How To Throw a Hair Color Party

Dinner, drinks, those “paint and sip” parties...we think it’s time to reinvent the good old fashioned  Girls Night, taking it from basic to beautiful with a Hair Color House Party. How do you throw a hair color party? It’s easier than you think, so invite your ride or die friends for a DIY and dye night with your besties.

B.Y.O.C., otherwise known as Bring Your Own Color

When you send out the text or invite to your friends, make sure to tell them to bring their own color. Include a link to find their perfect shade on Madison-Reed.com, and let them know they can actually (well, virtually) see what each shade looks like on them with our try-on tool. No worries if not everyone wants to color—they can still take part in the action. For those who don’t want to commit to permanent color, there is semi-permanent gloss that adds a boost of color and shine. If even that is too much for some guests, offer hair chalk as an option. Fun color with no commitment since they wash out with one shampoo.

Supplies you'll want to have

While each hair color kit comes with everything you need to color at home, since this is a party, it wouldn’t hurt to have a few supplies on hand. While you can certainly apply color using the applicator bottle, it’s more fun (and you get better color saturation) to apply using a non-metallic bowl and brush. It also wouldn’t hurt to have a bunch of clips handy to help separate hair into sections, and wet wipes to clean color off temples and necks.

Speaking of supplies...you will want to have old towels—that is, towels that you don’t mind getting stained. It might be a good idea to ask each guest to bring their own towel, though you might want a few extra to protect countertops.

Now for the fun stuff...make a playlist

There are so many ways to go with music. You could make a playlist full of 80’s hair bands—think Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, Poison. You could simply listen to the soundtrack to Hair. Or you could make a list of songs that reference hair. We love “Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair” by Nina Simone, “Hair of the Dog” by The Ramones, “Silver Haired Daddy of Mine” by Johnny Cash, “Fixing Her Hair” by Ani DiFranco and “Hair” by Lady Gaga. Check out Spotify for even more hair-related tunes.

It wouldn’t be a party without a signature cocktail

Color-tini, anyone? Honestly, you can serve almost anything, but if you give it a clever name, it instantly tastes better. Sparkling Blonde? Ginger Infusion? Raven On-the-Rocks? If using alcohol, just make sure to make them light as drinking and coloring can be a dangerous combination!

Color by number

As daunting as it may seem to plan a party around at-home hair color, it can be easier than doing it all by yourself in some ways. You’ve got each other’s backs...backs of heads, that is. Of course, it depends on how many people you invite to your hair color party, and how many showers you have to keep the color party going, but we recommend no more than two people having their color done at once. Play professional colorist and team up as client and colorist. As each “client” is getting her color applied, another person can fix her a drink, make sure she has a magazine to look at, tidy up the color station. 

But the very best part?

Honestly, the very best part has nothing to do with the color or the cocktails. It’s all about spending time with your friends. Of course it doesn’t hurt that something about getting your hair done can be like a therapy session, the perfect mix of venting, gossiping and laughing. Add in a few of your favorite people, and you get beautiful hair, and a night to remember. 

So whaddya say? You can even make it a recurring party. After all, it’s only a matter of time before those roots start showing. Maybe next time, someone else hosts? A roving monthly Hair Color Party. Just make sure your camera is charged because any Hair Color Party is sure to be an Insta-worthy night.