How to DIY the most popular Halloween hairstyles, according to pros
Spooky season is here, meaning it's time to start planning your costume — and, of course, your matching Halloween hair. Not sure where to start? No need to worry. We tapped a handful of hairstyling experts for tips on how to DIY the most popular Halloween hairstyles, plus how to decide on a coordinating costume.
As a starting point, “pick someone who already has similar hair to yours, then do some styling tricks—like wear a clip-in bang,” celebrity hairstylist Clayton Hawkins suggests. It's the perfect year to try it: Glam goth is on trend so perhaps your Halloween style icon is Wednesday Addams with that hair. Or perhaps you fancy rekindling your love for the Cowboy Carter tour with a nod to the Texan blowout? The '90s and Britpop beauty are calling, too, after Oasis fever struck so a tribute to Nicole Appleton’s chunky highlights could be equally as popular.
Feeling inspired? Keep scrolling for expert-backed advice on how to DIY this year's most popular Halloween hairstyles, and get ready to screenshot.
A version of this article originally appeared on GLAMOUR US.
COURTESY OF NETFLIXWednesday Addams's Fringe and Plaits
Goth glam is back for AW25, partly thanks to Jenna Ortega's role as Wednesday Addams in the Netflix show Wednesday.
Hairstylist Elliot Bute predicted the wispy Wednesday fringe would be a bit hair trend for autumn and luckily it's easy to DIY at home - both for Halloween and beyond. “Blow-dry your fringe forward with a round brush,” he says. "Finish with a tiny dab of styling cream for separation and a blast of dry shampoo at the roots.”
Fancy recreating her signature braided pigtails? Start by washing your hair with a hydrating shampoo and conditioner such as the Pureology Hydrate Shampoo & Conditioner Duo, then apply a small amount of mousse to your roots for added volume.
“Massage it into your hair to create added volume—this will help add desired fullness to the hair,” says stylist Sophie Rose Gutterman.
Using a comb, create a straight centre part and divide your hair evenly from your forehead to the nape of your neck. Secure two low pigtails on either side of your head with hair ties or elastics to hold in place.
Braid each pigtail all the way down to the ends and secure the ends. To create volume, Sophie recommends pulling on the sides of the braids for a fuller look.
Edward Berthelot/Getty ImagesBeyoncé's Cowboy Carter Blowout
Beyoncé has been a fan of a gravity-defying blowout since the Super Bowl and made cowgirl hats a must-have accessory on the sellout Cowboy Carter tour. Combine the two for a look that screams big, beautiful Texan curls. Top hair stylist, Sam McKnight, told us: “It’s all in the prep and finish and about getting volume in the hair. It's high gloss: think big '80s Dolly Parton, think Dallas.”
Natural is not the aesthetic here. “It’s not about leaving your hair naturally, but instead putting in the effort with a great volume blow-dry," he says. “I recommend using a hot roller set or sleeping in a set of Velcro roller set to add height and volume overnight.” As for products, “try the Sam McKnight Cool Girl Foam before you blow dry and finish with Love Me Do Hair Oil for mirror like shine and a frizz free finish.”
John LamparskiBeyoncé’s Mystical Mermaid Braid
Or maybe you prefer Beyoncé’s ultra-lengthy braids? They're supremely in vogue, and Halloween is the perfect time to try the trending style. All you need is a clip-in hair extension ponytail that matches your hair colour and texture, and follow this advice.
“To style, pull your hair up into a high ponytail and spray Maxcontrol Spray throughout,” says celebrity hairstylist Hayley Heckmann. “Next, rub Conundrum Paste into the palms of your hands and start to braid: This will make sure any frizz and flyaways are tucked away!”
JACK GUEZ/Getty Images'90s Nostalgic Highlights
The '90s were not a time for seamlessly blending away the hard edges of your highlights. It was all about chunky stripes or face-framing money pieces.
So why not make Nicole Appleton your Halloween hair hero if you already have a choppy lob? Simply apply your liquid under-eye concealer in stripes throughout the hair on the crown of your head, leaving the lengths dark. Then use a gold eyeshadow or a root touch-up powder such as Color Wow's Root Cover Up in Platinum to really emphasise those stripes.
Barbie Ponytail
It comes as no surprise that Barbie still remains one of the biggest Halloween costumes following the success of Greta Gerwig's box office hit. Of course, we don't all have a hair department armed with wigs and hair pieces to create Barbie's larger-than-life looks, but it is fairly simple to DIY her signature ponytail at home.
Take your cue from hairstylist Eduardo Ponce, who famously recreated Barbie's classic sleek and bouncy ponytail on Paris Hilton, during Paris fashion week in 2023.
“Before blow drying, I prepped Paris’s hair with a cocktail of 7SECONDS Detangler and LAZER Straight Relaxing Fluid. This mix is one of my favourites to protect the hair from heat,” Eduardo said in a press release. “After blow drying her hair, I sprayed U:DRY Fresh Dry Conditioner throughout before flat-ironing Paris’s hair for added smoothness and heat protection.”
To get a super sleek base, Eduardo applied SECOND Day Finishing Cream and Lé:Play Hairspray before pulling her hair back into a high ponytail and smoothing down any frizz or bumps. Secure the ponytail with a hair elastic and take a small section of hair and wrap it around the ponytail base. Secure with a bobby pin.
Create Barbie's signature flip using the tongs and curl ends in an upward motion. For high shine and hold, Eduardo finished things off with SMOOTH&SHINE Styling Crème and SESSION-MAX Spray.
