6 Easy Ways To Make Hair Stand Up Naturally

Gels, clays, pomades, and waxes have their purpose. But some men just may not like the feel, the finish, or the ingredients of these products. So, how do you make your hair stand up naturally? 

The most natural way of making hair stand up is to get a haircut that is longest in the front before getting shorter towards the back. You can also use water, heat sources, and brushing techniques to give the hair volume and make it stand up.

Keep reading to learn six easy ways to do it in more detail. 

None of these methods require hair products, but most of them do require additional tools. Nothing fancy, however. 

It’s difficult to encourage hair to stand up without them, but once it’s standing, it will continue to do so on its own. 

Let’s get to it. 

1. Get The Right Haircut

The most natural way to encourage your hair to stand up without products is to get the right haircut. 

Ask your barber to give you a haircut that keeps more length at the front and top, before making it shorter towards the back. 

Some popular men’s haircuts that maximize natural volume include the quiff and the pompadour. 

The shorter hair at the back supports the longer hair towards the front and props it up.

This may sound overly simple, but it works. Explain what you’re aiming for to a good barber and there’s a good chance they’ll know what you mean. 

They’ll cut and trim your hair in such a way that the hair that’s most visible from front-on is more likely to stand up. 

When you’ve got the right hairstyle, you’ll often find that you won’t need additional hold from hair products. This is particularly true when this natural method is combined with others from this list. 

2. Work The Hair While It’s Damp

Applying water to your fingers, a brush, or a comb is an excellent way to make your hair stand up more effectively. Your hair will dry in the desired upward position. 

Don’t get me wrong – water doesn’t have the same hold as a heavy hold clay or pomade. 

But damp hair is easier to work than dry hair. 

If you have straight or thick hair, using a damp brush will be more effective. If you have thin hair, a wet wide-tooth or fine-tooth comb will be easier. 

Do not use a dry brush or comb on sopping wet hair, as this puts a lot of tension on your hair and is more likely to damage it. 

Hair that wet is also less predictable, as it becomes very stretchy and it may not end up standing quite the way you want. Plus, if it’s too wet the weight of the water would prevent it from staying up in the first place. 

Towel dry it until it’s a little damp and start working it upward. Once it’s standing up, you can either allow it to airdry or better yet – use a blow dryer to lock it in place. 

3. Use A Blow Dryer

Using a blow dryer is a great way to dry the hair, give it volume, and make it stand up. 

The easiest way to dry your hair and work volume into it is by bending over and flipping your hair upside down. 

By blow-drying it this way with the blow dryer facing the ceiling, your roots are forced to dry upward and away from your scalp, which forces the rest of your hair to stand up.

Once your hair is completely dry, you can flip it the right way up and style the volumized body however you like.

When you’re hair is in position, you can “lock” it in place using a cold setting. 

Experiment with the attachments it most likely came with. A “concentrator nozzle” is a thin attachment you clip onto the front so you can focus streams of hot air onto specific sections of the hair. 

It’s a great way to make specific parts of the hair stand up if you’d like them to while leaving the other parts alone. It gives you a lot more control. 

4. Try A Hair Iron

A hair iron is another heat source that can encourage your hair to stand up. Essentially, it’s a type of straightener. 

Unlike a blow dryer, a hair iron should never be used on hair that is wet; this will cause damage. 

Using a heat-protective spray beforehand is also a good idea. 

Once your hair is dry, use the hair iron to pull your hair up and back. It is best to do this in sections. Repeat the process until your hair is standing up at the desired volume. 

Take care not to bring the hair iron too close to your roots, and avoid grabbing it by the metal, even if it has been unplugged. 

Using straightening devices like this won’t be for everyone. For some men, it may seem over the top or unnecessary. But if you’re stuck and looking for a relatively simple solution, a hair iron may be something you want to consider. 

5. Change Up The Part

Sometimes, all you need to do to make your hair stand up naturally is change the direction in which your hair is parted.

If you have hair that you continue to part the same way, the hair tends to lay very flat closest to the part, and it is being trained to do so by being parted like that so often.

By moving the part with a hairbrush, you will create more volume and fullness. 

By preventing the hair from laying in that position all day, you’re allowing previously flattened roots to stand upright. 

This is a quick, easy, and natural way to make previously flat parts of your hair stand up. 

6. Try Back Brushing

If you do not have an obvious part, you can make your hair stand up by brushing it back. This method of giving hair more volume is similar to using a hair iron. 

While back brushing may not be as effective as that, it’s generally kinder on your hair than regularly applying heat. 

Plus, men may just be more comfortable with this method. 

Back brushing is also most effective when you work in sections. Start with your roots, and gently brush them up and away from your scalp a few times. 

The tool you use does make a difference. Brushes and combs serve different purposes. 

Brushes are great for training the hair to grow in your desired direction and also for redistributing natural oils. 

Combs, on the other hand, are better for detangling the hair. As you’d expect, tangled hair is much less likely to stand up on its own. 

Getting into a daily habit of brushing and combing will definitely start to reap rewards. 

Conclusion

So long as you are willing to take the time to introduce volume into your natural hair, you can make your hair stand up without hair products. 

If you rush any of these methods they will not be as effective and will usually do more harm than good. Try them out and see which one you find most effective for your specific hair. Enjoy.