TikTok’s latest viral hair hack isn’t just pointless — it’s dangerous

Did you know you can dye your hair with just perfume and a straightener?

Trick question, you absolutely cannot. A viral TikTok would tell you differently, though.

In a post that’s been viewed more than 1.2 million times since it was shared in April, TikTok star @agbe_ applied perfume to a hair straightener then ran it through her hair. It changed color from blue to hot pink right before our very eyes.

@agbe_

Jutro Premiera teledysku do tej Piosenki…Gotowi? #dc #włosy #agbe #fryzura #polskadziewczyna

♬ Zabierz mnie – Agbe

The trick seems magical, and that’s because it’s not real at all — it was just an instance of (admittedly impressive) video editing tricks.

Watch the video again and you’ll begin to notice its quirks. For instance, @agbe_ shows that her straightener is unplugged in the first shot. In the second, pink powder on the straightener is clearly visible.

Commenters pointed out these faults but criticized the fact there wasn’t any sort of warning in the caption or on the screen that discouraged people from attempting the hair hack.

“Why even do that knowing some kids won’t notice it’s not plugged in and ruin their hair? Ugh, the things people do to get likes,” one user said.

Some tagged TikTok’s “Mythbusters” over at the @partyshirt account to comment on the validity of the video, but they haven’t gotten to it yet.

Unfortunately, commenters couldn’t dissuade some bystanders from trying it out themselves. TikTok user @ninadeethai gave the hack a shot, spraying perfume onto her piping hot straightener and running it through her hair. It didn’t work, but the video did get nearly 8 million views.

@ninadeethai

#duet with @agbe_ พอได้สีแดงนิดหน่อย #parfum #color #beautyhacks #fyp

♬ Zabierz mnie – Agbe

Again, this comment section is flooded with users trying to warn against the hack.

“I tried it, it didn’t work,” one user said.

“You really burned your hair, there’s nothing to be happy about,” another wrote.

The fact that the trick is a waste of time is not as much of a problem as the fact it could legitimately be dangerous.

Applying heat to your hair after spraying it with perfume “will inevitably cause damage and could lead to hair loss if it’s already in a fragile state,” Nicole Petty, a hair care expert told My Imperfect Life.

Not to mention the fact that putting a flammable, ethanol-rich substance on a 400-degree heating device could create a “Molotov lock-tail,” as Ben Cost of the New York Post wrote.

The real hair hack? Consult a professional for dye tips or use temporary hair chalk, and always keep potentially volatile substances far away from your face.

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