How to Get 'Five Feet Apart' Star Cole Sprouse's Cool Hairstyle

If you don’t remember Cole Sprouse as the cute little kid from Big Daddy or his pre-teen gig as a Disney Channel star, you should know that the Five Feet Apart star does not have naturally dark hair. This is notable in Sprouse’s case to illustrate a point we make a lot here at Men’s Health: hair is powerful. We’re not saying Sprouse hit the big time because he’s one of the best-coiffed men of Hollywood, but we’re also not saying it’s pure coincidence. Sprouse’s hair is casual and relaxed with a retro-yet-modern look that can also be slick and styled—it’s effortlessly cool.

“The first time we met, he pulled out inspiration pictures for me,” says Christine Nelli, his actual groomer, illustrating one of the golden rules when considering a new hairstyle. The rest, as they say, is history. It was Sprouse and Nelli that came up with his current look, which is Rockabilly-inspired, a little bit Elvis and a little bit Morrissey. “I always describe it as the Johnny Depp Crybaby look,” she says. But, you know, modern.

“Anybody can achieve this style,” says Nelli. Here are her seven tips to get you there.

START WITH THE COLE SPROUSE HAIRCUT

A haircut is the foundation for a killer style. In this case, that cut relies on two things: length and texture. “Instead of making the sides short with a clipper, use a scissor to cut the sides to about half an inch and graduate up,” says Nelli. “Leave the top really long.” Make sure your barber cuts into the hair to give it texture instead of keeping the ends blunt.

ABOUT THAT DARK HAIR COLOR

Disclaimer time: going dark can look a bit harsh on some guys, but if you want to try it, go see a professional. Box color can be flat and doing it yourself runs the risk of looking like you used shoe polish to dye your hair. The key to natural-looking dark hair like Sprouse’s is in the highlights. Nelli, who doesn’t dye his hair (it’s done on the Riverdale set), says his hair was dyed permanently at the beginning and then upkeep is done through rinses. Ask a professional colorist to help you decide on a dark color that suits your skin tone and be prepared for regular upkeep. Depending on how light your natural color is, you should plan on getting your roots done about every two weeks.

DON’T WASH YOUR HAIR TOO OFTEN

Just like over coloring can dry your hair out, over washing can do the same. “It’s really bad for your scalp,” says Nelli, who recommends washing your hair only a few times a week at most. To get a piecey look like Sprouse’s, you need a healthy scalp and as many of the natural oils on your hair as possible.

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USE SEA SALT SPRAY FOR TEXTURE

Sprouse’s style depends on texture from start to finish. Nelli begins, when his hair is damp, with a generous helping of salt spray before blow drying it. “Make a twisting motion with pieces of hair as you blow dry,” she says. “It gives it more texture and a surfer-y curl.” Once it’s dry, it will look lived in and you can mess with it throughout the day, without damaging the style. “Your hair falls throughout the day, but if you prep your hair properly, it will stay that way even till the next day,” she says.

USE A TEXTURE MOUSSE FOR THICKER-LOOKING HAIR

Sprouse has a lot of hair, according to Nelli, but not all of us are so lucky. Thinner hair can still achieve the lift off this style requires, just with different products. “Use texture mousse on thinner hair,” she says. Apply texturizing mousse on damp hair and blow dry the same way as above. For even more volume, make friends with root lifter. Apply it to wet hair and “really work it with your hands into your scalp, at the base of your hair,” says Nelli. “Pull it up with your fingers while you’re blow drying to make it have more volume.”

MIX POMADES FOR COLE SPROUSE’S HAIRSTYLE

Achieving Sprouse-level style takes more than one product and if you think otherwise, you’re kidding yourself. “I use Layrite pomade on the sides to give it more of a slicked-back look,” says Nelli, “and then on top I use Ouai matte pomade, because it has some grittiness to it, but also a little bit of shine.” The matte pomade gives more separation on top, where it’s more textured, and the classic version keeps the sides from sticking out by the end of the day.

FINISH WITH HAIRSPRAY

The icing on the coif is a little mist of hairspray to keep it all in place, but not frozen. Look for a super fine version and don’t use too much. The key to this style is movement and remember you’re using the hairspray to keep the general shape, but not make your hair into a helmet.