Quick Answer
Slicked front hair styles work by smoothing only the front and crown sections while leaving the back loose, curly, wavy, or voluminous. The result is a polished, face-framing look that controls frizz, defines the hairline, and elongates the face without the effort of slicking all your hair back. A strong-hold gel applied to damp hair at the roots, combed back with a fine-tooth comb, and finished with a light hold spray is all you need to get any of these looks.
Slicked front hairstyles hit a sweet spot that full slick-back styles do not: they give you the clean-girl polish at the front while keeping texture, volume, and movement at the back. Whether your back section is straight, wavy, or naturally curly, these 20 looks work.
This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Images in this post are AI-generated for illustration purposes.
The Base Technique Every Style Below Uses
All twenty styles start from one slicking motion. Here is the sixty-second version, and the full walkthrough with product picks sits further down this page.
What You Need
- A strong-hold gel or pomade, matte for daytime styles and wet-look for editorial ones
- A fine-tooth comb for the part and a boar-bristle brush for the smoothing
- An edge brush for the hairline detail work
- Gloss spray for the unified finish on down styles
- Bobby pins, hidden or decorative depending on the style
Step by Step: The Sixty-Second Slick
- Section before product. Decide the slicked zone, front pieces, crown, or hairline to nape, and clip everything else away.
- Apply to damp, not wet, hair. Product grips damp hair evenly. Soaking hair dilutes the hold and dry hair cakes it.
- Comb, then brush. The comb distributes the product, the brush flattens the surface. Skipping the brush leaves comb lines.
- Give it five still minutes. Gel sets in the shape it dries in. Style the loose sections while the slick locks.
Mistakes That Ruin It
Too much product on the first pass. One coin-sized amount smooths, two flake by afternoon. Add in layers if the hold falls short.
Slicking dry hair. The product sits on top instead of gripping, and the first breeze undoes the work. A spray bottle solves it.
Touching it while it sets. Every touch during the drying window prints into the finish. Set a five-minute timer and style the back instead.
20 Slicked Front Hair Style Ideas
1. Slicked Front with Loose Waves Down
The front and crown sections are smoothed flat with gel or pomade, combed straight back from the hairline, and the rest of the hair is left in loose, brushed-out waves. The contrast between the sleek front and the soft waves at the back creates a polished but not stiff finish.
Shop the Look
Strong Hold Hair Gel
Argan Oil Hair Serum
Fine Tooth Comb
Slicking the front pieces eliminates the face-framing frizz that undermines a wavy style in humidity, so the waves at the back stay intentional-looking even without heat styling.
DIY note: smooth only to the crown, slicking past it flattens the waves you meant to keep.
Can’t pick just one? Browse the full collection on my Amazon Storefront.
2. Slicked Front Half-Up Pony
The top section from the hairline to mid-crown is slicked back flat and gathered into a smooth half-up ponytail at the back of the crown. The hair below the elastic falls loose, whether straight, wavy, or natural, while the front stays completely sleek.
Shop the Look
Strong Hold Styling Gel
Silk Hair Elastics
Boar Bristle Brush
The slicked front creates a graphic, clean-girl finish at the crown while the loose bottom section adds femininity and movement, two things a full slick-back cannot deliver at the same time.
DIY note: gather the half-up before the gel sets, repositioning afterward costs the smooth finish.
3. Slicked Front with a Braided Back
Both front pieces are smoothed flat with pomade and pinned back on either side, while the rest of the hair is gathered into a loose three-strand braid that sits at the center or over one shoulder. The braid adds texture and visual interest that contrasts with the flat, glossy front. If you want more braid-based styles for natural hair specifically, the best braided updo natural hairstyles has protective and occasion-ready options that pair well with a slicked front.
Shop the Look
Hair Styling Pomade
Smoothing Edge Control
Hair Glossing Serum
Slicking the front pieces back before a braid transforms a simple everyday braid into something that looks intentional and dressed-up, it takes the same hairstyle from casual to occasion-ready in one product step.
DIY note: pin the front pieces first and braid second, braid tension pulls loose pins free.
