Looking for a hairstyle that’s bold without going full mohawk? The faux hawk might be exactly what you’re searching for. This versatile haircut offers the edgy appeal of a mohawk but with a more wearable, everyday approach that works for professional settings and casual outings alike.
We’ve seen the faux hawk evolve from its punk rock origins into a mainstream men’s style that suits various face shapes, hair types, and personal aesthetics. From celebrities to everyday trendsetters, men everywhere are embracing this adaptable look that can be styled dramatically for nights out or toned down for the office.
The Evolution of Faux Hawk Haircuts for Men
The faux hawk has undergone important transformations since its inception, evolving from a rebellious statement to a sophisticated style choice. Originally emerging as a toned-down version of the mohawk in the late 1990s, this versatile cut has continuously adapted to contemporary fashion trends while maintaining its edgy essence. Punk rockers first popularized the mohawk, but the faux hawk made this dramatic style more accessible to mainstream audiences by softening its extreme features.
David Beckham played a pivotal role in catapulting the faux hawk into the spotlight during the early 2000s, making it a globally recognized men’s hairstyle. His iconic interpretation featured shorter sides with a prominent central strip that wasn’t fully shaved like a traditional mohawk. Fashion-forward celebrities soon followed suit, experimenting with various lengths, textures, and styling techniques that contributed to the cut’s widespread appeal.
Modern faux hawks have embraced diversity, incorporating elements from other popular styles like undercuts, fades, and textured crops. Barbers now offer countless variations, from subtle workplace-appropriate versions to bold weekend-ready interpretations that showcase personal style. The contemporary faux hawk typically features graduated sides rather than the stark contrast seen in earlier iterations, creating a more blended, sophisticated silhouette.
Styling techniques have evolved alongside the cut itself, moving beyond simple spikes to include pompadour-inspired volume, textured waves, and even curly variations. Products used for styling have also transformed, with modern men opting for matte pastes, sea salt sprays, and texturizing powders instead of the stiff gels associated with early faux hawks. This progression demonstrates how the faux hawk continues to reinvent itself while remaining relevant across different eras of men’s grooming.
10 Most Popular Faux Hawk Haircuts for Men in 2023
Classic Short Faux Hawk
The Classic Short Faux Hawk offers a timeless approach to this versatile style. Short sides with a slightly longer strip running from front to back create a balanced silhouette that works for most face shapes. Ample layering gives this cut its sharp yet slightly messy appearance, making it easy to style and maintain. The side hair remains just a tad shorter than the top section, creating a uniform look that’s both professional and fashion-forward.
Textured Messy Faux Hawk
Texture takes center stage in the Messy Faux Hawk variation, perfect for men seeking an effortlessly stylish appearance. Sea salt spray and texture powder enhance the natural movement of the hair, creating dimension without looking overdone. This deliberately undone style works exceptionally well for those with naturally wavy or thick hair. Styling requires minimal effort—just apply product to damp hair and tousle with your fingers for an instant boost of casual confidence.
Fade Faux Hawk Combination
Combining a faux hawk with fade techniques creates a striking contrast that’s incredibly popular. Low fades, high fades, and taper fades all pair beautifully with the longer top section of a faux hawk. This combination adds definition and structure while maintaining the edgy appeal of the traditional style. Fade variations allow for personalization based on how dramatic or subtle you want your transition to be from the sides to the top.
Undercut Faux Hawk
Undercut Faux Hawks feature dramatically short or shaved sides with longer, textured hair on top. This bold style removes bulk while maintaining impressive volume, making it particularly suitable for men with thick hair. Maintenance proves surprisingly simple since the sides require minimal styling attention. Strong hold products keep the top section standing tall throughout the day, creating a head-turning look that commands attention.
