Men’s haircuts for curly hair

A men’s haircut for curly hair is a cut whose shape the barber builds around the curl pattern: curls shrink as they dry, add volume and sit differently on the crown, temples and nape. So length is taken off with a margin, the shape is finished with scissors, and the silhouette — short, medium or long — is chosen to suit your curl type and face shape.

A men’s haircut for curly hair is a cut whose shape the barber builds around the curl pattern: curls shrink as they dry, add volume and sit differently on the crown, temples and nape. So length is taken off with a margin, the shape is finished with scissors, and the silhouette — short, medium or long — is chosen to suit your curl type and face shape.

Curly hair comes in many forms. There is a loose wave that gets stronger in damp weather, there are defined spirals as thick as a finger, and there are small tight coils that hold their shape even without product. Barbers often describe this with numbers: 2 is wavy, 3 is curly, 4 is very tight coils.

The main catch with curls is shrinkage. A wet strand is noticeably longer than a dry one, and the difference is bigger in tight curls than in waves. A barber who ignores this takes off too much, and you only find out at home once your hair has dried.

The second thing is volume. Straight hair falls down under its own weight; curls grow outwards. Cut them to one length all over and you get a triangle: narrow on top and wide over the ears. A good cut removes weight where it gets in the way and keeps it where it is needed.

Techniques that work on straight hair behave differently here. Heavy thinning breaks up the curl and causes frizz, and cutting wet hair under strong tension gives an unpredictable length. That is why curls get more hands-on scissor work and more shape checks along the way.

Every option comes down to three routes: short with a curly top, medium length with volume, and longer cuts. Below you will find how to pick yours, four examples in photos and links to the detailed crop, fade, undercut and mullet pages.

At Lumberjack this cut is booked as a Men’s Haircut. If your hair is long and the whole shape is done with scissors only, it is a Scissor Cut — your barber will tell you which one you need during the consultation.

Curls are a material with character. They give you what straight-haired men chase with a blow-dryer and product, but you need to know their quirks.

Curls are a material with character. They give you what straight-haired men chase with a blow-dryer and product, but you need to know their quirks.

Most of the downsides disappear with the right cut and a few simple care habits, covered below. Your barber will tell you what suits your curl pattern during the consultation.

Pro: natural volume. The top looks thick without backcombing or strong hold.

Pro: quick styling. Curls do not need to be set with a blow-dryer — product and fingers are enough.

Pro: hides head-shape flaws. Texture masks a flat crown and uneven spots on top.

Pro: stands out. A curly look is easy to spot among identical short cuts.

Con: shrinkage. Dry hair is shorter than wet hair, so cutting takes experience.

Con: frizz. In damp weather or after rubbing with a towel, curls puff up.

Con: the shape spreads. As curls grow they go outwards, and the cut loses its silhouette faster.

Con: not every barber works with curls. A mistake in length shows immediately.

A haircut for curly hair at Lumberjack takes 45–75 minutes, and a full scissor cut takes 50–75 minutes. Here is how the visit goes.

A haircut for curly hair at Lumberjack takes 45–75 minutes, and a full scissor cut takes 50–75 minutes. Here is how the visit goes.

1. Consultation. The barber looks at your curls dry: curl type, density, where the hair grows in a cowlick, how it sits at the temples. He asks how much time you are ready to spend on styling.

2. Base shape. The sides and back are shortened with clippers or scissors, depending on the route you chose: short, medium or long.

3. Top and weight. Curls on the crown are cut with scissors, leaving room for shrinkage and removing extra volume where the head looks wider.

4. Dry check. After washing and drying, the barber sees how the curls have settled and refines the shape — this is when the real length shows.

5. Outline and styling. A trimmer sharpens the neckline and temples, then product and a quick lesson on how to repeat the result at home.

Show your barber a photo from the gallery above or a picture of your own curls on a good day — it is easier to agree on length that way than in words.

No need to worry about hygiene: scissors, combs and clipper guards are cleaned, disinfected and sterilised in closed containers, and the chair and station are wiped down before the next guest.

Every one of the ten Lumberjack barbershops in Kyiv works with curls, seven days a week from 10:00 to 21:00. The price depends on who you book with, from Junior Barber up to Ambassador.