Changing your hair color is a lot of fun and – no – I am not talking about going blonde, brunette or red. Have you heard that pink is the new blonde?
That is right. Gone are the days when pink hair was just a favorite poodle fur style. Pink hair dye is here to stay as human fur – by which, I mean our hair – embraces pink and other bright colors. Blue, green, purple hair are now part of everyday hairstyles around the world and there many good reasons for it. First, there are easy options for ‘do it yourself’ at home. In fact, in this article we will talk about how to dye your hair pink with crepe paper – one of my top favorite hair dye techniques for kids (and adults).
Another good reason is, simply put, colorful hair is a lot of fun for kids (and adults for that matter) to play with. I would also add that there is an educational component to it, as the process of hair dyeing can be a bit like a science experiment. There is measuring to be done, methods to be followed and results to be seen. It is also interesting to note how dye reacts differently with different natural hair colors. We happened to have three kids with different hair colors (blonde, brown and red) and we never get the same results for them. But most importantly,as a parent, crepe paper hair coloring ticks the safety box. There is no way I would let my kids dye their hair pink with products containing strong chemicals. Nor I would let them use a permanent or semi-permanent hair color – crepe paper dye is super easy to wash off.
Dying you hair pink using crepe paper.
Our little Ms Fashionista is always up for pink! And purple crepe paper makes for a great pink hair dye! She is now 11 years old and is perfectly capable of dyeing her hair with crepe paper all by herself. Lucky for us, she is also pretty good at following our rules of coloring her hair outside or, if inside, she knows she must use an old towel to cover furniture. Her blonde hair is luckily great for pink. Unfortunately, pink has not worked so well on our brown and red-hair kids. But fear not, other safe child friendly options such as food coloring and chalk hair dye are more suitable for darker hair tones. However, in this article, we will cover pink hair dye with crepe paper.
Before we go to the step by step process, let’s have a better look at some of the pros and cons of crepe paper dyeing:
Pros
- Crepe paper is pretty cheap! My kids sue their pocket money to buy it!
- It is easy to source and can be easily turned into hair dye!
- It is safe for your childrens’ hair.
- It doesn’t require a lot of supervision from parents – depending on kids’ ages and skill.
- It is quick. I estimate five to ten minutes.
- It is easily washable, however it might take more than one wash, but it should be all gone after two or three washes.
Cons
- It can be a little bit messy on your hands and skin (gloves are highly recommended, unless you want to risk colourful handprints everywhere)
- Color can be tricky as the color of the paper is often different to what you get on your hair. For example, purple crepe paper used for this article has turned into pink hair dye rather than purple. However, once you use certain colors you will quickly learn how crepe paper ‘behaves’.
- Pink crepe paper dye is not so easy to achieve for kids with brown and red hair.
Step by step, how to dye your hair with crepe paper
You will need:
Scissors to cut the paper
Cloth or old towel
Gloves (highly recommended)
Crepe paper of your preferred colour cut into pieces – we used purple paper to have pink dye!
Tea spoon of salt. Optional, but salt can help the color to ‘stay on’.
Warm water – it is important not to use too much water, just enough water to soak your hair.
Bowl that is just big enough for the amount of hair you want to dye
Method
Step 1 – Pour warm water into a bowl that is big enough to soak the amount of hair you wish to dye.
Step 2 – Cut crepe paper into pieces and put them in the bowl filled with warm water.
Step 3 – Wait a few seconds for the color to run.
Step 4 – Stir the crepe paper until the colour is well mixed with the water.
Step 5 – Dip the area of your hair in your coloured water. This method works best for dyeing just the tips of your hair.
Step 6 – Gently wipe excess liquid off your hair with a small towel or cloth.
Step 7 – Brush and wait until your hair is dry. You can use a hairdryer for faster results.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you dye your hair pink for kids?
There are some great child friendly, easy-to-wash and bleach-free methods that are perfect for kids’ hairs, including dyeing their hair with food coloring (for a pink effect, a small dose of red food coloring will do the job) or with crepe paper.
Is it safe to dye a child’s hair?
We strongly recommend avoiding adults’ products that contain bleach or other strong chemicals. We also strongly discourage people from using permanent or semi-permanent hair dye. Nevertheless, a child friendly and easy to wash method can be a lot of fun.
How can I color my child’s hair?
There are different products available for kids. Things like colorful chalk, food coloring and crepe paper are all good options for kids.
What’s the best hair dye for kids?
The best hair dye for kids is a safe and easy to wash dye option. Another factor to consider is your kids’ natural hair color. Blonde hair can be easily dyed with minimum amounts of dye. Dark hair requires more dye and more time for the dye to stick to the hair.
