Disclosed are hair styling compositions which comprise from about 5% to about 90% by weight of a polyalkylene glycol styling agent that is substantially free of polyalkylene glyceryl ethers, and that has a number average molecular weight of from about 190 to about 1500 and from about 5 to about 35 repeating alkylene oxide radicals wherein each of the repeating alkylene oxide radicals has from 2 to 6 carbon atoms; from about 1% to about 90% by weight of a liquid carrier which can comprise water, an organic solvent, or combinations thereof; and, optionally, from about 5% to about 40% by weight of a propellant. Also disclosed are hair styling compositions which comprise from about 5% to about 90% by weight of a polyalkylene glycol styling agent that has a number average molecular weight of from about 190 to about 1500 and from about 5 to about 35 repeating alkylene oxide radicals wherein each of the repeating alkylene oxide radicals has from 2 to 6 carbon atoms; from about 1% to about 90% by weight of a liquid carrier which can comprise water, an organic solvent, or combinations thereof; and from about 1.5% to about 60% by weight of certain silicones or silicone derivatives and, optionally, propellant.