I’ve recently become infatuated with a hair trend that I used to think was reserved only for celebrities and runway models. In fact, I used to think it didn’t look good at all—and if you’d talked to me even last year, I would have never considered touching hair pomade or gel with a 10-foot pole, unless it was curl gel. Enter slicked-back hair, Hollywood’s most polarizing hair trend. 

Once I started slicking my hair back regularly, I can’t imagine a world where I stop doing it. In my opinion, it’s best on third- or fourth-day hair that you’re trying to avoid washing for one more day. If you feel like your hair is starting to lean oily, that’s even better if you’re trying to achieve a slicked-back vibe—you want your hair to look as shiny as possible. With help from the right products, that means that greasy hair can be transformed into sleek strands effortlessly. 

I tried out four different celebrity-inspired slicked-back hairstyles so you can see them in action on a regular gal, and not just a supermodel off-duty (we all know they could make wearing a paper bag look good). I know reaching for a high-hold gel or strong hairspray might seem scary, but the end result is worth trying something new. Keep reading for my favorite slicked-back looks and all of the products I used to achieve them, so you can try them for yourself.