Long Top Faux Hawk
Men with round face shapes benefit particularly from the Long Top Faux Hawk style. This variation keeps hair tight around the ears while allowing for important length on top, effectively elongating the face. The disconnected nature of this cut creates visual interest and dramatic contrast. Styling typically involves sea salt spray for texture and strong holding products to maintain height without stiffness or crunchiness.
Curly Faux Hawk Styles
Curly hair creates a naturally voluminous foundation for the “Euro hawk” variation of the faux hawk. This style embraces natural texture while adding a soft, androgynous touch to the traditional mohawk-inspired look. Curls add dimension and movement that straight hair can’t achieve without product. Men with natural waves or curls find this style particularly flattering since it works with rather than against their natural hair pattern.
Mohawk-Inspired Faux Hawk
Drawing direct inspiration from its punk rock predecessor, the Mohawk-Inspired Faux Hawk features a prominent central strip of hair. This dramatic interpretation ranges from short and spiky to longer and highly textured depending on personal preference. The style maintains practicality while honoring its rebellious roots, making it perfect for those wanting to make a bold statement. Styling options vary widely, allowing for versatility from day to night looks.
Subtle Professional Faux Hawk
Office-appropriate yet distinctly stylish, the Subtle Professional Faux Hawk offers the best of both worlds. Deep parts on both sides give prominence to the top section without creating an extreme look. Nice fading techniques maintain a distinguished appearance suitable for corporate environments. This refined variation proves that faux hawks can adapt to professional settings while still expressing personal style and contemporary fashion awareness.
Disconnected Faux Hawk
Clear distinction characterizes the Disconnected Faux Hawk, with a visible contrast between the longer top section and shorter sides. Textured styling adds volume to the hair on top, creating visual interest and dimension. The sides remain neat and short, emphasizing the intentional disconnect in the haircut. This bold interpretation works well for those wanting a more dramatic look without committing to a traditional mohawk.
Tapered Faux Hawk
Gradual transitions define the Tapered Faux Hawk, with hair length decreasing smoothly from top to sides. This blended approach creates a softer silhouette while maintaining the essence of the faux hawk style. Various styling techniques complement this cut perfectly, adding texture and volume to the longer top section. The tapered effect provides versatility in styling options, from more dramatic looks for special occasions to subtle styling for everyday wear.
How to Style Your Faux Hawk Haircut
Achieving the perfect faux hawk requires the right techniques and products. We’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to help you master your faux hawk styling routine.
Essential Styling Products
Your faux hawk styling success relies heavily on using the right products:
- Strong-hold pomade, gel, or wax creates the foundation for your faux hawk, providing the necessary structure and texture. A pea-sized amount is typically sufficient for most hair lengths.
- Quality hairspray locks your style in place throughout the day, preventing your carefully crafted faux hawk from falling flat during your daily activities.
- Styling cream adds volume and definition, especially beneficial for those with thicker or naturally wavy hair textures.
- Blow dryer helps achieve height and direction, particularly important for creating the distinctive upward sweep characteristic of the faux hawk.
Step-by-Step Styling Techniques
Follow these proven steps to style your faux hawk perfectly every time:
- Start with proper preparation
- Wash your hair thoroughly and towel-dry until it’s damp but not completely dry
- For straight or fine hair, allow it to air dry until slightly damp
- Those with thicker or wavy hair should use a blow dryer for a smoother base
- Apply your styling product strategically
- Warm a small amount of pomade, wax, or gel between your palms before application
- Work the product through damp hair from roots to tips
- Focus additional product on the central strip where height is desired
- Create the signature shape
- Use your fingers to style the top hair upwards and toward the center
- For maximum volume, blow-dry the central section upwards while working in more product
- Direct the airflow from back to front along the center strip to create height
- Set your finished style
- Once you’ve achieved your desired look, apply a light mist of hairspray
- Hold the spray approximately 8-10 inches from your head for even distribution
- Allow the hairspray to dry completely before heading out
Maintaining Your Faux Hawk Between Cuts
Keeping your faux hawk looking sharp between barber visits requires consistent attention:
- Schedule regular trims every 3-4 weeks to maintain the distinct contrast between the longer top and shorter sides. This prevents your faux hawk from losing its definitive shape.
