Kool-Aid is one thing you can still find in the stores these days. And sure, you could drink it if you want to get all nostalgic about your 1980s childhood. Or you could use it to give your kids a funky spring look.
I got this idea from my friend Lisa Van Loo, who dyed her daughter’s hair in a rainbow of colors a few weeks ago (and who likes to keep a streak of cherry in her own hair). All it takes is a few packs of Kool-Aid, some hot water and 10 minutes of patience to achieve THIS:
Photo: Lisa Van LooHere’s Van Loo’s method:
1. Mix the desired Kool-Aid color/flavor with hot water. Start with one packet and a couple of tablespoons of water. You may need to add more packets and water depending on how long the hair is or how saturated you want the color to be. This is an art, not a science.
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2. If you’re doing multiple colors, tie off sections of the hair to keep the colors separate.
3. Put a towel down on the floor, have the kiddo lie back and dip the desired amount of hair into bowls of the Kool-Aid for 10 minutes. (Depending on their height, you could also have them sit in a chair with their back to a table and put the bowls on the table. Just be sure to drape a towel around their shoulders to protect their clothing from the dye.)
4. Rinse the hair with cool water only (no shampoo) in the shower or sink and air dry or blow-dry to set.
5. That’s it! The color will slowly fade out over the next few weeks.
Another method I like, as suggested by The Cut, is to mix the Kool-Aid powder with conditioner and apply with your fingers. This works particularly well if you want to dye all of the hair or if you’re going more for streaks of color than just tips of color:
Squirt a few spoonfuls of your favorite conditioner into a mug and microwave it for 20 to 30 seconds. Stir in your desired Kool-Aid powders until it completely dissolves and you’re left with a dark, ominous paste. Add more conditioner into the concoction until it reaches the volume you need for covering the amount of hair you want to dye.
You then work the conditioner into the hair with your fingers or a dye comb and cover with a shower curtain or plastic wrap to keep it contained. The Cut recommends leaving the paste in for as long as eight hours, depending on how dark and long-lasting you want the color to be. Eight hours is a long time, though, and won’t be an option for most kids. WikiHow recommends anywhere from 15 minutes to five hours with this method, noting that light, fine hair will take the color more easily, whereas darker or thicker hair will need more time to achieve a deep saturation of color.
WikiHow also suggests using the unsweetened version of Kool-Aid rather than the artificially sweetened kind, because it will be less sticky. And while you’re at it, and particularly if you’re using the conditioner method, be sure to wear disposable gloves—unless you want colorful hands to match your kid’s hair.
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