M for Makeup

Magazines may be filled with advice about getting the best hairstyle for your face shape, but when it comes to facial hair, barber Josh Cooley says it’s not that simple. “You’re dealing with what somebody has to work with,” Josh says. “Not everybody can grow beards and mustaches.” In his work at The Belmont Barbershop in Lakeview, he makes beard decisions on a case-by-case basis, rather than by following any stringent guidelines. Josh does, however, have a few rules of thumb. A lot of what he strives for is balance—round faces benefit from stronger lines to make them look more rectangular, while narrower faces can look broader with a wider mustache or goatee. Proportion factors in as well. “If somebody has a big face, I’m not going to put a little mustache on them. Same for small people—they shouldn’t grow big mustaches.” Fashion trends inevitably play a role. “A lot of guys are trying to find a way to be a man, to look like a gentleman,” Josh says. Mustaches are back—a quick stroll through Wicker Park is more than enough evidence for that fact—but not all mustaches are created equal. “A lot of the guys I’ve seen through the years are wearing a lot more trimmed mustaches. Nobody’s going for the Tom Selleck,” he says, laughing. So what are they going for? Below, Josh shares four beard and mustache styles that are experiencing a resurgence in his barber chair. The Van Dyke A mustache that’s fairly wide and narrow, with a beard that runs from the center of the bottom lip down to the chin Origin: 17th-century painter Anthony van Dyck Who it’s for: Guys who read more poems than prose Josh says: Wax is optional. “We do see some ‘wax-and-twist’ mustaches, but most professionals aren’t wearing them.” The Cary Grant A clean-cut, flamboyance-free mustache that peaks in the center Origin: Silver-screen leading man Cary Grant as seen in The Last Outpost (1935) Who it’s for: Guys who are seriously considering investing in a tuxedo Josh says: It’s popular. “A lot of guys are jumping back to the '30s or '40s with their look.” The Deer Hunter A wide, long goatee with trim sides Origin: Robert De Niro in the war drama The Deer Hunter Who it’s for: Guys who like the taste of venison Josh says: Keep it even. It’s OK to let it get long as long as you “make it neat around the edges.” The Sundance Kid A full, trim mustache that arches down below the lips Origin: Robert Redford in the classic western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Who it’s for: Outlaws who can’t swim Josh says: Don’t be afraid. “Anybody can pull a mustache off.” Illustration: © Will Landon, Groupon

One is a fun twist on the messy bun, and the other turns your hair into a French-braided headband. Way 1: The Messy Bun with Braided Sides You’ll need: A hair elastic, a few bobby pins, and hair long enough to put up in a bun. Way 2: The Twisted-Crown Braid You’ll need: A few bobby pins and hair slightly longer than shoulder length. Video: Amanda Nyren and Mae Rice, Groupon

I don’t climb ladders very gracefully, as Valter Desfassiaux knows—he’s seen it firsthand. Valter is a stylist and makeup artist at Barbara and Barbara, a roughly two-year-old salon in Logan Square. We chatted in the salon’s back room, on what looks like an indoor balcony. Accessible only by ladder, it’s where the previous owner kept his loft bed.   The quirky, lived-in vibe of the back room permeates the rest of the salon. A sign on the wall reads “God Bless Our Trailer,” and while clients wait, they can lounge on a sofa sipping free PBR. “We wanted it to feel like you were just hanging out in someone’s apartment,” Valter says.   Of course, most apartments don’t have a massive mural of a purple-haired forest in their living room. Created by local artist Cheri Charlton, the salon’s mural depicts a muscular hand descending from the sky and shearing the trees’ foliage, whose snipped ends shower a community of centaurs, mermaids, and giraffes. In real life, the only thing that descends from the sky at Barbara and Barbara are the blow dryers, which plug into the ceiling; but the epic painting does feel appropriate in the space, where the cuts and color jobs are at once edgy and laid-back.   But even the most laid-back styles need upkeep. Here, Valter shares five simple haircare tips he often gives his clients, a demographic he describes as “chill,” and “very ‘I just let it air dry.’”   1. CONDITION A LOT   “People don’t use [conditioner] as much as they should,” Valter says. And when they do use it, they often apply it incorrectly. He recommends smoothing it on from mid-strand to ends, leaving the scalp to its own devices; it produces all the oil it needs.   As far as choosing a product, Valter loves the eco-friendly conditioners at Lush. They smell like candy, and are made from all-vegetarian ingredients—mostly organic produce and essential oils.   2. SHAMPOO A LITTLE   Shampooing too much can prompt your scalp to overproduce oil. Valter recommends every other day at most, but he personally shampoos once a week. Here too, application is important. “A lot of people shampoo everything, but you don’t really have to. You can just do the scalp, and let it rinse through.”   3. ACCEPT FRIZZ, WITHIN REASON   “Frizz is going to happen,” Valter says. “The question is how [to] control it.” A good cut is key, as is never drying your hair with a towel—instead, he recommends an old T-shirt or a rag. (Paper towels also work, but “it’s not really earth friendly.”) For anti-frizz products, he recommends Moroccanoil, since the formula works on both wet and dry hair.   4. GET REGULAR TRIMS WHILE GROWING YOUR HAIR OUT   It’s counterintuitive, but Valter recommends a trim every four to six weeks while you grow your hair out. Contrary to the myth, cuts don’t make hair grow faster, but they do combat split ends. “If you don’t get rid of them, they just keep splitting,” Valter says. And by progressively chewing up your ends, they slow the net growth of healthy new hair.   5. JUMP ON THE WORLD’S OLDEST BANDWAGON   Clients often ask Valter what’s “in,” but to him, the most stylish hair is healthy hair. “That’s all that matters. Because at the end of the day, that looks better than fried hair [with cool] highlights.”