If there’s one thing I’ve learned after years of trying just about every hair styling product imaginable, it’s this: most guys don’t actually want to spend time thinking about hair products. We just want something that works.
I’ve spent more time than I care to admit standing in front of the mirror experimenting with different products, different application techniques, and different amounts, hoping to land on the right balance of hold, texture, and finish.
Along the way, I picked up a few lessons that completely changed how I approach styling—and ultimately how I formulated Standard No More.
Dry Hair vs. Damp Hair
One of the biggest questions I get is whether styling products should be applied to dry or damp hair.
The answer is: it depends on what you’re trying to achieve.
Applying to Damp Hair
Damp hair usually gives you:
- Easier product distribution
- A cleaner, more polished finish
- More shine—even with matte products—because the moisture helps create a smoother finish on the hair
- Slightly less perceived hold because the product is being spread through moisture
For my hair type, this is actually my preferred method. I like the more refined finish damp hair gives me.
Applying to Dry Hair
Dry hair tends to provide:
- More texture
- Better control while shaping your style
- More volume
- Stronger perceived hold
- Less shine and a truer representation of a product’s finish
- A more natural, lived-in look
The tradeoff is that products can be a little harder to work through the hair, so using too much becomes more noticeable.
Neither method is right or wrong. The same product can behave surprisingly differently depending on how it’s applied, so I always encourage people to experiment with both. You may discover that a product you thought wasn’t right for you performs exactly the way you wanted with a different application method.
My Two-Scoop Rule
Years ago I noticed something about my own routine.
I’d scoop out one product for hold.
Then another for texture or some other characteristic I was looking for in my style.
Sometimes I’d even reach for a third, trying to dial in just the right finish.
I was constantly “cocktailing” products together just trying to get my hair to cooperate.
And it worked…sometimes, but mostly it was just a hassle.
That’s how I developed a simple philosophy that I still believe today:
If you’re not getting where you want to go in a single product in two scoops or less, you’re probably using the wrong product.
Hair styling shouldn’t require chemistry experiments to achieve the look and style you’re shooting for.
You should be able to grab one product, use a reasonable amount, style your hair, and get on with your day.
When Products Don’t Match Their Labels
Another lesson I learned over the years was that not every product performs the way it’s described on the jar.
Now, I completely understand that hold and shine are somewhat subjective. My idea of a medium hold might be a little different than yours.
But they should at least be in the ballpark.
Too many times I’d buy a product marketed as a strong hold, style my hair, leave the house feeling good about it, only to notice flyaways beginning to appear a couple of hours later.
By lunchtime, the style had often softened so much that it barely resembled what I’d walked out the door with that morning.
If you’ve ever caught yourself checking your reflection halfway through the day wondering, What happened?, you’re definitely not alone.
Looking back, I realized I spent way too much money chasing products that promised one thing but delivered something entirely different.
Building Products Around Real-World Expectations
When I started Standard No More, I wanted to build products around improving the experiences I knew so many of us had shared.
Of course, making them non-toxic was non-negotiable.
But I also wanted them to perform.
That meant creating hair stylers that:
- Deliver the hold they promise.
- Apply easily without requiring multiple products.
- Hold throughout the day.
- Make your hair look and feel great while using them.
- Leave your hair healthy and feeling great after they have been removed.
- Wash out easily.
- Use thoughtfully selected non-toxic ingredients.
Performance and clean ingredients shouldn’t be mutually exclusive.
I believe you can have both.
That philosophy has guided every hair styling product we’ve created.
The Goal Was Always Simple
I didn’t start Standard No More because I thought the world needed another hair product.
I started it because I wanted the products I couldn’t seem to find myself.
Products made with ingredients I felt good about using.
Products that performed the way they said they would.
Products that didn’t require me to mix two or three different jars together just to get the style I wanted.
Simply put, I wanted products that were non-toxic and worked.
That’s still the standard we hold ourselves to every single day.
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