Stephen Knoll has spent 30 years creating eye-catching hairstyles for ad campaigns and celebrities attending events. But when it comes to his own hair, the New York-based stylist prefers a more natural look. 'I want my hair to look like someone would want to touch it,' he says.

Mr. Knoll, who wears his curly hair in a short cut with fashionable sideburns, believes that many well-dressed men make the mistake of thinking hair should be too 'perfect.'

That's particularly true for special occasions, he says. When an outfit is very polished, he believes the hair should counter that a bit. 'If my hair is a little unruly, it gives my clothing some edge,' he says.

This is not to say that hair should look out of control. Mr. Knoll uses several products to create an everyday style that looks well-groomed but not contrived. After shampooing and conditioning, Mr. Knoll works a dime-sized amount of gel into his wet hair to 'define the curls and give it some shape so it's not a frizzy mass.' Curls often look better if they have a separated, distinct look. He uses gel on clients with straight hair, too, in order to control and shape it.

Mr. Knoll generally avoids blow-drying his hair, because it can make curls frizzy. Instead, he combs his hair with his fingers, pushing it forward, especially at the top, in order to give it more volume.

'This gives my hair a slight wave, and by the time I get to work, the wave has turned into a slight curl,' he says. Gel, like hairspray, stiffens when it dries, so once it's dry, he says, 'I put my fingers through it to shake it out and loosen it.'

Sometimes, if he wants an edgier look, he'll apply more gel -- as much as a quarter-sized dollop -- to give the style more shape. Using more than that, however, will make you 'look like maybe you didn't shampoo it that day,' he says.

During the day, if his hair is getting a little limp, he'll run a pea-sized amount of pomade through his hair. Pomades and waxes are similar to gels, but they remain flexible, rather than drying stiff, and offer a bit more shine. They are good for adding thickness and a 'textured' look, in which hair is separated into distinct locks. 'Muds' and 'pastes' offer similar effects with a less shiny finish.

Mr. Knoll always picks pomades or waxes that have 'medium texture,' he says. 'You don't want it too runny and you don't want it really, really stiff.' With gels, he looks for products that say 'strong hold' or 'extra hold' because he likes the control they offer.

He uses hairspray very sparingly. 'I don't think that it looks modern or sexy if a man's hair is stiff,' he says. When he does use it, for instance to finish a trendy pompadour, he looks for sprays that say 'light hold.' Because he likes to wear cologne, he picks hair products without a scent.

For formal events, he sometimes creates a 'sleek '60s Hollywood glamor look' for clients, combing gel through the hair to slick it back. But Mr. Knoll generally avoids the popular 'wet hair' look. 'If you're at the beach and your hair is wet, it's one thing,' he says. Otherwise, 'It doesn't make sense to me.'

Usually, he prefers a more tousled style for nighttime. Just before heading out for the evening, Mr. Knoll often takes a pea-sized amount of pomade or wax, rubs it between his hands to soften it up, and wraps pieces of hair around his fingers. 'It's a way of easing up your look -- like loosening your tie,' he says.