Pixie in need of hair goo

July 14, 2011 8:42 AM

I just got a super short pixie cut. Please to recommend some hair goo. Specifics inside.

I have very fine hair, prone to being oily.

I want something to just give it some oomph/body/awesomeness.

The stuff I used when my hair was a bit longer is too heavy. The stuff my stylist used was $40 (absurd!).

I would like recommendations for hair goo you can find in the drug store, $10 or less per jar/tube that I can just kind of rub on my hands and run through my hair to give it the body it had when I left the salon yesterday.

posted by misanthropicsarah to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (14 answers total)

I use Garnier Fructis Surf Hair. It's labelled as "Strong" for hold. I also have a $20 container of Concrete by Alterna which I use as a second line of defense (i.e., if the Surf Hair needs a boost).
posted by sproggie at 8:51 AM on July 14, 2011

This is what I use, and it's pretty awesome. Gives you some oomph and spiky-ness, but doesn't make your hair crusty. I can find it at the grocery store for about $15 per can. So, it's outside your price range, but not by much. If you do decide to get it, open it before you buy and make sure it's not desiccated.
posted by King Bee at 9:00 AM on July 14, 2011

I love love love this stuff. If you want to eventually get spendy, I also really like Sebastian's Craft Clay (but I caution you to use it very sparingly, and really only on ends and roots if you want volume).
posted by sinnesloeschen at 9:03 AM on July 14, 2011

Sorry, I forgot to mention the cost of the Surf Hair is approximately $4. I'll have to check out the Punk Out stuff that King Bee recommended.
posted by sproggie at 9:04 AM on July 14, 2011

I like Rusk's Being Undressed. It has a great scent and a little goes a long way. I've had a tub of this stuff for three years and it's still going strong.

You might also like Bedhead's Manipulator. Again, a little goes a long way.
posted by k8lin at 9:05 AM on July 14, 2011

Seconding Surf Hair for cheapness. I alternate between longer hair and a shaved head, and I usually use Surf Hair to spruce up the awkward intermediate dandelion stage when I'm growing it back out. Disclaimer: unfashionable dude.
posted by mindsound at 9:11 AM on July 14, 2011

I use Paul Mitchell Hair Gel (in a purple and white squeeze tube). Apply when hair is damp, blow dry, then I use Paul Mitchell Hair Wax (in a red and white squeeze tube). I also do a light flat iron on my bangs since they're a bit longer, between the gel and the wax. I only use a pea sized amount of either product and have had fantastic results.
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 9:18 AM on July 14, 2011

A little more expensive but worth every penny for my fine, curly, newly-pixie'd hair this summer? Aveda Control Paste. A little goes a VERY long way, which makes it worth it for me.

This oil, recommended by my hairdresser MIL, not only smells fantastic but also helps keep everything in place even when it's humid out, as it inevitably is here.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 9:20 AM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

I also just got a super short pixie cut! I have been using L'Oreal Overworked to great effect. Pretty flexible hold, not too chunky or crusty, gives really good texture to my fine, thin hair.
posted by whitneyarner at 9:25 AM on July 14, 2011

At the salon they recommended Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Shaping Cream for my short, fine, oily hair. I've had good success with it, especially using it when I blow my hair dry. It's more expensive than your price range but the tin lasts me more than a year, and I can get it at Ulta cheaper than the salon.
posted by immlass at 9:55 AM on July 14, 2011

Seconding Aveda Control Paste. I no longer have short hair, but when I did I used that stuff every. single. day.
posted by emily37 at 9:57 AM on July 14, 2011

If you're ok using men's products, I'd suggest American Crew Fiber. Most salons will carry it. I've sworn by it for years now. Holds well, not greasy or crusty, subtle scent.
posted by fso at 11:25 AM on July 14, 2011

This is a little beyond what you wanted to spend, but as a fellow fine hair sufferer, I had to tell you about it. Also, sephora is pretty good with the samples so you can try before you buy. Whatever you do, make sure you don't use anything with silicone. GL!
posted by cestmoi15 at 4:06 PM on July 14, 2011

I used the Punk Out that King Bee recommended and really liked it. It worked well and I didn't need much, so the tub lasted forever. Recently, my stylist turned me onto Groupie and I'm addicted. I love what it does for my hair. My stylist says she's been using it on a lot of her short-haired clients because she loves it so much...
posted by whatideserve at 8:50 PM on July 15, 2011