Angel del Solar began his career at an early age; at 15 he was working in Spain for Peluquerias Romero. From there he has travelled all over the world learning, educating, establishing salons, working for Editorials and celebrities alike. Joining the ranks of brands such as Pureology, L'Oreal, and Redken, and working in top salons all over the world, Angel’s breathe of work is vast and informative. Recently, with his business partners David del Solar and Aston LaFon, he has focused on grooming with the creation and launch of 18.21 Man Made. They noticed a deficit in the world of Men’s Grooming and luxury salon markets and have aimed to bridge that gap with their line of premium grooming provisions. As an expert of men’s trends and styling, we wanted to know more about Angel’s inspiration so we chatted with him about his celeb style crush…

Who is your style “crush”?

There are always a few people I have my eye on when it comes to men’s trends, but at the moment Hugh Jackman is stealing the spotlight, he is also one of my favorite actors. Either him or Brad Pitt, Pitt always has great style. With Jackman’s new movie, LOGAN, coming out we see him with an updated style of his previous looks. As he ages he has grown out his beard into a fuller style and in the movie we see him with blonde tips and a little grey, it looks like they used CLAY to style him, which makes him look pretty #Beastmode! Hugh proves that olden man can still be in really great shape while rocking a cool haircut. You don’t need to shave your head or have a comb over; you just need to learn how to style a new cut.

If you had the chance, how would style his hair?

He has always had a very scruffy look; he became famous for that with Wolverine and his spikey hair and beard. Using CLAY on wet hair, drying it and then using CLAY again while lacquering it with HAIRSPRAY to control the shape is how to achieve this look. This is a cool look because it departs from the traditional barber look we’ve been seeing. It is a longer version of a classic traditional cut with a messy vibe.

If I were to style his hair I would do the complete opposite. I would cut his hair short on the sides with a modern business look on top. The beard looks great on him so I would keep the beard but I would take down the size a bit, aiming for something that looks like he hasn’t shaved for a week and a half. I would also edge his hairline and beard line to get a clean, sharp rebel look. I would color his hair black with a tint of blue to give it a cool feel and pull this color into the beard to get rid of his grays. Then taper the sides and the beard to get a contoured feel. To get the style I wanted I would start with POMADE to give him shine and keep his hair in place.

With his hair and facial structures, Jackman can pull off almost any look. Which is why I would like to create a style like this, it is completely different than what we normally see him in.

*Styling tip: Since most POMADE’s are water soluble, when using POMADE on wet hair you need a finishing agent such as HAIRSPRAY to help the hair dry. Without this your hair can take up to 45 minutes to set. 

What are your favorite “cocktails”?

I love starting out with a PASTE. Whether you’re a barber or a stylist, this is a universal product that can be used on men and women. It is also a great starting point for any style. If you want to create a slick style with shine, PASTE + POMADE is your best bet. If you want an edgier, texturized feel PASTE + CLAY is my favorite. You can play with different ratios to change the look and see what works best for the hair type or style you are going for.

If you were stranded on a desert island, which product would you take with you?

Oh, that’s an easy one. When you’re on a desert island you really don’t have to look good, but you’re going to want to smell good. I would definitely take MAN MADE WASH, it shampoo’s and conditions your hair as well as your skin. And with Quinoa protein it is a protein treatment as well.  Plus, there aren’t any mirrors on the island, so what’s the point of styling?

To learn more about 18.21 Man Made and which product is perfect for you, be sure to stalk them on Bangstyle and shop their products in the store!