80s temporary hair colors: Bold experiments without the commitment

1980s temporary hair colors were wild and trendy

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How 80s temporary hair colors changed the way we experimented with style

Vintage advertisements like these remind us of just how vibrant fashion was in the 80s! The styles were bold, music was energetic, and hair colors were wild and crazy (all the better to go along with 80s hair styles!).

From big perms to gravity-defying mohawks, the decade was a playground for self-expression. But what if you weren’t ready to commit to blue bangs or a full head of neon pink? That’s where 80s temporary hair colors came in — a perfect way to transform your look for a night out or a weekend of fun without the long-term consequences.

Temporary hair colors became a hit in the 1980s thanks to their accessibility and the endless possibilities they offered. Products like colored sprays, gels and mousses gave everyone — from high school kids to adults — the freedom to experiment with wild shades that weren’t exactly office-friendly. Whether you were channeling punk, new wave or pop star vibes, these products gave you an instant way to add a splash of color. And the best part? Most of them washed out after a single shampoo.

Edgy temporary hair color style fro 1985

Neon shades like hot pink, electric blue and lime green were among the most popular, but metallics and pastels had their moments too. Temporary hair colors weren’t limited to wild party-goers, either. Even kids got in on the trend with colored streaks for Halloween costumes or school spirit days. For those brave enough to embrace the bolder 80s trends, temporary colors were a way to stand out without worrying about the long-term upkeep of dyed hair.

The formulas themselves weren’t perfect — they could be a little messy, and some left a faint residue — but that didn’t stop people from embracing the fun. Advertisements from the time show just how creative people got, from bold streaks in bangs to full-on rainbow looks. The products were often marketed with promises of instant fun and individuality, which matched the free-spirited and experimental energy of the decade. Have a look below at the collection we’ve gathered!

Big 1980s hairstyles


1980s temporary hair color: Pazazz Hair Colorstiks hair mascara from Clairol (1985)

1980s Pazazz Hair Colorstiks hair mascara from Clairol (1985)


1980s temporary hair colors: Pazazz colorful styling mousse & gel (1985)

Vintage 1980s temporary hair color

1980s Pazazz colorful styling mousse and gel (1985)


Vintage 1980s Pazazz hair mousse with shimmering color

Style in a touch of shimmering color — new styling mousse and gels with tiny reflective color crystals add shimmer and glimmer

Shimmering hair styling mousse (1980s)

Vintage 1980s Pazazz hair mousse with shimmering color


Hair paint: 1980s Colorific color styling gels (1986)

They sparkle. They glimmer. They illuminate your hair in striking colors. They’re new Colorific. A revolutionary fusion of color and style. Only from Vidal Sassoon.

Example of hair paint - 1980s Colorific color styling gels from Vidal Sassoon (3)
Paint them on. Finger-paint or use a brush. Be chic. Be adventurous. Wear one or as many as you please. Create a mood. Match your outfit. Your makeup. Day or night. Change colors in a minute. They wash away in one shampoo.

Example of hair paint - 1980s Colorific color styling gels from Vidal Sassoon (1)

Martina in Bold Gold, Electric Blue, Hot Pink, Quick Silver

Example of hair paint - 1980s Colorific color styling gels from Vidal Sassoon (2)

You’ve just seen three different looks of Martina. Now you can dare to be different. Introducing Colorific Color Styling Gels.

They’re fabulously fast. They’re outrageously metallic. They’re daring colors you can erase.

Now shine as you surprise. With new Colorific. Six bedazzling colors you can erase. Only Vidal Sassoon could bring this much style to hair color. Look for them in the hair color section next to Colorific Color Styling Mousse.

ALSO SEE: Do you remember these 58 shampoos & conditioners from the 80s?

Retro 1980s Colorific color styling gels from Vidal Sassoon


1980s temporary hair color: Colorific color hairstyling mousse

A shade of difference makes all the difference. Enhance your style, rev up your color, spotlight your highlights. Be subtle, be sizzling. Be a shade apart from all the rest.

It’s color without commitment. Color you can change whenever you change your mind. Color that always adds drama to your style, color that always makes history. Colorific Color Styling Mousses enhance your natural shade of color as they style your hair. Choose from 10 rich, beautiful colors that wash out in 3-4 shampoos.

