Faux hawk haircut: what it is and how to ask for it
The mohawk outline, with the sides still on your head
Plenty of men ask for a short mohawk and then show a photo of a faux hawk, and the barber sees the mix-up straight away. A faux hawk borrows the mohawk's outline without shaving the sides: a longer strip runs through the centre of the head, with short sides that blend up into it. A true mohawk has its sides taken down to skin, and the strip stands alone, clearly cut off from the rest of the head. The faux hawk has no such border. Hair gains length gradually towards the centre and loses it towards the side, so the outline depends on the difference in lengths and on styling. That brings the main practical advantage. Comb the ridge flat or over to one side and you are wearing a normal short haircut, so it causes no trouble at work or at a formal dinner. A true mohawk cannot disappear like that. Faux means fake in French, and the name also turns up as fauxhawk and fohawk, which is why a photo and a few words about the blend will get you further than the label. Height is easy to adjust as well, so the ridge can be bolder on Friday than it was on Monday. Nothing about this shape is irreversible, so you can try a bold outline with no duty to wear it every day: if you dislike it, the sides grow back and the top already suits an ordinary cut.
Ask for height, strip width and a blend
A faux hawk needs several centimetres of length on top, longest through the centre from forehead to crown, shortening gradually towards the edges of the strip. The sides are usually faded or tapered, and the contrast between them and the centre creates the shape. Three things will keep the conversation short. First is height: a clear ridge or just a hint of one. Second is strip width, since a narrow strip looks bolder and a wide one calmer and closer to an ordinary cut. Third is the sides: down to skin near the ears, or short with no skin showing. At 044 Barbershop in Kyiv this comes under a regular haircut, and if you want to see how it holds, the styling service shows you straight after the wash. Barbers often read the face as well. On a long face a tall ridge adds even more length, so they usually keep it lower and leave the volume nearer the forehead, whereas on a round face height often lengthens the outline in a good way. Fine hair stands up less easily, and texturing the top helps here: scissors take out weight so the strands lift more readily. Thick, coarse hair almost stands by itself, though it needs more attention at the crown, where a whorl can pull the ridge off to one side. If the top is still too short, say so: the barber can shape the sides, leave the centre alone and let the ridge arrive as the hair grows.
How do you raise the ridge, and can it lie flat?
Styling starts with damp hair. Blow dry from the edges towards the centre with the air pointing upwards, so the roots already face the right way. Rub a little matt clay or paste between your palms, work it in from the back of the strip to the front, and pinch the strands towards the centre with your fingers. The ridge should stay uneven, as a line that is too tidy looks like a helmet and separate strands look more alive. A matt product holds the shape without shine, and on fine hair a light sea salt spray before the dryer helps too. Save hairspray for the end, as it fixes what is there and will not correct the shape. For a calmer look in the evening or at work, comb the top to one side with wet hands and the shape lies down without a trace. A few millimetres barely show on top, but the sides lose their sharpness fast, and within a few weeks the contrast holding up the whole outline has gone. Hair grows about 1 cm a month, and on a fade that is plenty to change the blend. To keep the shape, see your barber every one to two weeks. The top hardly gets touched on those visits. The barber takes a little weight from the edges and renews the sides. Take a seat with us if you want to find out what ridge your hair can carry: the barber will set height and blend for your head and walk you through the styling.