How to Dip Dye Hair with Kool Aid

Co-authored by Ambia Elms and Amber Crain

Last Updated: September 26, 2023 Approved

Kool-Aid is a fun, cheap, and easy way to temporarily dye the ends of your hair! Start by grabbing 2-3 packages of Kool-Aid in the color of your choice. Mix the powder with water and bring the mixture to a boil on your stovetop. After about 1 minute, remove the mixture from the heat and transfer it to a heat-safe bowl. Lower the ends of your hair into the dye bath for 15-25 minutes to achieve your new color! Your results should last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Choosing a Color and Prepping Your Hair

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1
Select 2-3 packages of Kool-Aid in the color of your choice. If you have blonde hair, you probably only need 2 packages of Kool-Aid. If your hair is darker than that, go with 3 packages. You can choose any color you want! Red, blue, and purple are popular options that show up nicely on all hair colors. You can also mix your own custom colors!^{[1]
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- For example, try mixing together 2 packages of grape Kool-Aid and 1 package of cherry to get a high-intensity burgundy color.^{[2]
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- If you have dark hair, avoid using yellow or orange. You can try green, but you’ll probably get better results with a more saturated hue, like purple or blue.
Kool-Aid will definitely stain anything it comes in contact with! Put on an old T-shirt and cover your workspace with newspaper or plastic garbage bags to prevent staining. It’s also a good idea to wear plastic gloves to protect your skin.^{[3]
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3
Place several old towels within reach on your work surface. You will need to squeeze the excess dye out of your hair as soon as you pull it out of the dye bath, so make sure you have several old towels within reach and ready to go! Otherwise, you risk dripping the potent Kool-Aid dye all over the floor or counter.^{[4]
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- Keep in mind that the Kool-Aid will permanently stain the towels, so use old ones.
4
Brush out your dry hair until it’s tangle-free. Kool-Aid dye works best on freshly washed, completely dry hair. If your hair is damp, let it air-dry or blow-dry it before you try to dip-dye it. Use a wide-toothed comb to carefully remove any tangles, starting at the ends of your hair and working your way up to the roots.^{[5]
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- It will still work if you haven’t washed your hair recently, but it’s important that your hair is dry so that it will soak up the color effectively.
Tip: This technique works best for hair that’s at least shoulder-length. You’ll be putting your hair into hot water and staying in that position for several minutes. If you have short hair, this will put your face much too close to the hot water.
5
Put your hair in pigtails or a low ponytail. You don’t have to do this, but it makes the process much easier, especially if your hair is long. Use an elastic to put thick hair into 2 loose pigtails and let them hang over the front of your shoulders. If your hair isn’t that thick, a low, loose ponytail will be fine. If there’s any hair that you don’t want to dip-dye, go ahead and clip it up and out of the way.
- For example, if you just want to dip-dye the underside of your hair, pull the top half up and secure it with a clip.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Dipping Your Hair in Kool-Aid Dye

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Open all of your Kool-Aid packages and dump them into a big pot or saucepan. Choose a pot that can easily accommodate the length of your hair! Then, place the pot on a burner on your stovetop.^{[6]
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2
Add about 2 cups (470 ml) of water to the pot. There is no exact amount of water for this. The less water you use, the more vibrant your results will be. If you want sheer results, use more water. It’s also important to use enough water to accommodate for the length of hair you want to dip. If you aren’t sure how much water you should use, try about 2 cups (470 ml).^{[7]
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- For example, if you want to dip-dye the last several inches of your hair, you should add enough water to the pot to accommodate that depth.
3
Boil the mixture over medium-high heat for 1 minute. As the mixture heats up, stir it with a wooden or metal spoon so that the Kool-Aid dissolves completely. Once the water is boiling, keep your eye on a timer or clock. The mixture only needs to boil for about 60 seconds before it’s ready to use.^{[8]
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- Keep in mind that this will probably stain your wooden spoon permanently!
4
Transfer the liquid to a heat-resistant bowl or cup. Turn off the stove burner and carefully pour the hot dye bath mixture into a bowl or cup. Be very careful doing this because the water is extremely hot and can definitely burn you. If your hair is in pigtails, it might be easier to use 2 separate bowls.^{[9]
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- If the pot handle feels hot to the touch, use an oven mitt to pick it up.
- If you’re using 2 separate bowls, be sure to pour an equal amount of dye bath into each one.
5
Lower the tips of your hair into the dye bath to your desired depth. Sit at a table and put the bowl or bowls of dye in front of you. Then, position your hair into the dye bath up to the length you’d like. Keep in mind that the dye will creep up your hair about ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm), so take that into consideration when choosing your depth.^{[10]
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- Be sure to keep your face out of any steam that you see rising from the bowl.^{[11]
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6
Let your hair sit in the dye bath for 15-25 minutes. 15 minutes should be enough for light brown hair. If you’re blonde, you may only need to soak for about 5 minutes. If you have dark hair, 20-25 minutes is probably more realistic. The timing also depends on the level of color saturation you want to achieve. The longer your hair sits in the water, the more vibrant your results will be.^{[12]
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- Keep an eye on the clock or set a timer in case you lose track of time.
- Try not to move around too much while your hair soaks. If your hair shifts around in the dye bath, your results might not look even.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Setting the Color

