I first started turning grey when I hit 30 ( maybe 29 ) but I held out on coloring because I cringed at the thought of putting chemicals in my hair. And well.. I wasn't really that grey. After a few years though I decided that looking like a skunk (giant grey streak running down the middle of my head) was never going to be a trend so I broke down and got my hair colored. I believe I went with my natural hair color, before it turned grey that is, what Clairol might call Light Cool Brown.
Eventually the cost began to add up and I started to color it myself. After several attempts I like to think I became pretty good at it - at least to the point where all my hair was not only colored but colored evenly and there was not a drop of dye on the sink or the floor.
I moved to Austin 10 years ago got a good job, got out of debt and decided that since I had no other real vices, didn't collect shoes, clothes or purses and never got mani/pedis I deserved to have my hair done professionally - meaning not in my bathroom. I also decided I wanted to be a red head again ( I was a 'redhead' until the age of 3 when my hair decided it was a brunette). So back to the pros I went, happily. Because no matter how good I got at doing my own hair - it sucked! I hated every dye stained, rubber gloved moment of it.
Which bring us to the Purple. I recently went through a downsizing and as much as it pains me I can no longer afford to get my hair done by someone else. But hey I used to color my own hair right? In fact, as I stated, I was pretty darn good at it! So no problem right, easy peasy! um..no.
Side note: as I've gotten older I have lost a very important trait - patience. I have gotten horrible about reading directions and taking my time - you know, doing it right. So off I go to HEB to pick out a color - damn just too many choices. Clairol? L'Oreal? Revlon? Root touch up? Permanent? Crap this was hard. And let's not even start about the color variance. Auburn light or dark? Rich Auburn, Deep Auburn or Medium Auburn? I have no idea what brand I ended up with. I picked it simply by the dispenser - foam - which I figured would be the easiest to use. I went with a dark, or possibly medium, auburn because the color shown on the 'if your hair is this color it will turn out like this' chart showed the color I wanted. Yeah right.
So I figured I do the coloring Saturday morning when I had the most free time. Ah but remember I have no patience. By Thursday night I'd had it with the grey hair and figured, after reading part of the directions, that I had plenty of time. So I put on a mens white undershirt, the only smart thing I did, mixed the color, put on the crappy gloves and dove in. Halfway into coloring it hit me - my forehead was purple. My whole forehead! And why was it purple? Then I looked at my hands, and under the gloved I could see that my hands were also purple. Crap - hole in the gloves I guessed. And then I noticed the sink. Hmmm - yep purple spots there too. Obviously I had lost my hair coloring mojo. No vaseline on my forehead, no paper to cover the sink and no double gloves. And of course I am still wondering about the purple, but there is no turning back now.
I can say that at least I did cover my whole head, not a sign of grey. It's about 3 different shades of a purplish, reddish, dark brown though- not at all the way the box said it would come out mind you. But after a day or two it began to grow on me. Kind of punk-ish..sort of. My hands were purple for a few days and with the help of a little rum, I managed to de-purple my forehead. Fortunately the dye did not stain the sink or the floor.
There is of course no way to duplicate the color I ended up with and the next time I color ( a month or so from now) who knows what color it may turn out. But at least it won't be grey.
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