Some beauty products carry a kind of magic. You see the jar, you open the lid, and suddenly you’re in another decade—one filled with pastel bathroom tiles, vanity trays, and quiet evenings spent setting hair for the next day. Among the vintage beauty brands, you can still buy today Dippity-Do hair gel has earned its place as both a nostalgic keepsake and a fully functional styling staple. With a history stretching back to the mid-1960s, this cheerful gel has been part of beauty routines through changing trends, cultural shifts, and countless Saturday nights in front of the mirror.
This post contains affiliate links and professional skincare commentary. For full details, please read my disclaimer.
Commercials from 1965-1986
These vintage commercials capture all of that history in motion-the pastel jars, the perky jingles, the styles that defined each decade. Watching them is like flipping through a living scrapbook of beauty, where every frame hold a little piece of nostalgia. Looking at this from a trend perspective, I love how they pivoted into the 1970s with straight hair. For some reason, it just doesn’t have the same up beat feeling but they definitely tried to stay relevant. I think they killed it though in the 1980s. The crazy hairdos definitely needed some gel.
The Beginning of a Beauty Icon
The mid-1960s were an era of big hair, polished curls, and carefully arranged waves. Rollers were part of almost every woman’s beauty ritual, and a reliable setting product was essential. Around 1965, Dippity-Do appeared on store shelves in its bright, candy-colored jar.
Its thick, jelly-like texture was perfect for coating damp hair before wrapping it around rollers. Once the hair dried, the curls held their shape beautifully, with a smooth, glossy finish. The scent—soft and lightly floral—became instantly recognizable. For many, it was the smell of “getting ready.”
Advertising spoke directly to women who valued a hairstyle that could last from morning coffee to an evening out. It promised that your “do” would stay perfectly in place, and it quickly became a fixture in bathrooms and beauty parlors.
-
- Images belong to Dippity-Do
Hair Gel Before the 1960s
The story of hair gel begins long before the age of rollers and blow dryers. Archaeologists have found traces of styling mixtures used in ancient Egypt, often made from natural fats and resins. These early gels helped keep hair in place in hot, dry climates and were sometimes part of ceremonial preparations.
By the 20th century, hair styling products had become a regular part of grooming. In the early 1900s, pomades and brilliantines offered shine and hold, and by the mid-century, lighter, water-based gels began to appear. These new formulas were easier to wash out and worked well with the hairstyles of the day.
The Roller Set
For decades, setting hair with rollers was as common as applying lipstick. The process was deliberate: washing and towel-drying the hair, working Dippity-Do into each section, winding it carefully onto rollers, and either air drying or sitting under a bonnet dryer.
It was part styling, part self-care. Women often used this time to relax, chat on the phone, or read a magazine. When the rollers came out, the curls had body, bounce, and a soft sheen that lasted for days. Dippity-Do played a quiet but essential role in that transformation, giving styles the hold they needed without sacrificing movement.
Through the Changing Decades
As the 1970s arrived, hairstyles shifted toward softer layers and more natural textures, but roller sets remained popular. Dippity-Do kept its place on vanities, adapting easily to feathered cuts and looser curls.
In the 1980s, when volume was the ultimate goal, the gel found new fans in unexpected places. Musicians and trendsetters used it to sculpt dramatic styles, from sky-high bangs to sharply defined shapes. Its thick consistency made it a reliable tool for creative looks, and it quietly crossed from beauty parlors into fashion-forward styling kits.
Dippity-Do in Pop Culture, Ads & Celebrity Hair Moments
From its early days, Dippity-Do carried such personality that it often found its way into mirrors of pop culture—even when not named outright. Vintage commercials featured pastel-hued jars set against soft, dreamy backdrops, with jingle lines like “holds and holds and holds!” and “to build in body and bounce, fast.” These playful promises turned ordinary mornings into tiny beauty rituals.
But its charm went beyond the ads—it snuck into the homes of some very famous faces.
Full House & Stephanie Tanner’s Iconic Curls
On the How Rude, Tanneritos! podcast, Jodie Sweetin (Stephanie Tanner on Full House) reminisced that her mom used “a sponge roller and a jar of Dippity-Do hair gel every night” to create her character’s signature bouncy curls. She even laughed about how that familiar scent still takes her right back to childhood. You have to admit, her curls are pretty cute.
The Farrah Fawcett Feather Effect
Beauty fans in the late 1970s recall using Dippity-Do to help shape the famous Farrah Fawcett “feathered” look. On nostalgic forums, women describe smoothing a little through their hair before blow-drying with a round brush, creating the perfect flip at the ends. Stella Cini has a pretty simple “how to” video called “The 70s BlowOut Tutorial You Need” that shows a more modern way to get this look. You can imagine though, women would apply the Dippity-Do hair gel before putting their curlers in and then getting an effect similar to this. Remember, they didn’t have all the fancy hot tools we have today!
From School Days to Stage Lights
By the 1980s, Dippity-Do had crossed into new territory. Teenagers used it for sleek, shellacked wet-look styles, while punk musicians discovered it was perfect for building tall, sculptural spikes that could survive a night of performing under hot stage lights. That versatility became part of its charm. It wasn’t tied to one specific hairstyle—it was a tool that adapted to whoever was using it, from sitcom kids to Hollywood icons to underground performers.
Why Dippity-Do Still Feels Current
Today, Dippity-Do hasn’t lost its charm. The packaging has been refreshed, but the heart of the product remains the same. Modern formulas cater to different hair needs—curl-enhancing, color-protecting—yet still carry that sense of heritage. It’s a reminder of a slower, more intentional approach to beauty. Using it can feel like stepping into a familiar ritual, even if your styling tools are different from the ones your mother or grandmother used. On their website today, they sell their products to mostly women who have curly hair, although they do have a men’s and children’s section.
Ways to Use Dippity-Do in Modern Styling
Even without foam rollers and bonnet dryers, Dippity-Do fits easily into today’s beauty routines:
- Defined Waves: Apply to damp hair before braiding overnight for soft, set waves in the morning.
- Glossy Ponytails: Smooth a small amount through hair before pulling it back for a sleek finish.
- Curl Definition: Work into damp curls to enhance shape and reduce frizz.
Vintage Sets: Pair with hot rollers for a throwback glamour moment.
-
- images belongs to Dippity-Do
If you would like to buy products from Dippity-Do, you can shop Dippity-Do here.
A Beauty Legacy in a Jar
Dippity-Do has outlasted countless trends and product launches. It represents more than just a way to hold a curl—it’s a link to the women who styled their hair before us, a touch of nostalgia, and proof that some beauty rituals are timeless. Whether you keep it for special occasions or use it as part of your regular styling, it’s a small way to bring a bit of vintage glamour into the present day.
