Blonde
It started with lemons sprayed into our hair while sitting in the sun on the back deck. It tweaked my dark hair only a little. It was just a summer thing and nobody noticed but me. But I liked the innocent and lighter accents that showed up around my forehead.
Next, my sister and I tried Sun-In, that cult hair lightener in a spray bottle. It imparted some gold tones but also a reddish cast. I tolerated it for the summer but my sister gave up.
In college, my roommate and I bought Paint-On Highlights. I liked that I could control where my blond streaks were placed but I made mistakes before I got it right. I used it for years and once left it on to dry until it was crunchy. I was chatting on the phone when I noticed platinum streaks under the crackles. Fortunately, my older brother heard me screech from another room and helped me wash my hair in the kitchen sink. I cried for days. “Never again”, I told myself but soon another box of “paint” came into the house. Now I was extra careful about timing and more methodical instead of slapping it on. I liked the way the highlights shone in the sunlight and with my natural low-lights, I had a multi-dimensional look that was nearly salon-perfect. Later, when salons were doing foil highlights, I tried that. It was more expensive but I pitched the boxes of paint forever.
As professional as I thought my at-home coloring was, you couldn’t beat the magic of the intricate blond streaks, mostly under multiple layers, that a skilled hairdresser could produce. Now I looked like a natural blonde…and what’s more, I finally felt like one.
Lighter hair just seems to go with my personality. Every muse I ever aspired to was a blonde: Doris Day, Christie Brinkley from my favorite fashion magazines and even the Madonna (not the singer) who appeared my catechisms as a blonde. And I do feel somewhat divine as a blonde – not better than my dark-haired friends, just closer to who I naturally am inside. There isn’t that divide between perceptions so that no matter how I’m feeling, even if I’m having a bad (read ugly) day, I can look in the mirror and say, “Ah yes…there I am”.
But now I am at a crossroads. My hair has become so grey that highlighting is devilry. All it does is create the illusion of grey turning to white, like I imagine static looks. My beloved hairdresser is offering me two choices – embrace the grey and stop highlighting completely or begin using a one-step all over color. She’s clear to tell me that with the latter, I will lose the multi-faceted look I love because to highlight over already processed locks can damage older fine hair. Plus, it is very expensive. I may be at the end of my blonde era – I’m still mulling it over. But I have to ask myself, will I still be me as a non-blonde?
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I will be writing more soon…
5 Comments
Erina
I’m late to the comments so you may well have already decided, but it’s such fun to discuss hair that I can’t resist chiming in. Whichever your decision, you will be beautiful. I know. Since your hair has been more of an emotional expression of YOU since you became of age, fashion-wise, I would tend to think that staying all over blonde will be easier to accept. However, nothing quite beats the lovely softening God given natural color belonging to a woman of a certain age!
I’m au natural and I love my color, light brown shot through with shimmery silver. Sometimes I just admire it in a sunny mirror! I hope it continues to grey, and I look forward to it.
Finally, remember that it is just hair. Have fun!! Stay playful. Anything you choose to do is reversible. Looking forward to a post telling us all about it!
Erina xo
Donna Nance
Letting hair do its thing is most healthy. You will be lovely as a silver/grey lady. Everyone in our family was tow-headed. Eventually those fair tones turned a little darker. I went through the hair color and/or frosting as was done years ago. When the product started burning my scalp, I said no more. At seventy-six I am white headed. Miss Tracy is right: just adjust the makeup and wardrobe a bit.
Susan
I have dark brown hair turning white (salt ‘n’ pepper) and now love it, although I too fought it at first. Like the other women posting here, I get compliments from strangers, and my hair is much healthier than it ever was when I was coloring it and trying to cover up the white/gray (which fooled no one). Go for it; it’s incredibly liberating!
Karen
This much I know–whatever color your hair, you are still you! The brunette little girl and the blonde lady are one and the same, a blessing to her readers! I had dark chestnut hair and never began dyeing it, so it went naturally to dark slate gray, then silver, now streaked white and throughout, strangers in the street stop me and admire my hair. I personally think it’s not because I have spectacular hair, it’s because my hair color is, these days, a badge of courage, almost an act of social defiance. Women who have dark hair often have glorious silver hair, so I encourage you to embrace the process and trust that you’re wonderful spirit, and the beautiful self will shine through. (And think of the money, you’ll save!) Pro tip: The secret to not looking old or tired with silver, gray or white hair is to make sure that you maintain a beautiful, glowing, make up, current clothes, and a dazzling smile!
Tracy
Donna my hair was falling out from my at home hair dye. I had to dye it every four weeks and still saw grey.
I let it go and have not looked back.
I get more compliments than ever and I have to do zero to keep it happy.
Once a week use I use a purple shampoo to cancel any yellowing. Use only white or clear products so as not to deposit color.
You will have to rethink makeup and wardrobe choices.
You will come face to face with age.
Luckily dark hair tends to grey beautifully.
Good luck!