Comments on: Taking the plunge

By: C.S. Lewiston

C.S. Lewiston — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:11:42 +0000

I myself have a touch of grey (and I don’t mean the ridiculous hair dye of that name). I’ve been thinking of dyeing my grey, not with Grecian Formula or any of that bushwa, but with Manic Panic hair dye, yes the same fine product with which our punkish younger brothers and sisters dye their hair intense primary colors.

I don’t plan to turn my hair fluorescent red or purple. I’ve seen kids who wear those colors rather well, but they wouldn’t look good on someone my age. I thought of using a subtler shade, like ecru. Something just intense enough to turn the grey to not-grey.

By: Mighty Ponygirl

Mighty Ponygirl — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:58:22 +0000

So I always thought there was no way I’d dye my hair, that I would just let myself grey and accept it as a natural part of life.

Then this antenna sprouted from the crown of my head. I mean, seriously. I felt like an R.C. racer.

I’m rethinking that committment. I’m still too lazy to dye, but if this is how my greys are going to come in, fuck that shit!

By: Zuzu

Zuzu — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:38:53 +0000

Oh, also? I was swayed by the fact that I have a job interview this week. If I were established in a job, it would be different. But I really do hesitate to telegraph “middle aged” when I’m on the job market.

By: Zuzu

Zuzu — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:36:48 +0000

Well, after all that buildup and psyching myself up, nothing. I didn’t have enough gray, after all, to make things interesting. But since I had the appointment booked, I went ahead with the appointment. The colorist evened out my color (going from red/auburn ends with brown-and-gray roots to chocolate brown), then put in highlights, which lightened the brown considerably. Then the stylist gave me a great cut (a short bob somewhat like Ellen Barkin’s), and I was on my way.

Bonus: the chemicals didn’t burn my scalp or make me itch like the ones in home haircolor kits.

I admit that I was swayed by the colorist’s blurting out, “But 25 is too young to be gray!” when I mentioned that I wanted to bring out the gray. She was shocked when I told her how old I actually was.

What can I say? I’m vain about my young appearance.

By: thebewilderness

thebewilderness — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 05:11:10 +0000

I dyed my hair for years, until a friend who is a hairdresser explained to me that my efforts to prevent technicolor hair were what was causing the technicolor hair. She put me through hours of misery, but when she was through my hair grew out and you couldn’t tell it wasn’t natural streaky. After a few months it was entirely naturally streaky, and a lot healthier. I am reconciled to technicolor hair and have not dyed it since.
I hope you are as happy ignoring yours as I am ignoring mine.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:46:15 +0000

Interesting. In my case, my method of turning gray is simply “not dying,” “e” deliberately omitted.

By: Amanda Marcotte

Amanda Marcotte — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:17:16 +0000

Congrats!

By: binky

binky — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:58:14 +0000

Good for you! One of the things that is awesome about the process is that it feels like participating in an ongoing science experiment (check what grew in the petri dish over night!). Although, there are days where I wish I could go straight to emmylou (including the talent).