# Easy way to color a blonde beard white? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 29, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-way-to-color-a-blonde-beard-white/702911 "2014-10-29T15:47:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-way-to-color-a-blonde-beard-white/702911/1 "2014-10-29T15:47:18Z")
I’m thinking of going as [President Snow](http://www.jabberjays.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Snow-Beard.jpg) from HUNGER GAMES for Halloween. I have a white wig, but facial hair is harder to get snow white. I have a fairly thick beard that’s a kind of dirty blonde color; any suggestions for getting it as white as possible relatively cheaply and easily? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-way-to-color-a-blonde-beard-white/702911/2 "2014-10-29T15:53:32Z")
I don’t see why [white spray-on hair color](http://www.partycity.com/product/white+hair+spray+3oz.do) wouldn’t work. I’ve used black before on my brown hair and it was quite effective. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-way-to-color-a-blonde-beard-white/702911/3 "2014-10-29T15:54:19Z")
Hydrogen peroxide. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-way-to-color-a-blonde-beard-white/702911/4 "2014-10-29T16:13:56Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > Hydrogen peroxide. Hmm. How difficult is that? I’m planning on shaving the beard afterwards anyway since the next day I’m doing sugarskull makeup for a party, so as long as it grows back its natural color it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t wash out. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-way-to-color-a-blonde-beard-white/702911/5 "2014-10-29T16:27:34Z")
I had a full beard and was pressed into service as Santa Claus for the Big Brother/Big Sisters and a few similar organizations. I initially went with the white spray on hair color and got adequate results. After a couple of years I gave bleaching a try. In no uncertain terms I do not recommend it. Facial hair is difficult to bleach and the kind of chemicals used do not treat facial skin very kindly. I was going from black to white, so dirty blond to white may be less of a problem. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-way-to-color-a-blonde-beard-white/702911/6 "2014-10-29T16:28:12Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Hmm. How difficult is that? > > I’m planning on shaving the beard afterwards anyway since the next day I’m doing sugarskull makeup for a party, so as long as it grows back its natural color it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t wash out. You need the strong stuff that hairdressers use, regular old 2 or 3 percent peroxide from the drugstore won’t do it. Any salon can probably do it for you. Just use the white paint, or shave and get a fake beard from the costume store. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-way-to-color-a-blonde-beard-white/702911/7 "2014-10-29T16:38:33Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I’m planning on shaving the beard afterwards anyway since the next day I’m doing sugarskull makeup for a party, so as long as it grows back its natural color it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t wash out. In that case, I say screw it, shave the beard and buy a cheap white one that approximates Snow’s facial hair. Bleach in concentrations strong enough to dye hair is not pleasant for skin. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-way-to-color-a-blonde-beard-white/702911/8 "2014-10-29T16:53:26Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I’m planning on shaving the beard afterwards anyway since the next day I’m doing sugarskull makeup for a party, so as long as it grows back its natural color it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t wash out. > [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > In that case, I say screw it, shave the beard and buy a cheap white one that approximates Snow’s facial hair. Bleach in concentrations strong enough to dye hair is not pleasant for skin. This. Seems like a no-brainer, under the circumstances. ETA: Whatever you do, though, please post pics. Sounds like a pretty cool costume.