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Get the iconic punk look at home and learn where it comes from
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Liberty spikes are a time-honored punk and counterculture style that stands out in a crowd. Pretty much anyone with long hair can do them—it just takes some hairspray, a blow dryer, and a little patience. We talked to licensed cosmetologist Kana Ishii and professional hair stylist Patrick Evan to show you how to style your own spikes , how to maintain them , and where they started .
Note: If you want to cut and style your hair into a mohawk with liberty spikes, check out this article .
Giving Yourself Liberty Spikes
Brush your hair, then section it into 2–4 in (5.1–10.2 cm) sections. Take a section and tease the base with a brush, then pull it into a point and spray the base with hairspray. Blow dry it for 60 seconds, let it sit for 60 seconds, then style and sharpen the tip with gel. Repeat this process for each spike.
Steps
Section 1 of 3:
Styling Liberty Spikes
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Grow your hair to at least 3–4 in (7.6–10.2 cm) and dye it if you like. Liberty spikes don’t need to be super long, but there does need to be a good amount of hair to make the effect pop. And to go full punk, consider dyeing your hair a fun color beforehand, which is a time-honored punk tradition. [1] X Research source After all, the bigger, wilder, and less normal, the better.
- Liberty spikes are most striking on hair that’s about 8 in (20 cm) long, but short liberty spikes are pretty rad, too.
- It also helps if you gather some photos of other people’s liberty spikes, so you have a reference for what yours should look like.
- Liberty spikes are different from messy spikes or plain old volume, which is sometimes called “charged” hair.
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Brush and straighten your hair so it’s knot-free. Before you begin, brush or comb your hair to remove any tangles and make it sleek and smooth. [2] X Research source Knots or tangles could make the spikes look messy or interfere with the structure. If you have curly hair, straighten it after you brush it, or the liberty spikes might not cooperate.
- Curly heads (and everyone else, for that matter), keep in mind that straightening, heating, and using lots of product in your hair can damage it. If you want the look, though, that’s a sacrifice you might have to get comfortable with.
- If you like, go ahead and see how your hair behaves without straightening it. It could work! And if it doesn’t, you can always go back and straighten it.
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Part your hair into 2–4 in (5.1–10.2 cm) sections. Each of these sections will become its own liberty spike. Start by parting your hair down the middle, then part it in half front and back. Then, gather smaller sections and secure each with a hair tie, so you don’t lose them. Your sections don’t have to be perfect! [3] X Research source Remember, this is punk , not Paris Fashion Week.
- The important part is making sure each section is big enough to support the hair. If your sections are too small, the spike might just fall over.
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Tease your first section to give it some texture and support. Take a section at the front of your head and undo the hair tie. Now, it may seem counterintuitive, but this is a key step. Tease the section by running a brush down through the hair, toward your scalp. Not too much, just enough to make it frizzy. Many punks say that the texture helps the liberty spikes hold. [4] X Research source
- Don’t tease it so much that it gets tangled again. A little texture is all you’re looking for here.
- Focus on teasing the base of your hair. It’s not necessary to tease it all the way to the ends.
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Spray the section with a strong-hold product and form it into a spike. Take the section of hair and hold it up by the tip. Spray the entire spike, but focus on the base, hitting all sides to give the spike a sturdy foundation. [5] X Research source
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Blow-dry the section for 60 seconds to set the spike, then let it cool. Ishii says to “use a blow dryer with low power on heat for one minute, then cool for one minute.” As you blow dry, use the other hand to pull the spike taut. This is the secret step that “sets” your hair, locking it into shape. If the spike needs more support, add more hairspray while pulling it taut, then blow-dry it again.
- Don’t be afraid of using too much hairspray, but also don’t go off the deep end right away. Spray, set, check, then spray again if needed.
- Hold the blow dryer close to your hair, just a few inches away, for the best results.
EXPERT TIPProfessional Hair StylistPatrick Evan is the Owner of Patrick Evan Salon, a hair salon in San Francisco, California. He has been a hairstylist for over 25 years and is a Thermal Reconditioning Specialist, dedicated to transforming difficult curls and waves into sleek, straight hair. Patrick Evan Salon was rated the Best Hair Salon in San Francisco by Allure magazine, and Patrick's work has been featured in Woman’s Day, The Examiner, and 7x7.It’s incredibly important to use heat protection. Use a product like Kevin Murphy Heat Defense whenever you’re using these tools. People tend to turn the heat up to the maximum temperature when most people need to be using 280-325°F (138-163°C).
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Sharpen the tip with a pea-sized amount of hair gel. This is optional, but it makes your spikes look that much spikier. Squirt a small dab of hair gel into your fingers, then work it into the very tip of the spike to form it into a nice point. [6] X Research source
- Using just a little hair gel is key. Too much, and the spike might get weighed down and fall over.
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Repeat the process for each section of hair. Now, move on to the next section and start the process over. Tease, spray, style, blow dry, and gel the tip. Work from front to back and take your time. When you get to the back, it’s easiest to have two mirrors—one in front and one behind—so you can see what you’re doing. After all your spikes are standing, you’re done. Now go hit the mosh pit and show off your new style!
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Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do I get the spikes out?SpaceshipCommunity AnswerIt is easy to wash out most hair gel using lots of basic shampoo. After applying the shampoo, then wash thoroughly to remove the gel.
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QuestionAre liberty spikes "appropriate" for school?SpaceshipCommunity AnswerThis really depends on your school’s rules on student hairstyles. Most public schools do not have a certain hair policy but many private schools have a hairstyle policy. In short, consult your school’s dress code/hair policy before getting liberty spikes.
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QuestionWhat would happen if you used gorilla glue?Community AnswerIt would severely damage the hair and may require the wearer to shave their head, or chop the hair off close to the scalp.
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Tips
- Put on your outfit before you style your spikes. Otherwise, they’ll get bent when you put on your shirt.Thanks
- Recruit a friend to help you. More hands make the process easier.Thanks
- Proportional spikes stay up better than other ones. For example, if you have an eight-inch spike, the base should be around 2 inches (5.1 cm) in diameter. If it is too thin, it will be weak and harder to stay up, even though it will look good. A spike that is too thick will take up too much of your hair and will be hard to keep standing.Thanks
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Warnings
- Hairspray is flammable. Do not smoke or be near open flames during or shortly after putting up your spikes.Thanks
- Liberty spikes can be hard to get out in the shower. If you have something important to do the next day where spikes are inappropriate, plan for a longer shower than usual so you're not surprised and end up late.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://www.fashion-era.com/1970s/punk-fashion-history
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KeaAKjesM8&t=50s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBzKHLr8cPg&t=105s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBzKHLr8cPg&t=79s
- ↑ https://youtu.be/t6QsrW-Qgtk?si=_lUbvIjz6__Ph6_0&t=79
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq-Z_KKSuUw&t=71s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6QsrW-Qgtk&t=182s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWDpBJsEPoM&t=22s
- ↑ https://titanradio.org/punk-hairstyles/
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Reader Success Stories
- "This worked great for me and a couple of my friends! You should really grow the hair out a bit if you want better results but other than that this looked pretty good. Thanks for the tutorial." ..." more
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"This worked great for me and a couple of my friends! You should really grow the hair out a bit if you want better results but other than that this looked pretty good. Thanks for the tutorial."
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"I used egg whites just to test it out on a small portion of my hair. Works pretty well, but you need a lot of patience and upper arm strength to hold up the spike while waiting for it to dry."
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