1980s Colorific color hairstyling mousse products

ALSO SEE
These popular 90s shampoos and conditioners were the must-have haircare products of the decade

Nestle Color-Glo temporary glow-in-the-dark hair colors (1985)

It’s fact, not fiction, say psychologists: a little fantasy is not only good fun, it’s good sense. One quick, easy way to indulge in a healthy bit of fantasy is to spark up your usual beauty routine before a night on the town with some special — and we mean special — effects via spray-on/wash-out hair color.

Streaks n TIps Color-Glo temporary hair colors (1985)

What better way to add extra punch to your traditional little black dress look than to spray on a few contrast-color streaks in vivid pink, purple, or even fluorescent green? Nestle Le Mur makes it easy to do with Streaks N’ Tips spray-on/shampoo-out hair color, in seven knockout colors.

Albert Squillante, spokesman for Nestle Le Mur shares some pointers for successful spray-on streaking, noting, “The fun of temporary hair color is that it allows the user to completely change the look of her hair for an evening, and wash it out in time for work the next morning.” That’s good news for button-down types.

Retro 80s Color-Glo temporary hair colors (1985)
Young actress Mel Harris during her modeling days (1985)

For best, brightest results, spray on white color base before applying colored sprays. “The base gives the colored sprays something to adhere to,” reports Squillante, “much the way moisturizer aids in the application of make-up.”

Random highlights are easily achieved by drawing sections of hair to be streaked through a small opening in a flat piece of aluminum foil, and spraying the strands against the foil. Let hair dry, tear foil away, and gently style hair into place.

EXTRA, EXTRA: Swatch watches of the 80s & 90s: Remember the colorful watch craze


L’Oreal Zazu Colorburst hair cosmetics: Mascara brush 1980s temporary hair color (1986)

Zazu Colorburst. Brave New Makeup For Your Hair. Don’t you have a few wild streaks in you? We thought you did. So we invented mascara for your hair. 10 brush-in streaks of colour. Hair today, gone tomorrow. But the impact lingers on.

L'Oreal Zazu Colorburst hair cosmetics - Mascara brush temporary hair color from 1986 (2)

L'Oreal Zazu Colorburst hair cosmetics - Mascara brush temporary hair color from 1986 (1)


1980s temporary hair color: L’Oreal Zazu Colorwash (1986)

Zazu Colorwash. Brave New Makeup For Your Hair. Come. Take your hair from merely beautiful to… they haven’t even invented the adjectives yet. L’Oreal creates the Zazu Colorwash in 8 shades from mysterious to very very very wild. You’ll want it to last, but pity… it’ll be gone in a few shampoos.

DON’T MISS: How to make 11 awesome ’80s hairstyles

1980s L'Oreal Zazu Colorwash temporary hair color in 8 shades (2)

1980s L'Oreal Zazu Colorwash temporary hair color in 8 shades (1)


Vintage 80s temporary haircolor: Fanci-full Color Splash Gel (1987)

Vintage 80s Fanci-full Color Splash Gel temporary haircolor (1987)


Fanci-Full color styling mousse by Roux (1986)

1980s Fanci-Full color styling mousse by Roux (1986)

HOW TO GET OUT THE COLOR: Do you remember these 58 shampoos & conditioners from the 80s?

Temporary hair color fun you can have today

Bestseller No. 1
UV Neon Hair Gel Set - 6 Bright Non-Toxic Colors with Black Light Glow for Raves, Parties, Clubs,...
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Bestseller No. 2
10 Color New Hair Chalk Comb Temporary Bright Hair Color Dye for Kids,Washable Hair Chalk Girls New...
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YIBABY 3 Colors Magical Temporary Hair Dye, Glow in the Dark UV Neon Hair Gel Set, Light Washable...
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Bestseller No. 4
Adore Semi Permanent Hair Color - Vegan and Cruelty-Free Pink Hair Dye - 4 Fl Oz - 140 Neon Pink...
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Bestseller No. 5
Magic Collection Colorffect NEON Hair Color Wax (NEON YELLOW)
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