- Invest in quality home maintenance tools including a precision trimmer for keeping the sides neat and a good comb for daily styling of the top section.
- Practice daily styling consistency by following the step-by-step process outlined above, which helps train your hair to fall naturally into the faux hawk shape over time.
- Consult with your barber about personalized styling techniques exact to your hair type and the particular faux hawk variation you’ve chosen. Professional advice ensures you’re maximizing your style’s potential.
- Keep sides well-groomed between appointments by carefully trimming any stray hairs that might disrupt the clean lines of your faux hawk silhouette.
Best Face Shapes for Faux Hawk Haircuts
The faux hawk offers remarkable versatility across different face shapes, with certain variations complementing exact facial structures better than others. Let’s explore how this popular style can be adapted to enhance your unique features.
Square Face Recommendations
Square-faced men can leverage the faux hawk to soften their angular jawlines and strong features. A well-executed faux hawk adds volume on top while balancing the pronounced angles of a square face. For best results, avoid excessive height that might accentuate facial squareness. Layered short hair faux hawks work exceptionally well for square faces, creating texture and depth without adding unwanted height. Deep part variations also complement square faces by breaking up the symmetry and adding ever-changing movement to your overall look.
Oval Face Recommendations
Oval faces have hit the genetic jackpot when it comes to faux hawk compatibility, as this versatile face shape supports virtually any variation of the style. Men with oval faces can confidently sport both short and long faux hawk versions with excellent results. Taper fades and undercut sides particularly enhance the natural balance of oval-shaped faces. Layered faux hawks add dimension and texture that work harmoniously with oval facial proportions. This face shape’s inherent balance allows for more experimentation with height, texture, and side contrast without compromising the overall aesthetic.
Round Face Recommendations
Round-faced men should use the faux hawk strategically to create the illusion of length and definition. Higher, spikier tops work wonders for elongating round faces and adding much-needed angles. Keep the sides sleek with a fade or undercut rather than allowing volume that might emphasize facial roundness. Short faux hawks with ample layering create vertical lines that visually slim and lengthen round faces. The contrast between the streamlined sides and textured top helps define facial features and introduce structure that complements round face shapes.
Diamond and Triangle Face Adaptations
Diamond-faced men, characterized by narrow foreheads and jawlines with prominent cheekbones, benefit from faux hawks that add balanced volume on top. This style helps offset the width of the cheekbones and creates a more harmonious overall appearance. Avoid excessive volume on the sides by opting for clean fades or undercuts that maintain visual balance. Layered or spiky top faux hawks particularly flatter diamond faces by drawing attention upward.
Triangle-faced men with narrow foreheads and broader jawlines should choose faux hawk styles that add width to the upper portion of the head. This strategic volume distribution helps balance the broader jawline characteristic of triangle faces. Deep part faux hawks work extremely well for triangle faces, creating visual interest and width at the top. Important layering on the crown area helps distribute volume evenly across the head, resulting in a more balanced facial appearance. The right faux hawk variation can effectively complement and enhance the natural angles of a triangle face shape.
Celebrity-Inspired Faux Hawk Haircuts for Men
Celebrity hairstyles often set trends, and the faux hawk is no exception. This versatile cut has been sported by many famous figures who’ve added their own unique twist to the style. Jason Collier, a renowned celebrity hair stylist who’s worked with Justin Timberlake and Damian Lewis, describes the faux hawk as a crowd-pleaser with sleek, urban sophistication. According to Collier, the ideal faux hawk features hair on top that’s long enough to be spiked up or formed into a point, yet not as lengthy as a traditional pompadour.