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Once the allotted time is up, grab the old towels you put to the side earlier and squeeze the ends of your hair with them. Keep squeezing until all of the excess moisture is removed from your hair. Your hair should be damp and not dripping at all at this point.^{[13]
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Tip: Be sure to wash these towels separately from your other laundry to prevent the Kool-Aid from bleeding onto your clothes.
2
Blow-dry your hair as your normally would. Grab a paddle brush and your hair dryer and blow-dry your hair until it’s completely dry. The heat from the blow dryer will set the color, so don’t skip this step. It’s also important to dry your hair completely.^{[14]
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- Whenever your hair is damp, it will bleed color onto the clothes you’re wearing and your pillows.
3
Run a straight iron over your locks to set the color even more. You don’t have to do this, but it will definitely help you lock in the color a little more. Work in small sections and pull the straight iron through your hair quickly. Then, you can go ahead and style your hair as you normally would.^{[15]
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- If you have curly hair, you can definitely skip this part.
- Be sure to wipe off the straight iron’s plates with a thick towel or oven mitt to get rid of any dye residue.
4
Limit how often you shampoo your hair to extend the results. Kool-Aid is a temporary dye. Depending on your hair color and texture, your color could last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. The color will naturally fade a little more every time you shampoo it, so limit how often you wash your hair to prolong your results.
- You can use a shower cap to protect your hair from water when you’re in the shower or bath.
- Swimming will also cause the color to fade faster. Any time you wet your hair, the color will fade a little more.
5
Use clarifying shampoo or baking soda to remove the color. Washing your hair several times with a clarifying shampoo should fade it. Depending on how bright your results are, you may need to take more extreme measures. Boil a pot of water on the stove and stir in 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of baking soda. Then, just dip your hair into the water for 30 seconds. The color will start coming off immediately! You may need to dip it a few times to remove the color completely.^{[16]
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- Shampoo your hair as you normally would once the color is gone to rinse out the baking soda.
- Be sure to deep condition your hair thoroughly, since stripping the color will dry out the ends.

Expert Q&A

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Question

What is the fastest way to remove hair dye?

Brianna Bowling
Hair Stylist
Brianna Bowling is a Hair Stylist and the Co-Owner of The CRAFT Salon in Glendora, California. With more than 11 years of experience, she specializes in balayage, blonding, and vivid colors. Brianna has received years of in-depth training on advanced color techniques.

Brianna Bowling

Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

I would recommend using a vitamin D tablet or a clarifying conditioner. Using really hot water every time you wash it can also help.

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Do I have to use sugar-free Kool-Aid?

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Using regular Kool-Aid with sugar will make your hair stickier before washing it, so it is best to use the sugar-free kind.

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How bright will it be if I have dirty blond hair?

Community Answer

I have dirty blond hair and I found that red works the best (but blue also works well). I soaked for 10 minutes in red -- it lasted almost a year and it stayed very bright for a while. Soaking your hair for 5-7 minutes will result in a very bright color.

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Put a few drops of conditioner in the mix to moisturize your hair while you dye it.
Apply petroleum jelly around your hairline to keep your skin from getting stained.
If you don't have a plastic shower cap, you can also use a grocery store bag.

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