Style a modern mullet by working a peanut-sized amount of matte product through dry hair, shaping the top with your fingers and the back with a comb, and adding sea salt spray first on towel-dried hair if you need grip. That is the routine in the directions for the Concrete Hair Clay, and the sections below adjust it by hair type. A mullet, in Merriam-Webster's definition (entry last updated 19 October 2026), is a hairstyle in which the hair is short on the sides and top and long at the back. In this guide, a modern mullet is the softer version, with close sides, a textured top and a back that reaches the collar but is cut with shape instead of left to hang. Hair type changes the routine most, so the guide covers straight, wavy, curly, thick and fine hair, then gives the steps in order and the products that suit each.
What is a modern mullet?
A modern mullet is a short-sided, textured cut with a longer back that is shaped rather than left to grow out. That is this guide's working definition, built on the dictionary one. The brief covers the sides, the top and the back. The sides can be cut close or blended up from a low fade, the top keeps enough length to hold texture, and the back decides how bold the cut looks. A short back stays tidy, while a longer one puts the shape on show. (Barbers use different names for the same cut, so photos work better than vocabulary.)
What should you ask your barber for?
Describe the sides, the top and the back separately, and bring two or three photos of someone whose hair is like yours. For the sides, say how short you want them and where the blend should start. For the top, ask for enough length to hold texture, cut so it breaks into pieces instead of sitting as one block. For the back, say how far down it should go and whether you want a straight edge or a softer, tapered one. Then ask how they would adjust the cut for your hair, because a barber can judge density and the direction it falls from the chair, which a photo cannot show. If you would like the same texture on a shorter cut, see our guide to styling a textured crop.
How do you style a modern mullet on straight hair?
Give straight hair grip first, then add a matte product on top. The directions for the Sea Salt Hair Spray describe it as a pre-styler: spray 3 to 4 times onto towel-dried hair, then blow-dry into shape. Once the hair is dry, work a peanut-sized amount of Matte Hair Pomade or Concrete Hair Clay through the top and comb the back down into line. Both are matte, which in our view suits a modern cut better than shine. The sea salt spray guide covers the spraying step in more detail.
How do you style a modern mullet on wavy hair?
Let wavy hair air dry with sea salt spray, then separate the top with a little clay. The spray directions give an air-dry route for a messy look: 3 to 4 sprays on towel-dried hair, then leave it alone. The product page lists the spray for long, naturally wavy hair as well as short curls. When the hair is dry, tousle a peanut-sized amount of Concrete Hair Clay through the top with your hands, as the clay directions describe for a messy look, and let the back fall where the cut puts it.
How do you style a modern mullet on curly hair?
For curls, spray onto towel-dried hair and let it dry without brushing it out. The Sea Salt Hair Spray directions mention emphasising curls with the same 3 to 4 sprays and an air dry. Ask your barber how your curls will sit at the collar before you pick a length for the back. Care and styling by length are in our curly hair routine. For detangling, the Carbon Wide-Tooth Comb is listed for thick, curly or wet hair, and it is heat-resistant if you use a dryer.
How do you style a modern mullet on thick or hard-to-control hair?
Use a firmer matte product and detangle first. The Concrete Hair Clay page describes it as designed to manage thick, unruly or hard-to-style hair, with a matte, low-shine finish. It comes in Light, Medium and Strong hold, so start at Light and move up a level if the shape drops by the afternoon. Detangle with the Carbon Wide-Tooth Comb, then shape the clay with a styling comb or round brush, which is the directions' route for a classic look.
How do you style a modern mullet on fine hair?
Use less product on fine hair, starting with a little spray and a small amount of a water-based matte pomade. The Matte Hair Pomade page describes a water-based formula with a matte finish, best suited to fine-to-medium hair. Start with a peanut-sized amount in Light hold, work it into dry hair and shape it with your fingers, a round brush or a comb. Add more only if the shape needs it.
What are the styling steps, in order?
- Start with towel-dried hair. If you are using the spray, 3 to 4 sprays go on now.
- Dry it into shape. Blow-dry the top into the shape you want and comb the back down, so the product has a direction to hold.
- Take a peanut-sized amount of clay or pomade. Warm it between your palms until it is even.
- Work it through dry hair. Do the top first, then pass what is left over the back.
- Shape the top with your fingers. Pull a few pieces apart so the top separates instead of lying in one block.
