Punk Hair
How to Achieve the Perfect Mohawk
Who amongst us has never sat in the bath with a shampoo foamed head and faked a Mohawk? Just me?
Ahem… For those of you whose desire for punk hair extends beyond temporary experimentation with head
and shoulders, here's my guide for achieving the perfect Mohawk.
Step One: Choose the style
There are numerous different kinds of Mohawks to choose from so before you start cutting, shaving or gluing,
decide which one is the best for you. Do some research and remember, once you shave your head there is
no turning back for quite some time, (unless you're happy to opt for a skin-head or wear a wig). Some of
the potential styles include Liberty Spikes, Fauxhauxs, Mollets, Fans, Tri-hauxs and bi-hauxs. Look at
photographs and do some research before you start!
Step Two: Create a mock-hawk
If you are going to create the style yourself, before you cut or shave anything have a practice run with
some strong gel. You may be tempted to ignore me and go straight to the fun bit but this step is crucial.
Shape your hair into the intended style and see what it looks like. Doing this will give you a good idea of
how much hair you need to leave, the length it will need to be and, most importantly, where the hair is!
If you are opting for a Mohican that runs down the centre of your head, use your eyebrows as a guide and try
to line up the hair with the top of your nose.
Step Three: Get Shaving!
Once you are happy with the style and know how you're going to achieve it, you can contemplate starting
to get rid of the hair that is now surplus to demand. The best bet is to get a friend to help you by
shaving your head whilst you hold the hair you want to keep. Remember to keep sufficient hair to allow
it to stand up. If you keep too little it will flop, punk hair never flops!
Step Four: Style
You now have the small amount of hair that is to be your Mohawk. The best way to style it is to use
hair glue (not the stuff you find at your local hardware store!). This is long lasting, waterproof and
will set extremely quickly. Apply the glue to your hair using your hands whilst sculpting the hair at
the same time. If you've opted for spikes mold them one by one and use a hairdryer to dry them off before
you move to the next section. If you've opted for a fan shape, it's best to shape it in small sections.
Again, style the hair section by section and allow it to completely dry between each piece. If you don't
wish to use glue, make sure you choose an extremely strong hairspray and apply liberally. Once your hair
is in place you may need to make further adjustments with a pair of scissors in order to make sure the lines
are sharp and neat.
Congratulations: You now have punk hair!