How to Put up a Mohawk or Liberty Spikes

Co-authored by Kana Ishii

Last Updated: July 4, 2022 References

Mohawks and Liberty Spikes are two versions of a classic punk hairstyle. They both start out as strip of hair running from the center of your forehead to the nape of your neck. The hair is then teased, spiked and hair sprayed into shape. This hairstyle is an attention-getter and not for the faint hearted, but it definitely makes a statement.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Prepping Your Hair

1
Wash your hair. Hair spray will work better in clean hair, so it’s best to start the process fresh from the shower. Also, mohawks and liberty spikes can last for a few days, so you want to make sure the product from the last styling is completely gone.
2
Blow dry and remove tangles. You’ll want your hair to be light and fluffy for the actual styling, and blow drying will help create some volume. Make sure that your hair is free from any knots and tangles by running a comb through it as you blow dry.^{[1]
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3
Tease your hair if you need more volume. If your hair is still flat without enough body to support a hawk, run a comb backwards against the grain of your hair to give it a little more texture. Pushing more hair down to your scalp will also create a better foundation for the mohawk or spikes to rest on.^{[2]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Choosing Your Product

1
Look for a good hair spray. While punks in the 80s used crazy products like glue and starch to keep their mohawks solid, there are plenty of sprays nowadays that won’t damage your hair. Use a hair spray with a tagline like “concrete”, “frozen”, or “solid”, or with a description of extreme styles with height.^{[3]
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2
Get a gel for the tips of your spikes or mohawk. To make the tips of your spikes pointier and resistant to fraying, grab a gel as well. Again, look for "max hold" or "freezing" gels. You can also use super hard gel.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Kana Ishii
Licensed Cosmetologist
Expert Interview. 22 December 2021.}
3
Use gel only on the tips. Hairspray will form the basis of the hold for you style, but gel is only for the tips of your liberty spikes or outside edge of your mohawk. While gel gives a lot of hold to shorter styles, it's too heavy to use as a main product, and will cause your mohawk or liberty spikes to fall over.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Styling A Mohawk

1
Cut or trim your hair first. If you haven't already shaved the sides of your hair, you're going to need to do this for a real mohawk. You'll need clippers, the right size guard, and some rubber bands or masking tape.
2
Map out your hair. Visualize the strip that will be left behind and what will be shaved. Make sure the strip is wide enough to support the finished style, usually about 2-3 inches in width, centered on your head.
- If your hair is shorter use tape to mark off where you want the mohawk: put the tape anywhere that you want hair to be left.
- If your hair is long, try using rubber bands. Use a comb to section off the hair that will make up your mohawk, then rubber band all of it into small ponytails or buns where the clippers can’t reach it.
3
Clip the exposed sides. Test the guard size to make sure it's the right length, then adjust if it's too long. Start shaving against the grain, starting with the front and moving to the back of your head. Shaving the front will be easy because you can see it as you shave, but for the back you’ll either need help, or a mirror positioned behind you.^{[5]
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4
Wash up. No one likes itchy hairs all over, and washing will give you a chance to get rid of any hairs that are still clinging to your scalp. Once you’re done, return to the mirror and check to see that your cuts are straight and everything looks good. Blow dry again, then get ready to style.
5
Lift the first section. Pick up a section in the middle of your head with your non-dominant hand. Keep holding the section and don’t move.
6
Spray the first section. Spray deep into the roots and throughout the top. Don’t be worried about using too much product: your hair will feel wet and sticky, but you're going to blow dry it soon. The bottom of your hair is going to hold the weight, so you want it to be extra stiff.
7
Blow dry the section. You’re already holding the hair with your non-dominant hand, so set down the hair spray and pick up the blow dryer with your dominant hand. While keeping your hair held tight, blow dry until you feel the hair becoming stiff.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Kana Ishii
Licensed Cosmetologist
Expert Interview. 22 December 2021.} Let go after 30-45 seconds.^{[7]
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8
Lift and spray the next section. Move towards the back of your head and pick up the section of hair directly behind of the one standing up. Hold it with your non-dominant hand again, and make sure it lines up with the section in front of it. Hair spray it, again paying special attention to the roots of your hair.
9
Blow dry the section. Using the same technique as the last section of hair, blow dry the section of hair again. As it firms up, use your free hand to adjust the two sections to meet: you don’t want any gaps in your mohawk.
10
Work towards the back. Use the same technique again for the final sections of your mohawk: lifting, spraying and then blow drying. But while you can see the front in the mirror, the back is a little trickier to manage. Position a mirror behind you, or take frequent breaks as you’re styling to check out the hawk from the side.^{[8]
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11
Finish all remaining sections. Use the same technique for each section of hair: lift, spray and blow dry. Don’t change your technique for any of the sections, even if your hands get tired from so much lifting. Take a break if you feel your arms getting fatigued.
12
Touch up the mohawk. When you’re finished, check the mohawk out from both sides and make any adjustments that you need to. If there are big gaps or open holes in your hair, carefully close the sections together, apply more hairspray, and blow dry again. Repeat for any remaining gaps. Use some gel to solidify and connect the outside edge of your mohawk if you want.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Styling Liberty Spikes

