It's been just over three years since I began dying my hair a different color. Mainly purple or shades of magenta and pink as it is now, I have tried various hues of aquamarine, mixed with magenta, or rainbow-colors streaked into blonde. For every person who hates it, I get sincere compliments from at least ten fans, who love it. Spending years in retail, I had strick dress codes to follow, and when I finally retired, my attitude changed, and I wanted to try a new look.
I have never shied away from the spotlight. In high school, the big deal was getting a perm, and having to straighten it out after I got sick and tired of all the jokes about putting my finger in a light socket.
One thing that you need is a thick skin. If you can't handle the meanies, you can't look different. Some women ask me about what I use to dye my hair, so that they can color their daughter's hair. I explain that some youngsters or teens, may not be ready for the peer presure that they will receive, should only do it if they do have a good self image, and can handle snide jokes from others. I began by looking at a website called hair crazy. They have hundreds of pictures of people using different hair dyes, so you can see the results, and what different companies have to offer. I tried some expensive dyes, that didn't last long, and eventually found my favorite locally, and for a lot less money.
I love a non-toxic dye called, Adore. Nichole's Beauty Supply stocks it, and keeps plenty of Violet Gem ready for me. She must have 24 different colors, available. First, you have to remove all color from your hair. Since I was blonde for the past 4o years, I didn't have to bleach it much. Much like an artist using paint, you can't expect brown hair to look purple, so it needs to be platinum blonde to begin dying. The dryness of your newly whitened hair absorbs the dye better, and it takes a matter of minutes to apply the new color, and to make it permanent. Care needs to be taken, as the dye will color towels, clothing, and many countertops. Most important thing is to have a stash of latex or rubber gloves to protect your hands. Once done, I usually touch it up once each week, by painting it on with a coloring brush, and putting it into a paper cup. I small bottle lasts for about a month. If you are adding more than one color, you have to be careful not to let the two colors bleed into one another, and create a muddy third color. Using African Violet, and Purple Rage with Violet Gem all blend well. I make the tips darker, or contrast my bangs. After leaving on your head for firteen or twenty minutes, you can shampoo and condition your hair as usual, using your protective gloves. The color will last for weeks, but gradually lightens, especially as your gray roots grow out.
If my haircolor really clashes with an outfit, I have acquired different colors of cosplay wigs on ebay and etsy.com. For $20 you can get a high quality imported wig, and people can't tell the difference. That's a suggestion for the young girls, who may not last the first ribbing that they get about their hair, if they wear a wig, they can remove it, and look "normal."
Seriously. I will be purple one day, and the next day, pink and aqua striped, and the lady next to me, knitting will ask if I changed the color. If anything, people remember me because of my hair, and go out of their way to say they hadn't seen me for awhile, or even yell out of their car windows, telling me how much they love the color.
The other night, two little girls were in the restroom at Culver's while I was washing my hands. They both told me that they liked my hair. Then the one girl said to her sister, "Now all my dreams came true. I always wanted to see a lady with rainbow hair!"
