How to Tame Cowlicks

Applying Heat

Wet your hair. It is easier to work with wet hair. Once the roots dry, the hair will be set and difficult to style. You can style your hair just out of the shower, or wet your hair in the section of the cowlick using a spray bottle.

Dry your hair with a hair dryer on medium heat. Start by drying your hair in the direction of the cowlick. After several seconds, switch to blowing your hair in the opposite direction. Drying your hair in multiple directions will confuse the hair roots in the area to assist in breaking down the stubborn directions held by the cowlick. For assistance in grabbing and holding the hair, pull it in each direction by pulling with a round brush. If you have curly hair, use a diffuser and a low air setting.

Style your hair. Use a round brush to grab sections of your hair and pull it in the direction you would like it styled. Starting at the root, apply heat with a hairdryer on medium heat. With the hair on top of the brush and the mouth of the hair dryer kept close to the hair, draw the brush from the root to the tip of the hair while keeping the hair dryer in line with the brush. Don't rush. Move the brush slowly through your hair. Repeat this process as many times as needed until you get the look you want. For shorter hair, draw the brush repeatedly over the top of the cowlick. Parting your hair in the direction of the cowlick will make it easier to style your hair in this direction. Styling opposite the direction of the cowlick, though, could give longer hair more body.

Secure the cowlick until your hair has cooled. You will want to maintain the style and direction of your hair until it has cooled entirely. Avoid moving the hair around your cowlick at all until it has cooled. Using a hair clip, preferably one which will not leave a dent in your hair, clip the hair in place and let it cool. Men or women with shorter hair can use your hand or brush to hold the hair in place. Switch the heat setting on your hairdryer to cool. Blow cool air on the area until it is room temperature again. This should take 1-2 minutes. For an extremely troublesome cowlick, consider securing your hair in place the night before and keeping the hair clip in place while you sleep.

Try a flat iron. A flat iron will provide more extreme heat to a very specific area. Plug the iron in and heat it to a medium-high heat, which should only take a minute or two. Separate out the piece of hair you would like to touch up using a comb. Get the iron as close as you can to the root of the section of hair and press this between the two heated parts of the iron. Gently pull the iron down the length of the hair in the direction you want this section of hair to lie. Avoid touching the iron to your scalp, so you don’t burn your skin. Opt for a thinner flat iron to be able to address smaller sections of hair.

Using Hair Products

Apply hair gel to assist in styling your hair. It is best to apply hair gel while the hair is still wet. Drop a small amount of gel in the palm of your hand and rub your hands together. Run your fingers through your hair over the area of the cowlick. Massage the gel into the roots of your hair and rub it in all directions for full coverage. Once the gel is massaged into the roots, press and comb the cowlick in the direction you would like it styled. Some gel is heat-activated. Use a hair dryer to style your hair the way you would like it after applying the hair gel.

Experiment with pomade. Apply pomade to dry hair to help style it in the direction you wish the hair to run. Run your forefinger and middle finger through the pomade to pick up some of the wax. Rub these fingers against your thumb to spread the pomade. Grab the area of hair you would like to adjust and pull it from root to end with these two fingers and thumb, covering the area with pomade, and pulling the hair in the direction you would like it styled. Choose a pomade with a matte finish. Avoid using more than a thin layer of pomade or your hair may appear wet until you wash the pomade out.

Massage your roots with a root brush. Root brushes are specifically created for getting to the root and adjusting the direction of hair growth. While your hair is wet, repeatedly run the brush over the cowlick in the opposite direction of the hair growth. The bristles are very flexible to keep from tangling in the hair follicle. Many root brushes come with a pointed end to assist in parting your hair where you like it.

Changing Your Hairstyle

Shorten the hair effected by the cowlick. This is a good plan for people with short hair and cowlicks on the nape or crown. If the hair is cut evenly, once it is dry the hair in the area of the cowlick could look longer than the rest, because it is swirling in the opposite direction. Cut this area shorter and it will blend better with the rest as your cut grows out. You can also cut the hair in the area of the cowlick extremely short so the hair lies against the scalp or neck where the cowlick exists.

Grow your hair longer. If you don't want short hair, you can increase your length, thereby increasing the weight of your hair. Longer hair is heavy. That weight could counteract the direction of the cowlick when it is affected by the hair’s gravity. This is not likely to work for cowlicks in your bangs as the hair will not likely get long enough to have an effect on a pesky cowlick.

Add layers to your style. Consult with your hairstylist to see if they can add layers to your hair which could cover or camouflage the cowlick. A competent stylist can suggest a good cut to compliment or cover your cowlick. Longer layers can be used to weigh the area down over the cowlick while using shorter layers underneath. Shorter hair can be styled with a shaggy cut which changes the direction of the hair surrounding the cowlick to help blend it in to your hairstyle and camouflage it.

Curl your hair. Adjust the rest of your hair to match your cowlick. Sending your hair in many different directions can make the cowlick seem entirely intentional. Heat a curling iron to a medium-high heat. Comb out a small section of hair on the front and side of your hair. Clip the iron around this piece of hair near the middle of the length of hair. Draw the iron down to the end of the strands, then spin the iron until all of the section of hair is wrapped around the iron. Hold for three seconds, then unwind the hair and release it from the iron. Continue this process working your way all the way around your head until you have curled all of your hair. Curl the area of the cowlick in the direction of the cowlick and take the hair in that area in a similar direction.

Embrace the cowlick! The messy look continues to be in style. Consider allowing the cowlick to do its thing and even match the rest of your hair to that look. Spray a quarter size amount of mousse into your palm and gently rub your hands together. Apply this mousse to slightly damp hair. Massage it deep to the roots, then pull it through your hair in all directions. Women or men with long hair can also try placing your palm at the bottom of a section of hair, slowly lifting that hand to gather the length of the hair, then scrunching it in your fist to create kinks and texture.