How to get your summer haircut to last longer

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Getting a fresh summer haircut can be a damn-near transcendental experience, especially if it's been a while. Feeling your dome lighten as each overgrown lock falls to the barbershop floor, while the reflection in the mirror slowly but surely comes to more closely resemble the sharp, well-shorn man you know yourself to be; now that’s a sensation that can’t be beat.

The trouble is, though, that with everything you've got going on these days — between work and relationships, keeping up on politics and trying to catch 'em all — it can be pretty difficult to carve out the requisite time (and capital) to sit your ass down in a barber’s chair and let the guy do his work. Which is why we've put together this five-step guide, specially tailored to short summer 'dos, on how to keep you cut looking sharp for just a little bit longer. That way, you can get to it when you get to it.

Step 1: Opt for a growth-conducive cut.

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Not all haircuts are created equal, especially when it comes to how they'll grow out. For example, hard-edges styles and those with carved-in parts tend to go from sharp to scraggly quicker than those with more natural borders. Super-short buzzcuts and line-ups also require a significant amount of upkeep to look their best. So, if you've got the foresight to know that you might not be able to stop by for a while, tell you barber and they should be able to give you a summer haircut that will accommodate that.

Step 2: Try not to overwash.

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Let's get one thing clear: there's no way to slow down hair growth. It's just not going to happen. Instead, what you want to do is control how long hair appears, and the key to that is managing volume. In that same vein, shampooing too often will strip hair of its natural oils, causing it to dry out and frizz more easily. Likewise, despite the fact that summer might leave it feeling greasier than usual, keep your shampoo frequency down to 2-3 times a week, if possible.

Step 3: Don't forget to condition.

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Like we said, hair will continue to sprout, no matter how much you'd rather it not. The least you can do is make sure that whatever new growth does arise comes in as healthy as possible. Remembering to regularly condition is your best bet to ensure just that, especially when things like sun and saltwater are working against you. Also of note: well conditioned hair is less prone to expanding with humidity. Which is a plus, for sure.

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