Jim Shaw, Director of TONI&GUY Billericay and multi-award-winning men's hairdresser, gives us the lowdown on slicked back styling.
Slicked back hairstyles are a trend all year round, however, they are particularly popular for the upcoming autumn/winter season when male clients are looking to give their hair a break from heated styling, tame frizz and flyaways, and add moisture back into their hair whilst still sporting a super stylish and sophisticated hair look.
As we get further into the year, slicked back styles are one of the most highly requested hair looks in the salon/barbershop by male clients for the festive season and any Christmas parties for clients looking to give their look a further polished appearance.
Below, I share a few of my favourite slicked back hairstyling looks and products I like to use to help achieve the look…
Sky high slicked back quiff
With this look it’s all about creating that trademark volume at the front and creating a contrast by slicking back the sides to ensure all eyes are on the quiff. The quiff is different from your usual classic slicked back style, as it features a lot more volume and height and it has more structure and hold.
When creating the look, I would always firstly start by prepping the hair with a heat protection spray or a mousse on damp hair before going in with my hairdryer and a round brush to help lift the hair at the roots and slick the hair back at the sides. One of my favourite heat protection sprays is the LABEL.M Fashion Edition Heat Protection Mist.
Of course, volume is also key to ensure the style stays in place, and I would use a small amount of pomade such as American Crew Heavy Hold Pomade to help give the hair strong hold and shine in the quiff, whilst also slicking back the sides and taming any flyaways. Hairspray is also an essential product for this look to give the style further hold and ensure longevity of the shape.
Slicked to the side fade
This look further stands out due to the cut, where the hair has been well-blended to provide the hair with a more polished and contemporary finish. When creating this look, I wanted to create a disconnect, therefore, I always like to shave the sides super short before going in with scissor over comb for a more precise, neat finish, keeping the length long on the top. I love the contrast of this cut paired with the side parting and slicked back styling to show off the different textures in the hair.
The style looks great when paired with an almost wet finish. The American Crew Firm Hold Styling Gel is a great choice for this look. When creating your side parting, use the end of your tail comb to create a more precise line and blow-dry this away from the face to help keep the parting in place before applying your product. Ensure the hair is saturated in product for super shine and hold. You can also use your comb to help distribute the product and ensure it saturates the hair appropriately before finishing with a light hold hairspray like LABEL.M Fashion Edition Ultimate Hairspray.
Voluminous slick back with short sleek sides
This look is a lot more relaxed, and the key is all in the styling products to achieve an effortless finish. I would firstly mist a texturising spray through the hair to boost volume at the root before blow-drying into the hair. I love the LABEL.M Fashion Edition Texturising Volume Spray.
For further hold and texture, I would then apply through the hair a matt wax or pomade like American Crew Fiber and work this through with my fingers to create height, thickness and fullness with a matt finish. I would continue to work this through until achieving the desired height and shape.