As I’ve mentioned before on this blog, my 5-year-old daughter is very into colored hair. Not like, blonde vs. brunette, but blonde vs. blue, pink, purple, etc.
At first, I was in love with the spray-in and chalk hair dyes. But then I had to keep buying them. And then I had to keep cleaning my car seats and furniture and bedding. I needed something that wasn’t going to transfer to everything it touched – but did not want to use “real” hair dye on my tiny child.
Enter Pinterest.
Ah, Pinterest…the magical home of bullshitters who make us think we can do anything. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has fallen victim to a seemingly easy Pin only to end my day in a tearful adult tantrum due to my abilities apparently being so far behind my peers.
Nonetheless, it is the site I turn to for fabulous (sometimes unattainable) ideas and I went there for hair dye alternatives. And I found Kool-Aid!
Let me tell you – there is a RIGHT WAY and a very, very WRONG WAY to dye hair using Kool-Aid. And of course, I did the #PinFAIL way first.
Here’s how NOT to dye hair using Kool-Aid
Directions: Mix two cups of boiling hot water with two packets of Kool-Aid, place on hair, allow to dry 20 minutes, then rinse. (This method is even on WikiHow…grrrrrr.)
When I tried this method – I decided to be FANCY. I bought foils and a brush and flipping divided her hair so that my darling babe would be graced with PURPLE Kool-Aid highlights.
Over an hour later (‘cause it took me forever to foil her hair), she had somewhat grayish streaks throughout her blonde. #PinFAIL
Here’s What Worked
I have to give credit to this girl! She knows what she’s doing.
Basically – you mix as little hot water as possible to dissolve the Kool-Aid, then add in a white conditioner to make it pasty/paintable onto hair. Then you leave it on for at least an HOUR (not 20 minutes). Click here to view her full YouTube tutorial.
Because I had spent over an hour on C’s hair just a day before, I skipped the highlights and colored her entire head. She spent an hour with a shower cap on – which she complained was itchy. But hey kid…you’re getting blue hair, so put up with it!
It turned out a gorgeous little Elsa Blue color. C was psyched!!! And so was I. Her hair was soft and beautiful instead of the sticky nasty mop that exists after spray-in color. And – the Kool-Aid only cost $1.
We did the dye right before Thanksgiving, and now (right after the New Year) all that’s left is a tinge of blue on the underside, closest to her roots.
Up next…PINK.
(originally published on LifesETC.com 1/5/17)