An interview with celebrity hairstylist Mycke Arcano on how he helped his male muses find their signature style
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Grooming Talks
WHERE DO YOU LOOK FOR INSPIRATION NOWADAYS?
Ever since 2014 or 2015, I was already in love with Asian cultures, such as Korean and Thai, but more with the latter. I was already in love with the culture and the country before it became trending. But with the rise of Korean and Thai beauty and fashion, I’m now able to express what I’ve been passionate about for so long, so I merge the aesthetics of these Asian cultures into how I do hair. I still get people raising their eyebrows at me and doubting what I do, but I’m at that point where I do what makes me happy and live in this universe as who I want to be.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO DOING MEN’S GROOMING?
I’ve been doing a lot of things with my hair since I was young. I would match my hairstyle to my mood. When the pandemic came, I became my only muse, so I would practice on myself. Then, TikTok happened, and I started posting mini hair tutorials, which garnered views. People saw how I was able to transform my look with just this little hair of mine. I never would have imagined that the era would come when men would be more meticulous when it comes to doing their own hair.
WHY DO YOU THINK HAIR IS A FORM OF PRIDE FOR BOTH WOMEN AND MEN?
As cliché as it may sound, hair is your crowning glory. My co-creatives would even tell me that even if the makeup looks good and the clothes look great, if the hair doesn’t match, masisira ’yong buong look. The hair is this final touch, the final accessory, if you want to dress up and look good. For most of us, it has become this source of power that helps us define who we are.
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP THREE HAIRSTYLING PRODUCTS?
My product preferences change from time to time, but I always need a volumizer, a texturizer, and a stronghold hairspray in my life. If I could add hair tools, it would be a blower and an iron.
Photography DENNIS SULIT
Grooming MYCKE ARCANO assisted by JAM JACOBE and LEI FROYALDE
Styling DAVID MILAN
