So yesterday I tried nailing that Italian Slick Back versus Regular Pompadour look everyone keeps asking about. Total pain in the butt, lemme tell ya. Started simple – washed my hair, towel-dried it just damp, like all them YouTube dudes say. Grabbed my trusty pomade tin, the thick stuff.
The Pompadour Disaster Attempt
First up, Regular Pompadour. Wanted that big, fluffy top thing? Yeah, nah. Scooped a giant glob of pomade, rubbed it all over my palms, shoved my fingers into my roots near the forehead. Pushed up real hard, trying to build height. Felt like I was wrestling a hedgehog. Hair stuck up in clumps, middle part went crooked, sides flopped like wet noodles. Spent like 20 minutes with a comb and a hairdryer, blowing hot air while holding the stupid puff. Result? Looked less Elvis, more startled squirrel who licked a 9-volt battery. Total mess. Hair felt crunchy and weird. Hated it.
Swinging for the Italian Slick Back
Okay, rage-quit the Pompadour. Washed my hair again, pissed off. Back to damp. This time, smaller scoop of pomade – waaay thinner stuff. Worked it all over my hands real smooth, not chunky. Started pushing everything straight back. No lifting, no puffing, just flat and slick. Used my comb like a bulldozer, from forehead straight back over the crown. Kept combing, adding tiny bits more pomade to slick down strays. Wiped greasy fingers on a towel, pressed down hard along the sides and top. Felt… controlled? Weird.
What Actually Worked (Sort Of)
- Grease Level: Pompadour needs that thick, gluey paste to hold up fluff. Slick Back? Thin, oily stuff slides better. Used the wrong pomade first try. Duh.
- Direction Fight: Pompadour is ALL about pushing up at the front roots. Slick Back is flat back, zero vertical ambition. My hair fought the upward push HARD.
- Side Shenanigans: Thought I could ignore the sides. Nope. Pompadour needs kinda fluffy sides blended back. Slick Back demands sides plastered DOWN tight. Different game.
- Time Sink: That Pompadour puff? Ain’t happening fast. Takes forever to build and hold. Slick Back got slick-ish in like 5 minutes. Still felt like a greased weasel though.
End result? Slick Back looked cleaner, kinda sharp. Wife said “less roadkill.” Pompadour? Pure chaos. My hair just screams “flat and straight” apparently. Rebellion against volume. Maybe I stick to my usual messy bun.
