Sunday, March 23, 2008

Pink Wannabe Turns Yellow

Remember that scene in Grease where Frenchie comes into prom looking like a "blonde pineapple"? I did that to myself yesterday.

First, you should know that unlike Frenchie, I am NOT a beauty school drop out! They actually granted me a license and once upon a time I was a professional hairstylist. I was pretty good at it, but I was very young and at that time I lacked the self confidence and personality(or so I thought) befitting a stylist.

Now, some of ya'll already know that I've had the whole turning 40 thing on my mind a lot lately. It's crazy, I know, but I've been worried about the way I look...I don't know what 40 is supposed to look like! I think of Edith Bunker for some reason when I hear 40. House dresses and roller set hair. I so don't want to be that. Anyway, I'm fighting the 40 frump by dressing a little better, working the makeup more often and I am finally back to exercising regularly and I'm back on WW. And I'm feeling better about the whole thing, really.

Still, I have been thinking/pondering/wondering about doing something drastic. One last hoo-ra before the big day. Like pink. Yes, pink. Pink highlights to be specific. I think I might be able to pull it off. But then I remember I'm turning 40 in 6 months and Pink Hair + 40 Year Old = Obvious Midlife Crisis in the eyes of everyone around me. But still, pink hair would be fun. Especially if I could look like this. and not like this:But, I'm not that brave. I just like to pretend that I'm cool. I'm not really.

So nothing drastic for me.

Still, my hair has been looking a little mousy as of late. My natural color is what my mom calls "dishwater blonde". Since Mom was a stylist for over 20 years, it was only natural that I started getting highlights in the sixth grade. Since then, my hair has been a number of colors: strawberry blonde, plain old blonde, WHITE blonde, light brown, light auburn, bright red(I have a scary photo of that somewhere), and once I turned it a pale purple-y grayish blonde by mistake. OH, and not too long ago I ended up w/yellow roots. Just the roots! Sheeeesh. Continue reading and you'll see that I NEVER LEARN.

I never go to a salon for color(someday I will splurge and do that). Nothing against it, I just don't have the well deserved 80+ bucks that it costs for salon quality color every 3 months, so home hair color it is. I figure I can handle it on my own...although I'm fairly certain it usually looks like a home hair color job.

Now, on to the yellow hair... Since I'm not brave enough for pink, I decided on red. A light auburn-y red to which I was going to add highlights. That's drastic, but not scary. I was in WalMart w/a box of red in my hand when I run into my best friend Trish. SHE tells me I should go blonde. "My favorite color on you is light streaky blonde" she says. OK, I haven't been light streaky blonde in a while! Let's do it! I get a frosting kit and go on my merry way.

I pulled it through a cap. Yes, I know that is SO 1980's but I can control it a little better that way. I put it on heavy, ya'll. And I took it off early. I KNOW that I should leave it on long enough for bleach to do it's thing and get past the yellow stage, I know! I know! I know! I did the same thing a month ago to my roots. BUT I have so many layers of color and damage on my hair that after an HOUR of bleach, I was afraid my hair would start falling out. So I did what I knew better than do and I rinsed my hair before it had completely processed. And it came out yellow.

In the light at home, I thought, "OK, I can get used to this, it's not THAT bad". Mark and I went shopping and I traipsed around the antique mall w/my yellow hair. Mark kept telling me it was yellow(gee thanks) but it wasn't until we were at our favorite Pizza place and I went into the bathroom that I realized just how bad it was!

Jump to Me on the phone:
"Uh, Mom"
"yes"
"I have yellow hair. What color can I put on it to pull it out?"
"Light or beige blonde."
"OK. Hey, they have champagne...how 'bout champange" I like the sound of that "Champagne Blonde". It sounds all sophisticated and grown up.
"Yeah, that'll work. Just remember to leave it on long enough!" My mom knows me well.

Once more, I slathered my head with chemicals...but left it on the full amount of time. It worked! Whew, thank goodness! A lighter blonde to correct the yellow would have given me more of what I was hoping for and the end result is not really all that drastic a change, but it is a change that I can live with. AND it is better than yellow!

Before. Mousy.After. Yellow. This is when I'm thinking. "I can get used to this".In case you are thinking "It's really not that yellow." Yeah, it was. This is what I discovered at the pizza place. See that look on my face. That is called "*&^%%^! I have yellow hair and I've been walking around like this ALL DAY! In PUBLIC!"And finally. Whew. No more color for me for a while. Until I'm brave enough for pink.

10 comments:

Bonnie O. said...

You look gorgeous! It's a great spring-y color. I'm envious that you can do it yourself. You really look terrific!!!!

I colored my hair a couple times using a very slightly auburn Loreal color. It looked fine. but of course, I couldn't leave well enough alone so I changed not just colors (wanted a little more red) but manufacturers. I ended up with a purple red. I mean seriously purple. Like a glass of wine was dumped on my head. Plus I missed some spots. I knew I was doomed when I went for a walk with my friend who is known for only saying nice things even when pushed and she said, "Oh Bon, it's not so good." LOL. Off to the salon I went where I have continued to plunked down my $100 + tip every 8 weeks. Ugh.

Anonymous said...

Well it's a first !!! I didn't scroll straight to the bottom of the page. I read all your post and I must say the photos only got better. Yes it looked yellow? I'd say BLONDE !!! I love how it looks now. Your face said it all in the first photo. LOL !!! Stop worrying about your 40th. Life begins..... I can assure you !!!! Like that song, ooooo don't think of the darft guy who sang it.
Thanks for putting a smile on my face today !!!!
Cheers to your Champange xx

Anonymous said...

I actually like the yellow lol. It doesn't look as bad as I imagined from your story. I love the end result though, I think it's just that much more subtle. Bright is only really good if you're one of those boobs out, walk tall all the time kinda women. I really wanted to try pink just once for such a long time....then I saw a middle aged lesbian murdering the exact shade I wanted. Definitely cured the urge.

Angie @ Many Little Blessings said...

You look great! :)

It was funny reading the whole saga -- glad you listened to your Mom the last time. ;) LOL

Patty said...

I really like it!

Lisa Boyer said...

WOW!! Stunning. You're a dang fine looking 40 year old! LOVE the hair--but how are you ever going to duplicate that whole procedure?? Too funny...

Kellie said...

It looks great! I was blonde for so long and I always did it at home. One day I wanted to switch to brunette and I turned purple. I had to do purple for a couple of weeks! No more color for me. I'm sticking to my natural brown for now.

jfn Photography said...

Aawww! Kell! You're so pretty! :) You look gorgeous! In these pictures you could pass for late 20s early 30s...no doubt. :) I definitely love the blonde hair on you! I agree with Trish! :) It looks like a salon job to me!

Birdie said...

Funny post a pretty hair!
(p.s. I clicked on you at Pinky's)

Lindsay Jean said...

Go pink, I beg of you! I did it for the Breast Cancer 3-day: bleached it white, ended with hot pink. It was a blast. You have such beautiful features and lovely skin, it would work very well on you, I think.