Guest Author - Lynne Chapman
Halloween parties often call for Extreme hair. In creating the right style for your costume, you could shop for one of the many outrageous wigs that are available but I think it’s more fun to create an outrageous ‘do using your own hair. This is even more fun if you are normally conservative in style. You may be amazed at what can be done using your hair’s unique characteristics, some styling products and even common household items.
Wild, frizzy Afro.
For instance, if you have any natural curl in your hair, you may be able to scrunch it into a wild, big-haired style that rivals Roberta Flack’s 80’s Afro. Be sure to apply a strong mousse or gel to damp hair before scrunching. Get this look on straight hair by using styling mousse on damp hair and setting it with tiny rollers or permanent wave rods.
After it is thoroughly dry, for an even larger look, backcomb it at the root area to help it stand up to its full potential. Lock it in with a stiff, extra-hold hairspray, and it will be indestructible. Take note that you can shape your Afro into any form you prefer using your hairspray. Spray with hair sparkles from your local department store and you have a large frizzy, sparkly Afro!
The perfect makeup for this style is overstated, very colorful eyes and lips.
Old, decrepit and dusty.
Apply some pomade or hair wax to your dry hair. Use enough to make it stringy without weighting it down. Pull pieces out at angles or mold it into any shape you prefer. Powder the whole style with a light dusting of talcum or bath powder to turn it dusty gray. A wild, deranged sort of look is what you’re going for. Using hairspray will help to keep the powder in place.
With this hairstyle, I like to do my own makeup to match. Simply use a very light makeup base. Pat a small amount of blue, purple, or greenish eye shadow under your eyes to give a hollow-eyed look. Use the same shadow under your cheekbones to hollow out your cheeks. Pat the white powder, used on your hair, over your entire face to blend in the shadowed areas and to dull shine. Don’t forget to powder your eyelashes as well.
If you prefer more color, you will find an assortment of shades in the novelty section of your local department store. The easiest to use is in spray form, but there are also temporary color rinses. Please be very careful with these hair color preparations. Hair that is light in color, sun bleached or dry and porous, may absorb your party color and be colorful longer than you had planned. They sometimes take a couple weeks of shampooing or even a chemical process to remove all traces.
Remember that your hair is more versatile than you may realize. As you plan this year’s party costume, do a little experimenting. You may find the perfect hairstyle is at your fingertips.