The Classic Celebrity Faux Hawk
Many celebrities opt for the classic faux hawk variation that balances edginess with wearability. This style typically features shorter sides with a gradual transition to longer hair on top. The contrast between the top and sides creates that distinctive faux hawk silhouette while maintaining a polished look suitable for red carpet events.
The Pompadour Faux Hawk Fusion
Combining elements of a traditional pompadour with the faux hawk creates a sophisticated hybrid style that many celebrities favor. This variation offers slightly longer hair on top that can be styled back and up for added height and drama. The fusion provides versatility, allowing stars to switch between more conservative and bolder looks depending on the occasion.
The Textured Quiff Faux Hawk
The quiff faux hawk blend provides a flatter yet still textured appearance that’s perfect for celebrities wanting a more subtle take on the style. This variation features a textured top with gradual tapering on the sides, creating a refined look that works well for formal events while still maintaining an edge. Stars appreciate this version for its versatility and how it photographs well from multiple angles.
The High-Contrast Undercut Faux Hawk
For celebrities making stronger fashion statements, the undercut faux hawk delivers maximum impact. This bold style features dramatically shorter sides—often buzzed or faded—paired with significantly longer hair on top. The stark contrast between these elements creates a look that’s reminiscent of the traditional mohawk’s spirit but with a more sophisticated execution that works well for photoshoots and performances.
The Textured Crop Faux Hawk
Some celebrities prefer a more textured, natural approach to the faux hawk. This variation incorporates elements of the popular crop haircut with the distinctive faux hawk shape. The result is a lived-in, effortless style that appears less contrived while still offering that signature faux hawk silhouette. Stars often choose this style for a more approachable, everyday aesthetic.
How to Ask Your Barber for the Perfect Faux Hawk
Understanding the Basics
Faux hawk haircuts require clear communication with your barber to achieve the desired look. Before your appointment, familiarize yourself with the basic components of this style. The faux hawk features longer hair on top styled upward, with shorter sides that can be faded, tapered, or undercut. Understanding these elements will help you articulate exactly what you want during your barber visit.
Be Exact About Lengths
Precise length descriptions are crucial when requesting a faux hawk. Tell your barber explicitly how long you want the hair on top to remain and how short you’d like the sides. Many successful faux hawks maintain at least 2-3 inches of length on top to create the distinctive ridge while keeping the sides significantly shorter. Exact measurements eliminate confusion and ensure you’ll walk out with the exact style you envisioned.
Choose Your Side Style
Side hair treatment dramatically impacts your overall faux hawk appearance. You’ll need to decide between several options: a fade (gradually blending from shorter to longer), a taper (less dramatic than a fade but still creating a smooth transition), or an undercut (a more dramatic contrast between the top and sides). Each variation creates a different aesthetic, so consider which complements your face shape and personal style before your appointment.
Request Texture and Layering
Texture plays a vital role in creating a modern faux hawk. Ask your barber about incorporating layers into the top section to add dimension and make styling easier. Layered short hair faux hawks offer a sharp yet slightly messy appearance that works well for both casual and professional settings. This textured approach also makes daily styling more forgiving and versatile.
Bring Visual References
Photos serve as the clearest way to communicate your desired faux hawk style. Barbers are visual professionals who can better understand what you want when they see it. Collect images of faux hawks that match your vision—whether it’s a classic style, a deep part variation, or something more contemporary. These references prevent misunderstandings and provide your barber with a concrete goal.
Discuss Styling Products and Techniques
Product recommendations should be part of your barber consultation. Ask which styling products (gels, pomades, or waxes) work best for your exact hair type and the faux hawk variation you’ve chosen. Many barbers will demonstrate how to apply these products correctly and share techniques for achieving the upward styling characteristic of a faux hawk. Their expertise ensures you can recreate the look at home.
Conclusion
The faux hawk stands as one of the most adaptable men’s hairstyles today. We’ve seen how it’s evolved from punk roots to a sophisticated style suitable for any occasion. From celebrity-inspired variations to customized options for different face shapes there’s a faux hawk for everyone.
