By now you’ve probably seen one of the most popular trends for coloring hair: hair chalk! From runways and music festivals to Halloween and fun nights out with friends, hair chalk is a go-to for adding a quick dab of color to hair both easily and affordably.

If celebs like Paris Hilton, Gwen Stefani, and Pink are using it, then this is one trend you need to get in on!

What Is A Hair Chalk?

Hair chalk is a stick of color, similar to regular chalk, but is given its color by mixing a variety of ingredients together.

While hairstylists and suppliers have their own process of making it, the typical ingredients are mixed with “dry pigment, some chalk, and a binder,” according to Thaneeya McArdle, a pastel artist at Art Is Fun.

While you theoretically could use regular chalk on your hair, it wouldn’t have the same colorful effect or work the same way chalk made specifically for hair works.

How to Use Hair Chalk

Depending on what kind of hair chalk you use, there are several ways to apply it. There are some chalks you apply using gloved hands and there are others that come already on a stick or a comb that you simply smooth on down the hair shaft.

• Start with a clarifying shampoo to get rid of any build-up on the hair. You can apply chalk on wet or dry hair, but just make sure it’s clean. You’ll need to read the directions for the type of hair chalk you buy to see specifics. For some chalks, you’ll apply color when the hair is damp.
• Avoid the scalp or roots, concentrating the color halfway down the hair for an ombre effect or on the tips for a small addition of color.
• For both powder and hair sticks, rub the color straight down – not back and forth – on your section of hair until the color shows up to your desired level.
• After applying, let the hair air dry, then straighten locks to seal the color in. Misting the colored parts with a hair spray will help the color last as well.

Hot tools are another thing to keep in mind when styling your hair after coloring it. Some hair chalks work well with heat styling and the color will look even better in tight spiral curls or pin-straight locks. Others may fade from the hair or transfer onto your tool. However, you want to style your hair, be sure to read the hair chalk’s directions first!