Don't Let Your Halloween Hair Become a Horror Story
Halloween is a pretty good excuse to do something different with your hair. Maybe your costume calls for a little extra volume, a style you wouldn't normally wear, or an updo that requires more bobby pins than you'd care to admit.
Whatever the plan, this is the time of year when we're allowed to have a little fun with our hair.
But there's a difference between a hairstyle that makes your costume and one that becomes the most memorable part of the night for all the wrong reasons.
If you're planning to go a little bigger with your Halloween look this year, a few things are worth thinking about before you start styling.
Have a plan before you start teasing
It's easy to get carried away when you're trying to recreate a hairstyle you've spotted online. Suddenly, you're adding more product, teasing the same section again, and wondering why your hair looks nothing like the picture.
A little preparation makes a difference. Start with a style that works with your hair's length and texture, and use products that give you the hold you need without making everything feel stiff and sticky.
If your costume depends on an especially dramatic hairstyle, try it out before Halloween night. You'll have time to work out the tricky parts without the added pressure of getting out the door.
And remember, the best costume hair doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes a few well-placed pins, a change in texture, or a little extra volume is all it takes.
Bobby pins are your friends, but so is moderation
Halloween hairstyles can require a surprising amount of pinning, pulling, and securing. If you're building a style that needs to last through dinner, a party, and a few hours of dancing, make sure it feels secure without pulling uncomfortably on your scalp.
Discomfort isn't something you need to push through just because your hair looks good.
Use enough pins to hold the style, but don't force your hair into a position it doesn't want to go. If a section keeps slipping, it may need a different placement or a little more structure rather than another handful of pins.
Your hairstyle should make it through the night. Your scalp shouldn't have to suffer for it.
Don't wait until midnight to take it down
This may be the least exciting part of planning Halloween hair, but it's worth considering before you start.
If your look involves heavy teasing, lots of hairspray, or an elaborate updo, give yourself enough time to take it down gently when you get home. Trying to brush through everything in a hurry is a good way to create unnecessary tangles and breakage.
Start by removing accessories and pins carefully. Loosen the style with your fingers, then work through any tangles from the ends upward rather than dragging a brush from root to tip.
If your hair is especially tangled or coated in product, take your time. There's no prize for finishing your nighttime routine in record speed.
Make the hairstyle work for you
The most successful Halloween looks are the ones that feel fun to wear, not just fun to photograph.
If you know your hair doesn't hold curls well, choose a style that doesn't depend on perfect curls lasting six hours. If your hair is fine or slippery, consider accessories or a simpler shape instead of trying to force it into an elaborate updo. And if you're not someone who enjoys spending an hour styling your hair, there's no reason Halloween has to change that.
Your hair can be part of the costume without becoming an entire project.
And if you have a look in mind that feels a little outside your usual comfort zone, that's exactly the kind of thing your stylist can help you plan.
After all, Halloween is supposed to be fun. Your hair should be part of that.
Go for the big hair. Try the dramatic style. Wear the ridiculous accessory.
Just make sure the only horror story you're telling the next morning is about your costume.
