How to Make a Mohawk into Liberty Spikes: Hairstyle Tips for Teens

The Mohawk can be traced back to early Native American civilizations and was sported on top of the helmets of Ancient warriors but when Punk Rock hit the scene the Mohawk became a fashion trend. Mohawks come in a variety of styles and lengths but on thing remains the same, they all can turn into Liberty Spikes. Here's how.

Use The Right Products

When it comes to standing hair on end, you have to use the right products otherwise the spikes will begin to wilt throughout the course of the day. Some products are known to leave white, flaky residue on the Mohawk while others simply don't have the strength to stand up to such a task. Here are the products you'll need if you want your Liberty Spikes to stand tall.

Elmer's glue - glue is one of the nastiest things you can put in your hair but it does really work. On black or dark hair Elmer's white glue has a tendency to show as it wears. Getting this stuff out of your hair is nearly impossible. Apply to spikes liberally.

Egg whites - This is a cheap way to get your hair to stand up. Simply crack some eggs, separate the yolk and whisk until you have a meringue. Comb the meringue through your hair spike by spike and blow dry.

Knox Gelatin - WARNING - Knox Gelatin makes your hair into steel spikes. Dissolve a couple of packages of Knox Gelatin into warm water before applying. The water must be warm. Gelatin sets really fast so be cautious to only do one spike at a time until each one is set in place.

Hair Spray & Gel Combination - These 2 products will not work alone. You must use them together to create Liberty Spikes that will stand up all day. Put gobs of gel into each spike, spray with lots of hair spray and blow dry while holding the tip of the spike.

All About Technique

Making Liberty Spikes takes time and patience. The longer the hair, the longer it takes to stand them up. There are a couple of techniques that make it easier but having an assistant is recommended.

Clean or dirty - It doesn't matter if your hair is clean or dirty. A Mohawk will stand up regardless of current hair condition. However, the dirtier the hair the better it holds products.

Building a Foundation - Back-combing otherwise known as teasing or ratting helps build a foundation for each spike. Tease the base of each spike into very tight rat's nest as close to the scalp as possible. Lightly spray with hairspray to smooth hairs before applying Knox Gelatin, glue or egg whites.

Twist and Shout - The best technique for creating Liberty Spikes is to twist the tips of the spike. You can also twist the entire spike but it may compromise the strength of the spike itself.

Cleaning the Gunk out of Your Mohawk

I mentioned before that getting the products our of your Mohawk wouldn't be easy and it isn't but here is how you can get that hawk flying clean again.

1. Get your head wet with water as hot as you can stand. Rub giant handfuls of baking soda into the hair. Continue to rub and add baking soda until the hair is white and pasty. Rinse out with more warm water. Repeat as necessary.

2. To remove Elmer's white glue simply wash with a good shampoo. You might need to use a little dishwashing liquid depending on how much glue is in your hair.

There you have it. Easy steps to creating tall, fantastic liberty spikes.