A guy’s guide: how much hair product is too much?

Nail your styling every day with our guy's guide for getting your hair products just right

man smoothing his hair while looking in a mirror

Hands up who sympathised with Ross when Rachel called him out for wearing too much hair gel (yes, we’ve been re-watching every episode since Friends hit Netflix) or when Simon’s mum from The Inbetweeners mocked his over-styled fringe? Getting the right amount of hair product can be tricky – after all, you can’t just wash it off the way you’d wash your hands if you squeezed out too much shaving foam. Overload your hair and you’re looking at hopping back in the shower, and ain’t nobody got time for that. Here’s how much you should really be using…

How much shampoo to use

The amount you use depends on lots of things: how long and thick your hair is, how dirty it is… So, as a rough guide, if your hair is thin or short, a blueberry-sized dollop will do. Thicker, longer, curlier or I’ve-been-at-a-festival-for-a-week-with-no-shower needs more like a walnut size.

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Head & Shoulders Head & Shoulders Men Ultra Total Care 2in1 Shampoo 450ml

How much conditioner to use

Over-condition and your hair will look flat at the roots and appear greasy even when you’ve just washed it. How much you use depends on your hair’s texture and thickness. If it’s fine and floppy, a 5p amount just on the ends will do. Does it feel rougher and tend to be coarse? You’re more of a 50p guy.

50 pence showing how much hair product to use

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How much hair gel to use

This is one of the easiest to get wrong: too little and it won’t give you the hold you want, too much and you’ll look like a bad 90s Peter Andre tribute act. Start small is the rule, and again it’s all to do with your hair type. If you have very short and fine hair, start with a pea-sized amount; if it’s thicker, you can size up to a 20p coin.

Wella Wella Shockwaves Ultra Strong Power Hold Gel 200ml £0.10

How much mousse to use

The airy texture of mousse means you often need more than you’d think. Every single strand of hair should be coated with mousse, which means two golf balls at least, rising to a hat trick if your hair is very thick.

Style Expertise Superdrug Style Expertise Mousse 125ml

How much wax to use

This is the most commonly misapplied product, as just a tiny bit too much wax and your hair will take on chip-pan proportions. You only want wax to define, so go sparingly, starting with the size of a chewing-gum piece, then add more if you think you need it.

Superdrug Superdrug Mens Hair Styling Wax 75ml £2.99

How much serum to use

Yeah, you guessed it – this is also to do with your hair type. Less is more with thinner or finer hair as it’ll soak up the serum and look greasy. Try two grains of rice to start, then double it if your hair is thicker or curly.