Every Halloween we tell ourselves we have months to put together the perfect costume, decorate our homes with the spookiest decor, and come up with the perfect punny cocktail to serve at our parties—and every year we end up throwing on a witch hat minutes before our friends arrive. With the spookiest night of the year right around the corner, we have festive hair creations that will get you in character pronto. Our Hair.com team even tried the styles out themselves and we’re giving you an exclusive look at how to recreate them.
Below find 17 chilling Halloween hair ideas, including the most out-there hair color transformations, decade-inspired ‘dos, and step-by-step hair tutorials to inspire your last-minute costume.
The Best Halloween Hair Ideas to Try This Year
Halloween Hair Color That You Can Wear All Year Long
Do you have an edgy cut like a mullet or shag? Take things one step further by adding peek-a-boo highlights that screams Halloween like green, orange or red. The best part is, the contrast with dark hair like shown here, can also transition your new look for wear all year long. For curly girls like our model above, use Mizani True Textures Perfect Coil Oil Gel and Mizani True Texture Curl Enhancing Lotion for ringlets that are bouncy and never crunchy.
Pro tip: Redken Dry Texture Finishing Spray will add soft texture and lightweight volume that’s color-safe. Plus, it’s key for refreshing your second-day hair.
Doll
The fun and flirty hairstyles our dolls had growing up set the tone for their entire look. If you want to embody your favorite doll this Halloween, we suggest trying a bouncy ponytail. Dream doll hair is already trending, so here’s another style you can wear on Halloween and beyond. Start by running Redken Big Blowout Heat Protecting Jelly Serum through your locks as base for plenty of height and volume, plus heat protection. Once your pony has been secured, use Redken Brushable Hairspray 12 to set. Follow up with a curling iron or the L'Oréal Professionnel’s Barbie X Steampod Hair Straightener + Curling Iron for that signature pony flip our childhood dolls slayed. Pair with a bubblegum pink outfit and you’ll be living your best dollhouse life!
Flapper
Old Hollywood finger waves are a must for any roaring ‘20s shindig you’re attending during spooky season. Channel your inner flapper with this elevated style. Using Redken Max Sculpting Gel and Redken Pliable Paste sculpt your waves as shown in the video above. Finish with Redken Brushable Hairspray 12 to set and be sure your finger waves stay in place all night long. This style can also transition into the holiday season for that fancy office party you have lined up or any other fun plans on your calendar.
Devil
Just because you're the queen of the underworld doesn't mean you have to have bad hair. To begin, part your hair horizontally near the nape of your neck to create a small section. Working with 2-inch sections at a time, pass your flat iron over the section, flipping it back and forth to create a loose wave. Continue creating waves with 2-inch sections until you’ve completed the entire segment and set your waves with L’Oréal Professionnel’s Tecni.Art Infinium 4 High-Hold Hairspray before moving on to the next segment.
Make another horizontal part about 2-inches above the first part. This time, working with 2-inch sections, use a 1-inch curling iron to create tight waves. Continue creating waves until you complete the entire segment and set each section with Tecni.Art Infinium 4 High-Hold Hairspray. Repeat these steps, alternating between your flat iron and curling iron until you’ve completed your entire head. Once your entire mane is done, set your look and create additional texture with L’Oréal Professionnel's Tecni.Art Next Day Hair Finishing Spray.
Wednesday Addams
This signature pigtail hairstyle is so easy you'll be able to pull it off in a *snap snap*. To begin, use the pointy end of a fine-tooth comb to part your hair down the middle from your hairline to the nape of your next. Then, use a large paddle brush to brush any snags and snarls out of your mane and spray your detangled strands with Redken Triple Pure 32 High-Hold Hairspray. Working with one section at a time, craft a simple three-strand braid and secure the braid with a hair elastic.
Repeat the same steps on the remaining section, and set your look with Triple Pure 32 High-Hold Hairspray.
