How you style your hair can make or break your whole look for the night. Looking for something more modern and trendy? Perhaps one of the most classy and chic looks: the slicked back, shiny hairdo! Leave it to this slicked back hairstyle to make you look like the most flattering person in the room.
1. What is a slicked back hairstyle?
2. Tools and products you need to achieve a slicked back style
3. Different Slicked Back Hairstyles
The idea of slicked back hair may seem greasy or strange. However, with the right products and tools, this celebrity favorite hairstyle can leave you looking confident and sharp.
The evolution of the slicked back hairstyle has been around for ages. For a long time, it was mostly worn by men, especially in the Grease era in the 50s to 70s. This bold style signified a “tough” and confident type of man. Many male celebrities continued to wear this look at events such as the Oscars and the Grammys. The slicked back look wasn’t popular with women until Rosie Huntington-Whiteley made a fashion statement in 2015 wearing this sleek hairstyle that got everyone to follow.
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You also only really need around 5 products to achieve all of these looks. Here is a suggestion of tools and products you may need, with different variations.
1. Comb
2. Hairspray
3. Hair gel
4. Hair tie
5. Toothbrush
Since Rosie Huntington absolutely killed this look, there have been many versions of this hairstyle created and worn by celebrities and people everywhere. Here are a few different ways you can go about rocking this stunning look as well.
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Want to start with probably the easiest, yet most classic look? All you will need for this version is a comb and some hairspray.
Start by combing your hair back from root to tip to cover any part or view of the scalp. After you comb it through a few times, begin hairspraying the top of your head every time you comb back your hair. Make sure to only spray a little less than halfway down your hair length, as you don’t want the bottom half of your hair to look shiny. The goal is to use as much hairspray as it takes so that the slicked back top of your hair doesn't split into a part.
This Kardashian style can be worn to the office or even to a formal event. To achieve this look, you want to first start off by parting your hair the way you like and combing through to get any knots out. Pull your hair back into a low ponytail (don’t worry too much about what it looks like) and begin to put gel onto the bristles of a toothbrush to brush back the front pieces of your hair and give it that glossy look.
When you feel like the front pieces are gelled up enough, put some gel into your palms and begin to slick back the rest of your hair into a tighter, more sleek low pony. Use the toothbrush to get rid of any bumps before tightly tying your hair, and use hairspray generously to top off the look.
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Similar to the low pony, this high pony look will leave you runway ready. To begin, comb through your hair and run some gel through it with your fingertips to avoid flyaways. Use the comb to smooth your hair into a high pony. Grab a toothbrush and gel and brush back the slicked back part of the hair, getting rid of any bumps or stray hairs.
This is by far my favorite go-to hairstyle because it is SO versatile. I literally wear it right from the library to a nice dinner with friends.
To start, I usually part my hair down the middle and run water through my comb to make my hair a little wet and easier to manage. Next, I tightly comb my hair back into a low or mid ponytail. I use the palms of my hands to rub gel on the top and sides of my hair all the way to the hair tie. I repeat using the gel until I get a glossy and shiny front. Then I wrap the ponytail I created earlier into a bun and hair spray the bun until it also looks glossy.
Tip: If you feel like you may have overdone it with hairspray and gel, you can always take the hairdo out, brush through it, and restart. Brushing through it will break away some of the strands that are gelled together and make it seem a little less tough or shiny.
If you’re craving a more fun and bold look, the slicked back bubble pony is for you. You can either follow the high or low pony instructions above for the start of this look.
After your hair is in one of these pony styles, you’re going to want to make sure you have clear elastics or hair ties the same color as your hair. Start to tease the loose hair coming out of the ponytail until it has some texture and volume. Depending on how long your hair is, you’re going to want to break up the bubbles evenly. Start to tie elastics down your teased hair, pulling the bubble out a little to expand and give them lots of volume. Continue to mess with the bubbles to your liking, and be prepared for the compliments you’re going to receive all night long. Whichever version of the classic slicked back hairstyle you choose, you’re going to look like you just got off the runway.
Written by Emma Carlson
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