Quiff

What a quiff actually is

Three things make a quiff. The sides are shorter than the top. The top is graded, longest at the front and shorter at the crown. And the front is styled up and back, so the forehead is clear and the hair has visible height at the hairline.

That grading is the part people miss. If the whole top is one length, lifting the front pulls the rest of the hair up with it and you get a flat-topped block. If the top is graded, the front can rise and roll back while the crown lies flat behind it.

The finish can go either way. A classic quiff is smooth and fairly neat, often with scissor-cut sides. A textured quiff is matte and a bit rough, pushed up with the fingers rather than combed. Both are the same cut styled differently.

Quiff, pompadour and slick back

These three all use the length on top, and they get mixed up constantly.

A pompadour brushes all of the top straight back from the forehead with a lot of volume at the front, usually with a shiny finish and a firm hold. It is taller, heavier and takes longer to style. A quiff is lighter, with the front rising up and slightly back and the rest of the top lying flatter, often with a matte finish.

A slick back also combs the hair back, but flat, with little or no height. If your quiff has collapsed by mid-afternoon, it is turning into a slick back.

The practical difference is time. A slick back needs a comb and product. A quiff needs a hair dryer. A pompadour needs both and patience.

Who a quiff suits

Thick, straight or wavy hair is the ideal. It holds height with very little product and the wave adds volume of its own. This is the hair the cut was built around.

Curly hair can do it, and the curls give natural lift, but the result is rounder and less neat. Leave more length on top and expect a softer shape.

Fine or thinning hair is the difficult case. Lifting the front exposes the hairline and any thin patches behind it, and fine hair collapses under its own weight. A shorter quiff, about 5cm at the front, with plenty of texture and careful drying, is the realistic version. If the front is thinning noticeably, the haircuts for balding men page has better answers.

Coily hair rarely takes the swept-back lift and there are better cuts for it.

Face shape genuinely matters with a quiff, because it adds height. On a round or square face that height lengthens the face, which is usually welcome. On a long face it stretches it further, so keep the quiff short and the sides a little fuller.

How much length you need

The front needs at least 6cm to lift into a recognisable quiff. Shorter than about 5cm and it behaves like a textured crop no matter what you do with the dryer.

• Short quiff. About 5 to 6cm at the front. Modest height, quick to style.
• Medium quiff. About 7 to 8cm at the front, shortening to 4 or 5cm at the crown. The most common version and the best balance of height and effort.
• Long quiff. 9 to 10cm or more at the front. More height and movement, more drying time.

Hair grows roughly a centimetre a month. From a crop with 3cm on top, a medium quiff is three or four months away. Keep the sides tidy while you wait and ask the barber to leave the front alone.

How to ask a UK barber for a quiff

Bring a side-on photo. The profile shows the height and the grading, which a front photo hides.

• Ask for a quiff. "Longer on top, longest at the front, with shorter sides." Most barbers know the word.
• The sides. For the classic look, a grade 3 or 4 (9mm or 12mm), or scissor cut, blended into the top. For more contrast, ask for a taper or a fade, for example a low taper fade starting at a grade 1 (3mm) around the ears. Say whether you want any skin showing. Most quiffs do not need it.
• The top. "Leave about 7 or 8cm at the front, shorter towards the crown, point cut for texture." Ask them not to take much off the front.
• The parting. A natural parting or a soft sweep to one side. A shaved-in parting line is optional and needs keeping.
• The blow dry. Ask them to style it and watch how they lift the front. That is the technique you will repeat every morning.

For a sharper look, a quiff over an undercut disconnects the top from short sides with a clear step. It is a different cut, with its own page.

Styling a quiff at home

The hair dryer does most of the work. Product only holds what the dryer has built.

1. Towel dry to damp. Not wet, not dry.
2. Add grip. A little sea salt spray or a light mousse at the roots on damp hair helps the front stand up.
3. Blow dry. Medium heat. Pull the front forward first with a round brush or your fingers, then lift it up and back from the roots, aiming the air from root to tip. Keep the crown flatter. Finish with cool air to set the shape.
4. Apply product. A pea-sized amount of matte clay or paste for a textured quiff, or a pomade or wax for a smoother, shinier finish. Warm it in your palms and work it through from the roots, not just the ends.
5. Shape. Lift and push the front back with your fingers. Use a comb only if you want it neat. A quiff should have some movement in it.

Once the cut is right, this takes about five minutes.

For curly quiffs, use curl cream instead of clay, dry with a diffuser on low heat and keep your hands out of it once it is dry.

Upkeep and how often to cut

Every four to six weeks, sooner if you have a fade at the sides. Faded sides lose their sharpness in two or three weeks, and the quiff looks worse for it even if the top is fine.

At each cut the barber should trim the top to keep the grading, take weight out if it is getting puffy, and tidy the sides and neckline. Over-long sides are the most common reason a quiff starts looking untidy.

Between cuts, a few things help:

• If it falls flat, check the front is still 6cm or more, dry the roots fully before adding product, and use a firmer matte product.
• If it looks like a helmet, you are using too much product, or the top needs thinning out at the next cut.
• If the front splits, dry it in the opposite direction to the split first, then style it back.

Washing every day with strong shampoo strips the hair and makes it harder to lift. Every other day suits most quiffs better.

Variations

• Classic quiff. Scissor-cut sides, smooth finish. Neat and traditional.
• Textured quiff. Matte product, roughed up with the fingers. More casual.
• Quiff with a fade. Faded sides for more contrast. Needs cutting more often.
• Short quiff. About 5cm at the front. Less height, less daily effort.
• Side-swept quiff. The lift swept towards one side rather than straight back. Softer, and easier on a long face.

Growing out of a quiff is painless. Let the front fall forward and you have a crop. Comb it flat and back and you have a slick back. Keep growing and you are heading towards the medium and long hairstyles.