It started innocently enough, about a week ago, with a bit of bleach to add some highlights. OK so it’s been a few months since I had touched up. No biggie, I put the bleach on the ends first right? So the “virgin” hair doesn’t overprocess. I continued with the bleaching by applying it to the “virgin” hair. This (predictablly) gave me white “roots” with a brighter shade of brassy-orange (think traffic cone) on the majority of my hair. I didn’t cry but I was a little sad about it. Later that day, I thought I could take away from the brassiness by adding some cool or ashy tones to it. I remembered that I still had some “Ultra Violet” manic panic temporary hair dye from when my sister and I dyed her dog purple. Being the completely rational person I am, I proceeded to cover my entire head of hair with the afore mentioned purple dye.
Absolutely terrible. Violet-yes, Ultra–not exactlly. It couldn’t even pass for a funky streaky type of thing. It was all blotchy, bright here, dark there. I became a hermit only leaving my house with a hat for the next week.
Ok so finally, after tons of clarifying shampoo, and a couple of days, the ultra violet is almost gone. I decide to do some more temporary dye due to the condition of my hair. (The temporary dye wouldn’t do as much further damage as permanent.) I found a really cool intense red shade to use. I really liked the bright red, it was a little bit extreme for me–being 27, instead of 17… but I was coping.
So on my birthday, my b/f and I are on our way to my sister’s house to do my little party thing with her kids. I was having a little bit of an issue with my hair being too long, pony tail was too heavy, but my hair was all stringy looking left down. It was also starting to become a more dull watermelon red shade. Obviously, I am in no shape mentally to even consider any more changes with it. (OK so you may be saying “Not mentally in shape for much if this whole hair issue makes you go on like this!” Well to that I would have to just say “fine, whatever”)
My sister, well meaning I’m sure, senses my distress and offers to help me out by giving me a little cut. I was vunerable and clearly not using good judgment because, I think I said OK. All I know is that all of a sudden–my non-cosmetologist sis is chopping away at my hair. I get up and look in the trash can and am very surprised to see an enourmous amout of fiery red and auburn locks of hair in it. I go to the bathroom mirror to further inspect the damage. Oh good lord. It is really bad.
I politely thank her and begin to gather my personal effects to go home(choking back my tears and masking my horror.) As soon as my b/f shuts his car door and starts the car, the tears start flowing. We came home and I proceed to the bathroom mirror-yet again-only to discover it was worse than I originally suspected. If anyone has seen the TV show “American Idol,” you will know the girl I am thinking of, she has short bright red hair, Nikki I think. She’s cute and all, but for the love of God, I don’t want to look like I am following her lead or something. I am not a follower, I don’t jump on the trendy bandwagons. I have always had my own thing going on… More crying, barganing, denial, finally a bit of acceptance. I kept repeating: “It is only hair. It will grow back. It is only hair. It will grow back”
But will it? Is it only hair??? I mean it is really awful… If I tried to go have it corrected (this time at a real salon, btw) I am afraid all they could do would be to give me a buzz cut and send me on my way. Maybe this reaction is a bit histrionic, being that it is only a hair cut. I know there are major problems in the world, heck there are even more important problems going on in my own backyard I’m sure. I really think I may go buy a wig. I wouldn’t mind a really short cut, but it would make me look like a reverse power puff girl. I would have a teeny little head on a big oversized body. I need some balance up here. Ok that’s it I gotta go shampoo or something… sigh…
