As with workman's tools, hair products are only as good as the person that wields them – and yet, to the man who has truly mastered his product(s) of choice, the world of fantastic hair comes wide open. Give a man a pot of clay and he may fumble through a passable look, but teach him how to style his hair using the the pot and he will never have a bad hair day again.

With this entirely unique and non-plagiarised principle in mind we took our hair product and styling questions to someone who knows better than even those of us who have spent untold hours practicing with wax and the like: Jake Murphy is a senior barber at the Covent Garden branch of Ruffians. For the remainder of this article, he is your guide in the art of follicle fashionings. Got your pick of the best men's shampoo for you? Clutching your new conditioner? Then let's begin.

How we pick the best men's hair products

Below is a curated selection of the best hair care products for men, hand-picked and tested by our grooming editor and in-house grooming experts. Owen Gough, Senior Commerce Writer, takes care of all British GQ's grooming and self-care content and tests each brand and product for a total of two weeks. During testing, he assesses the overall value for money on offer, as well as any standout features like included scents, holds, styles capable, and how each one is good or bad for different hair types and lengths.