Liberty spikes

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Liberty spikes refers to a way of styling the hair in long, thick, upright spikes. The style, associated with the punk subculture, is so named because of the resemblance to the spikes on the head of the Statue of Liberty, although the style first arose in the London scene.

In this style, the hair is formed into thick spikes that may radiate outwards in all directions or all point up in the same direction. They are favored for their durability in extremely long hair. Liberty spikes may be enhanced by the use of hair dyes.

Liberty spikes are also a common way of styling Mohawks.

While techniques vary, spikes are usually styled by applying pomade, spray or glue to dry hair. Starting from the back, the hair is blow dried while being held in the direction the wearer wishes for the hair to stay. Gel is frequently applied to the tips to sharpen them, and hairspray is sometimes applied multiple times to ensure stiffness and longevity. With experience, the time needed to spike the hair is significantly reduced.

Forming and keeping the shape of liberty spikes is beyond the capacity of most widely-available hair styling products, which were created for more natural looking styles. As such, a number of unusual products have been employed including Elmer's white glue, egg whites, unflavoured gelatin (especially the Knox brand), shaving cream, aqua-net hairspray, starch, and soap. In recent years a number of products designed for dramatic spiked hairstyles have been introduced to the mass market.