Let us be honest about how Halloween actually goes in most households. There is a plan somewhere in a group chat from three weeks ago, and then it is 4:30pm on the day itself and someone has changed their mind about being a dinosaur and now wants to be a witch instead.
After eleven years of running No Nasties Kids and raising two kids of my own through more costume changes than I can count, I have learned that the fastest, most forgiving way to pull a costume together at the last minute is not the outfit at all. It is the hair and the nails. A change there reads as "transformed" instantly, takes minutes, and does not involve a single trip to a costume shop.
Here are five looks I actually use, all with products already sitting in most No Nasties Kids houses.
1. The witch, with texture instead of a wig
You do not need a scratchy synthetic wig for witch hair. Scrunch a small amount of the Plant Based Hair Paste in Fresh Coconut and Zesty Lime through dry hair from the mid lengths down, then tease it gently with fingers for a wild, tangled texture. It looks properly witchy under a hat and it is not full of the silicones that make regular styling paste hard to wash out later.
2. The fairy or unicorn, slicked and swept
For a neater, more magical look, work a little of the Plant Based Kids Hair Gel in Zesty Lime and Fresh Mint through the front sections and sweep them back or up into a half bun. It holds well without going crunchy, which matters when you are also trying to fit a flower crown or unicorn horn over the top of it.
3. Vampire or gothic doll, sleek and shiny
A fine mist of the Plant Based Alcohol Free Hair Spray in Calming Lavender and Fresh Lime smooths flyaways for a sleek, centre parted vampire or doll look. Being alcohol free matters here too, since it is going near a face that has probably already got makeup on it from the costume shoot.
4. Cat, spider or black cat nails in sixty seconds
Nails finish a costume in a way that is easy to forget until the last photo. The Purple Water Based Kids Nail Polish or Bright Pink Water Based Nail Polish both work well for a witch or vampire manicure, and because they are water based and scratch off, there is no acetone battle afterward when your child inevitably decides they want their normal nails back for school the next day. If you would rather not paint at all, the Nail Stickers Pack is a genuinely faster option for wriggly hands.
5. The one costume, three characters trick
If you have more than one child, or one child who cannot commit to a single idea, the 4 Pack Water Based Kids Nail Polish in Blue, Purple, Pastel Pink and Bright Pink plus the hair paste and gel above will get you through a witch, a fairy and a vampire without buying a single extra product. Same box, three completely different kids walking out the door.
Why I like doing it this way
Everything above is water based, plant based or alcohol free, made here in Queensland, and comes off with normal washing rather than needing to be forced out with a fine tooth comb and a fair bit of shouting. After the sugar has worn off and the kids are asleep, that is the bit that actually matters to me as a parent.
Halloween does not need to be complicated to be memorable. Sometimes the best costume is just really good hair and a bit of nail polish, done properly at the last minute.
