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Gen Xers spill hair care secrets on how they achieved perfectly feathered perms in the 80s

"The girls kept cans of Aqua Net in their lockers and every time the bell would ring they’d rush to re-apply."

Images via Reddit/DefinitionPast3694, ClickAmericana

Gen Xers share how they acheived their voluminous hair in the 1980s.

If there is one thing Gen X will go down in history for, it's their *amazing* hairstyles. From feathered perms to voluminous blowouts, hairstyles from the 1980s remains iconic to this day. And those styles may be making a comeback.

Over on Reddit, Gen Xers are sharing all of their hair care secrets from back in the day. From styling secrets to products, they are spilling it all after a member of a younger generation posed the question: "Hey Gen X! How did you guys get your hair to look like this back in the 80’s?"

The question was posed with a few follow-ups for Gen Xers. "I really want to get my hair styled and cut like this but I don’t know how I can. I’m guessing you guys got a feathered haircut and a perm and brushed it out and teased it? Do tell!"

@jenxwrites

80s Hair. Aqua Net made a lot of money back in the day. #80s #80shair #genx #genxkid #80sstyle #1980s

Their biggest secret? Aqua Net hairspray. "Aqua Net White," one commented. Another added, "Aquanet purple may she rest in peace. So had my hair feathered never permed. I would take my bangs and curl them up reg curling iron and spray the heck out of it while cooking. Release and brush. When it looks perfect more hairspray to keep it from moving even in a hurricane."

Another Gen Xer shared their memory of Aqua Net. "The girls kept cans of Aqua Net in their lockers and every time the bell would ring they’d rush to re-apply, the halls of my middle school smelled like a beauty parlor," they wrote.

Another Gen Xer shared that her go-to was Finesse. "God I remember those days. I got in and out of the locker room as fast as possible because I was always choking to death on fumes. I was lucky, I had naturally curly hair with a lot of volume. I used Finesse conditioner and brushed my hair with my head upside down until it fluffed out too much, then would brush it back with my head rightside up to shape it. I hated hairspray because it made my hair crunchy and gross to touch. My boyfriend once remarked on it, 'Hey, I love your hair b/c I can touch it and not break my fingers!' LOL."

Another agreed, commenting, "Sometimes you need a little Finesse, sometimes you need a LOT!!" A fellow Gen Xer shared, "I LOVED Finesse! It smelled SO good."

80s, 80s hair, 80s hairstyles, 1980s, 1980s hair Beauty Looking GIF Giphy

Another popular product brand was Paul Mitchell. "Rich town girls had Paul Mitchell," one Gen Xer commented. "I remember in middle school that we all wanted Paul Mitchell because the cool girls used that."

Other Gen Xers preferred Rave. "Rave in the pump bottle kept mine extra-crispy," one Gen Xer wrote. Another quipped, "Yes, that was my brand of choice in 1980 something. You spray it underneath and kinda scrunch it up with your hands. My hair is wavy so it wasn't too hard for me. Mousse products also helped thicken and expand it. The Rave shellacked it and it stayed as high as Long Island. These pics could easily have been my friends, lol. Pair with crazy prints and acid wash jeans and some giant dangle earrings!"

1980s, 80s hair, 80s hairstyles, big hair, perm 80S Hair Flip GIF Giphy

Besides products, Gen Xers revealed the secrets to their styling, which highlighted the use of perms. "Step 1- perm. Step 2- mousse, lots of it. Don't be shy. Step 3- blow dry, scrunching curls. Step 4- curling iron, set on HELL, for the top. Step 5- hair combs to pull the sides back. Step 6- hair spray the side hair that's pulled back, the styleable type spray. Step 7- use pick to fluff top, and sides. Step 8- rat sides with pick. Step 9- apply bullet proof hair spray to set in concrete," one wrote.

Another spilled, "A curling iron on the top, a hair pick (not a brush) to fluff it out, and a lot of hairspray at all stages. If you get a perm, don't do the top, depending on your hair texture. The top needs to be shorter, and the curls go horizontally (not down - straight across the top of your head), everything goes backwards except for your bangs, which get curled under. Spray spray spray, then use the pick to fluff. Then more spraying. Hell, we used to watch smoke rise from our heads as we sprayed our hair while the curling iron was still in it. Don't recommend. For extra authenticity, do all of this while smoking a Marlboro light. Don't recommend that, either, if only for the fire hazard. I have an aversion to hair tools now to the point where I rarely even blow dry my hair anymore."

80s, 1980s hair, hairspray, 80s hairspray, 1980s hairspray 1980s tv GIF by absurdnoise Giphy

The blowout technique was also key. "Flip your head upside down and max heat blow dry while scrunching curls with mousse. More volume that way!" one shared.

One Gen Xer summarized the glory of 80s hair perfectly: "The higher the hair, the closer to God."

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Her boyfriend gently shaved her head after her alopecia diagnosis. But what he did next is so much better.

Over 4.9 million people have already watched this incredible moment unfold.

Rex Chapman/Twitter

For people with alopecia, hair is a complicated business. Alopecia is an autoimmune condition that causes hair to fall out. Sometimes it's unnoticeable, but sometimes it falls out in patches, and when those patches connect, it can become quite noticeable. At that point, some people with alopecia choose to shave their heads and embrace baldness, wear wigs, or both.

A video shared by Rex Chapman on Twitter shows a woman having her head shaved by a man with the caption, "His girlfriend was struggling with her hair loss from alopecia. Get out the tissues. Humanity."

It's clear from the get go that the woman is feeling emotional, occasionally wiping her eyes as he repeatedly runs the razor over her head. And it's clear that he cares for her—you can see it in the way he tenderly holds her neck as he shaves.

