- Food coloring is a less abrasive way of coloring hair. While its effects may not last as long as chemical compounds, the hair will be less brittle, without as much breakage. Hair should not be washed for three days after dying, unless you want to remove some color. The color will last approximately one month before it washes out. There will be no drastic root color contrasts, as it washes out evenly.
- A few drops of food coloring is combined with half a cup of shampoo in a bottle, applied to hair and allowed to soak in. Bleached and lighter hair colors absorb the color in a shorter time frame (half an hour), while darker hair needs as much as 3 hours. Gloves should be used so hands aren't stained. Dye should be kept from the face as well. Hair is then rinsed in warm water and allowed to dry.
- Avoid looking like an Easter Egg gone wrong, and do a color test first. Use some hair from a recent hair cut or from your brush to test the color on. If you have an allergic reaction to food dyes in general, you will have to be concerned with the same reaction; if you ingest food coloring without any allergies, you will not have to worry. To remove the hair color, fresh lemon juice can be used prior to shampooing.
- This coloring method will add color to already light hair, but doesn't cover gray. It creates more of a tint and highlight and should not be expected to recolor hair as chemical colors do. Chemical coloring methods strip the color out of the hair and then replace it. This is why they are so harsh on the hair and make it brittle. Food coloring won't do this, but is considered a temporary rinse.
