So if you (or your daughters) feel like rocking a new 'do, it's time to learn some of the finer points of hair chalking.
First of all, the type of chalk you use is very important. Don’t go grab the sidewalk chalk away from the garage - it won't very well at all. You want art-quality soft chalk, the kind with bright pigments. Senellier brand chalk pastels are available at DickBlick.com for $4 apiece.
But whatever you do, DO NOT GET OIL PASTELS! It’s a complete nightmare to get those out of your hair.
Now, let's talk about hue. What's your natural hair color? If you have light hair (blonde, light brown, silver), DO NOT GET YOUR HAIR WET! The pigments in soft chalk become a dye when combined with water, and instead of having color for a day, you’ll have color for a couple weeks. Of course, if that's your intent, then go right ahead and dampen your strands.
Is your hair darker? In that case, you're going to NEED to wet your hair before applying the chalk. It won’t stain your hair the same way it would light hair, but in order for the pigment to show up on your locks, you’ll need to apply just a little more.
Are you a red-head? Depending on how light or dark your red hair is, you may or may not need water. Try it first with dry hair, and proceed from there.
So just to recap, you’ll need:
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Soft chalk pastels in your chosen colors
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A soft, natural bristle brush
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A cape or robe to protect whatever you’re wearing
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Potentially a little water
Now for the fun part. Once you've got your gloves on, take a strand of hair and twist it as you run the chalk down. Loosen the twist, and then repeat, always draw the chalk down the strand, never up.
When you feel you’ve applied the right amount of color, gently brush the strand with a natural bristled brush. Repeat this process with as many colors on as many strands as you choose.
For best results, work your hair into a colorful updo. Messy buns and braids look great! This keeps the chalk from wiping off on your clothes.
When it comes time to wash your color out at the end of the day, use the natural bristle brush to break up some of the powder with gentle strokes. In the shower, use a clarifying shampoo (baby shampoo is awesome) to lift away all the chalk. Because the chalk and the clarifying are both drying, use a deep conditioner and leave it on for at least three minutes before rinsing it out.
Have you ever chalked your hair? We'd love to see how it turned out! Send us your photos (submissions@modernmom.com) and we'll add them to our photo gallery!
