Ways to Temporarily Dye Your Hair
Do you want to try pink hair dye? Or maybe to have a few purple highlights? If you are not 100% sure on the hair color you want or if you like to change your look frequently, temporary hair dye is the perfect solution! Even if you already knew that temporary hair dye is an option, you probably didn’t know how many ways there are to temporarily dye your hair.
1Hair Chalking
How does it work?: Hair chalking is using chalk to apply color to your hair. It is a super easy and a relatively inexpensive way to temporarily color your hair.
Materials: In terms of materials, all you need to do is pick up some non-oil pastels from an arts and crafts store (or purchase a hair chalking kit), some gloves to protect your hands from color stains, water, towels, and a flat iron!
Preparation: The first step depends on your current hair color. If you are dark haired, you should wet your hair thoroughly, but if you are blonde-haired you will want to skip wetting your hair unless your desired result is longer lasting color. Be advised that you should start with clean hair that doesn’t have products in it before you begin the chalking process.
Coloring your hair: Next, you will divide your hair into small sections and add the chalk to each section. To apply the chalk, take your first small section and twist it loosely. Take the chalk and stroke it using a downward motion against your hair. If you are going for a dip dye look, you will just do this on the bottom inch or two of your hair. If you are going for an ombre or all over color look, you will of course begin higher up on your hair.
Post Application: Unless you are blonde and didn’t need to wet your hair, it is recommended that you let your hair air dry, but technically you can blow dry it as well. Once your hair is dry, you will set the color by running your flat iron through your hair. Usually, chalking only lasts through one wash, so if you want to prolong your style for a few days you can try using a dry shampoo!
2Kool-Aid
How does it work?: Do you remember drinking Kool-Aid as a kid? Well those same awesome colors from this childhood staple can be used to create a temporary hair dye!
Materials: You need to purchase two packets of sugar-free Kool-Aid, have a pot to boil water in, a bowl to dip your hair in, and towels to clean up any mess.
Preparation: Pour two cups of water into a pot on the stove and add the two packets of Kool-Aid sugar-free powder. Turn the stove on to bring the mixture to a boil. As the mixture is boiling, brush out your clean, dry hair to ensure that there are no tangles.
Coloring your hair: Once the mixture has boiled, remove the pot from the stove and pour the mixture into a bowl that is easy for you to dip your hair into. If you’re going for a dip-dye look, you will only need to submerge 1-2 inches of your hair into the bowl. If you want something that has more color, you can dip as much of your hair into the bowl as you want. Regardless of the amount of hair you have dipped into the bowl, you will want to let it sit for 3-5 minutes in order to allow the color to transfer to your hair. Be cautious to avoid touching your skin directly to the mixture or the bowl since it will remain hot from boiling.
Post-Application: After you let your hair sit for 3-5 minutes, remove your hair from the bowl and pat it dry with a towel, or paper towels. Let your hair air-dry. After your hair is dry, start enjoying how awesome your new hair looks! Depending on your hair type and the color you started with, Kool-Aid dye can take a few weeks to a few months to wash out completely. If for some reason you want to expedite the removal of the color, you should try washing your hair more often. You can also try this vinegar method: Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 1 cup of warm water and pour the mixture onto your hair while you’re in the shower. Let it sit for about a minute and then follow with your normal shampoo and conditioner routine.
3Color Hairspray
How does it work?: Color hairspray is a super easy and mess-free way to experiment with a temporary new hair color
Materials: Purchase a colored hairspray from a drug store or hair supply store. You will also need something to protect your clothes or you can wear clothes that you don’t mind ruining.
Preparation: Ensure that your hair is dry and tangle free.
Coloring your hair: While you should follow the instructions on the bottle of the product you have chosen, generally speaking all you need to do is shake the bottle and then spray the color over your hair evenly. You will need to let the color dry for as long as the instructions tell you, but the drying process usually only takes a couple minutes.
Post Application: If you want to ensure that your color has extra holding power, spray a regular hairspray on top of your new colored sections. This method of temporary hair dye will last until you wash your hair, so if you want to enjoy your style for a few days you should try to use a dry shampoo to soak up excess oil.
4Colored Mascara
How does it work?: Colored mascara is a fun way to add some pop to your eyelashes, but you can also use colored mascara to temporarily dye the hair on your head!
Materials: A colored mascara of your choice. If there is any chance your hair could accidentally get wet after you dye it, you should consider using a waterproof mascara in order to prevent color transfer! You can also use a “hair mascara” that is specifically designed for coloring the hair on your head if you don’t want to use regular eyelash mascara.
Preparation: Ensure that your hair is clean, dry, and knot free.
Coloring your hair: All you need to do is choose the strands of hair that you want to add color to and run the mascara brush through your hair. The color payoff will not be as dramatic as some of the other methods, but this is definitely the easiest and most mess-free method on this list!
Post-Application: Let the mascara dry and enjoy your funky new look! This method of temporary hair color will only last until you wash it so use dry shampoo if you want to prolong your look.
