Dying Hair with Koolaid, Would You Allow It?

Updated on December 21, 2015
J.J. asks from Lancaster, NY
38 answers

My dd (12) wants to dye the bottom half of her hair with red Koolaid. I honestly think it's okay and kind of cute, but I want a reality check from other moms out there...

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E.A.

answers from Erie on

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.

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M.G.

answers from Portland on

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.

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K.B.

answers from Chicago on

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.

3 moms found this helpful

More Answers

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

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.

8 moms found this helpful
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G.L.

answers from Salt Lake City on

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.

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C.S.

answers from St. Louis on

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.

5 moms found this helpful
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A.M.

answers from Phoenix on

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...?

5 moms found this helpful

T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

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."

5 moms found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

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.

4 moms found this helpful

D.D.

answers from Boston on

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.

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S.D.

answers from Davenport on

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.

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K.F.

answers from New York on

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.

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M.S.

answers from Washington DC on

Take lots of pictures to show her kids someday!!

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K.C.

answers from Denver on

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!

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S.W.

answers from Amarillo on

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.

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N.S.

answers from Denver on

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!

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C.N.

answers from Baton Rouge on

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

2 moms found this helpful

L.P.

answers from Tyler on

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.

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J.K.

answers from Wausau on

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.

2 moms found this helpful

M.D.

answers from Washington DC on

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

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D.N.

answers from Chicago on

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.

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J.C.

answers from New York on

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.

2 moms found this helpful

J.P.

answers from Lakeland on

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

2 moms found this helpful

C.T.

answers from Santa Fe on

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

2 moms found this helpful

D.D.

answers from Phoenix on

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.

1 mom found this helpful

D.B.

answers from Boston on

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!

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N.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

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.

1 mom found this helpful

A.W.

answers from Kalamazoo on

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???

1 mom found this helpful

O.H.

answers from Phoenix on

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

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S.H.

answers from Des Moines on

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.

1 mom found this helpful

J.C.

answers from Columbus on

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.

T.D.

answers from Springfield on

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

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N.P.

answers from Chicago on

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

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D..

answers from Miami on

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...

V.S.

answers from Reading on

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.

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R.A.

answers from Houston on

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.

J.S.

answers from St. Louis on

Nope, because I have seen it go horribly wrong

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J.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

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.😊

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