Ahhh... Vanity
I confess to being so vain. I thought I could just let my hair go gray and be happy with the “au naturel” look, but instead I opted for another round of color. It turns out I really like my hair color of so many years.
I remember when I was 12 or so, our beautician would always say, “When your hair starts to turn brown, we can fix it. Don’t worry.” But my hair never turned brown. Instead it stayed a somewhat streaky blond.
It was only 4 years ago that my previous hair stylist suggested that I might want to cover up the gray. It was then that I realized the blond was being overtaken and my hair was losing its umph. So I did it.
The first time I used one of those hoody things where they pull your hair through little holes and the pain is excruciating. It was after only one such experience that someone told me about the little foil packets, a much more humane way to go. But the smell of the chemicals was still somewhat nauseating.
About 2 years ago, I switched to my current hair stylist, Richard, at Axis in Dupont. He is a master with color. He decided to use three different colors so as best to match my hair before the gray set in. He uses coloring hair products that don’t stink or sting.
But the best news is I never have a line or ugly roots when my hair grows out. I hadn’t had the coloring done in a year and it was impossible to tell where the color left off and my natural gray took over.
He laughed as we started today, reminding me that I had said this would be the last time. It was painless, other than the big bucks I had to shell out. And it definitely looks better. He is also helping me grow my hair out, since even I could detect that it was getting way too short.
So I’m good to go for another year or so. At some point maybe my vanity will bow to the gray. For some reason, I’ve been humming this song all day long. It was popular when I first moved here and my hair was literally 3 feet long. I was probably even more vain back then.
You’re So Vain (Carly Simon)
You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht
Your hat strategically dipped below one eye
Your scarf it was apricot
You had one eye on the mirror as you watched yourself gavotte
And all the girls dreamed that theyd be your partner
Theyd be your partner, and...
Youre so vain, you probably think this song is about you
Youre so vain, Ill bet you think this song is about you
Dont you? dont you?
You had me several years ago when I was still quite naive
Well you said that we made such a pretty pair
And that you would never leave
But you gave away the things you loved and one of them was me
I had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee
Clouds in my coffee, and...
I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee
Clouds in my coffee, and...
Well I hear you went up to saratoga and your horse naturally won
Then you flew your lear jet up to nova scotia
To see the total eclipse of the sun
Well youre where you should be all the time
And when youre not youre with
Some underworld spy or the wife of a close friend
Wife of a close friend, and...
posted by Barbara at 7:59 AM
16 Comments:
I thought your hair was lovely as it was, but still, I can't wait to see the new color!
I had my hair dyed (or as one acquaintenance of mine would say, "naturalized") two or three times in 2006 when my grays started to bother me. I stopped seeing the color guy more out of laziness than anything, but now I tend not to focus on the gray anymore and actually like my hair as it is. A couple of folks have even mistaken my grays for highlights and asked me where I got them done!
The last time I got my hair cut, my new stylist asked me what I wanted to do about color, and I said, "absolutely nothing" with conviction. And I was not swayed when she started the litany of wondersful claims about what highlights and lowlights and whatnots could do for me. Maybe some day I will go down that path, but not yet. . . .
P.S. Sorry about all the typos above - I kleerly have'nt haad enufh cawfee yet. (: )
Adrianne -- I never seem to notice typos until someone points them out to me. But you can go drink your coffee anyway!
As for your hair, I don't remember seeing even a fleck of gray. I just remember admiring your long pony tail and remembering a time when my hair was that long and longer. I couldn't even imagine you with the super short hair you said you had at one time.
When I used to get perms my hair would always become lighter than I wanted it to be so I'd dye it back to a darker color which would then fade out over time. By then the perm would have grown out a bit, revealing the unpermed natural color that I had been dyeing my hair to try to match before it faded - what a pain!!!
These days the fading process works for me because there's some gray coming in. So I never have to deal with dark roots - just gray ones. I guess the lighter blonde streaks that I now have are probably actually gray with color on top, although my hair has always been a somewhat naturally streaky dirty blonde.
I think I'll probably just keep coloring it until it's completely white and then I'll stop. I think totally white hair looks pretty cool.
Remember when in the "little house" books, Laura cut bangs and her dad called it "her lunatic fringe"? ::Laugh::: Our hair has been called "a woman's crowning glory". It's amazing how much we think about our hair!
I've never colored my hair, but I'm not gray yet. I'm not sure what I'll do when that happens! I can't wait to see the new hair; though, I did like the old hair. :)
Oh thasnk God...
I've been singin' that song wrong for 35 years...
I always sing the third verse as
Your scopic was Africa" and I knew it wasn't right and I didn't figger scopic was even a word but it worked.
i belted it out too, but no one ever said "Hey Idiot..."
Also, i used to know what "clouds in my coffee" meant. i figgered that out three times, but I was real stoned amd I forgot.
Cyndy -- Sounds like we have similar hair. I'm just a few years ahead of you.
Kelly -- We do agonize over hair, even declaring "bad hair days." The good thing about hair, though, is you can always change it.
Kristin -- You won't even be able to tell the difference when you see me. Richard is so subtle in coloring it.
Your hair is such a beautiful color naturally. All those people who have gotten wigs made from your many shorn locks are so fortunate.
Bulletholes -- I was young and very single when this song came out. I always thought it was incredibly sexy. I fantasized about role-playing! And, yes it is nice to learn the real words after singing the wrong ones all this time.
Gee Barbara,
I'd like to know what magical coloring your stylist uses. I'm in the colorist's chair every three weeks! Yikes!
One of the younger men where I'm doing my library project said today, "Your hair is a lot darker than it was previously. It looks very goth."
Just call me goth-chick!
some dye, some don't but in the end we all die....
okay it's lame
I've been fantasizing about getting my hair done... it's been about a year now, so guess it's time....
E -- I think Goth sounds sort of exciting! I have no idea what Richard uses, but I'm glad I only have to pay for it once or twice a year.
Kim -- Your hair is about the same color as mine I think. Fairly forgiving, yes?
You know that song is allegedly about Warren Beatty, right?
I must admit hair care has always been kind of a mystery to me, as you can imagine! I thought your hair looked great before, though -- when I see you again it will be interesting to note the difference! :)
P.S. I loved Bulletholes' comment. Misinterpretations of lyrics are always so amusing!
Steve -- I had forgotten the origin of the song. Yes, now I do remember. And I certainly understand that level of vanity!
As for my hair, you won't even notice the difference. Richard is a coloring genius. I will ever be indebted to Reya for introducing me to him!
What I want to hear is the story of when you decided not to show people your hair any longer. I'm sure it's a good one.
Song lyrics are tricky. Especially for people like me who listen more to the music than the words. I usually discover something I have been singing wrong when I actually look at the lyrics of any song.
So you're a blondie, or were. I'm one who was brown. Nothing to turn to, I was already there. But . . . and don't get me wrong . . . I refuse to go blond because who says they are better? :>) I can be so stubborn.
RuthD -- We get to make the choices about our hair, yes?
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