Interview: Matthew Hughes, Head Barber at Murdock London in Covent Garden

Matthew Hughes is head honcho at the King Street branch of exceptionally cool London barbershop Murdock. Managing to take some time away from treating the well-sculpted hair and facial hair of our good London gents, Matthew has answered a few questions about his style inspirations, and the need to maintain a healthy beard! Take a look:

Who is the modern man?

To me, the modern man should be purposeful but casual in styling, making sure that the look he is trying to achieve is accomplished without appearing like he has taken hours staring in the mirror. A personal style should also be maintained, not changed with each fad that comes and goes. 

Where do you look for inspiration when it comes to grooming and style? 

Absolutely everywhere. Working in an environment like Murdock means that you see guys everyday who have aspects of style that you can pinch and mould to suit you. Besides here, the streets are a great way to spot gents who have interesting but functional style. I think catwalks throw out styles and haircuts that are potentially great for a brief period, but are not always so realistic. 

And how does this impact on the "Murdock experience"?

The Murdock experience is a classic, smooth experience that doesn’t need to be altered depending on what is going on at the time. I think that is why it is so successful, as regardless of what's going on outside you are guaranteed the same relaxing and satisfying experience from entry to exit.

What is your own favourite product? Has this been influenced by your own customers?

At the moment it has to be the Murdock Beard Moisturiser, paired with the Elastick for the hair. My preferred hair product can change depending on the style I'm creating, but maintaining a healthy beard and looking after your skin is always going to be key. A nice Murdock Tweed wash bag to keep them both in is probably just as essential. 

Anything you avoid?

Product-wise there are plenty of things I would avoid for myself, but every product serves a purpose to an extent. The best way to learn would be to pop into your nearest Murdock branch and have a good chat with the gents in store. You'll get an honest opinion of what would suit you and what wouldn't. It’s the best way to make sure your bathroom cupboard isn't clogged up with products that you’ve opened and used once!

And finally, what's your top tip for the modern man?

Find your look and stick to it. Never try too hard.

Matthew and his team at Murdock King Street are helping you look like you don't have to try too hard every day of the week - go and check them out!

My New: Redken, Intra-Force Daily Use 3-Step System

Okay, I don’t know that much about hair. Or the science behind hair care in fact. But as I am one of the many unfortunates who struggle with the extra-ordinary pain of a receding hairline, a stimulating and thickening shampoo is fairly close to the top of my list when it comes to grooming essentials. 

I put Murdock Hair Doh in my hair every morning. I style my hair in a quiff. I run my hands through my hair while sitting at my desk all day. In combination, my habits naturally result in more breakage and hair loss around the front of my scalp. And I'd do almost anything to protect what's left. 

I’m not deluded. I don’t think there’s a “re-growth” shampoo or treatment on the market that’s going to prevent or cure baldness (I would be very, very happy to hear from anyone who has found the miracle cure), but what I’m talking about here is a treatment that is going to strengthen and protect your hair.

With that lengthy prelude in mind, I have been using the Redken market offering - Intra-Force - for the last six weeks. This 3-step approach, involving a shampoo, toner and treatment, offers a (relatively) cost effective and simple option. You can pick up a small set of all three products for around £25.00 on Amazon. And I’m kind of obsessed with how it smells (I think it’s the zinc)... 

Step 1 – Shampoo

Step 1, as you may well imagine, is to shampoo. The detoxifying formula (it's the zinc PCA again!) is designed to help reduce excess sebum (natural oiliness that is secreted through the hair follicle) and DHT (which can play a major role in hair loss by causing follicles to shrink). The idea being that the shampoo creates a healthy environment and therefore encourages hair to grow.

Step 2 – Tone 

Step 2 is toning, or conditioning. This is the part that's going to nourish and moisturise, helping prevent premature hair breakage. After shampoo-ing, I comb about a 10p piece sized amount of toner through damp hair and leave it in for a few minutes. Then rinse. The vitamin E content here nourishes and preps your hair before moving on to step 3...

Step 3 - Treatment

The final, post-shower, step is a spray treatment. Claiming to energise the scalp (I'm not certain about that), this treatment is a fast absorbing spray that promotes hair density (via the amino acid content) and makes hair look fuller and thicker. After showering, spray the treatment over towel dried hair and comb or gently massage into the scalp. 

I find that step 3 gives you that blissful, albeit brief, massage-moment in the morning. And for an extra-special treat, you could always pay someone to do it for you at a Redken salon!