Visual kei is commonly known as a popular music movement that arose in the 1980s. However, it became more than just your usual music genre. The term ventured into fashion when fans were deeply influenced by the theatrical makeup and outfits these performers would wear on stage.
If you are quite confused about the whole concept and essence of Visual Kei, I recommend you read Visual Kei Fashion: All You Need to Know and if you are trying to get into the whole Visual Kei makeup, we also have a makeup guide right here.
But do you what is missing in this series? You have the outfit done, the makeup right but we all know you are not as easily recognizable as a Visual Kei if it weren’t for the hair. That’s right, the way Visual Kei stylize their hair plays a huge part in getting the look completely done. Since it is one of its defining features, it is only right to have a dedicated blog post just for it.
After all, Visual Kei hair is not a walk in the park.
Visual Kei Hair
The Easy Way
First of all, I think it’s important to get this off the way. Yes, you can have your Visual Kei hair done in the salon and with your trusty hairdresser.
Having your hair done in the salon also has one big advantage and it is to sit back and relax. I mentioned this above, Visual Kei hair is not a piece of cake. If you are to do-it-yourself, it could take hours, depending on how intricate you want it to be.
The first thing you need to do is to search the Internet for that one Visual Kei hair that you really really want. Usually, Visual Kei hair is long, and once you’ve found the perfect hairdo, it is only a matter of time to grow your hair out to your desired length.
Once you’ve deemed it long enough, stride into your favorite salon. Remember to bring the picture with you. Visual kei hair might be a little odd to request from your hairdresser and it could be a little difficult to explain how you want it to get done, so print the picture out or have it ready on your phone to show to your hairdresser.
And now, you wait. Your hairdresser would know what to do.
The DIY Way
You might be worried if you will be able to pull it off but don’t worry because you totally can! It might take a few hours of staying in front of the mirror but I can assure you, the result will be worth it!
One advantage of every DIY project is that it can be cheaper than going in to get it done or buying it from the store. However, this is a case-to-case basis. In the case of Visual Kei hair, you will need to spend on hair products such as hair glue, hair setting spray, rat-tail combo, a teasing comb, straightening iron, and hair dye. Now, this depends on where you’ll buy them as these products can have cheaper alternatives or better if you already have them at home or you can borrow from a friend.
So before diving into doing the Visual Kei hair yourself, it is better to evaluate the cost and effort.
But if you have truly decided that “I want to do my Visual Kei hair myself.” Well, welcome! Here is a complete guide, guiding you step by step to your Visual kei hair journey.
Getting the hair to the desired length. Whether you are going to the salon or doing it yourself, this will always be the first step. And this could take months to do. If you have a secret technique for growing your hair faster than usual, you can absolutely do it to hasten the process.
Dyeing the hair. This is optional but is actually an essential step. Your desired Visual kei hair might be darker, so there is no need for this step. But other Visual Kei hair is usually dyed a lighter color so get ready to bleach and stripped your hair off its natural color.
A friendly tip! Bleaching your hair can be damaging. It will often result in brittleness or drying of the strands. So if you are someone who might find it hassling to do a hair care routine, you might think twice before going through the bleaching and dyeing process.
If you are more than ready to bleach your hair and are prepared for the consequences, get your hair care products ready, and be committed to the routine.
Spike it all up. Length? Check. Dye? Check. You are done with the first two steps and now it’s time to get to actual styling. Visual kei hair, as you’ve probably observed, has two elements. Spikes and straight strands. Straightening the hair is a piece of cake. But the spikes can be a bit time and product consuming.
To spike up the hair, be prepared to use lots and lots of hair glue and hair setting spray. It is important to note that the spikes have two lengths, they could either be short or long ones.
First, grab a section of hair on the part you want the spikes to be. This could be from the sides or at the back. Usually, they would be from different parts of the head, all leaning in different angles. Stand these section of hair straight and use hair glue or spray it with hair setting spray. You might need a few more (maybe tons) of sprays to get this to stand upright. But, patience is a virtue! And beauty is pain!
But, this could prove to be a challenge. Not all hair is as easy to style. Some are just plain pain in the bum. Another technique is to grab your rat tail or teasing comb. Grab the section of the hair then run the comb downwards, ultimately teasing the hair. This will result in a messy hair with volume and this would usually end up with a puff up hair, maybe slightly standing from the scalp. That is a perfect base for your spiked hair. From that, you have at least a bit of control over your hair.
Once you’ve achieved that one spiked section, doing it to the others will no longer be that difficult as you already know the way that works best for you.
Following your reference photo, there might be sections of hair that need to be straightened so grab your straightening iron and run it through those sections. Do the additional styling like pinning the hair up with bobby pains, if it requires, then tadaaaaaa Visual kei hair done.
