Hair straighteners don't help much with cowlicks. Photo: dpa
If you have a cowlick and are struggling to straighten it, you are not likely to get very far with a hair straightener. Get a good haircut, say stylists. And work with your hair whorl, not against it.
Strands of hair that stick out of your fringe or are at odds with your haircut – known as cowlicks – can be exasperating, especially if you have several.
"But you could also use them to your advantage," says Antonio Weinitschke, art director at the Central Association of the German Hairdressing Trade.
In an interview, the master hairdresser from Aachen explains how and what to do, if that fussy cowlick simply will not lie down.
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How do you tame cowlicks?
If you have longer hair, tease the hair a little at the roots and style over the cowlick. Use styling products such as hair powder to make your hairstyle a little firmer and keep it in place for a while at least. Hair powders roughen the hair a bit and hairspray can fix any look.
However, don't work against your cowlick. Try styling it a bit differently.
I advise clients with a pronounced cowlick not to comb the hair from the top of the head back over the cowlick, as it will always come through.
Instead, make the parting a little longer and tease the hair on that part of the head as high as you like. That makes the shape of your head look much nicer.
Would using a hair straightener help?
The cowlick is at the root of the hair. The heat from the straightener will not reach it and you risk burning your scalp. Curlers are better for this.
You can also use a hairdryer.If you blow dry from the bottom, and work against the direction of growth, you will get slightly more volume.
Let your hair cool down and brush again to hold it in place. You can also style your hair.
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How important is the right cut?
Any hair length is possible. But if you have a shorter cut such as a pixie or mullet, you can play more with the cowlick.
Work your hair around the cowlick and let it fall naturally. You can also undercut it a little with shorter supporting hair. And if you have a full fringe but a cowlick on your forehead, just leave one side a little longer and the other a little shorter.
Incidentally, it's best to cut fringes dry so that they fall naturally. At the moment, the trend is towards wearing your hair out of your face and making it stand up a little.
A cowlick at the front is always an advantage. It adds volume because it is a bit unruly. – dpa
