A Dash of Color

I love to update my hair.

Over the last few years, it’s been a bit more difficult to actually get out and “get” my hair done.

The last time I got it done……..June of 2009. Yah! Almost a year ago. Fortunately, my cousin…..who does my hair……is an AMAZING stylist and her cut still looked fabulous. The biggest issues that I had were that the ends needed to be trimmed (wicked split ends) and I had the MOST amazing roots. Last time I got it colored, we did a reddish color for the main part of the hair and threw in some chunks of vibrant blue that was mixed with some purple so it was a really rich looking color.

I LOVED it. What I didn’t love, was that the blue color washed out too quickly and I was just too busy (read that as lazy) to go and get it touched up.

Here is what it roughly looked like in a recent picture earlier in March…..pardon the yellow glow, but I took this pic in my bathroom and try as I might, I can’t figure out how to kill the yellow glow from my stupid bathroom lights. It’s a beautiful Oompa Loompa look, don’t you agree? You can get an idea of what the cut and length looked like and then just imagine that my hair is not quite so red……reddish, but not quite so intense.

We went darker and shorter, and then chunk-ed in some blond pieces and then added a vibrant turquoise streak.

Here is the side view…….

I know that we are getting closer to summer (okay, it only just became spring, but still…it’s closer than it was a month ago) and that people usually go lighter for their “spring/summer” looks, but here’s the deal…….

I am still exercising 3 times a week and so this means that I’m washing my hair 3 times a week…..I used to wash it once or twice a week. We didn’t use shampoo (just baking soda( and my hair was not greasy so I didn’t need to wash it more than that. But, I sweat like crazy and have to wash it more often now. So, knowing this I’ve done a couple o’things.

1. I went a darker color….knowing that it would wash out and fade as the sun actually started to come out more and more.

2. The turquoise color supposedly lasts longer than the pretty purple/blue color that I had last time and when it washes out it turns a prettier color as it fades. The purple/blue ended up looking quite grey at one point….NOT COOL!

3. I am going to go back in early June just before I have this baby to get the turquoise touched up.

I was thrilled to find out that I don’t have any grey hair, yet. I didn’t think I did, but my cousin confirmed it. Although it’s really not that big of a deal….it’s one of those things that I can tell myself when I’m having a “bad day”.

There are a few things that I typically do to extend the time in between hair appointments.

I don’t get streaks or highlights on the top of my head.

I find that either the stylist doesn’t usually get all the way down to the roots which means that your roots show sooner resulting in the need to get your hair done sooner or even if they do get all the way…..it grows out pretty quick and then you need to go back fairly soon and get it done again. I like to get highlights or chunks of hair that start under a top patch of hair. Yes, I realize that this is not a “normal, grows like that” look, but none of my looks are usually “normal”. It’s not that they are totally off the wall….just slightly off of normal.

I try (sometimes) to get a main color that is just slightly darker or redder than my natural color.

This way, as I wash it and as the sun bleaches it….it basically fades to something very similar to my own hair color and I can usually get away with stretching the time in between appts. (Almost a year in between appts. – well, that’s just insane).

If you use regular shampoo (we don’t, we buy some hippie shampoo which totally flies against the the fact that I use chemicals to color my hair like this…I know, I know….just call me a hypocrite!)….to buy shampoo for color treated hair TOTALLY works if you’re wanting to prolong the color.

Also…..Find some one who can really REALLY give you a good hair cut.

A good hair cut will make world of difference between hair appts. A bad hair cut won’t hold it’s shape well, but you’ll know if you get a GREAT hair cut because you can definitely stretch it out further in between appointments….you know, unless you have a short hair cut…in which case, there is no way you could stretch it out for a very long time…..but then again, you probably wouldn’t want to or need to. BUT…even with a short hair cut…if it’s a GREAT CUT, you’ll be able to stretch it out – if it’s completely necessary!

So, what are your favorite hair tips? Any favorite products or tools?

Do you like to color your hair? How often do you go and get your hair done? And, if you do get your hair colored, WHY do you get your hair colored? For fun….out of necessity? Or, if you don’t color your hair – why have you chosen not to?

Inquiring minds want to know…..okay, just me, but still – I’d love to know the answers to my questions! ‘MmmmKay?