Safe Way to Make Daughters Hair Red?

Hi C.,

My 2 year old was Strawberry shortcake last year. She has very fine, light blond hair so I was worried about things damaging it permanently but we ending up getting an aresol can of red hair spray from Party City. It worked great and washed out in one washing. Beware though if it's raining it will streak so keep her dry. Good luck

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I do hair and we see so many kids after Halloween that have colored their hair with these so called temporary colors and they really aren't so temporary. I would recomend sticking with a wig if I were you. And if your daughter has light colored hair, I definitely wouldn't put anything in it because that really sucks up the color.
Thought I'd share some professional advice. Good Luck!!

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red hair spray or food coloring will work.

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Well, I almost hate to suggest this one with fall oregon weather, but: Have you thought about Koolaid? That's what we did when we were kids. It's VERY temporary (it will wash out EASILY, even a good rain shower will do it...) and definitely (mostly :) non-toxic. And you can get her hair looking, and smelling, just like Strawberry Shortcake. Good luck!

p.s. I just checked the other postings, guess I'm not the only mama that remembers using this trick for temporary color as a kid! How funny.

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Hi, C.! Use Kool-aid, just get her hair damp and put a little water in the packet, mix up and comb through her hair! It will take a little washing to get out, but reds fade very easily....if you don't even want to go that far, most halloween or hair supply stores will have spray in color that washes right out.

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Go to a beauty supply store and buy a can of red hair spray. We did it a couple years ago for the little mermaid. it washed out really well and looked great, but it gets on everything that it touches!

Be very careful if you use Kool-Aid because it will likely stay a very long time, and for baby fine blonde hair may stain it permanently.

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If she has blonde hair, the Koolaid will take several days to wash out. If she is a burnet, it should come out with one shampooing. I would avoid the sprays because they are super messy and really easy for a oung child to whipe in her eyes. They make a hair cream that is a temporary dye. I used the blue one to dye my hair for the NCAA champioships every year since I was tiny and I have white blonde hair. It washes out with one shampooing, but it will not wipe off once it dries (aprox 15 minutes) nor will it come off in the rain (you need soap to get it out, but it doesn't saturate the hair like a dye, so there is no permanent staining). I went to a catholic school where unnatural hair color was strictly forbidden and the nuns never knew the next morning . .. so I KNOW this will wash out :) You can get it at hair salons, and I found it at walmart a couple times too (in the hair dye section - - it comes in a tub like hand cream does)

Good luck!

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I would use a wig.. Last year I put hot pink spray from walgreens in her hair for Halloween fun.. What a pain.. It was suposed to wash out easily.. It stayed in her hair for months although it faded.. (her hair is super blonde) If you live in Seattle area check costume display by northgate mall.. or do a google search on strawberry short cake wigs :)
L.

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http://www.streekers.com/News/StreekersHalloween.pdf

I found this by a simple search. I have also heard about using koolaid!! Do not know about specifics.

Good luck,
T.

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A wig (and I loved the yarn idea)-- if your daughter has light blond hair the koolaid, jello, or food coloring dye is not a one night thing. You know how easter egg dye can end up on your fingers for a couple days-- hair is worse because it isn't washed after ever time you use the bathroom. Some of the spray can colors wash out fairly immediately, but you will need to test it before doing and all over application. Also do it outside and make sure everyone has something to cover their nose and mouth-- the stuff will make you choke.

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Red food color would do it-- and washes out quite nicely. Or you could ( if you're handy) try red yarn - . Your family sounds wonderful--- I was raised by my bio Mom and my Dad- who adopted his new wifes two little children back in 1949 - when there were NO step families around- he was the most incredible blessing--- and I pray the same experience for you

Old Mom
aka--J.

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It's kind of stinky, but you could try beet juice.

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Hi C.,

What a cute idea! I would do a red wig personally :) That way you don't have to deal with the coloring :)

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Hi C.

I see someone already suggested Kool Aid and another doesn't like the idea. Well my idea was red Kool Aid as well. I did it when I was a teen and it worked!! You can try it over the weekend and see how you like it, and if it washes out sooner rather than later!! =) Another idea is just buying a wig, red or blonde and just dye the wig the exact color you want it and you can cut/style how you need it!! Good luck

henna! it works really well, and is all natural!

They have colored hair spray. While it might not get every hair red I'm sure it would be a great way to get the effect and one that will wash right out. Have fun...

