How to temporarily dip-dye your hair with Kool-Aid. Get the perfect ombre or colorful streak for summer with this fast and temporary hair coloring trick!
When I was in sixth grade, I had my first experience with dyeing my hair. It was temporary blue hair coloring, and ever since that day, I have loved changing my hair color. There were a few years in high school where I would change my hair every few weeks. I have had super short hair, I have had super long hair. My hair is naturally brown, but I have had red hair, blonde hair, dark, dark brown hair, purple hair, and unfortunately, my hair has been yellowish and greenish after a few failed dyeing attempts. Needless to say, experimenting with changing my hair is one of my favorite things to do.
When the ombre trend first started, I knew that was what I wanted to do with my hair. But I was worried about it not turning out well and being stuck with weird hair. And it’s pretty socially unacceptable for moms to have weird hair. So for the last few years, I have accepted the fact that my hair is now mom hair (albeit cute mom hair) and have stuck to coloring my hair normal colors. Until now.
Last month I figured out how you can dip-dye your hair with Kool-Aid. I did it and it turned out amazing!
It was so easy, super inexpensive, and since it’s temporary, it’s the perfect way for moms (or kids during the summer) to express their creative side without completely committing to something crazy. I had my sister-in-law come help me (thanks, Kylee!) and I am so happy with the results. Plus, there are so many different flavors of Kool-Aid that you can really do whatever you want! I grabbed mine at Walmart for only 20 cents a package.
It’s is so simple, and I am super excited to show you how to dip-dye your hair with Kool-Aid. It only takes 30 minutes, so you can easily do it any time of the day!
All you need are 2 cups of water, a pot, a heatproof bowl, four hair ties, and six packets of Kool-Aid mix in the color(s) you want to do. Here’s what to do:
1. After brushing your hair out, split your hair into four equal parts.
2. Secure each section of hair with a hair tie at the top of where you want the color to go.
3. Boil 2 cups of water and add in 6 packets of sugar free Kool-Aid. I did four packs of grape and two packs of black cherry.
4. Pour into a heatproof bowl.
5. Sit with the ends of your hair in the bowl for 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, pat your hair with an old towel and then let air dry.
7. Rinse your hair (don’t shampoo!).
8. Style your hair as usual.
Here are some other helpful tips for Kool-Aid dip-dyeing success:
*Wait a day or two to wash your hair.
*Wear an old shirt and use old towels around the bowl (especially if you put the bowl on a table while your hair soaks).
*If your hair is lighter, the color will be more vibrant.
*If you hair is longer, you can probably sit with the bowl in front of you to dip your hair.
*If your hair is shorter (like me), you will need to lean back into the bowl. Make sure your neck is supported!
*Have someone else help you get the hairties even, especially in the back. You don’t want to have uneven ombre!
*Works best on hair that hasn’t been washed in a day, but that doesn’t have product in it.
*Try dip-dyeing different strands of your hair for colorful streaks.
I love how my hair turned out. It’s not super vibrant since my hair is darker, but it’s subtlety makes it perfect for a mom of two! And I actually love it more than what my hair looked like before!
Dip-dyeing your hair with Kool-Aid is the perfect summer activity for moms and kids on summer vacation. It’s a great way to experiment with different colors, try out something new, or even just change up your hair for a few weeks!
Margaret says
Fun! But I’m such a chicken when it comes to my hair. I always worry I’ll look terrible after I change my style let alone my color.
Chelsea Johnson says
That’s why this is so perfect! My hair was back to normal in about a month. And depending on how long you soak your hair, it could be less! Do it!!!
Klara Lybeck says
Your hair is beautiful, I am sure of it! But yes, like the brilliant Chelsea Johnson said that isn’t too vibrant and it does fade away in a few weeks. I most likely quoted that wrong. 🙁 Oh well, hopefully you get the point! There are a bunch of ways to get it to stay for like a week. I use a different method. I boil 2 cups of water, add however many packets I want to add and then I just let my hair soak in there for like 15 minutes maybe because my hair is dark brownish black. Then just dry it off with a towel and pretty much you are good to go! Hope that helped! 🙂
Chelsea Johnson says
Great tips, Klara!
Winnie says
This is so cool! I’ve never dyed my hair as it’s natural red (red, not orange 🙂 ), and my husband would freak out if I did, but this is definitely worth pinning
Chelsea Johnson says
Ooh, if your hair is naturally red I wouldn’t touch it! That is such a gorgeous color!!!
Kersten says
Oh I’m doing this. Definitely. Maybe pink?! I always wanted pink hair lol! Also, I love all the cute things you’ve done with your hair!!!
Chelsea Johnson says
Me too!! If my hair was lighter I would definitely try pink. You should try it! I would love to see that on you!! And thanks! I was more daring in the past 🙂
Jennifer says
This is so stinking cool. No one would guess your color is from kool-aid. Cheapest temporary dye ever! I’m definitely going to try this when I get a long break from work!
Chelsea Johnson says
Thanks! You totally should! It was seriously so much fun and I really love how the color turned out! I want to do it again already!
Jennifer says
I just tried this and it was so much fun! I’m surprised by how well it works and it smells amazing!
Chelsea Johnson says
I’m so glad you tried it! What color did you do?
Shauna Smart says
I am loving this idea! My daughter has lighter hair than me and I’m sure she would LOVE to do this! Thanks for the great idea 🙂 And BTW… loved all of your different hair pictures!
Chelsea Johnson says
Thanks! It was a lot of fun to compile them all and see how many things I’ve actually done! And those aren’t even all of my different styles, if you can believe it! I hope you guys get to do it because it really was a ton of fun!
Aubri says
is there a way to wash it out quickly if you don’t love it?!
Chelsea Johnson says
I don’t think so. If you are worried about it maybe use a lighter color and don’t keep it in the solution for a long time. Otherwise, it will fade and then wash out completely in a few weeks.
Noelle says
Thanks for this post! I’m also a mom and want some conservative color, so this should be perfect. I’m really worried that there will be a distinct line of demarcation so I might tease the ponytails so they aren’t all the same length. I hope mine turns out as subtle and ombre-looking as yours. My hair is a shade lighter, but very close!
Chelsea Johnson says
You’re welcome! Just don’t keep it in as long as I did and I’m sure it will turn out great! Good luck!!!
Kelly says
Does it work on black hair ?
Chelsea Johnson says
I’m not sure. It may work a little, but it’s definitely not going to be as noticeable as if you had lighter hair. You’re welcome to try and let me know!
Dar says
For anyone who wants more ombre and has the patience to fiddle with it a little… Dip the very ends for the first 5 minutes, then dip a little more in with the ends for another 5 minutes, and keep submerging a little more every 5 minutes. The ends that are dipped for the entire time will be way more vibrant than the part up your hair that’s only dipped for the final 5 minutes.
Also keep in mind that unless your hair is freshly trimmed, the ends are likely a little dry and the color there can last a lot longer than it does further up your hair! Last time I Kool-Aid dyed mine I just cut the ends off after a month once everything else had faded away.
Chelsea Johnson says
Thanks for the tips, Dar!