The Best Pinoy Haircuts and Trendy Hairstyles for Men
Go beyond the barber's cut and learn more about different Pinoy haircuts.
The typical Filipino man grows up with a signature haircut, but it’s also good to jump on a new hair trend for men once in a while. Do you find yourself searching the internet for “Filipino hairstyles male” or “Filipino men haircut,” but can’t find exactly what you like? Check out this roundup, where we discuss different Pinoy haircuts and hairstyles. Know more about the barber’s cut, bunot haircut, kimpy hair, and other styles you can try and experiment with.
Read on, and this primer on the evolution of Pinoy haircuts might come in handy on your next visit to your barbero.
- Pre-1920s Pinoy Haircut: The Curtain Haircut or Kimpy Hair
- 1950s Pinoy Hair Trend: Pompadour
- 1970s Pinoy Haircut: The Beatles Bowl Cut
- 1980s Pinoy Hair Trend: Long Hair, Don’t Care!
- 1990s Pinoy Hair Trends: Short, Flat, Spiky, Barber’s, Buzz, and Crew Cut
- The 2000s and Beyond: The Man Bun and Undercut
Pre-1920s Pinoy Haircut for Men: The Curtain Haircut
What is it? This haircut with a middle part was popular in the early 1900s. It blew up again in the ’90s, and Pinoy teen heartthrobs recreated this ‘do for a Saturday afternoon rom-com series. But this time they laid off on the pomade and gave the look some volume with a casual brush-up style.
Aside from being called the kachupoy, the curtain haircut is also referred to as kimpy hair, named after one of the Filipino actors who used to sport this ‘do in the ’90s.
The Modern Take: Hold off on the gloss and go for a matte finish. A bit of texture also helps a curtain haircut look more relaxed and up-to-date.
Editor’s tip: Nail any hairstyle for men by starting with dandruff-free hair and scalp. Use CLEAR Cool Sport Menthol Anti-Dandruff Shampoo for Men regularly. It has Triple Anti-Dandruff Technology, which helps in removing, resisting, and preventing dandruff. It also has cooling mint, so it leaves a fresh feeling on your scalp and hair.
You can also add messy waves to your kimpy hair for volume. To do this, get a straightening iron, clamp a small section of hair, and roll the straightener forward to curl your hair. Do this to all sections of your hair. Then, finger-comb your curls to loosen them, and scrunch your hair to create tousled waves.
The curtain haircut also looks great with natural curls, so you can try it if you have kulot hair. Just keep your curls neat and in place by finishing with hair wax or a small amount of hair gel.
1950s Pinoy Hair Trend: Pompadour
What is it? The pompadour hairstyle is a slicked-back style with a heavy, lengthy front bed of hair. It’s a sleek and elegant hairstyle that you can wear either at work or on a date.
The Modern Take: This hairstyle used to have a rockabilly vibe. To update this look, give it a modern take by maintaining short sides and styling your top section with pomade or gel.
1970s Pinoy Haircut: Bowl Cut or Bunot Haircut
What is it? Everyone who grew up in the Philippines either had this haircut as a child or knows someone who did. This famous Pinoy haircut takes its name from the idea that you can get it after placing a bowl on one’s head and chopping your hair away. Sometimes, it’s also called the bunot haircut because it’s shaped like a bunot or coconut husk. The bowl can trace its roots to the mop-top of the 1960s and the 1970s.
The Modern Take: By adding texture to your hair, you can wear your bowl cut like a K-pop star. The textured bowl cut hairstyle is also great if you have thin hair and you don’t want it to look limp and lifeless.
1980s Pinoy Hair Trend: Long Hair, Don’t Care!
What is it? When talking about the ’80s, spandex, short basketball shorts, high socks, and long hair often come to mind. Rock music was a huge influence. Hence, the mullet: a long-in-the-back, short-in-the-front look that was popular among celebrities during that decade.
The Modern Take: You can still wear the mullet to this day, as it’s still pretty cool. Let the back section of your hair grow until it covers your nape, then have the sides cut a few inches shorter or in layers. Leave your hair down and a bit scrunched.
Editor’s tip: Long hair is more prone to breakage and hair fall. Prevent this by using Dove Men + Care Strengthening Shampoo. It has caffeine and Trichazole Actives that help make your hair stronger, so it grows uninterrupted by hair fall.
1990s Pinoy Hair Trends: Short, Flat, Spiky, Barber’s, Buzz, and Crew Cut
What is it?: Raise your hand if you’ve seen or heard about these Filipino haircuts and hair trends! Heavily influenced by pop stars and boy bands, Pinoy haircuts and hairstyles during the ’90s almost completely purged themselves of the 80s’ free-flowing vibe. They are generally short, like the Barber’s cut and clean cut hair for men. The military cut and the buzz cut were also options for those who wanted extremely short hair.
The Modern Take: The Barber’s Cut, or the short sides and back cut, is a standard Pinoy haircut that consists of the barbero using a “2×3” method to create: two fingers off of the sides, three fingers off of the back. Of course, while each barber’s fingers are different, this is a measurement that makes sense throughout the Philippines, wherever you may be! The result is a fade that can then be styled into other looks, no matter the face type.
The 2000s and Beyond: The Man Bun, Undercut, and Pinoy Haircut 2021
What is it?: Throughout the past two decades of the millennium, we’ve seen the return of some hair trends. The man bun borrows from the long hair sensibility of the ’80s and putting it up in a stylish and practical hairstyle.
The undercut, for its part, is figuring in fades and undercut variations of its own, filling a hairstyle spectrum from polished to edgy depending on the style.
The Modern Take: Feel free to combine elements from different Pinoy haircuts and hairstyles to make your own look. Why not get a short haircut with short sides and back and keep the top section of your hair long. Then, style it to a man bun braid. It definitely adds personality to your look.
Editor’s tip: Whatever hairstyle you choose to wear, always start with clean hair. Wash it with Dove Men + Care Refreshing Clean Shampoo, which gets rid of dirt and grease from your hair and scalp.
Now that you know the history behind different Pinoy haircuts, you have more ideas the next time you visit your barber. Which haircut is your favorite? Just remember to pick one that suits your lifestyle and personality so you can rock it comfortably. Have fun with these ideas!
