Table Of Content
- How To Perfect Slicked Back Hair, According To 15 Celebrities
- Step 2: Towel Dry Your Hair
- Apply The Right Styling Product
- Retro Slicked Back Hair Men
- How To Perfect Slicked Back Hair, According To 22 Celebrities
- What Brush Or Comb Should You Use For Slicked Back Hair?
- What Does Slicked Back Hair Say About You?
- Is Slicked Back Hair Professional?

Estelle's look proves you don't have to sacrifice volume for sheen. For a gravity-defying slicked-back hairstyle, you'll want to use plenty of hairspray, a blow dryer, and teasing to get volume at the roots. When drying, take care not to dent the hair, as that will stand out once the style is set. Maine recommends creaseless clips that can help set the look without getting dents. Slicked-back hairstyles can sometimes seem repetitive, which is why this multi-direction voluminous moment from Selma Blair is one of our favorites. While her bob may not have a lot of length, the actress makes the most of her layers with this coiffed style.
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How To Perfect Slicked Back Hair, According To 15 Celebrities
While the previous two examples used wax and pomade with matte finishes, this approach embraces the wet finish of gel or oil-based products. Believe it or not, you can also use a gel to get a voluptuous, volumized 'do that'll leave all your friends jealous. Of course, if you love to leave your hair long and loose, there's a slicked-back style perfect for you, too — just slick your long hair back a bit. Apply the gel only to the crown of your hair and brush the hair back — this will help blend the gel with the rest of your hair while keeping the length dry. Doing this allows you to achieve the slicked-back, wet look without applying hair gel from the roots to the ends of your hair.
Step 2: Towel Dry Your Hair
Use just a bit of gel or pomade for a look that will stay in place effortlessly throughout the day without looking wet. Place your bun as high or low on your head as you'd like, and for bonus points, leave out a few side tendrils for added visual interest. One of the easiest ways to achieve a slicked-back look is by slicking your hair into a ponytail. But wait, why would you want to slick your hair if you'll be pulling it all back anyway? Well, for starters, slicking your hair pre-ponytail can really mitigate any frizz or flyaways, preventing stray strands once you pull your hair into the ponytail.
Apply The Right Styling Product
But that shine shouldn’t come from a build-up of sweat, oil, and grime. The routine will vary a little depending on the finish you’re going for and what product you’re going to use to achieve it. It’ll make the difference between a thick-haired slick back that stays in place and one that’s flopped forward by midday.
Alessandra Ambrosio wears her wet slicked-back look with hair subtly swept to the side to give the hair some depth and dimension. Brazilian singer Anitta styled hers in a bold "C-shape" with the rest of her hair swept back into a classic updo for something bold. Here, Michelle Yeoh sculpts her hair back loosely for some added movement.
How To Perfect Slicked Back Hair, According To 22 Celebrities
As the name suggests, they’re products you apply before the actual styling. It’s often a good idea to apply them before blow-drying (if you plan on blow-drying). Using a more matte product (eg. clay or paste), style a messier, layered slick back where there’s more texture, volume, and fullness. One is that the typically “shiny” products used for styling slick backs such as pomades, waxes, and gels often aren’t ideal for men with thin hair. Oil-based pomades are heavy, waxy products that usually have petroleum, petrolatum, or beeswax as a core ingredient. They’re known for having great, long-lasting shine, a pliable hold, and being tough to wash out.
If you wanted to blow-dry backward after applying the first layer of product, that’s absolutely fine. It’s a great way of using the pressure and heat from a blow-dryer to keep thick hair in place. Hold the can about eight inches from your hair as you lightly cover the style with hair spray. It will dry and keep your hair in place without feeling sticky all day. When you’re done combing, don’t jump right into styling your hair. Let it sit for a few minutes while you shave, put on deodorant, or take care of other small tasks.

It kinda goes without saying but your hair should be as clean as a whistle before you get started. If you've got some of yesterday's product on or even if it's just a wee bit greasy, it's going to change the final result. So, put down that gel, stop what you're doing, and jump into the shower ASAP. Megan Thee Stallion's hot-red geometric updo is the perfect example of a sleek look that still manages to pull off lots of volume.
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Different pre-stylers have different functions, so your choice will depend on your hair type, as well as the finish you’re going for. You’ll find that you have less resistance when slicking back the hair using your fingers, a comb, or brush. Medium-length hair is more likely to accumulate grease, oil, and grime than short hair. However, results can be enhanced by using the right products (including a pre-styler) and getting the texture you’re looking for. To sum that up, if it’s less than 3.5 inches, there’s probably no point trying.
This should flatten it as you’re applying it, with the additional pressure making it more likely to stay in place. Clays generally have a better hold than pastes, but both would be reasonable options when slicking back short hair. But if you were looking to style a slick back with more of a matte finish, hair clay or paste would be options. Over time, you’ll find that it just becomes easier to slick back the short hair as it flows backward with less resistance. It needs all the support it can get at first because short hair will naturally want to flop back forward even if you were to use a styling product.
Its simplicity is key to understanding why so many men (and women) are drawn toward slicked back hair. You might have a thought in mind of what slicked-back hair looks like, but the style is likely to surprise you with its versatility. These 10 inspiration images will give you a good idea of what looks you can pull off with slicked-back hair. For some of those celebrities, slicked-back hair was a veritable way of life, and the style is still as relevant as it ever was.
For an added boldness, you can go for a slicked-back fade of any kind, from a low shadow fade to a high skin fade. So, if you have this amazing hair texture, give yourself a little treat and go for a slicked back curly hair look. Make the sides faded, using the clippers with a guard size #2 and #3. The front should be tapered to get the back shorter for about an inch.

When it comes to slicking back hair, people often prefer using products that spread through the hair easily. Traditional slick backs are known for a shapely and defined finish where stray hairs and flyaways are flattened and side parts often emphasized. Whether the hair is thin, curly, wavy, or straight, it should be fine. If it isn’t fine now, it will be with some training over time. If you’ve got especially thick hair or hair that simply struggles to stay in place when slicked back, there are ways of training it over time to help it do so. Hair length is really the only factor that prevents a man from slicking back his hair.
However, men with round faces should be more cautious when it comes to styling slicked back hair. As much as we’d love to recommend this look for everyone, it isn’t necessarily the best look for certain face shapes and hair types. Here are a few things to consider before going slicked back. The slicked-back look works best with straight hair, but you don’t have to forfeit this style if you have naturally wavy hair. This inspiration shows how slicked-back wavy hair gives a casual tousled look. Once upon a time, they called it the slick back pompadour, but now it’s just slicked-back hair.
Because your hair is required to hold such elaborate styling, you shouldn’t jump the gun and expect it to stay in place right off the bat. Total beginners should start styling their haircut with stronger-hold products and provide it with extra combing. More so, keep an eye on it during the day as it may require restyling, which is possible with a water-based product. But, really, the steps are so easy, you won’t have to put in much effort to get this style.
Slicked back hair may be approved in the army as it conforms to the natural shape of the head. However, given that it may be categorized as “eccentric directional flow”, some superiors may take issue with it. Not just neatness – but effortless neatness that doesn’t require constant preening, twisting, or tousling in front of a mirror throughout the course of the day. There’s something very aesthetically pleasing when it comes to styles where there’s very little fuss and very few frills. Society has always linked slicked-back hair with a sophisticated and cool style. Now you have inspiration images for the best hairstyle, and you know what you need to make the look work for you.