I'a guy with short, wavy which has a tendency to form cowlicks.
Sometimes, all my hair will lie flat, except for the very front, where
it will form one huge cowlick curling off my forehead. I've  been
using Dep7 hair gel to try to control it. I'm aiming for the messy
look, and I don't mind if it's a little poofy, but I don't want it
sticking up. Sometimes Dep7 works, sometimes it doesn't. There are a
lot of other hair gels, putties, creams, and sprays at the grocery
store. Can you recommend one or two that work well for my type of
hair, given the style I'm aiming for?

Hi Gremlin ~

For a change of pace, you might want to try the original hair styling
gel that has been around forever - Dippity Do.

It won't dry your hair out (has no alcohol), and it is great for
either spiking or holding your hair in place. For over thirty years
people have been grabbing a handful of Dippity Do to tame unruly
locks, to plaster curls in place, to bring those spikes or feathers
"just right"! It adds that extra volume you want for a "messy" or
"mussed" look and can straighten those unwanted curls or waves to
achieve the look you'd want.

Dippity Do has even gone masculine! There is now Dippity Do Sport for
men. It holds the hair in place while you get on with enjoying your
active lifestyle. It is available in three styles: Ultimate Hold Sport
Gel, Ultimate Hold Unscented Sport Gel, and Ultimate Hold Sport Spray
Gel, with a convenient pump.

Dippity Do is a product of The White Rain Company, web site is here:
http://www.whiteraincompany.com/

There is also a product my brother uses for his hair which tends to
fly all over the place if he doesn't glue it down with something.

He prefers Ice, by Joico Laboratories (can be found in most
drugstores, etc.). He says it has a wicked hold and it's water
resistant, to boot! He prefers it because it advertises a "vitamin
cocktail" as part of its ingredients. He swears it defies gravity.
Might be just what you need for that sty lish "messy" look. It sure
enhances his!

Hope this helps with your hairy decision ...

Happy hair,
Serenata-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by gremlin-ga on 01 Jan 2003 12:27 PST

Dippity Do looks an awful lot like the gel I've been using. The
problem I've been having with those sorts of gels is that, some days,
my hair gets in a curly mood, and, while it's wet, the gel isn't thick
enough to stop my hair from doing what it wants, so, when it dries,
all the gel does is freeze all the cowlicks in place. This doesn't
always happen, but it happens often enough to be an issue. I'd prefer
an product that makes is so that, while I'm styling my hair, the hair
doesn't form curls unless I push it into curls with my hands.

---

Clarification of Answer by serenata-ga on 01 Jan 2003 13:25 PST

Hi again ...

Take it from a woman who has spent a lifetime with impossibly curly
red hair that wouldn't stay in braids or anything else.

I started using it when it first came out (and this is when straight
hair was in). Put this stuff on, push and/or comb your hair the way
you want, let it dry, and your hair isn't going to move. I use it, I
recommend it. That was what you asked for.

Think of it as 'sculpting' the hair "do" or "style" you want. You can
even spike it if you'd like. If you do, just be careful not to get too
close to someone, you'll put their eyes out.

You did ask for a recommendation of one or two products ... perhaps I
misunderstood what it was you were asking? Did you perhaps want me to
reaffirm something you already use?

If so, please let me know.

Yours ever so,
Serenata-ga

Here are some additional thoughts on things to try.

KMS Maximum Hold Styling Gel  (Spike it or lay it back, the gel does
not flake)
http://www.planetbeauty.com/brands/Kms/1597.asp

V05 Unscented Conditioning Hairdressing  (Makes your hair much easier
to control)  Just so you can find it, it is found in the store as a
metal tube (like a metal tube of tooth paste) in a small carboard box.
 Don't use a lot.  Seriously.  Unscented is important, since the
scented variety has too strong a scent.

For even more control of your hair, you may want to consider having
your hair relaxed at a beauty salon.  You may want to do this 3-5
times a year, to maintain it, not all the time.  Be sure to request a
mild relaxer, a harsh relaxer will make your hair unnaturally
straight.  Also, be sure to go to someone who has done it before, to
insure that your hair does not get "burned" by the treatment. 
Generally, it's best to relax the hair prior to the haircut, not
after.

Other thoughts on spikes... though I've not tried these myself (using
soap, Dax, Elmers glue gel, Knox gelatin, and maximum hold gel, all
discussed):
http://www.angelfire.com/biz2/punkness7lacy/spikes.html

http://www.slinkykids.com/dothis/hair/index.shtml