©Netflix/Courtesy Everett CollectionKang Sae-byeok’s Squid Game Bangs
This is the perfect Halloween look for anyone with short hair: All you need to pull it off is a slightly personalised clip-in fringe. “Chop into the clip-in bang piece [with scissors] so that it’s jagged, and clip it your hairline,” says Clayton. “Then use some hair gel to really separate the bangs.” (Pro tip: This also works for hair inspired by Lydia Deetz from Beetlejuice!)
Erica Parise/Hulu; Everett CollectionPamela Anderson’s ’90s Blowout
2025 has been Pamela Anderson's year after appearing on stage in Tennessee Williams's Camino Real in the US and in movies The Naked Gun and The Six Billion Dollar Man. So it's no surprise that fans are seeking to emulate Pamela's iconic '90s look for their Halloween hair.
If you don't know how to pull it off, you're in luck: Celebrity hairstylist Barry Lee Moe—the lead hairstylist on the Pam & Tommy series and creator of all Lily James’ looks for the show — revealed exactly how to master Pamela's beloved blowout.
“For this iconic bombshell look,” he says, “I prepped the damp hair with Unite’s Blow&Set Lotion, and in true Pam Anderson fashion, I used classic Velcro rollers in two different sizes, larger on top and medium through the sides and back, to set the hair.” He also notes that you should let the hair fully cool before releasing the rollers, then back-comb at the root to create a voluminous foundation.
From there, Barry smoothed out the top and secured the height before breaking up the rest of the curls to create definition and bounce. “The final step in this look is to piece out the bangs," he says, using a combination of hairspray “and add a healthy coating of Session-Max Spray and 7Seconds Glossing Spray for the ultimate shine and long-lasting hold for all day and night wear.”
Instagram: @kirinriderMaddy Perez’s Euphoria Hair Gems
Euphoria became a pop culture mega hit and Halloween still gives a nod to its makeup and hairstyles. The latter is easier to DIY than they seem: According to hairstylist Becca Mader, you can re-create Maddy's bedazzled style with just two products, plus gems.
First, decide where you want to place your accessories. You can pull your hair completely back for a ponytail like Maddy‘s in the show, or opt for Becca's preference: middle-parted and down. Once you've selected the section of hair you're decorating, generously spray a flexible-hold hairspray to smooth and tuck your hair — either behind your ears if middle-parted, or up in a ponytail if pulled back—and secure these pieces with an elastic band for a budge-proof hold.
Next, take a 1.5-inch curling iron barrel and curl the ends of your hair under — if wearing it up, curl your ponytail; if down, style the ends—and apply glossing spray all over for a high-shine finish and to tame flyaways. Add your favourite colour hair gems around your hairline, and you're good to go to Euphoria homecoming.
- CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images
Sandy Olsson’s Grease Curls
Sandy is a timeless style icon, and what better way to pay homage to Olivia Newton-John than to honor her revolutionary character on Halloween?
To get the look, celebrity hairstylist Bridget Brager suggests re-creating her curls using tongs (try GHD Curve Tong). But first, prep hair accordingly: Start with freshly washed hair, and prime using heat protectant and mousse to pull out texture and body. “Rough-dry hair with AireLuxe hair dryer to achieve as much volume as possible,” she says. “Then clip back the bulk of your hair and begin styling small sections as close to your hairline as possible.”
“For an elongated, skinnier curl, hold the iron vertically and stretch the curl when you slide it off the barrel until it cools. For a more voluminous curl, holding the curling iron horizontally and cup the curl until cooled,” she continues. “Alternate the direction you curl: away from your face and toward your face. The best practice is to follow your natural hair pattern, and hold the curling iron vertically to create an elongated curl.”
Finally, be sure to twist your hair while wrapping it around the iron. “Don't worry about it being completely flat against the barrel,” she says. “This will result in a more natural set to the hair.” Happy Halloween, Sandra Dee!
LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIXQueen Charlotte’s Bridgerton Updo
Queen Charlotte's coiffure is one of the more complicated on the list, but the end result is definitely worth it. Clayton actually created a similar style himself: Here's how he pulled it off.
“I started by grabbing a synthetic curly grey wig and wrapping a ton of elastics around it. This became the ‘wig cage,’” he says. “Next, I sprayed giant French hair pins with a texture spray — this hack helps the pins become slip-proof — and pinned the curly wig cage to the crown of a grey human hair lace-front wig." A generous coating of hairspray locks it in.
Clayton then went in and meticulously curled the entire lace front wig, excluding the hairline, with a half-inch curling iron, spraying it with texture spray as he went along. Once finished curling, he pinned and sculpted the curls up and onto the wig cage, using tons of texture spray on the pins and onto the updo. “Once that was complete, I coated the hairline in hairspray to the point of damp saturation and curled the hair under into ringlets using a 1-inch iron and pinned them into place.”
Finally, Clayton curled the nape of the neck with the 1-inch iron and completed the look by pinning vintage pearl buttons throughout the whole wig. “The result is rococo realness.”
Instagram: @theestallionMegan Thee Stallion’s Sailor Moon Buns
Whether you're inspired by Sailor Moon or Baby Spice, you can never go wrong with double buns or pigtails. To achieve the style in pigtails, colour and wig expert Daved Anthony Munoz suggests using the cult favourite Texturiza Spray to add volume, texture, and fullness to the look, and applying a styling cream (we like Living Proof No Frizz Smooth Styling Cream) to smooth dry and damaged ends and add high shine.
Separate your hair into two parts atop your head, and create two ponytails with hair elastics. Then, either leave the tails as they are, or take things one step further for Megan Thee Stallion's double-bun look: Wrap each pigtail around the hair elastic until all of the hair is swept around the tie, and secure each with bobby pins. In the name of the moon, you're ready to slay Halloween.
