How To Do Coontails

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If you want to know how to do coontails scene hair, here is a quick guide. Learn how to add racoon hair extensions to hair easily at home.

Unleash your inner trendsetter with our step-by-step guide on creating the iconic coontails hair color at home. This edgy, striped look, reminiscent of a raccoon’s tail, is a bold statement that’s been a staple in alternative fashion scenes.

Whether you’re aiming for a subtle addition to your locks or a full-blown punk transformation, we’ll walk you through the process from start to finish.

We cover everything from selecting the perfect shades to precise application techniques, ensuring you can achieve professional-looking coontails without stepping into a salon. Get ready to turn heads with your striking new hairstyle!

How to do coontails hair color at home?

To create coontails hair color at home, you’ll need to section off the strands of hair where you want the coontail pattern. Protect surrounding hair with foil. Apply alternating horizontal stripes of your chosen colors using a tint brush, ensuring each stripe is evenly spaced. For a more natural raccoon tail effect, blend the edges of each color slightly. Once you’ve applied the dye, let it sit for the recommended time on the dye’s instructions, then rinse, shampoo, and condition. Remember to wear gloves and use old towels to avoid staining.

What are Coontails or Racoon Tail Stripes?

If you were somewhat popular in high school and have no idea what coontails are, let me explain. These are a type of scene hairstyle popularized by kids who had an emo and alternative aesthetic back in the day.

The name comes from the resemblance of the hair to a raccoon’s tail.

So you have alternating dark and light horizontal stripes on hair that are mostly wider in height.

This look is often achieved on dark hair by bleaching a few portions of hair. And on light hair, the exact opposite is done and certain horizontal sections are dyed black.

But most people these days use temporary dyes to get the look or add hair extensions to get the raccoon tail hairstyle.

In this article, I’ll let you know the different ways you can add coontails to your hair. First by dyeing/bleaching your hair and then by adding hair extensions.

Things You Will Need

If you want more long lasting coontails, you can use hair dye or bleach depending on your hair color.

Here’s all the things you would need:

Clear tape or masking tape
Hair clips
Bleaching powder (or hair dye depending on your hair color)
A plastic bowl and brush for mixing

Step 1: Section off your hair

You should start off by identifying where on your head you would like the coontails? Do you want them at the back like a mullet? Or would you rather have them on the front sections?

I’d suggest doing coontails on the front sections if you’re using bleach or hair dye as it’s easier.

The first step is to then section this hair. Tie all your hair together preferably in a bun or ponytail to get it out of the way first.

Step 2: Apply the masking tape

Divide the hair section further into horizontal sections and apply the masking tape leaving equal amounts of gap in the middle.

The exposed section of your hair is where the bleach and hair dye is going to be applied.

Step 3: Mix the bleach solution or hair dye

If you have dark hair you can get coontails by mixing bleach and developer to form a lightening solution.

Since your hair would need to be really light for you to see any difference you’ll need a bleach that will at least lighten your hair to 6-7 levels. This means you’ll have to use a 30 volume or maybe even a 40 volume developer.

Just be careful to select the strength of the bleach depending on the integrity of your hair strands. You don’t damage hair that is already dry and vulnerable.

If you have light hair like honey or platinum shades, this step is much easier.

All you have to do is mix black semi-permanent hair dye according to instructions and apply it on the exposed rectangles of your hair section.

Step 4: Wash off the bleach/hair dye

Leave on the hair dye for the stipulated time and rinse it off with running water. The average time you need to keep the hair dye will be anywhere from 20-30 minutes.

But with bleach it depends on the formula you’re using. Certain off scalp bleach formulas need only 10-15 minutes to lighten your hair. Others will require more time.

Also you might need to repeat the bleaching process a few times if you’re using a low volume developer.

Step 5: Dry hair and remove the masking tape

Once you’ve washed off the bleach or hair dye, pat dry your hair section so that any remaining product comes off before you remove the tape.

This will also ensure that there is no bleeding (that is, the hair dye doesn’t run off to the lighter sections of hair).

After you’re confident that the hair dye won’t run, remove the masking tape. If you’re having difficulty you can soak the hair in warm water and the glue will come off easily.

And there you have it! Your very own color block emo hairstyles, the coontails, done right at home!

Pro Tip: If you have curly/wavy hair, it’s best to straighten your hair before doing the coontails. This will help you space out the tape evenly.

Why You Should Trust Haireveryday?

The author of this article, Leah Marie Priest has a degree in Cosmetology with years of experience in dealing with hair care, scalp care, and hairstyling. As someone who extensively deals with all kinds of hair textures, products, styling methods and more, hair Leah Marie knows what kind of products and procedures suit each hair type and person. We have also tested these hair products and processes ourselves to provide you an unbiased review about every product. Each of our articles are also reviewed by a team of medical professionals so that you get the most accurate and expert-reviewed information.

FAQs about Coontails Scene Hair & Racoon Hair Stripes

What are Racoon hair extensions made from?

Raccoon hair extensions are just like regular hair extensions that have simply been colored in a stripey way to resemble a raccoon’s tail. So these extensions could be made of either human hair or synthetic fibers. It depends on the brand and the price.

Most of these cheaply available raccoon tail hair extensions are usually synthetic fibers like nylon. But if you get a good quality one, it might be dyed human hair.

How to wash out coontails?

If you’re using a temporary dye like Splat hair color or Manic Panic, it should be easy to wash them off from coontails. You should wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo just like regular times and the color would come out.

However, if you have bleached your dark hair to give the appearance of coontails, you’ll have to dye it all the same color again to make it look even.

Are coontails offensive?

No, absolutely not. The idea that the word “”coontails are offensive comes from the fact that the beginning of the word sounds like a racial slur. But the word “coontails” is actually short for “raccoon tails” as the hairstyle mimics the look of this animal’s tail.

Raccoon tails aren’t just for edgy 15 year olds anymore! These hairstyles are now trending.

It may be due to nostalgia or simply because teens now have discovered the art of scene hairstyles. But whatever it is I’m loving the comeback!

You can do coontails either by taping off sections of your hair strands and dyeing the exposed parts if you have blonde hair. Or you can try bleaching these parts if you have dark hair.

Either way, using this method is going to give a very long-lasting effect.

My suggestion? Simply get the raccoon tails hair extensions. You can clip them on whenever you desire it and remove it later if you’re heading for work or a black-tie event.

It’s also easier than dealing with the pains of washing off the dye or the fallout from bleach.