How to Create and Style an Undercut Hairstyle for Men | Curated Mint

The undercut is a style that’s gradually becoming more and more integrated into men’s haircuts. With its flattering shape and versatility, it’s something that can work with any hair type and look. In this guide, we’ll show you some of the best undercut hairstyles for men, from strong military cuts to ones that can control and complement your curly hair.

How to Create an Undercut Hairstyle

While we’d always recommend going to a barbers to get your hair cut, if you’re set on creating an undercut yourself then we’d advise getting stocked up on the right products. First off, you’re going to need a quality electric razor with different cut settings, especially if you want to create a fade undercut rather than a disconnected one.

Then, grab yourself a pair of hair scissors and a fine comb. If your hair dries quickly then a spray bottle of water is also a good idea, enabling you to wet your hair and keep it easy to trim. Before that, a good shampoo is a must, and you can’t go wrong with a quality wax or clay to style your hair afterwards.

Men’s Undercut Hairstyles

Military Undercuts for Men

If you’re into simple, unfussy cuts that still have a unique style, then one of the shortest undercuts for men might be right up your street. The military undercut takes shaved sides to the extreme, leaving the hair on the top of your head basking in the spotlight. It’s a fairly intense style, but you can play around with the length to create different contrasts if you want something a little more subtle.

This undercut stands out the most, and you need to have your sides shaved rather than trimmed, making sure the undercut is as short as possible. You can then keep your top short or let it grow out into a long, sweeping fringe. This cut does require a decent amount of upkeep, as you need to keep the sides as short as possible, so if you’ve got a steady hand, getting yourself an electric razor might save you money off the barbers.

Pompadour Undercuts for Men

If the really short undercut isn’t for you then ignore the military side of things and opt for the classier undercut and pompadour style. The pompadour comes in many styles, but the thing that stays the same is, of course, the statement swept back middle. You can make this as bold or subtle as you want, adding wax or hairspray to help add some volume or keeping it neat and classic by smoothing it down with a good hair clay.

Generally, when it comes to a pompadour undercut, you want to keep the sides at a manageable buzzcut length, never going for a bald look like you might with a military cut, while keeping the rest of the hair smoothed back. If your hair does happen to fall out of place, however, you can easily run with it, creating a side swept undercut that has a less structured look.

Side Part Undercuts for Men

If you want to create something a little different with your undercut, then an undercut side parting is a possible option. Undercuts hairstyles for men don’t generally have side partings, so adding one to the mix is a good way of separating yours from the crowd.

Unlike most side partings, that can sometimes create a slightly uneven balance, a side parting with an undercut simply adds in a clean line and helps to direct the hair more easily. If you want to go for this style, your side parting will need to be cut in to ensure that the hair falls properly while still achieving a clean, eye-catching look. You can also try out a side part undercut with a fade, which tapers the edge of the parting to create a softer, less blunt finish.

This is a great undercut for long hair as you can opt for a clean sweep of hair on one side, and counter-act this with short cropped hair on the other. The cut in parting then helps to separate the two sides and make the striking contrast look intentional.

Curly Undercuts for Men

Curly, wavy or just dense hair can be a challenge to control, but the right haircut can really make a difference. Men’s undercut hairstyles tend to focus on straight hair, but, although cutting thick hair short can have its drawbacks, an undercut with curly hair can actually work pretty well.

On top of that, a curly hair undercut can be customised to work with the texture of your hair. If you’ve got hair that only curls when there’s a lot of it, there are plenty of long hair undercuts for men that can work with this. If your hair works better in a short style, that will work as well, and you can create less of a contrast by adding some length to your undercut.

Messy, Textured Undercuts for Men

When it comes to short haircuts for men, a lot of the time it’s how you style it that can really make an impact on the look. A messy undercut that focuses on texture and hold, rather than length and hair type, and is easily achieved with the right products. If you’ve got thin or straight hair then a light wax is enough to create a textured look, while coarse, thick hair might need a clay or heavy duty hairspray to give it dimension.

This is the ideal cut for those of you who don’t want the neatness of the military undercut but might not have the waves to create some of the curly hairstyles. If your hair is easy to manage then you can add in extra details such as shaved in patterns, a short back and sides fade, or even just a fringe to help create a unique look.

How to Create and Style an Undercut Hairstyle for Men

• A military undercut is a striking, high-contrast look that requires minimal styling.
• A pompadour undercut has a longer, sweeping middle section.
• A side part undercut can give more control to thick hair.
• A curly undercut can be long or short and works well in a disconnected style.
• A textured undercut is ideal for thin haired that needs extra volume.

On That Note

Male hairstyles aren’t always that exciting, but an undercut is something that won’t let you down and can easily add some interest to your look, regardless of what hair type you’re dealing with. A long undercut for men can work for curly, coarse hair, while a short, textured one can be perfect for straight hair that needs some more dimension.

Think about how much work you want to put into styling, and what style is going to compliment your hair before you head to the barbers. While there’s an undercut for everyone, but you want to make sure you’re picking the right one first time.

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