Gen Z woman asks Gen Xers how they kept their fluffy 80s hair intact and they share best solutions

Trends never truly die. They keep coming back in waves as they find popularity among every new generation. Thanks to platforms like TikTok, video creators have been able to explore retro clothing and hairstyles to bring back vintage aesthetics. In one of those recent fashion trends, Gen Z has been obsessing over the style and spirit of the 80s. They are doing everything from revisiting old films like "The Breakfast Club" and vibing to groovy music. The beauty community on TikTok has been making the most out of this trend as they dedicate their skills to transforming into individuals from the 80s, who are collectively described as Gen Xers. One thing that has highly defined the 80s fashion trends is the sky-high hairdos from that era which makeup artist Rachel O'Cool is trying to recreate on the platform. 

O'Cool–who goes by @rachelocool on the platform–shared how she has driven herself to the brink of madness while trying to recreate the iconic poofy hairstyle from the bygone era. In one of her recent viral videos, O'Cool asked the Gen X community on TikTok, seeking advice that can help her achieve a distinct hairstyle.

To help her, Gen X arrived with loads of solutions for her hairstyling issue. O'Cool can not seem to figure out how to keep the sky-high, frozen-in-place hair intact while trying out a full-on 80s aesthetic. The hairstyle, which is popularly known as "mall hair," was making O'Cool's attempts look like a giant mess.

"Okay, if you were in your 20s, in the 80s, how did you get your hair to stay?" O'Cool asked the Gen X crowd of TikTok. "I am teasing and I am spraying," she said as she sprayed the living daylights out of her swooping bangs and tresses, but in 20 minutes, all of her efforts failed. But 80s people surely had a solution for this and it was called Aqua Net. Several commentators informed the beauty content creator about the Aqua Net hairspray, which was seemingly discontinued after a while and another TikTok user made a response video to O'Cool.

The second creator addressed the discourse of trying to create the perfect 80s-inspired hairstyle and how the Aqua Net spray apparently contributed to the depletion of the ozone layer. "So, all of those hairsprays that made your hair stand up like satellite dish bangs were banned," they said in their video. Many others left step-by-step tutorials on how to achieve the iconic hairstyle without the availability of the infamous Aqua Net hairspray.

People also shared their views on another TikTok user's video. @freakinbattts suggested, "I think the only hairspray comparable in hold nowadays is probably got2b." @sky.blue.mua.tarot quipped, "You're correct. It was the Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the hairspray that was bad for the ozone."

@erinparsonsmakeup added some more tips in the comments section of O'Cool's post and said, "Perm, cut layers, tease, Aqua Net, hit with a blow dryer, more Aqua Net and scrunchie for added luxury." @songminhoswife commented, "I asked my mom this while ago because she was a teenager in the late 70's early 80s and she said she just fully dried her hair upside down."

@c_machine added, "You need more layers! The feathering and shorter in the front allowed it to stay. My mom said she would wrap her hair around a coke can and spray and dry." Rest assured, the '80s style is still loved by the modern generation as they have access to alternative hair products to style the "satellite bangs" to perfection.