4. Slicked Front with a High Curly Ponytail
Front hair is gelled back smooth and gathered with the rest of the hair into a high ponytail. The ponytail section retains its natural curl pattern. This is the clean version of the puff style, smooth at the base and curly at the top.
Shop the Look
Curl Defining Cream
Edge Control Hair Gel
Wide Tooth Comb For Curls
A slicked base on a curly ponytail creates visual contrast between the polished root area and the free-form curl pattern above, the result looks more composed than an unstyled puff without compressing the curl pattern.
DIY note: apply the gel in the direction of the ponytail, not against it, gravity wins the argument by noon.
5. Deep Side Part Slick with Hair Down Straight
A deep side part is carved with a fine-tooth comb and the entire front section is slicked flat to one side with a strong-hold gel. The rest of the hair falls down straight or with a gentle blow-dry shape. This is the most vintage-feeling slicked front look on the list.
Shop the Look
Strong Hold Hair Pomade
Blow Dry Smoothing Spray
Fine Tooth Rat Tail Comb
A deep side part elongates the face on one side and creates asymmetrical interest that a center-parted style cannot. The slick holds the part crisp all night without the need for pins.
DIY note: carve the part with the comb tail before any product touches the hair.
6. Slicked Front Pieces with Curls Down
Only the two front sections, a one to two inch section from the hairline on each side, are slicked flat with gel and tucked back or pinned behind the ears. The rest of the hair is styled in defined curls or waves. This is the most wearable and lowest-effort version of slicked front styling.
Shop the Look
Edge Control Gel
Curl Cream Defining Gel
Microfiber Hair Towel
Slicking only the front two pieces controls the sections most prone to frizz and flyaways, the pieces framing the face, while leaving the bulk of the hair to behave naturally, which requires less product and less time.
DIY note: one to two inches per side and no more, wider sections read wet rather than slicked.
7. Center Part Slick with Low Bun
Hair is center-parted and slicked flat from the hairline to the nape, then gathered into a low bun or chignon. Face-framing pieces are either slicked back fully or left out in two thin tendrils. This is the cleanest, most formal slicked front style.
Shop the Look
Maximum Hold Hair Gel
Flat Back Boar Bristle Paddle Brush
Strong Hold Hairspray
A center part paired with a fully slicked front puts emphasis entirely on the face, it’s the style most often chosen for events where clean, unobstructed facial features matter, like weddings and professional headshots.
DIY note: slick to the nape in sections, a single pass never catches the under-layers.
8. Slicked Front with Tousled Low Ponytail
Front hair is combed back smooth and flat while the rest of the hair is gathered loosely into a low ponytail. Pull a few pieces out around the face and at the nape, then roughen the ponytail slightly with fingers. The contrast between the sleek front and the undone ponytail creates exactly the right balance.
Shop the Look
Hair Styling Wax Stick
Dry Texture Spray
Invisible Hold Bobby Pins
Intentional messiness at the back reads differently than accidental messiness, pulling pieces out deliberately after slicking the front signals that the undone quality was a choice, not a mistake.
DIY note: pull the face pieces out after the front sets, never before.
9. Slicked Front with Space Buns
The front and crown sections are slicked smooth and flat, then the hair is divided into two sections and twisted or wrapped into two high space buns on either side of the head. The slicked front adds the polished counterpoint that makes this usually playful style feel more intentional.
Shop the Look
Smoothing Hair Gel
Spiral Curling Wand
Clear Elastics
Space buns without any slicked front section often look completely casual. Slicking the front transforms the look into something with clear polish, two halves of the same style speaking different languages.
DIY note: draw the center line with the bun spacing in mind, a crooked part shows from behind.
10. Slicked Front with Voluminous Blowout
Front sections are slicked flat and back while the remaining hair is blown out with a round brush for maximum volume, body, and shine. The smooth, flat front and the full, lifted back create the strongest contrast of any slicked front style.
Shop the Look
Volumizing Blow Dry Spray
Round Brush For Blowout
Finishing Hair Spray
Volume at the back and flat at the front creates the same principle as contouring in makeup, you’re using proportions to shape how the silhouette reads, making a slick front and a full blowout one of the most flattering combinations available.
