Unicorn Hair Is Pure Magic Here's A DIY Guide

Unicorns are popping up everywhere these days, from your latte to your cannoli, to your vibrator, because, let’s face it: life is much more tolerable when you believe in magic. If you’re looking to transform your locks into the tresses reminiscent of the fantastical beasts known as unicorns, you can achieve the look simply, and at home. Here’s everything you need to know about unicorn hair.

Unicorn Hair Mood Board

How to DIY Unicorn Hair

Forget spending hours in the salon and dropping tons of cash if you want to rock unicorn hair. You can achieve salon-worthy results with a DIY line aptly called Unicorn Hair. Founded by Doe Deere, who launched Unicorn Hair under her parent company Lime Crime Makeup, Unicorn Hair offers a range of 21 colors of fantasy hair color. All Unicorn Hair products are vegan and cruelty-free semi-permanent hair color.

Colors are conditioning, direct deposit (no mixing required) and fade gracefully. Each 6.76 fl oz / 200 mL jar of color is $16, and comes in a rainbow of shades with whimsical names like Moonchild, Neon Peach, and Jello.

Start with bleached hair

The lighter your hair, the more vibrantly the color will appear. For best results, before applying any color, bleach your hair to a medium or pale blonde. When you go to the salon to lighten your hair, this is step one in your double process. If you don’t bleach your hair first, the color will appear as a tint.

Clip your hair into sections

After your hair is freshly bleached and dried, divide your hair into multiple one-inch sections, depending on how many colors you want to use. Use gloves and a mixing bowl and applicator brush. Apply desired color from the roots all the way to the ends with applicator brush. Massage the color in with your fingers as you work to really saturate the follicle. (Be sure to protect clothes and surfaces, as the product will stain.)

For pastel results, the folks at Unicorn Hair suggest leaving the color in for 30 minutes. For a deeper, more intense hue, leave in for one to two hours. Rinse until the water runs clear. You may use a post-conditioning treatment, but it’s not necessary because the Unicorn Hair product is a conditioning dye, specially formulated to nourish hair.

How to extend the color

Use a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner formulated for colored hair. You might also want to wash your hair less frequently to extend the color. Voila! You’ve transformed yourself into a unicorn, babes.

About the author

Jill Di Donato

Fashion Editor

Jill is a New York native who holds a BA in Literature from Barnard College, and an MFA in writing from Columbia University. She is the author of the novel Beautiful Garbage (She Writes Press, 2013) about the downtown Manhattan art and fashion scene in the 1980s. A former staff writer for The Huffington Post and Bustle, Jill comes to Culture Trip after working with Refinery 29, Vice, Salon, Paste Style, Los Angeles Times, Nylon, Shopify, Autre, and producing content for emerging fashion labels. She teaches classes about fashion and culture at Barnard College and The Fashion Institute of Technology. Her prized possessions are her Gucci fanny pack, vintage rocker t-shirts, and her grandmother's collection of costume jewelry. She's always on the lookout for a gem-encrusted turban.