- Comb the back into line. The Carbon Hair Comb has wide teeth on one side for shaping and fine teeth on the other for a clean line along the neck.
- Check it from the side and the back. Add more product in small amounts only if the shape needs it.
The guide to applying matte pomade shows the same finger-or-comb choice on other cuts.
Which product suits which hair type?
Hold is how firmly a product keeps the shape in place, and finish is how the surface looks, from matte to glossy. A modern mullet depends on separation and movement, so in our view a matte finish suits it, and hold decides how long the shape lasts.
| Hair type | Start with | Then | Hold to try first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight | Sea Salt Hair Spray, blow-dried into shape | Matte Hair Pomade or Concrete Hair Clay on top | Light |
| Wavy | Sea Salt Hair Spray, air-dried | Concrete Hair Clay on top | Light |
| Curly | Sea Salt Hair Spray, air-dried | A small amount of clay on top, if you want more definition | Light |
| Thick or hard to control | Carbon Wide-Tooth Comb to detangle | Concrete Hair Clay, shaped with a comb or round brush | Light, then Medium or Strong |
| Fine | A little Sea Salt Hair Spray | Matte Hair Pomade, worked in lightly | Light |
Hold levels are as listed on the product pages. The clay and the pomade come in Light, Medium and Strong, and the spray in Light, Medium and Firm. In the customer feedback we have reviewed on the clay and the pomades, one point recurs: the hair holds its shape and can still be combed through, which is the balance a cut with movement at the back needs. If you are choosing between clay, pomade and wax in general, see clay vs pomade vs wax, the pomade guide or our hair clay comparison.
What do you change when a modern mullet goes wrong?
- The top lies flat. Spray it and blow-dry the top into shape before the clay goes on, or move up one hold level next time.
- It looks heavy. Use less. A peanut-sized amount is the starting point, and it is easier to add more than to take it out.
- The back looks untidy. Comb it down with the fine teeth along the neckline, and ask your barber for a cleaner edge at the next cut.
- The shape has gone by the afternoon. Move up one hold level next time, or add a little more product to the top.
For more on getting a style to sit where you want it, see our hair styling tips for men. The pompadour guide applies the same hold-and-finish thinking to a higher, more structured shape.
Where does a modern mullet fit in the daily routine?
Style it in the morning once your hair is dry, and shampoo the product out when you wash. The order is short: shower, shampoo if it is a wash day, towel-dry, spray if your hair needs grip, dry into shape, then clay or pomade. Choose the shampoo for your hair rather than for the styling product, and our guide to choosing a men's shampoo and conditioner is the place to start. For the wider picture, see the complete men's grooming kit.
Modern mullet questions
What is a modern mullet?
A mullet is a hairstyle in which the hair is short on the sides and top and long at the back, according to Merriam-Webster. In this guide, a modern mullet is the softer version, with close sides, a textured top and a shaped back.
Will a mullet suit me?
That depends on your hair type, how it falls and how it is cut. Use the hair type sections above as a starting point, show your barber photos of someone with similar hair, and ask how they would adjust the cut for you.
How do I ask my barber for a modern mullet?
Describe the sides, the top and the back separately, covering how short the sides are and where the blend starts, how much length stays on top, and how far down and how shaped the back is.
What should I use to style a modern mullet?
A matte product. The Concrete Hair Clay and the Matte Hair Pomade both have a matte finish, and the Sea Salt Hair Spray can go on first, on towel-dried hair, for extra grip.
Should I style a mullet on wet or dry hair?
The Sea Salt Hair Spray goes on towel-dried hair. The Concrete Hair Clay and the Matte Hair Pomade directions call for dry hair, so spray first, dry the hair, then add the product.
How much product should I use?
The directions for the clay and the pomade call for a peanut-sized amount to start. Add more only if you need extra hold.
How do I wash it out?
Shampoo it out when you wash, using the shampoo that suits your hair.
This article is general information, not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. For a persistent or worsening symptom, or any concern about your health, speak to a qualified healthcare professional.
The short version
Brief your barber on the sides, the top and the back, match the routine to your hair type, and start with a peanut-sized amount at Light hold. The Hair Styling Kit puts the Matte Pomade, the Original Pomade and the Concrete Clay in one set, which is a simple way to compare matte and glossy finishes on your own hair. Browse the Barber's Blades & Tales archive for more on styling and routine.
Last reviewed 3 November 2026. Written by The Charlemagne Editorial Team.