DIY note: slick the front first and blow out second, round-brush heat near setting gel undoes it.
11. Wet Look Slick Front with Curls
The entire front and crown sections are gelled down with a high-shine, wet-look gel for that drippy, editorial finish. The back section is left in its natural curl state or enhanced with a curl activator. This is the boldest version of the slicked front look.
Shop the Look
High Shine Wet Look Gel
Curl Activating Spray
Glossing Hair Oil
The wet-look gel at the front and the free curl pattern at the back creates a high-contrast editorial finish that looks styled without looking like it tried too hard, it’s the combination most likely to read as intentional rather than accidental.
DIY note: wet-look gel keeps moving until it dries, give it ten still minutes before heading out.
12. Slicked Front with a Twisted Half-Up
Front sections are smoothed back and joined into two loose twists that are pinned at the back of the crown to create a half-up shape. The hair below hangs loose. The twists add visual texture between the sleek front and the loose back without braiding.
Shop the Look
Styling Wax Pomade
Hair Pins Bobby Pin Set
Flexible Hold Hairspray
Twists as a transitional element between the slicked front and loose back create a graduated style that moves from structured to free, the transition point adds visual interest that both a full slick and a half-up alone lack.
DIY note: twist away from the face on both sides, mirrored twists are what hold the half-up shape.
13. Slicked Front with Textured Messy Bun
The front and sides are gelled smooth and flat, then all the remaining hair is piled into a deliberately imperfect bun at the mid or high crown. Pull pieces out around the bun for volume and softness. The slicked front turns a five-minute style into something that looks considered.
Shop the Look
Strong Hold Smoothing Gel
Scrunchie Set
Lightweight Hair Oil
A messy bun without a slicked front often looks rushed. The slicked section at the front signals intention, it says the messy bun is a stylistic choice, not a bad hair day in disguise.
DIY note: gel the sides as well as the front, a messy bun exposes the whole profile.
14. Sleek Front with Natural Hair Down
Only the front hairline, edges, and temples are smoothed with an edge control or gel, and the rest of the natural hair is left in its natural state. This is specifically designed for natural, coily, and 4a-4c hair types where edge control and smoothed hairline detail is its own styling art form.
Shop the Look
Edge Control For Natural Hair
Hair Smoothing Edge Brush
Natural Hair Mousse
Smooth edges on natural hair create a clean, finished appearance at the hairline that defines the perimeter of the style and makes the natural texture behind it look more deliberate and well-maintained.
DIY note: a dime of edge control covers both temples, more than that builds flakes by afternoon.
15. Side-Swept Slick with Loose S-Waves
All front and crown hair is swept to one side and slicked flat with pomade from the hairline, while the rest of the hair is styled in large, loose S-waves. The combination of a directional slick and soft waves creates a glamorous, movement-forward look.
Shop the Look
Flexible Hold Pomade
Large Barrel Curling Iron
Hair Setting Spray
Sweeping slicked hair to one side creates asymmetry that makes the face look slimmer and more angular, while the S-waves at the back add the softness and femininity that a full directional slick would strip away.
DIY note: sweep and slick in one continuous pass, every restart leaves a visible ridge.
16. Slicked Front Low Pigtails
Both front sections are slicked smooth and gathered with the rest of the hair into two low pigtails that sit below the ears. Leave them low and not pulled too tight for a relaxed finish that still has the polished front as an anchor.
Shop the Look
Styling Gel Medium Hold
Clear Mini Hair Elastics
Anti-Frizz Hair Serum
Low pigtails with a slicked front create a nostalgic Y2K shape that has been pulled back into trend territory by the clean-girl aesthetic. The smoothed front modernizes a traditionally casual style.
DIY note: keep the pigtails below the ears and loose, tight and high tips the look into schoolyard.
17. Slicked Front with Curtain Bangs Left Out
The front sections on either side of a center or slightly off-center part are slicked back smooth, but the curtain bangs framing the face are left out and swept to either side of the forehead naturally. This is specifically designed for anyone growing out bangs or working with face-framing layers. For the full picture on curtain bangs styling across different hair lengths, see best curtain bangs with layers hairstyle ideas.
