Want to experiment with crazy dip dye hair colour but nervous about what work/school would say?
Hair chalk is the answer.
You can play around with this temporary hair colour that washes out without damaging your hair.
I’ve tried dip dye pink hair which is a semi-permanent colour. It can last up to 6 weeks depending on how often you wash your hair. You can see how long pink hair dye lasts here.
For a fun look for that lasts for 1-2 days try hair chalk.
Meet my model Michaela from Lather Rinse Repeat. She was testing some new hair chalk for her blog and I had to photograph her amazing hair. It started off as blue dip dye, and she added in extra colours on the second day.
Does hair chalk work on dark hair?
Yes.
It will be harder to achieve the super bright colours but you can still get great results on dark hair.
My tip is to spray dry shampoo on the ends of your hair before applying the chalk. Or use a white chalk first, then add colour over the top.
You can also wet your hair and the chalk to help the colour stay.
Will hair chalk stain blonde hair?
It can do, but it will still wash out.
If you hair is coloured blonde, it’s more porous and will take the colour easily. Do not wet blonde hair when applying hair chalk. Unless of course, you want the colour to stay on for a long time.
How to use hair chalk
- Start with dry hair
- Brush out any knots before you begin
- Wear old clothes, you will make a mess
- Put down towels on the floor, or work over tiles/timber so it’s easy to clean up
- Have an idea of the finished style you want to wear your hair in so you know where to place the colour
- Rub the chalk down your hair in the sections you want to colour. You can twist pieces of hair then apply the chalk. This gives a more natural starting line for the colour to give a dip dye effect.
- Once you’ve applied the chalk, you can spray a light hairspray over to help hold the colour in place.
- Style your new coloured hair in your favourite hairstyle!
Hair Chalk to try
Kevin Murphy Color Bug – see my color bug review here – Available from Adore Beauty
Urban Outfitters Hair Chalk – huge range of colours in one set – Available from Urban Outfitters
Vixen Hair Chalk – Great pastel colour set – Available from The Beauty Office
Tips for better results
- Always start with dry hair.
- Brush your hair to remove knots before you begin.
- Spray the ends of your hair with dry shampoo or texture spray to get the chalk to hold better.
- On dark hair, you can dampen your hair with a water spray bottle to get the colour to hold better.
- Work on a tiled or timber floor, or put down towels on carpet. You will make a mess applying the chalk.
- You can wear gloves to stop the colour on your hands, but it’s not necessary. The chalk washes off easily.
- Put a towel on your pillow at night to stop the chalk staining your bedding.
- A leave in conditioner spray can help soften your hair once the chalk is on. Be careful on blonde hair not to get your hair too wet.
- Wash the chalk out well and use a deep conditioning treatment after. The chalk absorbs moisture from your hair so your hair will feel dry after using it.
Hair chalk can add a new dimension to your regular hairstyles. A simple bun becomes a statement bun just by adding colour.
This fishtail braid shows off the colours beautifully. It also keeps your hair back so you won’t have to worry about too much chalk transferring to your clothes. The tutorial for this style will be up next week!
Have you tried hair chalk? What’s your favourite colour to play with?
Old post, but just a quick question. I would like to dye the ends of my (ginger/strawberry blonde/red – it’s a weird varying color, even though it’s natural) hair that has never been dyed before, but I’m a worrier and not sure that I’d like it.
Would chalk dyeing be the way to go since it washes out quickly and would give me an idea without the commitment? I’d like it to be able to wash out in a shower afterwards, is that pretty likely?
Thanks!
Hi Sam, yes that’s a great idea. Chalk is temporary and will give you an idea of how the colours could look x
Old post, but I’m having difficulty finding an answer. How would I style it curly if I try the hair chalk? Typically I use gel on my hair (super fine hair so it’s required, the curls just break apart otherwise and it becomes a frizz ball). I have darker hair so I’d be ok wetting. Should I try wetting it, then applying the chalk, then gel on top of that? Have you tried chalks on your curls?
Hi April, definitely try it on wet hair as it’s harder to show up on dark hair. There are also liquid chalks available now which may have more pigment and be brighter on dark hair. You’re not going to get as defined curls as you will be touching your hair too much while you apply colour, but the fun colour will distract 😉 xx
Hi,hair romance i have blonde hair and i have a school disco and i would love to have some blue streaks in my hair and would need to remove as soon as i get home will it wash out streight away?
Hi Em, I want to say yes, it will wash out easily but there are always exceptions. It depends on how porous your hair is, if you get your hair wet and the pigment of the chalk too. Why don’t you try a test section underneath or in a layer of your hair and see how easy it is to wash out. Then you’ll know how long it will last in your hair. Have fun! xx
Okay so I have naturally blonde hair and I know I’m not supposed to wet the hair but if I did how long would it take to wash out ? And how damaging is chalk to hair (without dampening it first)? Thank you c
Hi Niamh, it should wash out in 1-2 shampoos but I am always cautious to say this as some hair really grabs the colour. It’s so subjective. The chalk isn’t really damaging. It’s slightly drying but if you use conditioner after you won’t notice anything. You can always leave your conditioner on for a minute longer if your hair feels dry, or do a conditioning treatment. The dryness isn’t permanent. 🙂
If I use this chaik color on my hairs, is it transfer to my clothes and leaves marks on it?
It can transfer so be careful wearing white. I found it washed out easily but be careful with delicate fabrics x
Okay ! one more thing, when the chalk sprinkle on my clothes, do I flick it to remove?? or it only remove by washing??
2. how long lasts it will be on my hairs??
3. can I wear lawn silk or cotton fabrics when I use chalk color?? Does chalk color harm for these fabrics and doesn’t remove or wash easily??
Hi, chalk can transfer to your clothes so be careful. I found it washed out easily but just in case, don’t wear anything white or super special. I put a towel around me when applying the chalk so there’s less mess. You should be able to brush it off or use sticky tape to lift it off your clothes. As for how long it last, that depends on your hair. Usually 1-2 days or until you shampoo it out. If you have pale blonde hair or have bleached your hair then it can last longer.
Okay.. thank you !
Thanks for the dark hair tips! With festival season fast approaching I ordered some hair chalk to experiment with but was worried that they wouldn’t work properly on my brown hair.
it’s great on dark hair – have fun! x
hello, i wanna ask you something. i want to buy that hair chalk but i dunno where i have to buy. maybe you can help me, i’m from INDONESIA. thank you 🙂
Hi Oryza, Urban Outfitters may post to Indonesia (there’s a link in the post) or you can also use artist’s pastels which you can find at an art supply store. Make sure you use the chalk pastels, not oil pastels! Thanks x
Wow, this looks terrific! I’m a bit old to have more than one wild coloured streak in my hair but my niece is really excited.
Because my mother was a worrywart and passed it on, magnified x 1000, isn’t there lead in chalk? I can’t imagine a problem if it’s not touching your scalp.
I would love to try it on my baby niece but she’d paw at her hair and end up eating it. She can eat anything within a mile radius, even though she can’t walk.
Great blog!
Hi Christine, Thank you! I’m a worrier too but I’m not sure about lead in chalk. I checked the ingredients and it’s not listed so I think chalk is now safe to use. I would probably be careful and not use it on your baby niece (though it would look so cute!) Christina x
Perfect timing Christina! I just ordered some El Lore Femme Hair Chalk!
yay! Hair chalk is so much fun x