Rachel Green
Make Halloween day the one where her hair looks perfect. For this look, it’s best to begin with freshly washed, damp hair. Spritz Redken United One Multi-Benefit Treatment Spray throughout your damp strands and use a blow dryer to rough dry your hair. Then, section off your hair and blow dry each section with a round brush. Once you’ve blow-dried your entire mane, set your look with Redken Triple Pure 32 High-Hold Hairspray. Wear your hair down, or it up in a claw clip for a true ‘90s style.
Ice Queen
With a hairstyle this hot, who has time to be bothered by the cold? For this look, it’s best to start with day-two hair. Prep your hair with Matrix Style Link Texture Builder Finish Spray. Then, section off your hair and use a 1-inch curling iron to curl 2-inch sections of your hair. Continue curling your mane until you’ve finished your entire head. Gently rake your fingers through the curls and spray more Style Link Texture Builder Finish Spray throughout your mane.
Then section off the top half of your hair, brush your hair straight back, and craft a French braid. Secure the braid with a hair elastic and pancake it for a voluminous effect. Then, grab a smaller section to the left or right of the first braid and craft a small fishtail braid.
Secure the braid with a hair elastic and pancake for a voluminous effect. Repeat the same steps on the opposite side of the first braid. Once all of your braids are secure, set your look in place with Matrix Total Results High Amplify Flexible Hold Hairspray.
Galaxy Girl
Once you become obsessed with these space buns, there's no going back! To begin horizontally and secure the lower section with a few hair clips. Then, part the top half of your hair down the middle. Working with one side at a time, spray the section with Mizani’s HRM Humidity Resistant Hair Spray and craft a ponytail. Secure the ponytail with a hair elastic. Repeat the same steps on the opposite side. Then, working with one ponytail at a time, spray the section with Mizani’s Lived In Finishing Spray and use a fine-tooth comb to backcomb the section.
Then, wrap the section around itself to create a space bun and secure it with a bobby pin. Repeat the same steps on the opposite side. Spray the lower section of your hair with Lived In Finishing Spray to create more texture and place bedazzled hair pins all over the front of your hair for an intergalactic final touch.
Out Of Sight ‘70s Disco Hair
Channel your inner disco diva with a ‘70s-inspired Halloween hairstyle fit for the dance floor. Pair this feathered ‘do with oversized accessories and the shiniest thing in your closet. You’ll be ready to win a costume contest in no time!
‘80s Halloween Hair Fit For A Pop Star
No decade had more iconic hair than the ‘80s, which means this style will help you stand out from the crowd with or without an outfit fit for a pop princess.
‘90s Halloween Hair
Who better to serve as inspiration than your middle school self? Bust out your favorite butterfly clips and tattoo chokers to create a ‘90s Halloween style that would totally get you invited to the school dance.
‘00s Pop Star Hair
All you need is some vibrantly colored clip-in extensions, a crimper, and a heat protectant spray like Redken’s Iron Shape 11 Thermal Holding Heat Protection Spray to create this style inspired by a certain dirrrty pop star.
Groovy Hippie Hair
It may be Halloween, but we’ve got the perfect ‘do for the free-spirited girl who’s all about peace and love. All you need is a few bobby pins, a couple of flowers, and Redken’s Windblown 05 Dry Finishing Texturizing Spray to pull off this hippie-inspired style.
Dancing Queen Ringlets
When in doubt, dance it out! These dancing queen ringlets are perfect if you love to be the center of attention.
Mermaid Fishtail Braid
If you’re looking for an Insta-worthy Halloween hairstyle that will get you as many likes as first-place costume trophies, look no further than this mermaid-inspired fishtail braid.
Judge’s Bun
Politics have never been scarier. Spook everyone with this quick and easy judge bun, because everyone knows the party can’t get started until you say so!
Steve Harrington
Men, we didn’t forget about you! You have the easiest style to pull off. Simply slick your hair straight back with tons of volume for the strangest bouffant ever.
Find more holiday hair inspiration and salon-quality products to pull them together on Hair.com.