Ever since I saw Hailey Bieber rocking the iconic model-off-duty, slicked-back bun all over social media, I have been a total convert. From wearing it to the gym all the way to wearing it on a glam night out, this hairstyle is truly something that transcends any occasion. The best part is that you don’t even need to have clean hair to rock it — the greasier, the better, in my opinion.
The only trouble is that if you have any sort of wave to your hair or are prone to frizziness and flyaways like me, it can be hard to nail the look without using some sort of product to hold it all in place — and trust me, I’ve tried many.
In my trials, I found hairspray often left me with weirdly shiny and straw-like locks, and lots of styling gels made my hair all greasy and gross for days. I’ve even tried a bunch of mousses, only for my flyaways to re-emerge within the hour.
If you’re in the same boat and haven’t been able to find something long-lasting that works for you, you’re in luck because I’ve spent the last six months trialling and researching a bunch of alternative styling products that will help you nail the perfect slick.
Here are the fruits of my labour…
The best products for a slicked-back bun or ponytail in Australia
Tweak Cosmetica Anti-Frizz Flyaway Hair Wand
This nifty little slick stick styler will tame frizz without the added residue that you’ll often find in gels and hairspray. The flyaway hair wand also has a little mascara-like brush, making it super effective at grabbing all your baby hairs and locking them down. It’s also smaller than two tampons put together, so it’ll fit in even your smallest handbag. A big winner in my books.
Where to buy: Tweak Cosmetica ($23.95)
C+S Sheike Hair Finishing Stick
This bougie-looking Hair Finishing Stick is actually one of the cheapest of its kind at $22.99. Packed with essential oils, the stick holds back your desired styles while also strengthening and conditioning damaged hair, which isn’t something you see every day in hair gelling products. Sneaky tip: the gel is completely clear, so you can also use it on your brows for a little pizzaz, too.
Where to buy: C+S Sheike ($22.99)
Perfect Pony Flyaway Serum
Unfortunately, I haven’t used this bad boy myself, but it’s 100% at the top of my slick stick purchase list now because I recently spied TikTok vlogger @adelemareee use it. She said the stick was ace at keeping a neat pony without making your hair oily or crunchy. It’s also formulated to protect your locks from any heat damage that it might be exposed to while you’re out and about in the sun! How’s that for a double-whammy?!
Where to buy: Perfect Pony ($24.95)
Slick Stick Hair Wand
Similarly, this Slick Stick hair wand by Slick Hair Co. is another one of my top picks because it’s also formulated to be completely non-greasy while still keeping my flyaways at bay. I can confirm this because I’ve used it on my fluffy, freshly-washed hair, and it still performs as well as it does on my greasy, third-day hair, which isn’t the case for some other lighter styling products.
I can also wear my hair out the day after using this little stick, and you won’t even be able to tell my hair had any slicking products in it the day before — such a win. The only downside is that I have to run this through my hair a few times a day to ensure it stays prim, but it’s a small price to pay for gorgeous hair.
Where to buy: Slick Hair Co. ($24.99), Coles ($25)
Ouai Matte Pomade
When I’m going for full-glam slicked hair, this Ouai Matte Pomade is my go-to because it is really good for holding things down all night — especially if you’re not in a position to be reapplying it all night. It also smells heavenly.
The only downside is that it’s not matte like it says it is, but it’s also not going to make your hair greasy and shiny like a gel. It’s somewhere halfway, Id say. One thing I can promise you is that it won’t make your locks all straw-like and hard to the touch.
Where to buy: Sephora ($37)
TIGI Bed Head Hair Stick
TikTok put me on this little hair wax stick because, apparently, it’s amazing at grabbing even the smallest of those baby hairs that live right up on your hairline. The way it works is almost exactly like a glue stick, and it also lasts ages because a little of this stuff goes a long way. My only criticism is that it sometimes leaves a little white residue on your hair, so you just have to run a comb or styling brush through it to sleek it out.
Where to buy: Catch ($32.98)
Gummy Hair Wax
If you have curl types three through to four, a basic stick is probably not going to lock down your curls in the way you want it to. This heavy-duty Gummy Professional styling gel will allow you to nail the sleek bun or ponytail without sacrificing any stray flyaways. As the name suggests, it’s ultra-hold, and based on a bunch of TikTok reviews, it seems to check out. Lots of people even suggest using a toothbrush with it to make sure your finer pieces and edges are accounted for.
Where to buy: Amazon ($14.99)
Xtreme Wet Line Styling Gel
This Xtreme Styling Gel is another pick for my curly-haired girlies that’s been recommended all over my TikTok feed. According to the videos, this baby offers an extra-firm hold. It’s also formulated in a way that means it doesn’t leave a real crusty residue on your precious locks.
Where to buy: Haircare Megastore ($9.95)
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