# Temporary Coloring of one's Hair **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 11, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporary-coloring-of-ones-hair/194504 "2003-08-11T22:54:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Netbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71e660/32.png) [@Netbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Netbrian)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporary-coloring-of-ones-hair/194504/1 "2003-08-11T22:54:04Z")
My question is, as the subject implies, how does one safely dye their hair in such a way that it is able to be removed as quickly as possible, in the shower preferably. The reason for my question is that at various times, I am interested in going around in costume, and some of the costumes I am considering would require a different hair color than my currently rather boring one. Despite this, having my hair dyed would be inappropriate for my daily life, and I would not feel comfortable being forced to wait several weeks, or even several days, to get rid of pink hair. Thus, I am asking the question of if there is a safe and temporary method of coloring one’s hair. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporary-coloring-of-ones-hair/194504/2 "2003-08-11T23:17:30Z")
There are spray-on colors that are truly wash-out, though you want to avoid them if you have light hair that’s been damaged much (as by bleaching, perming, swimming, etc.) There are also fingerpaint-consistency hair paints sold at the better urban-type “alternative stuff” stores – places where, say, eclectic vintage clothes, or studded collars, piercing supplies, that kind of thing, are sold. Or alternative music. My personal experience with so-called “temporary” _dyes_ – not sprays, which are essentially paints that coat but do not penetrate hair – is that they are only temporarily full-strength, but they do permanently change your color. But I haven’t used anything like that since the mid-90s. You definitely wanna “test in an inconspicuous area” like the labels all tell you to but which many people forget! ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporary-coloring-of-ones-hair/194504/3 "2003-08-11T23:19:28Z")
There are a number of spray-on colors you can use that wash out easily–the last ones I got were at a Wal-Mart. They have a consistency rather like hairspray and come in some vivid colors. The only problem is that they will most definitely run if your hair gets wet. I wouldn’t advise wearing any washout color with costume pieces that would be vulnerable to stains from it. (The vivid red and purple came out of my black costume shirt easily, but I suspect a white shirt would have required extensive bleaching.) I colored my brown hair a vivid red to play an anime character, and there was no trace left after a good long shower–though the shower _did_ briefly look like a certain movie shower scene (only without the cute girl). ---
**Author:** ![plain\_jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@plain\_jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plain_jane)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporary-coloring-of-ones-hair/194504/4 "2003-08-12T00:37:40Z")
Why don’t you just get a wig? Then you can have truly vivid hair colour without the hassle of getting rid of it later. (Unless your hair is light, a lot of the temporary colours look ashy instead of vivid… like seaweed instead of bright green, for example. And if your hair is light, it can stain.) ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporary-coloring-of-ones-hair/194504/5 "2003-08-12T02:58:11Z")
If you go to a professional beauty supply store, they should have special shampoo which is supposed to strip even semi-permanent color out of your hair. You want to be careful with this stuff, though; as you might imagine, it’s pretty harsh and will leave your hair with the charming texture of straw. ---
**Author:** ![Netbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71e660/32.png) [@Netbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Netbrian)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporary-coloring-of-ones-hair/194504/6 "2003-08-12T07:33:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by plain\_jane \* > \*\*Why don’t you just get a wig? Then you can have truly vivid hair colour without the hassle of getting rid of it later. (Unless your hair is light, a lot of the temporary colours look ashy instead of vivid… like seaweed instead of bright green, for example. And if your hair is light, it can stain.) \*\* The problem here is basically expense. I doubt the costumes I’d don would be used enough to justify buying a wig. ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporary-coloring-of-ones-hair/194504/7 "2003-08-12T14:06:01Z")
There are some Henna “rinses” at the beauty store. They wash out pretty good. They cost about $8 a box. But I have not had good experience going from dark colored hair to light with it. I have naturally brunette hair and tried several rinses to get to “blonde” but could never achieve the look. Finally I gave in and got my hair foiled. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporary-coloring-of-ones-hair/194504/8 "2003-08-12T14:18:15Z")
My kid sister swears by kool aid when she needs a temporary color job for clubs and such. Washes in and washes out, so she says. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![stick\_monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@stick\_monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stick_monkey)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporary-coloring-of-ones-hair/194504/9 "2003-08-12T14:23:22Z")
KoolAid can work for temporary dying of hair. Just make sure you get the ‘so sugar added’ kind. You will need multiple packs to get the color you want, and you have to soak in it for 30 minutes or more depending on what hair color you have. I have had some of them not wash out the first time though. But they were always gone within 2 or 3 washes. ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporary-coloring-of-ones-hair/194504/10 "2003-08-12T14:25:46Z")
My daughter and son both used kool aid and didn’t have very good luck. My daughter (a blonde) had tinged hair of pinkish orange until it was cut out. My son (a brunette) was able to get his hair the right color but it took a lot of washes to get it out and left his hair like straw.