When I started in SL in 2007, the places you could buy quality men’s hair could be counted on one hand.  To find the very best for this — our fifth — edition, I canvassed over thirty men’s hair creators, the vast majority of them making hair of greater quality than what was available when I joined.

This guide is important, I believe; because while there is no shortage of hair in SL, there is still quite a disparity when it comes to gender.  The choices for women outnumber those for men probably by ten to one.  And while some of these massive hair manufacturers will have a head of hair or two for men, often times it is simply an afterthought.

Because of this phenomenon, I had to draw a line on what vendors I would cover.  Clearly, if a vendor has a commitment to make quality men’s hair, they will have more than a few pieces, and there will be a sufficient variety to choose from in one store.  So, for this guide, we only chose retailers who have created at least four hair selections for men, with most of those being full heads of hair (rather than capped).

I believe it is a mistake when vendors ignore male clients.  The “men-don’t-shop” adage doesn’t play out so well in his virtual world.  Younger men do shop (if you haven’t noticed, the under-25 crowd is the growth demographic in SL), as do gay men (whose presence in SL is disproportionately larger than their numbers in RL).

Not all merchandisers are so short-sighted.  Stores with quality merchandise for men are exploding in size and profit.  And … these are the merchandisers we celebrate with this list of the Best in Men’s Hair.

Tekuteku – one of the rising hair shops in SL, a testament of the force at which Japanese fashion is taking market share in SL.  The vendors in the stores may give you the impression that the hair is for those who want to look like anime avatars as opposed to something more realistic, but the hair is quite realistic and versatile.  Not a lot of variety for men, though, which is why this awesome store didn’t place higher than it did.

Naughty Designs – the former leader in men’s and women’s hair, until 2007.  Although they haven’t produced new hair in two years, Naughty is still a leader in men’s hair, although just barely.  With over seventeen heads of hair,  Naughty raised the bar for men back then — giving residents of the day realistic and contemporary choices when other vendors only gave them ugly helmet hair.

Perhaps because of heavy copybot activity, Naughty stopped releasing new hair in the fall of 2007.  Their store remains open as their products remain relevant and stylish.  This won’t last for long — the newer stylist-creators are making better product every season, so if Naughty doesn’t return to producing new product, look for this store to disappear inside of twelve months.

(To read the rest of this Top Ten list, click here!)

Not alot to say about Novocaine … their men’s selection is just at my cut-off limit (4 sets of hair), but what they do have shows enough style and appeal to demonstrate considerable talent.  I only wish they made more!

The aptly named Gritty Kitty caters mostly to those who enjoy a “punkier” Second Life.  The store is really awesome, and not just the hair section (upstairs).  Most of the newer men’s hair (or unisex) is really good and sexy, and I hope the guy makes more of it.  The older stuff is decent, but this guy has got a lot of talent and is one to watch.

Find Ash – yet another deliciously Japanese store with a great stock of terrific hair.  Find Ash has recently moved to a nicer location (although it seems a bit more laggy than the previous – but, it does get better if you just park for a while before shopping), with some new styles out for sale.

Find Ash seems to target the same audience as Tukutuku, but the hair is mainstream enough to be very popular with fashion adherents all over SL.  My only complaint is that a LOT of the hair seems very similar to other models in the store; though, if you look hard enough, there is some variety.

On the other hand, looking really hard won’t do you much good if you’re looking for a match in style and fashion that a.C store brings to men’s hair.  As with his selection of men’s clothing, CheerNo Destiny’s hair collection isn’t just hair … it’s art.

While it’s highly desirable to look at, it’s less functional than many of its competitors — which is why you’ll find this hair more in SL’s fashion blogs than you will in SL’s nightclubs.

Regardless, CheerNo is one of SL’s rising creators, and has demonstrated an enormous burst of creativity over the last year.  This star is going up … he’s one to watch.

MADesigns didn’t make their name in hair, they made it making the hottest men’s shapes in SL, complete with styling cards.  What started as a photography shop with a few vending boards has become a powerhouse in men’s fashion – their men’s fashion mall is a veritable “Who’s Who” list in SL men’s wear.

In the last few months, MADesigns has expanded their own retail offerings to include hair … men’s hair that they’re making themselves, and boy, ARE they ever making it.  After only just a few months, they’ve got about 30 hair styles out, with about 39 color shades each (sold in packs of three).  These guys have been busy!

The quality of the hair matches many of their peers on this list … which is just incredible.  Each new style shows an improvement in craft, so don’t be surprised if these guys aren’t number one in a season or two.

In late 2007, Armidi burst onto the fashion scene … instantly becoming number one in many things related to fashion … and not just men’s hair.  Regardless of your opinion, Armidi was singularly responsible for the noticable drop in traffic on the Naughty sim that winter (the leader at the time).

Armidi’s hair remains among the most artistically crafted hair in Second Life.  Like Naughty, however, they haven’t added anything new in the men’s hair line in about a year and a half, and their competition is quickly surrounding and surpassing them.  Unlike Naughty, they haven’t given up on this brand … they continue to add new clothing items, and recently launched ShopArmidi.com — a successful effort to remove lag from your Armidi shopping experience.  I just hope they eventually return to hair … before they fall off this list.

Yet another example of Japanese supremacy over SL fashion, Aoharu lends the same contemporary elegance evident in their clothing line to their hair products.  While there’s only seven heads of men’s hair, they’re all excellent pieces … made for realistic human avatars — a refreshing departure from some of her more caricaturesque peers.

What can one say about the best?  Din Raymaker has ruled men’s hair for several months now, and after nearly half-a-year away (a time during which his fans were forced to purchase a mere handful of his hair at a small shop in Le.Look), he had returned in grand style.

Although his earlier styles were texture-challenged, his genius has blossomed as he’s put out more content — not only by making the best hair in Second Life for men, but also in retiring the styles that no longer measured up.

Where others fail, UncleWeb Studios succeeds … his styles are on the cutting edge of men’s fashion: urban, contemporary, cool.  He offers a variety that will appeal to most lifestyles in SL.

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The Best in Men’s Hair is part of a series on this blog, Phantom’s List – a celebration of the very best Second Life’s content creators have to offer.  Phantom’s List is a periodic feature, published every four to six weeks right here on this blog.  To remain apprised of future additions to this list, please stop by our store in Minbari and click the Update Group sign (which also entitles you to a monthly $1,000L drawing!)