Julia Rizzo
CurlyTeen Scene is a column especially for curly teens. Julia Rizzo is a teenager living in Central New York. When not writing, she enjoys acting, reading and snow skiing. She has loved writing as long as she can remember, and plans to pursue a career in English. She hopes her column will provide encouragement and inspire girls to love their curly hair.
I love fall in New York State. The leaves change colors, my family goes apple picking and I cheer in the stands at my brother’s soccer games.
As October ends, it’s time for Halloween. I’ve always been passionate about Halloween, although my choice of costume has been, at times, questionable. In fourth grade I was a tree (complete with squirrel”>, and a few seasons later I was the “The Spirit of Autumn.” This costume involved a hot glue gun and a lot of ribbon, and was not easily identifiable. Though parties and horror movies have replaced trick-or-treating, one thing never changes. I have to have a costume I love.
So, in this column, I’m going to take a break from talking about embracing who you are and what you look like. Instead, I will talk about becoming someone else!
Don’t worry. This is still a column about hair. We’re going to explore some ways to get the perfect ‘do for your costume.
If you want to temporarily change your hair color to fit your new persona, a product I’ve used is L’Oreal Color Pulse. This “non-permanent” hair color has the same consistency as mousse and comes in a similar container. It washes out in about 10 shampoos, making it great not only for a Halloween costume, but for any time you crave a temporary change. The colors that are available are funky, ranging from blonde to black, with a lot of red shades in between. Since it’s non-permanent and contains no ammonia or peroxide, you can only go darker than your natural shade without damaging your hair. If you have very long or thick hair or want really dramatic color, pick up two cans.
If you want a look that is even more dramatic and temporary, crazy cool wigs are easily found around Halloween. Whether you want a futuristic silver bob or Rapunzel braids that reach down your back, you can probably find it out there. There are three steps to wearing a wig properly. First, put your hair in a low, flat bun. Second, fit a wig cap over your hair to keep your hair flat and in place. You can purchase a wig cap or improvise with a piece of nylon stocking. Finally, slide your wig on over the cap. You shouldn’t flip your head over to put your wig on because this will tangle it.
If you just want to add some energy to your normal hair, there are several products that can instantly add color or sparkle. Colored hairspray is very easy to find and use, as are tubes of pigment, which you can streak into your hair with a wand. One year, my sister dressed up as the Bride of Frankenstein. She puffed up her short, very curly hair, and put a streak in it using white hair spray. It looked great!
However you decide to dress for Halloween, I hope you enjoy the process of creating a costume and becoming someone different for the night. Take pictures, have fun and be goofy! The hairspray will wash out, the clothes will go into a box in the basement, but a favorite Halloween costume can be a great memory forever.
Stay Curly,
Julia
Email your questions/comments to Julia.