1
Section off your spikes. Once the hair is dry, you’ll want to decide how big you want your spikes to be: 2-3 inches is the norm. It’s really up to personal preference, but you’ll also want to make sure that the base of the spike can support the weight of the hair.^{[9]
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Research source} Using a comb and rubber bands, make a clean part to section off each spike and then rubber band it to keep it separated.
2
Tease the first spike. Take your comb and run it against the grain of your hair, from the top of the spike to the bottom. If you tease too much and you end up with a ball of hair near your scalp, twist it back into a spiked shape.^{[10]
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3
Lift and spray the first teased spike. Undo the rubber band, then lift the section up in the direction that you want it to face. Some wearers of liberty spikes have the first spike pointing straight up from their forehead, while others prefer it to be angled downwards. Once you’ve decided which you prefer, hold the hair out with your non-dominant hand and apply hair spray with your dominant hand. Apply extra spray to the base, then spray up along the length of the spike.
4
Blow dry the spike. Set down the spray and pick up the blow dryer with your free hand. Blow dry along the length of the spike and straight into the base as well. When you feel the spray begin to set, after about 30 seconds, let go and continue drying for an extra few seconds.^{[11]
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5
Tease the next spike. As with the first spike, comb your hair downwards to give it more texture and body, then sculpt it back up into the spiked shape you want. This will help it hold the spray better and have more structure on its own.
6
Lift and spray the next spike. Continue with the same steps all the way to the back of your hair. Unband the section, tease it, lift it, then spray and blow dry.
7
Use mirrors to see the back. Once you get to your final few spikes, it might be hard to see what you’re doing. Position a mirror behind your head so that it reflects the back of your head to your main mirror, or turn your head every once in a while to look as you spray.
8
Make adjustments. While it’s harder to adjust liberty spikes than a mohawk once you’re done, you’ll still be able to see which spikes are angled the wrong way. If they are, comb as much of the product out as you can, then lift it to the right angle. Re-apply the hair spray and blow dry again. Repeat your adjustments as necessary.
9
Style the tips. If you want the tips of your liberty spikes to be extra pointy, apply a bit of hair gel to the ends. This will keep them from separating and give your style a little more of an edge.^{[12]
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Community Q&A

Question

Can I wear my hair in liberty spikes if my hair is just past shoulder length?

Community Answer

Those are going to be some long spikes, but it's possible.
Question

Is there an optimal length before styling?

Community Answer

It is easiest if your hair has the ability to go down your forehead at least 2 inches.
Question

Can a geek wear a mohawk?

Community Answer

Yes, certainly. If you're into punk music, then even better.

Warnings

Take care of your hair! Excessive styling and products can be rough on your hair, as can teasing. Make sure to wash the hairspray out as soon as you're in for the night, and use conditioner and shampoo for distressed or damaged hair. If your hair is bleached and dyed, try a special shampoo for that as well.

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Be prepared for the attention you're going to get. While some people may love your style, others may heckle or bother you while you're out and about.

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