. It’s a hairstyle you’ll need regular trims for if you want to maintain that freshly clipped look.
4. Natural Scissor Cut
Best for: Men who prefer a little length, want a softer finish or want less upkeep
Here’s a cut for the guys who don’t want to go too short but also have no desire to spend their mornings with a round brush and a blow-dryer.
A natural scissor cut is a haircut shaped with scissors rather than relying heavily on clippers, with enough length left to follow the way your hair naturally sits. And according to Robertson, it can be one of the best options for men who want to stretch out the time between appointments.
“A slightly longer scissor cut can grow out more softly and need less upkeep,” he explains.
Unlike a sharp fade, which starts losing its definition as soon as the hair grows back, a well-executed scissor cut is usually a little more forgiving as the weeks go by.
The trick is making sure your barber understands how your hair behaves when you haven’t spent ten minutes styling it. You might need to tidy it up with your fingers in the morning, but that should be about the extent of your responsibilities.
5. Natural Wavy Cut
Best for: Men with naturally wavy hair who want to make the most of their texture.
Some men spend a small fortune on styling products trying to achieve that perfectly imperfect, just-got-back-from-the-beach hair. Meanwhile, some men are naturally blessed with such waves. If this is you (congrats), the trick is knowing when to leave it alone.
“With wavy hair, I often leave a bit more length so the wave can settle naturally,” Robertson explains. “That movement is already there, so use it.”
Rather than asking your barber to cut everything short, leave a little length through the top and fringe so your waves have room to fall naturally. Depending on your hair, that might mean a slightly messy fringe, a layered cut or a longer top with trimmed sides.
And while there’s nothing wrong with using product to bring out the texture, you shouldn’t need to spend half your morning trying to create movement that’s already there.
Robertson suggests Beef’s Sea Salt Hair Spray if you want a little extra texture and that slightly tousled, next-day-hair finish.
6. Short Curly Cut
Best for: Men with naturally curly hair who want an easy-to-manage shape without sacrificing their curls.
If you’ve got curly hair, you’ve likely been told before that cutting it shorter will make your life easier. Unfortunately, anyone who’s ever gone a little too enthusiastic with the clippers will know that’s not always the case.
“For curls, it’s about getting the shape right and leaving enough length for the curl to form,” Robertson explains. “Shorter isn’t automatically easier.”
In other words, chopping everything off might leave you with a haircut that’s harder to manage. Instead, ask your barber to work with your natural curl pattern, leaving enough length for the curls to form while removing weight where needed.
And while curly hair often needs more attention than straight hair, a good haircut should mean you’re not spending every morning trying to force your curls into submission.
A little leave-in conditioner or curl cream may help your curls look their best, but there’s no reason you should need to reach for the blow-dryer every day.
What to Tell Your Barber if You Hate Styling Your Hair
As soon as you sit down in the barber’s chair, the best thing you can do is be upfront about how much time you’re willing (or not willing) to spend styling your hair.
“Tell us exactly that. ‘I don’t use a hairdryer, I don’t want to style it, and I want something that sits well on its own’,” he says.
Simple enough, right? He also recommends being honest about how often you’re realistically going to return for a trim.
“A haircut that needs tidying every fortnight isn’t the right choice if we’re only going to see you every six weeks,” he adds.
And don’t be afraid to admit that you’re not interested in styling products, if that’s the case. Some guys are happy to spend 30 seconds working a little clay through their hair, while others would prefer to do absolutely nothing.
Your barber can work with either, provided they know what they’re dealing with.
“There’s no point giving you a haircut that only looks right after we’ve spent ten minutes styling it!”
So, next time you’re in the chair, just be honest with your barber. You’ll definitely end up with a haircut that’s much better suited to your lifestyle than whatever photo you saved from Instagram five minutes before your appointment.
FAQs
A buzz cut is one of the easiest haircuts to manage on a daily basis because there’s virtually nothing to style. However, you’ll still need regular trims to keep it looking sharp. If you’d rather visit the barber less frequently, a natural scissor cut that grows out softly might be a better option.
A short crop, crew cut or natural scissor cut can all look good with little to no styling, provided the haircut works with your natural hair texture and growth patterns. For men with wavy or curly hair, leaving a little extra length can also help the hair fall into place without much effort.
The best haircuts for thinning or receding hair are typically a crop, crew cut or buzz cut, depending on where the hair is thinning. Rather than growing longer sections to disguise sparse areas, the aim is to create a shape that looks good without needing constant styling.
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