Whether you're chasing sharp, stand-up spikes or a messier, more textured look, the secret to making spiky hair work comes down to three things: a spiky hair gel with a strong hold, a little know-how on how to apply it, and a finishing step that locks everything in place.
This guide walks you through exactly how to get spiky hair with gel — from how to prep your hair to how to lock in your look so it lasts all day.
Spikes are created by lifting sections of hair upward and holding them there against gravity — and you need the right tools to achieve this. Before you start, make sure you have the following on hand:
- A spiky hair gel with a formula that offers serious hold.
- A fine-tooth comb, useful for sectioning and creating precise, uniform spikes.
- A finishing spray for locking in your look once the spikes are set.
The best hair product for spiky hair depends on the look you're going for. Here's a quick breakdown of our recommended hair gel for spiky hair and other glued® products that work best for spiked styles:
- got2b® glued® Spiking Glue — If you want stand up straight spikes, the glued® Spiking Glue is ideal. The ultimate spiker, it's wind-tunnel tested and water resistant, delivering screaming hold strong enough to keep stand-up straight spikes in place until your next shampoo.
- got2b® glued® Spiking Wax — A great option for vertical styles on shorter to medium length hair, the glued® Spiking Wax delivers fierce holding power. Get up to 8 hour all day screaming high hold and enjoy a lightweight wax formula that leaves no flaking and no white residue.
- got2b® glued® Spray Wax — This 2-in-1 spray wax gives you two looks in one product: turn to position 1 for flexible texture, turn to position 2 for structured hold. The formula is lightweight and won't leave your hair feeling sticky or crunchy, making it a solid pick if you're after spiky texture with a more flexible, touchable finish.
Explore the full got2b® glued® range and find the right product for you.
If your hair is very thick, rough-dry it with a blow dryer until it's about 80% dry before applying product. This gives you more control over the final shape.
As a rule, start with a small amount and build from there. Too much product from the start could weigh your hair down and make it harder to spike.
Work the product through your hair from roots to ends, making sure every strand gets coated. This will form the foundation of your spikes, so take your time. For all-over spikes, work through your full head. For a more targeted look where you’re only styling the top or the front of your hair, keep your application more focused.
This is the fun part. Using your fingertips, pull sections of hair upward from roots to ends, twisting slightly as you go to encourage the hair to hold its shape. Work across your head section by section — don't try to do it all at once.
A fine-tooth comb can be useful here if you want more precision and control. Use it to push the hair upward while the product is still wet. Try to work quickly — once the product starts to dry, it could get a lot harder to reshape.
Once your basic spike shape is in place, go back in with a tiny amount of extra spiky hair gel on your fingertips and apply it directly to the tips of each spike. Pinch and twist the ends upward to sharpen the point.
Our tip: Slightly dampen the tips of your spikes and reapply a small amount of the got2b® glued® Spiking Glue. This gets your spikes extra stiff and helps them keep their shape even longer.
Once your spikes are in place, let the gel dry completely before touching your hair. This is important, as disturbing the spikes while they're still wet could flatten them or cause them to lose their shape.
Once your spikes are dry and set, you can leave them as-is or add a finishing spray for extra staying power. The got2b® Blasting Freeze Spray is our recommendation. Spray it over your style, then allow it to dry. For over-the-top spikes, spray heavily and twist the tips one more time. Let them dry, then hit them with one final blast to cement your look. Your hairdo will stay exactly where you want it.
Once you've mastered how to get spiky hair with gel or wax, there are a few different directions in which you can take your look:
- Classic all-over spikes — Work the gel through your full head and twist the tips upward all over for a bold, high-energy look. This works especially well on shorter hair where the spikes have less weight to fight against.
- Messy textured spikes — Skip the precision and go for chaos. Apply the gel through your hair and scrunch upward without defining individual spikes, and you'll end up with a tousled, lived-in look that still has plenty of texture and attitude.
- Chunky spikes — Instead of working with small sections, grab larger chunks of hair and spike those. The result is bigger, bolder spikes with more of a statement feel that works particularly well on medium-length hair.
Yes, though the technique and amount of product will vary. Fine hair tends to spike more easily but may need a lighter hand with product to avoid looking weighed down. Thick or coarse hair may need more product to help set the spikes. Naturally curly hair can also be spiked — work with your texture rather than against it and use a strong-hold gel to define and lift individual curl sections.
With the right product, spiky hair can last all day. The got2b® glued® Spiking Glue is designed to hold your style until your next shampoo, and when combined with the Blasting Freeze Spray, your hairdo will stay exactly where you want it. Avoid touching your hair throughout the day to keep the spikes intact.
Yes, though longer hair is heavier and puts more downward pressure on your spikes, so hold becomes more important. Focus your application at the crown where you want the most lift, and make sure you're working the product all the way from the roots to the ends of each section you want to spike. Finishing with the got2b® Blasting Freeze Spray will help lock the shape in place.
Many strong-hold gels and waxes wash out easily with shampoo — just work up a good lather and rinse thoroughly. If you want a formula that's specifically designed to be easy to remove, the got2b® Ultra Glued® Invincible Styling Hair Gel un-glues easily with a little shampoo.
Spiky hair gel — like the got2b® glued® Spiking Glue — is formulated specifically for strong, vertical styles. It is built to deliver screaming hold for vertical styles.