Dying Hair with Koolaid, Would You Allow It?

Not only do I think it's ok, I'll tell you an easy way to do it! My daughter (13) mixes the unsweetened koolaid packets with hair conditioner, it's easier to control where you put it and you can leave it in longer for a darker color. Red lasts the longest, it won't wash out as quickly as the blue or orange.

If you're ok, then what's the harm? It is supposed to wash out relatively quickly, although I've heard of it staying around for a few months. I think doing it with hot water makes it last longer. It doesn't show up as much on dark hair.
I always say start small :) And you can always do a test strip (underneath the back of her hair). Sometimes that's the way to go if you're on the fence.

My daughter used koolaid to dye her hair and it was fine. There is also hair chalk that comes in many different colors that you just rub on. Easier to apply and get the color you want. And washes out easily too. Available at CVS, Walgreens, Ulta etc.

of course. it'll wash right out, it'll be fun for her, and it's HER hair.
my boys had all manner of wild-colored hair when they were tweens and teens.
i think it's a harmless and fun manner of self-expression.
khairete
S.

Koolaid dyeing is quick, relatively non-toxic, and fades out in a week or two. (May last longer in very light hair.) Just do it somewhere in the house that cleans up easily, and wear clothes that don't matter. Once the color is dry, it doesn't transfer, and it will wash off of skin easily. Side note - Koolaid is also a very effective, economical dye for animal fibers such as wool or silk. I took a cream-colored merino wool sweater that had gotten stained and covered the stain by dyeing the whole sweater a lovely turquoise using Koolaid blue raspberry. Also, be aware that grape does not produce purple,at least not when used on yarn. It produces a blackish brown. if she wants purple, she'll do better to mix cherry and blue raspberry.

We sprayed lemon juice out of a spray bottle to turn our brown hair...well, orange, why not cool aid. Let us know how that works out for her.

Sounds like a great story, no matter how it turns out! What's the worst that could happen- her hair is a weird color for a while? And that would be tragic because...?

It's hair not a tattoo, I'm sure it will be awful and you can smirk and enjoy that "I told you so" moment (as she chops off half of her hair) without ever having to even say "I told you so."

I work in a high school.
I see all sorts of colored hair - streaks, high lights, whole head jobs.
Every color - purple, green, blue, red and pink are popular too.
It's hair.
If worse comes to worse she can cut it off - it'll grow back.

I always went with the though process that it was only hair. Cut it, dye it, shave half your head if you want. Its only hair and it'll grow out or grow back.

Kids have the amazing opportunity to try all different things. We did streaks of color in GD#1's hair using marker. It was cute and fast. When it washed out she picked another color.

Sure, it's only hair :-) We did this to a friend's hair in college, he had super blond hair (almost white) and we dyed it green. It was ok for a while then just faded. I may just have her do it over a school break tin case she doesn't like it then she won't have to go to school immediately with it like that.

Oh so long ago, we did this at around her age without asking parents. LOL. It's not the end of her world even if it goes wrong, it can be washed out over time.

I say let her go for it. It's fun and creative and she doesn't have a job to be accountable to or have to maintain a certain look for.

Take lots of pictures to show her kids someday!!

I would absolutely allow it. In fact, my 13yr old is getting blue ombre hair as one of her Christmas gifts (we're having it done professionally, NOBODY in our family is any good with hair dye). I have no problem with hair experimentation, especially when they're young. It's only hair, it'll grow back and there are bigger battles to be won!

This fade was out about 25 years ago and people used the red and grape colors.

Enjoy the creativity while you can and no get into trouble. Do take pictures for bragging rights in the future. It will wash out.

Hopefully they will have their freedom of expression phase while still at home and not in the work place.

the other S.

Oh heck, let her dye it. If she hate it then she either has to deal with a bad haircut or 'yucky hair.!
Good Luck!

It's hair. I allowed my kid to do whatever she wanted with her hair.

My girls did the koolaid dye on their hair several years ago, it was adorable at the time. However, it wouldn't come out! My younger daughter has dark hair, so it wasn't very noticeable for a few haircuts. My older daughter has lighter hair that had been highlighted. We were unable to cover up the koolaid color even by a professional! It was a nightmare! She was entering her senior year and had some major portrait sittings planned! We had to do professional updos for a debutante ball portrait, she hated it!

At your daughter's age, just know you may be living with the color for a while.

Yes. I did that when I was a young teen with cherry. Someone remembered that at our 20th class reunion. :-) It will usually fade out in a week or so if her hair is dark, maybe longer if her hair is very pale.

My brother did it when we were kids, it fades to pink :). Totally harmless!

It is harmless. My girls did it. Oh my gosh, their hair stunk. But the color came out pretty cool. It lasted about a week or so.

Sure - especially since it will wash out. At least she's asking and this way you can supervise and put in your 2 cents and guidance.

It is harmless, but her clothes may get stained from the coloring.

Sounds fun to me. I think it's cute when kids do this.

Don't want to sound like a negative nelly, but be sure to check with your child's school. They have have a policy against hair coloring. I thinks is bs that they care what a child does to their hair. Just a note to say beware. :)
Curious how she likes it.

I think hair dying is a relatively safe form of rebellion by tweens. I would use a product designed for hair though, not something designed to be eaten (as garbage-y as Koolaid is). I'd be worried that it would come out on clothes and pillow cases and so on. If it doesn't, and it's more permanent, then I'd be worried about people drinking that stuff normally!

I think it's fine. My girl has blonde highlights in her hair and if she wanted to do the colorful stuff that's all around I'd let her do that too. It will grow out or it can be dyed another color.

I just recently took my 11 year old daughter to a salon and let her get blue, teal and purple streaks in her blonde hair. Yup, it's just hair!!!!! Let her have fun! Be careful about it rubbing off on stuff though, not sure about that with koolaid???

As long as it's allowed at school. Good luck.

I didn't know this was possible. Sounds fun! I personally would be afraid if transfer to pillow or clothes. However, now knowing this, I may never let my kids drink the stuff.

I did allow it, my daughter dyed the bottom half of her hair red with koolaid Sept of last year. It didn't come out before the hair grew long enough to cut it off. If I had known it would stay so long, I may have reconsidered.

i would let her, its only hair, it will fade or wash out. (or grow out long enough to be cut off) my dh however may not allow it. he is strange about things like this and refuses to let me paint dd's nails

my daughter has done it a few times over the past 4 or 5 yrs, she's 13 now, the color lasts super long, by the way, but I don't see a reason to not let her do it

Tell her that she can only do as much as she is willing for you whack off when it turns out bad. Maybe it will teach her a lesson...

I don't exactly have a problem with it, but we wouldn't do it in our house because it wouldn't be allowed by any of my daughter's extra curricular activities - she's 13 and volunteers and is involved with a semiprofessional music group, and both places require a professional look at all times. If your child hopes to do anything outside the norm in the near future, keep that in mind.

Maybe during Christmas break when it won't be a school issue. I think I would still say "no", but my first concern would be school.

Nope, because I have seen it go horribly wrong

My 12 yo has dirty blond hair. If she asked me to have highlights I would take her to a professional to have it done. I would not however let her dye her own hair and she would not be allowed to have any funky colors. Clearly I am in the minority here but that is my opinion. To each his own.😊