Hair Chalk Sticks

[eicamawa]

Have anyone tried to color their hair with hair chalk sticks before? If so, did it work well? And how long did the color stick? I'm not to sure if this is damaging to the hair or not? I know you have to seal the color in with heat, but do the color itself damage? And how does it work with heat protection?
If this works, I would be very willing to try as it seems like a good, not to damaging method to temporarly color your hair, but I don't wan't to waste of my work to get long, healthy hair either....

Thanks for all answers :)
- Eicamawa

[FireFromWithin]

I've read that you can seal it with water but that it shouldn't be done on blonde hair as if you add water it will stain so you just use the chalk. I've not tried it though.

[Panth]

If you want a dip-dye effect / coloured tips with no damage, just use Manic Panic or other deposit dye. Without an initial bleach (which is unnecessary for nearly all colours if you are blonde), deposit only dyes are almost completely no-damage. The only part that could hurt the hair is when you brush the dye in, but if you're careful then even that bit should be fine.

[eicamawa]

If I use Manic Panic, how long does the color stay in my hair? Does it go out with a wash or two, or may I leave with traces of colors until it grows out?

[Panth]

If I use Manic Panic, how long does the color stay in my hair? Does it go out with a wash or two, or may I leave with traces of colors until it grows out?

It will totally depend on your hair type and how damaged or porous your hair is but also the brand of dye (Directions and Manic Panic generally last longer than cheaper ones such as Crazy Colour), the colour of dye (red often lasts longer than blue or green) and both how often you wash your hair and how you wash it.

The shortest possible time that the colour will stay in is one wash, the longest is maybe 6 months ish? However, usually it will gradually fade and it only has to be grown out in very, very unusual circumstances. Depending on the colour, the shades that it fades out through may be more or less attractive.

Personally, what I did was chose a colour I liked in a good-quality brand (Directions, in my case). I then patch tested (a spot on the skin of the inner elbow, left for 48 hrs under a plaster - to check for an allergic reaction). Most people would then test the colour on shed hair to see if it was ok. I skipped this step (bad me!) but did an additional step because I was concerned about it taking too long to fade or fading through ugly shades - I took a narrow (~1") strip from the nape and dyed that. That way I could test how quickly the colour washed out whilst keeping the dye to a fairly inobtrusive place that I wasn't too concerned about cutting out if necessary.

If you are just dying the ends, then there's a lot less to fear. It's a lot less of a sacrifice to cut off a few inches from the bottom than to be stuck with a whole head of unwanted colour.

[kiezel]

Be cautious, oil pastels, "hair chalk," is toxic.

[jessj48]

I've heard hair chalk can be drying but it probably depends on how delicate your hair is. Maybe oiling your hair first could offer some protection?

Personally, I'd probably only try it on my ends for a special event. Definitely not my whole head and I wouldn't make it a regular thing. My hair is messed up enough as it is haha.

[eicamawa]

It says that the hair chalk is non toxic..
I thought of using it in special occastions, and on the tips mostly, so it's not something I'm going to use all the time

[KittyBird]

Kiezel, I don't think she intends to use oil pastels to dye her hair. Oil pastels and hair chalk (or soft chalk) are very different, and I don't think those would be easily confused. Putting oil pastels in hair would be a disaster in my opinion, as it's sticky and oily.

I don't think using hair chalk would be damaging, just a bit drying. I'm pretty sure it would be safe to use it occasionally. :)

[melusine963]

I've heard hair chalk can be drying but it probably depends on how delicate your hair is. Maybe oiling your hair first could offer some protection?

Personally, I'd probably only try it on my ends for a special event. Definitely not my whole head and I wouldn't make it a regular thing. My hair is messed up enough as it is haha.

I've read this too (possibly on this forum), but then I've seen pictures of some really spectacular chalked hair that might just make it worth it. I'd be more worried about the chalk transferring onto my clothes.

[HairFaerie]

When my hair was a bleached pixie, I experimented with chalk. I wet the strands of hair first and periodically wet the chalk also. I liked it! On the blonde, the colors were vibrant but it definitely is DRY! Since dying back to close to my original color (light brown), I haven't tried them. Buyer beware though, a lot of pictures that I see on Etsy from people selling hair chalk are not colored with the chalk, it's manic panic or something similar. I have even seen a seller use the photos of the girl's "rainbow hair". Rainbow hair girl uses Manic Panic, not chalk. I wonder if she knows her pictures are being used to sell hair chalk? And if it's her selling the chalk, not so good either because she has previously posted on other sites that her hair is bleached and she uses MP for the rainbow colors.
...I digress, sorry! The chalk is fun for small strands of hair, not the whole head. It lasts until you shampoo it out or fades after several days (depending on how often you wash). I just wanted people to know not to expect what they see in some of the pics. That's not always real. And yes, it does dry out the hair a bit.

[eicamawa]

I'm not going to color all my hair just the ends I think. Thanks a lot for all answers, they have helped a lot :)