With proper communication with your barber and the right styling techniques you’ll nail this versatile look. Whether you prefer a subtle office-appropriate version or a bold statement style the faux hawk offers endless possibilities.
Ready to transform your look? The perfect faux hawk awaits. It’s more than just a haircut—it’s a confident style choice that continues to reinvent itself while remaining effortlessly cool and relevant in men’s grooming.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a faux hawk hairstyle?
A faux hawk is a versatile hairstyle that mimics a mohawk but with less dramatic contrast. Unlike a traditional mohawk, hair isn’t shaved completely on the sides but instead is cut shorter than the center strip. This makes it suitable for various settings, from professional environments to casual outings, while maintaining an edgy yet sophisticated appearance.
How did the faux hawk become popular?
The faux hawk emerged in the late 1990s as a toned-down version of the mohawk, but gained mainstream popularity in the early 2000s when David Beckham adopted the style. What began as a punk rock statement evolved into a sophisticated fashion choice. Over time, it has incorporated elements from other styles while continuing to reinvent itself in contemporary men’s grooming.
What are the most popular faux hawk variations?
Popular faux hawk variations include the Classic Short Faux Hawk, Textured Messy Faux Hawk, Fade Faux Hawk Combination, Pompadour Faux Hawk Fusion, and Textured Quiff Faux Hawk. Other trending styles include high-contrast undercut versions and textured crop variations. Each style offers different levels of boldness and formality to suit various preferences.
How do I style a faux hawk?
To style a faux hawk, start with slightly damp hair. Apply a strong-hold product like pomade or styling cream to the center section. Using your fingers or a comb, work the product through your hair, directing it toward the center to create height. For added hold, finish with hairspray. The amount of product and height depends on your specific faux hawk variation.
What face shapes work best with faux hawks?
Faux hawks are versatile and can be adapted to complement most face shapes. Square faces benefit from layered styles that soften angular features. Oval faces can wear virtually any variation. Round faces look best with higher, spikier tops to create length. Diamond faces should add volume on top, while triangle faces benefit from styles adding width to the upper head.
How should I maintain my faux hawk between haircuts?
Maintain your faux hawk with regular trims every 3-4 weeks to preserve the shape. Invest in quality styling products appropriate for your hair type and faux hawk variation. Practice consistent daily styling techniques to master the look. Clean styling tools regularly and consider using dry shampoo on non-wash days to maintain texture and volume.
What should I tell my barber when getting a faux hawk?
When requesting a faux hawk, clearly communicate about three key elements: desired length on top, how you want the sides treated (faded, tapered, or undercut), and the contrast level between top and sides. Bring reference photos to illustrate your vision, discuss texture preferences, and ask about maintenance and styling recommendations for your specific hair type.
Can faux hawks work with different hair types?
Yes, faux hawks can be adapted for various hair types. Straight hair offers clean, defined lines. Wavy hair creates natural texture for a messier look. Curly hair provides volume and a unique spin on the style. Fine hair benefits from texturizing products, while thick hair may require thinning to achieve the right shape. Your barber can customize the cut for your specific hair texture.
Are faux hawks appropriate for professional settings?
Yes, many faux hawk variations are suitable for professional environments. Choose a more subtle version with moderate height and less dramatic contrast between the sides and top. Taper fades rather than sharp undercuts create a more office-appropriate look. Style with a matte finish product for a sophisticated appearance that maintains professionalism while expressing personal style.
How have celebrity styles influenced faux hawk trends?
Celebrities have significantly influenced faux hawk evolution by showcasing unique variations. David Beckham popularized the classic version, while other stars have introduced hybrid styles like the pompadour faux hawk and textured quiff versions. These celebrity interpretations have helped transform the faux hawk from an alternative statement into a mainstream, adaptable style that continues to evolve with fashion trends.