But then, just as he's finishing the final touches, he turns the razor around, and oof. Seriously, you might want to grab a tissue.

Sweet, selfless solidarity. This is what love looks like.

People on Twitter chimed in with their own alopecia experiences and stories about going through chemo for cancer and losing their hair. Many can relate to the emotional experience of shaving their hair off and the realization that they could be beautiful bald. The woman in this video rocks the shaved head. The guy...well, a little hard to tell until he finishes the job, but his act of kindness and compassion is definitely beautiful.


This article originally appeared on 7.30.20

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How 'Bridgerton' created an iconic wig that actually moves for one of its key characters

It's a work of art that even non-"Bridgerton" fans can appreciate.

@emmarigby_pro/Instagram

"This will go down in the history of costume design."

When it comes to period pieces, the look is crucial. It requires skilled craftspeople with both meticulous attention to detail and enough creative vision to bring characters to life in a way that’s captivating and believable all at the same time. One hair out of place, one wonky blouse…and suddenly the entire story feels cheapened.

Netflix’s hit series “Bridgerton” is a brilliant example of this. The creators behind the hair, makeup and costumes have pulled off one ambitious look after another—all of which nail the story’s unique blend of lavish period romance with innovative modern sensibilities. Honestly, even if period pieces aren’t your thing, you gotta marvel at what they’ve accomplished aesthetically.

One particularly talked about costume piece came from the show’s latest season: Queen Charlotte (played by Golda Resheuvel)’s jaw-dropping swan wig, which is a bona fide masterpiece that has actual moving glass swans.

If you have seen it—do not fret, dear reader. The official “Bridgerton” Instagram page posted a video starring the signature piece. Check it out below:

What kind of witchcraft is this?!…you might be thinking to yourself. But while this wig is certainly magical, it’s actually the result of smart engineering.

Emma Rigby, the magician behind Queen Charlotte’s wig, gave a little behind-the-scenes look at how it all came to be.

In a video posted to her own Instagram page, Rigby said that she initially felt “panicked” when “Bridgerton”’s hair and makeup designer Erika Okvist shared her concept. Making something that was both mechanically complex and light enough for the actor to be comfortable would be no easy feat.

But in the clip we see how with some hidden wires, a 3D printed carousel, and a hollow cage-like mold to hold everything in place, it’s actually not so impossible.

Watch, and be amazed:

Isn’t that the coolest thing ever? People were so impressed down in the comments.

“This will go down in the history of costume design. Very well done, ingenious actually,” one person wrote.

Another added, “This costume was glorious...if you guys don't get an Emmy nomination it will be a crime 🙌”

“I was left speechless by this one,” said a third.

Of course, this is just one of the many, many extravagant wigs that have graced the show. Check out the video below to see the whole scope of what these folks create, and how they create it. It’s a fun watch whether you’re a diehard "Bridgerton" fan or have never seen a single episode.

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Woman uses ‘malicious compliance’ to get around employer’s rule against pink hair

She wears terrible wigs on purpose, and they each have their own names.

Emily|TikTok

Malicious compliance gets woman around work rule against pink hair.

Work dress codes aren't always practical, especially when you want to have a little room for self-expression. Most dress codes include things like no open-toed shoes, no spaghetti straps or no facial piercings, but some employers have a policy against unnatural hair colors.

One TikTok user, @emuhleeebee, whose first name is Emily, recently started a new job that does not allow for her brightly colored pink hair. Since she interviewed with her pink hair on full display and still got the job, she didn't realize until after she started that the company dress code called for natural hair colors.

If you thought, easy enough, she'll just dye her hair brown or some other natural color that would cover her pink hair, you'd be wrong. Emily decided to participate in what she calls "malicious compliance," meaning she will comply with the company policy but in the most obnoxious way possible.

Instead of dying her hair (which, as she explained in one of her videos, makes her feel her best), Emily simply decided to buy wigs to cover her distracting hair—hilariously bad wigs that are likely far more distracting than her pink hair but still within company policy.

In one of her videos, she's wearing a bald wig that has a dark brown ponytail sticking out of the middle. Another wig she has in her rotation is one that makes her look like George Washington. Each wig has its own name and personality when she uploads the videos to her social media account. Since the wigs are all a natural color, there's really not much the company can say as long as she's doing her job and staying within policy.

@emuhleeebee

Replying to @iamrachelvray HOLLERING. #pinkhair #corporate #corporatelife #corporatehumor #corporatetiktok #maliciouscompliance #coloredhair #badwig #pinkhairdye

The argument for natural hair colors in a corporate environment feels a bit outdated. There are teachers, therapists and even doctors who sport brightly colored hair and tattoos up to their necks, and it doesn't hinder their ability to do their jobs. Unnatural hair colors have become so normal that a company having a policy against it may not be something that crosses someone's mind while job hunting.

But if having natural hair is a requirement, it would seem that during the job interview process, this would be something that's mentioned, yet Emily appears to have been blindsided. In a comment, someone asked if her job has said anything about her bad wigs yet.

"Not yet...emphasis on yet. I feel it coming," Emily replied.

@emuhleeebee

@Jay Benke besite. You chose ANOTHER wig that I feel really hot in TBH 😭. #pink #pinkhair #coloredhair #corporatetok #corporateamericaburnout #corporatehumour #corporatelifebelike

The TikTok creator even set up an Amazon wishlist where people have been purchasing wigs for her to wear to work. It's an entertaining series on her page and certainly a creative way to stay in compliance. Hopefully, the company she works for has a sense of humor and is also getting a kick out of the malicious compliance like the rest of the internet.

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