Adding a little (or a lot of) color to your hair is becoming increasingly trendy and commonplace, and for good reason. Putting in that splash of color is a great way to distinguish your look and have a little fun with your appearance. Going to a stylist and getting colors changed or refreshed, however, can end up being expensive and time-consuming. Furthermore, the chemicals from hair dye can wind up causing a good deal of damage to your hair if you do it too often or use cheaper brands.
This doesn’t even begin to account for the scariest part of all when it comes to dying your hair: what if you hate it? One mistake and you’re left with bad hair for weeks or even months, all that money down the drain. Even if you seek treatment to make the dye fade as quickly as possible, the damage has already been done to both your hair and your wallet.
This is where hair chalk comes in. A more affordable, temporary alternative to dying your hair in the traditional ways, using hair chalk is a great way to add a little color and fun to your hair without any of the risks. Keep reading to learn more about if hair chalk is right for you as we review the qualities of some of the best brands out there, in particular the product Ameauty.
Hair chalk is a safe, easy way to add temporary color to your hair that is ideal for both children and adults. It can be applied simply by rubbing into your hair in a smooth, even stroke, creating streaks of color right where you want them. Hair chalk is typically sold in kits with anywhere from six to twenty-four individual colors, though there are some companies that sell chalk in a single color.
It should be noted that hair chalk and the chalk you grew up drawing on side walks with are not the same thing (don’t try rubbing ordinary chalk into your hair and expect the same result). Rather, hair chalk is specifically a soft, pastel chalk made by mixing chalk with dry pigment. This makes is softer and more pliable, so that it can rub easily onto your hair.
To remove, simply wash it out to return to your regularly scheduled hairstyle.
Applying hair chalk is pretty simple, but there are still a few steps to keep in mind. Here are the top four general rules to follow:
- Wash Your Hair, Without Product
Before applying hair chalk, wash your hair without any other product—you heard that right: no shampoo, conditioner, gel, nothing. This will help prime your hair to take in the color.
- Get an Old Shirt and Some Gloves
While hair chalk isn’t quite as messy a process as home-dying, you should still be wary of getting your clothes and hands messy from the color. Some kits may come with gloves included, but make sure to check this out beforehand.
- Wet Your Hair, Depending on Hair Color and Desired Intensity
Before applying your hair chalk, lightly wet the sections of hair that you want to add color to. The wetter your hair, the more the chalk will bind to it and the more visible it will be, so if you have dark hair really makes sure to get some moisture in there without drenching it. For lighter brunettes and especially blondes, however, be wary of dampening your hair too much. The colors will naturally appear darker in lighter hair, and the wetter the hair the even darker they will become.
- Apply the Color and Have Fun With it!
Now all there’s left to do is the actual chalking itself! To apply the hair chalk, simply select a piece of hair and run the chalk along it, top to bottom. Make sure to use smooth, even strokes that go in the same direction and not to rub the chalk in randomly and aggressively so that you get a clean, even color. You can start the streaks as high or low as you want, so long as you keep the motion consistent and running top-down.
Get creative with this! Do multiple colors or try out one of our recommended styles listed later in this article.
Ameauty is currently one of the best all-around hair chalk kits available, and it’s affordable, too. The kit comes in 24 gorgeous colors, ranging from light pastels to even some darker purples and blues. With this wide variety of color, you can go crazy with a wildly colorful and unique look, or experiment with the multitudes to find the best color for you, having fun along the way. The collection of colors makes Ameauty not only ideal for creating a variety of everyday looks, but also for use in costuming or holiday styles.
This product also claims to work great with dry hair, only requiring a slight bit of dampening for darker hair colors, and the chalk color is quick-drying.
Ameauty also offers a Temporary Washable Hair Color Comb kit. This kit includes six colors, each with their own “comb.” The combs contain slots of color thinly divided by strips of plastic. To use, simply drag the comb along your hair as though you were actually combing it. This provides a clean, easy way to apply the color and cover a wide space of your hair ideal for blending with your natural hair or with other colors. This package also comes with a pair of gloves and shawl to ensure your styling environment is as clean as possible.
Ameauty is made with non-toxic ingredients, something you should always check before purchasing a hair chalk kit so that you don’t breathe in any harsh chemicals while applying. Additionally, Ameauty’s products are all allergen-free.
