Halloween is a great time to have fun with hair; it's a crucial element to all costumes. If you're going to be Donald Trump, it's pretty much all about the hair. A witch has to have long black hair and Dracula needs an exaggerated widow's peak. Hair must be a strong element, but because Halloween comes just once a year, you don't want to do anything too permanent. Here are some basics to help you create the best hair possible for your costume.
More Hair
Hairspray can make hair look bigger, fuller and create a definitive shape while freezing it in place. It not only locks hair in place where you want it, but it can also make you look like you have more hair for your costume. So if you are planning a widow's peak for Dracula, hairspray will hold it in place, and if you want to do the ultimate Trump comb over, freeze it with hairspray. It's also the perfect product for creating larger than life hair for all those sexy costumes. Simply backcomb hair to increase volume and then set with spray.
Color
Use temporary spray color to transform your locks. The key here is that lighter hair going darker works much better than darker hair going lighter, which doesn't work as well unless you use a very unnatural color like bright yellow or silver. The great thing about temporary hair color sprays is that they are available in a variety of colors (even silver and gold) and are meant to wash out in one shampoo. Color is a crucial element to many costumes, and it's fun because kids can spray it on themselves. Make your color last longer with a quick topcoat of hairspray.
Wigs
Halloween pop-up shops are great places to find wigs of all kinds, but you have to know what kind of wig you are purchasing in order to be able to color and style it properly. Most wigs offered for Halloween are generally synthetic. Why does that matter? Because synthetic hair is plastic, and while it can be cut, styling with heat is not an option. Doing more to a synthetic wig does not generally make it look better. Synthetic wigs cannot be styled with any hot tools—no curling irons or flat irons—because the hair will melt! And no color either, unless it's spray on, because you can't color synthetic hair with dye. When it comes to cheaper synthetic wigs that are thin or not full enough, just attach a couple together—two to three long black witch wigs can make one really thick, sexy, witch wig.
How can you tell if you have a synthetic wig or real hair? 1. Look at the price. Human hair wigs are usually really expensive. 2. Do a flame test. Remove a single strand of hair from the wig and place it near a flame, if it melts it's synthetic, and if you smell sulfur or rotten eggs, it's human.
So whether you're a punk rocker, a baby, Donald Trump, a sexy witch, pumpkin or vampire, the best way to transform yourself into character is to focus on your hair…and this Halloween you especially can't Trump anyone without the hair!
About the Author
Patrick McIvor is Artistic & TechniCulture Director for Goldwell and KMS California and owner of 101 E. Center Salon, Nazareth. As one of the most respected colorists in the industry, McIvor was the founding Color Director for Nick Arrojo and Rodney Cutler at Arrojo Cutler Salon on 57th Street in NYC and has now rejoined Nick Arrojo as Brand Strategist & Techni-Color Director of ARROJO. McIvor is a cultural junkie inspired by international cosmopolitan influences from fashion and global trends to technology. The team at 101 E. Center Salon creates beautiful, sexy, believable hair in an intimate studio utilizing technology to make guests the center of a TechniCulture Salon Experience. McIvor is featured in the book “50 Hairstylists” and was named one of the best colorists in the USA by Allure Magazine.
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