How to Dye Your Hair With Washable Markers

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 8, 2021 Approved

Dying your hair a unique color is a great way to express yourself. However, not everyone has the time or money to purchase special hair dyes or visit the salon. Additionally, not everyone can commit to having unusually-colored hair for a long period of time. Washable markers are a cheap and temporary option for getting fun, funky hair.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing the Dye

1
Choose your color(s). If you have dark hair, your best bet is choosing a darker color. If you have very light hair, you have more options because almost all colors will show up on your hair.
- If you want to try a really “out there” color or don't quite know how a certain color will look on you, this DIY hair dye is perfect for you.
- You don't have to commit to any color for too long, and it's no big deal if you don't like your results– it will be gone in a couple of washes.
2
Pop open the colored marker that you want to use. Crayola washable markers work well and come in a variety of different colors and shades, but any brand of marker will do as long as it is labeled "washable". Once you've chosen your color (or colors), you need to get the ink out. With just a little bit of force, you can break open the marker.
- Using scissors, pry the stopper off the end so that the back of the marker is completely open.^{[1]
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- Tap the front of the marker against a hard surface, so that the ink tube inside is knocked loose.
- Carefully extract the ink tube.
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3
Blow the ink out of the tube into a container. To do this, you'll first need to dip the tip of the tube into water. As the tip is submerged, the ink will flow out of that tip to the opposite. The tip in the water will begin turning white as the ink leaves. Continue holding the tube in the water until the tip is completely white, and thus ink-free. Once it's white, you're safe to put your lips on the tube and begin blowing.^{[2]
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- Make sure you're holding the tube over a cup or container of some sort. Once you begin blowing, ink will flow from the opposite end, You need something to catch the ink to avoid making a mess.
4
Add your favorite hair conditioner to the dye, if you choose. You can apply the dye directly to the hair if you want a more intense color. However, some people prefer adding a squirt of hair conditioner to the extracted dye. Adding conditioner will make the dye easier to work with, but it will also dilute the color. Try both methods, and decide which one you prefer.^{[3]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Applying the Dye

1
Wear gloves and an old shirt. Washable marker dye will stain your hands and clothing just like it stains your hair. It will wash off your hands, but your hands may have a strange tint for a couple days if you don't use gloves. Put on an old t-shirt that you don't care about, because it will certainly get on your clothing (unless you're a seasoned pro).^{[4]
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2
Apply the dye however you desire. Some people prefer to dip the ends of their hair into the container of dye, while others like to paint streaks throughout their hair. Maybe you want to just do a section of your hair, or maybe you want to be ambitious and dye every strand on your head. Just keep in mind how much dye you have to work with. The more hair you want to cover, the more dye you need, and the more markers you need to crack open.
- Some DIY hair colorists prefer cutting open the ink tube and rubbing the felt directly onto the hair. You can certainly try this method if you think it would be easier for the look you want to create.^{[5]
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3
Cover your hair as you let the dye soak. If you did streaks of dye, wrap the sections in foil to prevent the dye from rubbing on the other un-dyed sections.^{[6]
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Research source} If you dip-dyed your hair, you can wrap the tips in foil or leave them exposed. Just be extremely careful not to rub your hair on anything while the dye soaks.
- Unlike traditional hair dye, you will not be washing this dye out of your hair. Instead, you will let your hair dry with the ink in it. Keep the foil on until your hair is dry.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Checking Your Results

1
Dry your freshly-inked hair. If you used foil on sections, remove after 30 minutes to an hour to let your hair air dry. It's best to let your tresses dry naturally, although you can certainly blow dry if you are short on time. While your hair is drying, be careful not to rub your hair on furniture, walls, or anything else that the ink could transfer to.^{[7]
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- If you used an ink and conditioner combo, wash the mix out with cold water. Then let air dry.
2
Examine your results. If the color is more intense than you like, rinse with cold water. It's important to use cold water, because hot water can strip the dye from your hair completely. If you don't think your hair dye is dark enough, you can do the process again until you achieve the desired effect.^{[8]
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- The great thing about this hair dying technique is that you can really tailor it to the look you want to create. You can rinse it easily to lighten the color, and you can do it repeatedly to darken a color without damaging your hair. Unlike regular hair dye, you can play around with this method until you've figured out what works for your hair.
3
Seal the colored section with hairspray. Style your colorful hair however you want. When you're finished, set the style with hairspray. This will both hold the style, but also sea and smooth the colored sections.^{[9]
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Research source} Enjoy your fun new hair!

Community Q&A

Question

Does it damage it hair?

Community Answer

That's the nice thing about using washable markers (Crayola or other); there will be no damage to your hair.
Question

How long does it take for it to get out of your hair?

Community Answer

If you use Crayola's ultra washable marker, you can get it out immediately if you dip it in water. You will need to test other types of washable markers but they should be similar in response.
Question

Isn't the ink damaging to your hair?

Community Answer

Good question. Sharpies will damage your hair, but washable marker is fine.