Paul Mitchell is putting focus on the men’s grooming side of their industry with a new professional hair care line, called MITCH. The line consists of seven products, ranging from a shampoo/conditioner, to a maximum hold spiking glue. They were kind enough to send us a men’s travel kit, which I tested over the weekend. Here are some tips to help you perfect your hairstyle along with thoughts on the various MITCH products:

If you’re not well-versed in hair product, it’s easy to get confused by the many options available. Here are some tips to help you figure out what kind of product works best for you.

Men’s Hair Styling 101

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• You can usually tell how a product will look based on its consistency. Shiny product will make shiny hair, etc. Keep that in mind when searching for product.
• If it comes in a can (like MITCH’s Reformer or Barber’s Classic), it is meant to be applied to dry hair. Try a pea sized amount and go to town.
• If you’re using a product that flakes, you’re using a substandard product. Good hair product will not flake on you.
• Product is meant to be worked in your hands a bit before applying to hair. Emulsifying it in your hands keeps you from getting chunks in your hair.
• Apply product from back to front. This way, if you put too much in, it’ll be less noticeable in the back than the front.
• If you’re using something that’s difficult to remove from your hair, start by scrubbing your hair in water without shampoo first. This will help loosen it.

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MITCH Reviewed

Double Hitter 2 in 1 Shampoo/Conditioner: This shampoo and conditioner combo contains no sulfates, which is a big thing in haircare now. Like all of the MITCH products, it smells good but isn’t overly fragrant. It left my hair a bit fuller and seemed to make it easier to style.

Construction Paste Mesh Styler: For med to long hair, the construction paste gives texture. If you want a messy and “unstyled” look, this is for you. It won’t dry crunchy and it gives you a natural to light shiny finish.

Hardwired Maximum Hold Spiking Glue: If you need your hair to withstand hurricane force winds, this is for you. You put it in and leave it. Hardwired gives short to medium hair that spiky, messy look. This is one for people who want to fix their hair and leave it all day. Good for extreme looks – mohawk, etc.

Steady Grip Firm Hold Gel: This one is a good standard gel. It’s great for some of those classic styles and will make your hair look thicker. Steady Grip is alcohol free and won’t flake or dry hair out.

Reformer Strong Hold Texturizer: Of all the products in the MITCH line, Reformer is my favorite. I don’t want anything that makes my hair shiny, so the matte finish this offers is perfect for me. It has a gritty texture that makes your hair fuller. The strong hold worked well for me, and my hair tends to put products that claim to offer a strong hold to the test. I could use this one regularly.

Clean Cut Medium Hold Styling Cream: I didn’t love the smell of this one as much as some of the others, but it’s not terrible. Clean Cut is perfect for the guy who has never used hair product. It works for basically any hair type, giving you a bit of hold but not the strongest. It’s a semi matte – not shiny, not dull. If you don’t want your hair to look styled, give this one a shot.

Barber’s Classic Moderate Hold Pomade: My hair isn’t quite long enough to do a proper rockabilly pompadour, but I can see the potential in Barber’s Classic. Be conservative with pomades because they’re shiny and heavy and you can easily overdo it. This would also be good for a guy with really curly, frizzy hair. I’ll be trying this one again when my hair is a bit longer.

All in all, the MITCH products are a good choice when it comes to professional hair product for men. Product pricing is competitive, with the styling products running between $14 and $17, and the shampoo being around $15. MITCH is available at salons near you. To find the one closest to you, enter your zip code at the MITCH website.