There are many different hair dyes you can use to color your hair: some permanent and some temporary. Here are instructions to tint your hair a different color by using coffee or Kool-Aid.

Coffee

Coffee beans have been around for centuries to create a natural caffeine-containing stimulant drink, but you can do more with brewed coffee than drink it. You can use organic roasted coffee beans to make a rich brown hair dye that can even color gray hair and is free of the chemicals that can be found in boxed hair dyes.

According to the National Cancer Institute, there are over 5,000 different chemicals (some of them considered carcinogenic), found in conventional hair dyes. Coffee as a hair dye has an added benefit, as it has been found to help your hair's health and stimulate follicle growth, and it won't irritate your skin if you have sensitive skin.

It is important that you use organic coffee beans when dying your hair so you can avoid the chemicals that are added to regular coffee beans. Make sure you get coffee beans that are a dark roast or espresso so you can get more of a darker color from the beans to help dye your hair.

How to Use it

First, grind up the beans, or if you are using pre-ground beans, add them to your coffee maker to brew two cups of extra-strong coffee. If you have longer hair, you may want to double the amount brewed to four cups. Let the brewed coffee cool, then place it in a plastic bowl.

Prepare yourself for the coffee hair dye application. Be sure to put on an old shirt you don't mind staining during the hair dye process, or lay an old towel over your shoulders to protect your shirt. Also, do the dying process in the bathroom in front of the mirror so you can see what you are doing.

For every cup of coffee you use to dye your hair, add two tablespoons of hair conditioner and two tablespoons of fresh organic coffee grounds. Mix this up in the bowl and apply it onto your hair in small sections, as you would regular hair dye. It can be helpful to use a color hair dye applicator brush to smooth it into your hair and apply it onto each hair strand.

Let this sit on your hair for one hour, then rinse it off in the shower without using shampoo. If you want, repeat this process until your hair reaches its desired rich-brown color. The color will slowly fade from your hair after each shampooing.

Kool-Aid

You may be familiar with making and drinking Kool-Aid, but you can also use it to dye your hair a wide variety of bright colors. Select the flavor of Kool-Aid according to the color you want to dye your hair. Make sure it is sugar-free Kool-Aid, as this colors your hair more darkly. 

How to Use it

Add one packet of Kool-Aid to a couple tablespoons of boiling water in a mug, then mix it with a spoon until the drink mix is combined. If you hair is longer, add additional packets of the same Kool-Aid flavor until you have enough to dye your hair. Then, add in a couple of squirts of your hair conditioner for each Kool-Aid packet and mix it around to make a paste. Be sure to wear an old shirt that you don't mind staining from the Kool-Aid. Use a hair color brush to apply it onto your hair in sections to cover all strands, as you would traditional hair color. 

Wrap your hair in some plastic wrap to keep your hair wet and off your shoulders while it dyes your hair. Let the mixture sit on your hair anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours, depending on how dark you want your hair color. Shampoo your hair until the water runs clear and apply conditioner, as usual. The color will fade gradually with each time you shampoo it.

Use these two beverages to color your hair. For a more lasting and professional look, contact local hair stylists.