Shop the Look
Light Hold Styling Cream
Round Brush For Bangs
Light Finishing Spray
Slicking back the sections behind the bangs while leaving the bangs themselves forward creates a controlled frame around the face, the slick holds the bulk of the hair back so the curtain bangs become the deliberate focal point rather than one element lost among many.
DIY note: slick behind the bangs only, one stray swipe glues the curtain shut.
18. Sleek Side Part with Glossy Hair Down Straight
A sharp side part is created with a fine-tooth comb and held with pomade. The front section on the deeper side is combed flat, close to the scalp. The rest of the hair hangs straight and glossy. A shine serum or gloss spray is applied to the full length to unify the look.
Shop the Look
High Shine Pomade
Hair Gloss Spray
Fine Tooth Tail Comb
Gloss spray applied over a slicked side part and straight hair creates a unified finish, there is no obvious line between where the styled section ends and the natural section begins, so the whole look reads as one continuous texture.
DIY note: gloss spray goes on last, over the part and lengths together, that is the unified finish.
19. Slicked Front with a Textured Top Knot
Front hair is slicked tightly back from the hairline, and all of the hair is then wrapped into a high, smooth-based top knot. Unlike a messy bun, the base is kept sleek. The top knot itself is wrapped tight, with a few wisps left loose around the face or at the nape.
Shop the Look
Maximum Hold Hair Gel
Large Hair Donut Bun Maker
Strong Hold Hairspray
A slicked top knot with a smooth base reads as a deliberate style choice rather than a convenience hairstyle, it elongates the neck, defines the cheekbones, and photographs cleanly from every angle.
DIY note: wrap the knot over a fully smooth base, the sleekness below sells the texture above.
20. Slicked Front Pieces Pinned Back with Bobby Pins
Only the front two to three inch sections on each side of the face are gelled flat, swept back, and secured with two to three visible gold or embellished bobby pins in a fanned, intentional arrangement. The rest of the hair hangs loose or is styled naturally. This is the lowest-commitment slicked front style.
Shop the Look
Gold Bobby Pins Set
Edge Gel Light Hold
Crystal Embellished Bobby Pins
Visible bobby pins used as a design element rather than hidden fasteners have become one of the most popular hair accessories in the clean-girl aesthetic because they add a styling detail at the exact place where a slicked front meets the loose hair behind it.
DIY note: set the pins in a fan while the gel is tacky, pushing into dry gel snaps flakes loose.
The Three Slicks I Keep
Twenty styles sort by commitment, so my routing runs two minutes, ten minutes, and event-ready.
Slicked Front Pieces with Curls Down. The two-minute answer. Two one-inch sections take the gel, the curls stay free, and the frizz-prone face frame is handled for the day. Styling time: 2 minutes. Skill: none, and it works on every texture I know.
Slicked Front Half-Up Pony. The daily driver. The clean crown reads polished on video calls and the loose lengths keep it from feeling severe by afternoon. Styling time: 10 minutes. Skill: beginner, the only trick is gathering before the gel sets.
Center Part Slick with Low Bun. The event one. Nothing frames a face harder than a fully slicked center part into a low chignon, and it survives a wedding from ceremony to last dance. Styling time: 15 minutes plus setting. Skill: intermediate, the nape sections take practice.
Slicked Front Hair Guide: Matching the Style to Your Face Shape
| Face Shape | Best Slicked Front Style | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Oval | Any style works (oval is the most versatile) | Balanced proportions suit all part placements and slick directions |
| Round | Deep side part slick, high top knot, side-swept slick | Asymmetry and height elongate a round face |
| Heart | Center part slick with volume at back, slicked front curtain bangs | Width at the mid-section and jaw balances a wider forehead |
| Square | Side-swept slick with waves, slicked front with loose bun | Soft back sections soften strong jaw angles |
| Oblong / Long | Side-swept styles, slicked front with wide bun | Width at the sides prevents the face from reading as longer |
| Diamond | Center part slick, curtain bangs left out | Width at the forehead and jaw region balances the narrower zones |
If you’re choosing a new haircut to go with a slicked front style, the best layered haircuts and best long layered haircuts both work particularly well because layers add volume at the back, exactly the contrast a slicked front needs. For shorter cuts, best layered bob haircuts shows how a layered bob slicked at the front reads differently from a standard bob.