Of course, there’s so much more to styling your hair than just adding the color. You can create an almost infinite number of styles in the ways that you add color to your hair, and in how you choose to style it afterward.
- Keep it Simple with Highlights and Streaks
This is perhaps what your mind first jumps to when you think of adding color to your hair, particularly when you’re self-styling. This is an easy and stylish way to incorporate color into your look. Simply choose the color(s) of your choice and rub the chalk in with straight, smooth strokes, starting at the top and working down. Feel free to start as high or low as you want and vary it.
Branch out from the streaked-look and add a splash of color to your roots to give the top of your head a fun twist. Coloring your roots can be a real pain when it comes to traditional dying because of your hair growing out, requiring constant touching up that isn’t good for your hair or your scalp. With hair chalk, however, you can finally enjoy a nice color around your roots without worrying about your hair growing out and leaving that awkward ring of disjointed color. Now you can have colorful roots when you want, and your regular hair when you don’t, no awkward in-between phase required.
Or, try the exact opposite and color the ends of your hair. This is a fun look, whether you color the bottom inch of your hair or the bottom six inches. By rubbing the chalk lighter at the top of your desired colored section, you can create a nice blended, natural look (or however natural your look can be when you have purple or green in your hair). You can also create an ombre style through this method.
- Spice it Up by Mixing Colors
Any of these looks can of course be further modified or individualized by mixing and blending colors. This is where it can get really fun. Discover what colors work best together, how many you can fit in your hair, how different colors are able to blend together to create an even more vivid mesh of color. With the vast set of 24 colors provided by Ameauty’s style kit, the possibilities are nearly endless.
And the best part? You can be as crazy and creative as you want to be without fear of ruining your hair, because it will wash out nice and easy whenever you want it to.
- Add a Few Curls Post-Color!
After you’re done with your color creation and your hair is nice and dry, don’t forget to play with its styling even further! Curls are a great way to do this. Curl your whole head for a mass of beautiful and colorful locks interplaying with each other, or just curl a few colored bits to make them really pop. Already have curly hair? Try experimenting by creating different types of curls from your natural hair to get the colored parts to shine.
No matter how you choose to apply your color or how you style it afterward, you are sure to enjoy a fun and unique look for your day ahead!
The perception of Ameauty is overwhelmingly positive, most reviews typically coming from mothers whose young daughters greatly enjoy using it on their own hair and at sleepovers. Buyers affirm the product’s easy use, and its overall visibility, though colors do appear muted in darker hair. Additionally, though Ameauty affirms that its products work great in dry hair, most users do recommend lightly wetting hair first for optimal color. Users also preach the product’s longevity—that is, that it does not run out quickly.
Ameauty is extremely affordable. The 24-piece set is available on Amazon for just $9.99, and the comb set is priced at $11.99. This is generally slightly cheaper than other popular sets on the market, such as Maydear. Most kits provide a selection of either six or twelve colors, making Ameauty’s collection set truly unique. If you do find one color in particular that you want to do over and over again, you may want to try out purchasing single-color hair chalks and skip the kit, such as those provided by Ulta.
Most products on the market these days are non-toxic, but you should always be sure to check. Ameauty, fortunately, passes this test, giving you another reason to feel comfortable with this product.
So, what do we think about Ameauty, and about hair chalk in general?
In an of itself, hair chalk is a great alternative to traditional dying that allows you to be endlessly creative without causing damage to your hair (or your style). This is particularly a great product for young children, who may be expected to keep a more moderate everyday look for school but want the freedom to express themselves on weekends and special occasions. Because of its easiness to apply and the creativity offered with it, we think hair chalk is a great and fun product for anyone to enjoy.
We’re also a big fan of Ameauty’s products, particularly that set of 24 distinct colors. While Ameauty is praised for its ease in application and price, it is truly the variety in color that make this set stand out to us. The collection of colors is double or more of most sets available on the market, truly allowing you to be as creative and unique as possible.
Of course, if you want the same colored look every day and don’t have the time to continually apply it, maybe a traditional dye job is the right choice for you. Before making that leap and committing to the price and the permanence, however, hair chalk can still be of use by allowing you to experiment and find the right look for you before committing to it at little cost.