How to Dip Dye Hair with Kool Aid

Want to add a pop of color to your hair? Kool-Aid is a fun, cheap, and chemical-free (other than things like Citric Acid, Calcium Phosphate, Ascorbic Acid, Artificial Flavor, Red 40, and Blue 1) way to temporarily dye the ends of your hair. Read this article to learn how!

Steps

Prepping Hair

1. Make sure that your hair is completely dry. For best results, dye hair that has been washed the day before. Hair that is either too dirty or too damp will not absorb as much color.
   
2. Brush out any tangles. Use a brush or comb to detangle your hair, and make sure that there are no styling products (gel, hairspray, etc.) in your hair prior to coloring.
   

Dying Hair

Repeat Twice

1. Pour two packets of sugar-free Kool-Aid and two cups of water into a pot. Place the pot on the stove and bring the mixture to a boil.
   
   • Kool-Aid is available in a variety of colors: try red (cherry), pink (raspberry), blue (mixed berry) and purple (grape). For a more sheer color, dilute the mixture with extra water. For a more vibrant result, use less water and/or more Kool Aid.
2. Remove the pot from heat. Put Kool-Aid into mug or bowl. Dip the ends of your hair into the liquid and hold for 3-5 minutes, up to 10, if hair is really thick. This will allow the color to set.
   
   • Determine how much of your hair you want to color. For just the tips, submerge of hair in the liquid. For a more dramatic look, try dipping of your hair.
3. Remove hair from the liquid and pat dry. You can either use paper towels or a bath towel that you don't mind staining (color will leak onto the towel).
   
4. Allow hair to dry completely before washing. Enjoy your new look!
   
   • Remember that some Kool-Aid contains sugar, so after it dries, rinse your hair promptly to get rid of stickiness and avoid attracting bugs.

Removing the Color

1. Wash your hair more often. Kool-Aid dye can take between one month to three months to wash out, depending on your natural hair color. You can speed up this process by washing your hair more often than you normally do using any kind of shampoo.
   
2. Use baking soda for long hair only. Fill a large pot with water, making sure to use enough water to submerge your dyed hair into. Once the water is boiling, add 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Remove the pot from heat. Carefully, dip the dyed ends of your hair in and out of the water for about 1 minute. Avoid scalding (hot water burning) your hands, arms, scalp, face, etc.
   
   • The water will make a fizzing noise, and the color will drain from your hair into the pot. This method will remove most of the color within a few minutes.
   • Discard the baking soda water, and then wash your hair immediately. Be sure to use conditioner to restore moisture.
3. Use vinegar. Mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar with 1 cup of warm water. Pour this mixture over your hair in the shower, letting it sit for a few minutes before rinsing. Follow with shampoo and conditioner.
   

Maintaining the Color

1. Wash your hair less often. The dye will eventually fade over time, depending on the number of washes it goes through. You can slow down the fading process by washing your hair less often than you normally do.
   
2. Change your shampoo. Use a shampoo made specifically for color-treated hair, or switch to an all natural shampoo that contains less harsh chemicals, such as sulfates and other chemicals that may damage hair and increase color fading.
   
3. Use sun-protecting products. Prolonged exposure to the sun will cause hair color to fade more rapidly. Protect your hair from the sun by using hair products that contain sunscreen, a scarf or a hat.
   

Video

Tips

• If you have darker hair, leave it soaking in the stain longer.
• Do not use the packets of Kool-Aid that say 'Sweetened'. Get the ones that say 'Unsweetened' because it does not have chemicals (ingredients) that may dry your hair out.
• The color will stain your hands, so wear rubber or plastic gloves. If you don't, try washing your hands with toothpaste or shaving gel to wash off the stain.
• Red (cherry) shows well on darker hair, dark auburn.
• Be sure to make sure the packages you use come in powder form and are sugar free. Otherwise your hair could attract bugs, such as ants.
• Wear an old shirt incase of staining.
• If you have thick hair, try dying it in sections.
• If the tips of your hair are dark and you want red, use two packets of purple and let it sit in your hair for 15 minutes. The purple will stain and leave a bright red stain instead.
• Kool-Aid can easily stain clothes and towels, so wear a t-shirt you don't mind getting rid of. Alternatively, wear a plastic garbage bag around your neck and shoulders to protect clothing.
• Avoid using shampoo soap on the dyed portion of your hair if you want it to last a long time.
• If your school does not allow coloring in your hair, and the summer is almost over, then use blue for a lighter color.
• If you are unsure about what color or opacity you'd like, try testing one strand of hair first to see how the color turns out.
• If you have long hair, you may want to use a ponytail or braid it.
• Use conditioner if you want a more paste like dye.
• Try not to use that much water, only use about half a teaspoon of water or else the Kool-Aid will not stay on and nothing will happen at all.
• How long the color lasts will depend on your natural hair color and the flavor of Kool-Aid you used. For darker hair, color will be less apparent, washing out in 2-3 washes. For very light hair, color may be visible for over a month. Purple and red Kool-Aid lasts a long time in light hair, 8 months to a year. Blues last only a few weeks.
• The more water you use, the less vibrant the colors are.
• The color works best on light (blonde or light brown) hair. If you have very dark hair, you may need to bleach the ends prior to dying them.

Things You'll Need

• 2 packets of unsweetened Kool-Aid (any flavor)
• Pot
• Paper towels or bath towel
• Water

Related wikiHows

• How to Dip Dye Hair Temporarily
• How to Dip Dye Hair with Kool Aid and Conditioner
• How to Dip Dye Your Hair with Kool Aid at Different Lengths with Different Colors

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