Hair-chalking, a relatively new way to colour your hair. What is hair chalking? It is literally temporarily colouring your hair, with soft chalk/pastel and is an excellent way to get that bright and vibrant colour you’re looking for, but without the worry of having to have purple highlights at your next business meeting.
So who can chalk their hair? Anyone. Are you a brunette (or individual with black hair) who is tired of tirelessly trying to dye your hair to no avail? Jealous of all those blondes who can so easily change their hair colour? Hair chalking is a method that will work on any hair colour – and not some washed out, barely noticeable highlight on black hair. No matter what hair colour you have, the chalk will show up just as vibrant as the chalk you use.
Before you start, make sure you visit a good art store to buy some chalk pastels / soft chalk (Michaels may carry some good brands, but I definitely recommend the art store in Kensington – despite the small size, they carry everything. A few years ago when I was looking for soft chalk at Michaels they didn’t have any, but managed to snag a package of ~50 colours for less than $10.00 which is really cheap considering the better quality brands sell for $4 a colour. )
This is where things get a little different. Blondes – you don’t have to worry about a thing. Anyone with darker hair shades should ensure that their hair is damp (after a shower, or you could mist it down). First of all, select the strand you want to color, and twist it. Twisting your hair gives it a surface texture in which the chalk will easily release pigment onto. Run the chalk along the strand, being sure to brush the strand once or twice to remove all the loose dust. Once you’ve done this step, you’re ready to go! However, I have a few warnings for you before you try this.
Because it is chalk – it will likely rub off onto clothes. However, this problem can be lessened by putting your chalked hair into a messy bun – or by wearing clothes similar to the color of chalk you use. Keeping this in mind, be sure to try to blow or brush off as much dust as you can prior to dropping it into the washer. Water is what turns the chalk dust into a real pigment, which would stain your clothes. This is why individuals with a darker shade of hair must use water prior to chalking their hair – the pigment is much more vibrant than just the dust. It is recommended that blondes avoid wetting their hair unless you’re okay with having a semi-permanent highlight.
When you get home, be sure to once again, brush your hair out to remove any loose chalk from your hair, and be sure to shampoo well (I wouldn’t recommend waiting until the morning to shower, unless you don’t mind chalk highlights on your face and pillow).
And now, the best of luck to you all in your hair-chalking endeavours. It’s definitely something to try when you feel like adding a bit of spice to your hair, without damaging it with bleach or harsh chemical hair dyes. For those of you who do try it, I’d love to see your results!
