I’ve been lucky enough to serve my good friend and client, Al, for the past 30 years now. Through the years, I’ve watched his hair change from dark brown to grey. Although Al has always been a “no color for me” man, the time has come for me, as his stylist, to take charge. After all, men’s hair coloring is not a big secret anymore. I opt for a grey blend as a compromise between natural grey and full on color. This involves choosing a color that is only one or two shades darker than Al’s fully grey color—it’s an extremely easy way of dropping a couple of years from his look without any drastic changes.

Al asks me about men’s hair care products – it seems the “men’s product revolution” has caught up with us all. Today, most men stick with products that they love and will only switch it up when they’re disappointed with their hair’s performance. That’s when my job as a stylist becomes even more important. Since most men don’t like sticky, greasy, or flaky products, I like to point them in the right direction. A dry pomade is a favorite, so I often recommend Paul Mitchell Dry Wax ($16.19, Regis Salons). It gives just the right amount of texture and hold and has a clean-feeling to it. Then, for the end of the day, use a good shampoo to cleanse any product out of your hair before bed. I like Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo ($12.59, Regis Salons); Not only does it contain natural tea tree oil (called melaleuca), peppermint and lavender, but it smells great.