How to Get Slicked Front Hair: Step-by-Step
These steps work for all the styles above. Adjust the amount of product based on how sleek you want the finish.
For a natural, light slick: Use a light-hold styling cream or cream gel. Apply to the front sections only on damp hair. Comb back with a fine-tooth comb and let air dry.
For a medium-hold everyday slick: Apply a medium-hold gel to damp front sections. Use a boar bristle brush to smooth toward the back. Finish with a flexible-hold hairspray once dry.
For a high-shine wet look: Apply a generous amount of strong-hold or wet-look gel to the front sections on either damp or slightly dry hair. Comb smooth with a fine-tooth comb and allow to set without touching until dry.
For slicked front pieces only (not the full front section): Use an edge control or gel wax applied with a small brush or fingertips only to the two face-framing sections. Smooth back behind the ear or tuck flat with a bobby pin.
Products Every Slicked Front Hairstyle Needs
| Product | What It Does | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Strong hold gel | Creates the flat, sleek finish at the front sections | All hair types, especially thick or wavy |
| Edge control | Smooths only the hairline and front baby hairs | Natural and coily hair types |
| Pomade (light to medium hold) | Gives a pliable, non-crunchy slick for styles that need movement | Fine to medium hair |
| Dry texture spray | Adds grip before applying gel to thin or slippery hair | Fine, straight hair |
| Flexible hold hairspray | Seals the finished style without making it stiff | All hair types as a finishing step |
Conclusion
Slicked front hair styles are one of the most useful techniques in everyday hair styling because they require minimal product, work on every texture, and transform a basic style into something that looks deliberate. Start with the face-framing front pieces, choose a product that matches your hold preference, and let the back section do whatever it does naturally. The contrast is the point. For more everyday hairstyle inspiration across lengths and textures, the best hairstyles for women covers the widest range of starting points.
Also Read
Best Hairstyles for Women
Best Curly Hairstyles
Best Curtain Bangs with Layers Hairstyle Ideas
Best Layered Haircuts
Best Butterfly Haircut Ideas
Best Long Layered Haircuts
FAQs
What is slicked front hair?
Slicked front hair refers to hairstyles where only the front section, from the hairline to the crown, is smoothed flat with a gel, pomade, or edge control while the back section is left loose, curly, wavy, or voluminous. It creates a polished, clean look at the face without requiring a full slick-back style.
How do I slick down the front of my hair?
Apply a strong-hold gel or pomade to damp front sections from the hairline toward the crown. Use a fine-tooth comb to smooth the hair flat in the direction you want. Press down any flyaways with the back of the comb. Finish with a light mist of hairspray once the gel has set.
What products are best for slicked front hair?
Strong-hold gel is the most reliable product for thick and wavy hair. Edge control works best for natural, coily hair types. Pomade gives a softer, more pliable finish for fine hair. Dry texture spray before gel helps on very smooth, slippery hair that resists holding a shape.
Does slicked front hair work on curly hair?
Yes. Slicking only the front section with a strong-hold gel or edge control while leaving the curl pattern intact at the back is one of the most popular natural hair styling techniques. It creates a clean, polished front while preserving the natural texture.
How long does slicked front hair last?
With a strong-hold gel or pomade and a finishing hairspray, a slicked front section holds well for 6 to 8 hours. Using a satin scarf or bonnet overnight extends the style to a second day. Reapply a small amount of gel or edge control to smooth any disrupted sections in the morning.
What face shapes suit slicked front hairstyles?
All face shapes suit slicked front hairstyles, but the part direction changes the effect. A deep side part slick works best for round and square faces. A center part slick flatters diamond and oval faces. Side-swept styles balance oblong and heart face shapes.