Kool aid and Jello make great temporary dyes. For red hair, I would choose tropical punch. Don't use the sweetened kind, just the small unsweetened packages. Good luck!! Boo!

I would not use Kool-Aid. When I was in high school our cross country team used it and it did not wash out for a few weeks. I have blonde hair and had multi-colored hair for awhile!

Try red Kool Aid. Don't actually make Kool Aid, make it more a paste to rub into her hair. It should color her hair but come out with a few washes. I haven't done this since high school (which was a long time ago) but I remember it working, just not how long it took to get it out. I also have very dark brown to black hair so my consentration was stronger.

C.,

Check your local Halloween Superstore if you have one. Or maybe a dollar store. I seem to remember a foam that was either put on my face or in my hair. It was green and I was around 10 years old. Maybe talk to whoever cuts her hair and see what they suggest.

M.

Use the spray in colors. You can usually find them at many stores this time of year (e.g. Target, a drug store, etc.) but if you're having a hard time, try a party store or beauty supply store. They are temporary and do a good job on lots of different colors of hair. I don't know what color hair your daughter has, but things like Kool-aide can stain the hair and might not come out totally.

I've used kool-aid before and red hair spray, both work pretty well. (my hair is brown so the hair spray works better, but when I was blonde as a child, the kool-aid worked but it lasted a few extra days.

Hi C.,
Use KOOL AID, the powder. washes right out. No worries.
R.

Kool Aid, but it will stain it for a little while if she's got light hair.

I would just go to some place like Party City and get a red wig. With all the Halloween stuff out, I'm sure you could find one. They also have the temporary spray on color for hair in the Halloween section. But I have never used it so I don't know how hard it will be to get out of her hair.

When I was a pre teen my aunt colored mine and my cousins hair with cool aid. She took the color we watned and mixed it with water (no sugar) and then spunged it into our hair. It washed out within a few days.
It's worth a try.
Good luck!

Unsweetened cool-aid. Teenagers have been using it for years. She could even smell slightly strawberry. Just don't add the sugar. I'm not sure how much water to use. Have fun!

They make some nice wigs for costumes. I would not color her hair if she is a young girl. How old is she?

Instead of dying her hair, why not just get a red wig?

I've heard of using red kool-aid and they do make red hair color in the halloween stores but if you don't want to color her hair they do have red wigs for kids, also at halloween stores. I saw a raggedy ann wig that might work for strawberry shortcake. Good luck!

I used red kool aid on my daughters hair once.. if your daughter has light hair this will work really well.. it will stay for just a bit - but eventually wash out. I think it took just 2-3 washings. there are also at this time of year hairspray colorings you can purchase to make her hair red.. these wash out pretty well. You can find it with the Halloween costumes/makeup.

another REALLY easy option might be to buy a wig!

Use can put koolaid in her hair! Mix the packet of red koolaid with water (no sugar) and pour in into her hair. Then you have to wash with shampoo, to get the little bit of stickiness out, and it stays red for a couple days, then washes right out. I did it in high school!

When I was a camp counselor years ago, the teenage girls would often put koolaid in their hair to dye it. It wasn't permanent but did take a while to wash out. It would definitely last longer than just one night. Thought I'd mention it just in case...

Red kool-aid, cheap, easy, and washes RIGHT OUT. =)

have fun!

try deluted food coloring.

I put kool-aid in my hair in high school. I used purple and it didn't really wash out EVER. It faded, but my hair was a little pink untill it grew out.

That was fine for me in high school, but I don't know if you want that for your little girl. My hair was light brown/ dark blonde at the time at the time.

I have no idea if this would work, but you could try beet juice. I've used it to dye easter eggs in the past -- no idea if it would take to hair.

And, it might be more of a purple red than a true strawberry shortcake red.

If that doesn't work, I would go the wig route.

If her hair is light blond you can use kool-aid~ I don't know the technique, maybe google it?

S.

I know they sell pink wigs this time of year. Would she go for something like that? :)

Hey C.,

I know you can buy products that will color hair for such an occasion, and wash it out right away. I also have heard that Koolaid works... but I wouldn't know about washing it out, it's impossable to get red koolaid stains out of clothing... whatever you use have a great time!

A.

How about koolaid? I've never done it myself, but I've heard others use extra concentrated koolaid to dye their hair. It will last longer than one night, though, but it will wash out eventually.