I Think I'm Dyeing

In the year and a half since Coby was born, I've been going through a slow transformation.

First and most importantly, I've lost 100 pounds. Yes, I was seriously that much bigger. No, I did not have surgery or use any sort of diet pills, shakes, or otherwise - I did it the old-fashioned (a.k.a. poor woman's) way: portion control, cutting out refined sugars (uh, sometimes) and lots of exercise. And it sucked. But I did it, and I'm still doing it because I still have about twenty-ish pounds to go before I reach my goal weight. Someday, when I reach that weight - and I will! - I'll be brave enough to post a before and after picture. I promise!

Second, I got an entire twelve inches of hair chopped off a couple of months ago. That's like a whole extra head of hair, gone in a couple of whacks. Another big change.

Of course, I can't stop there. And because I can't afford a boob job and a tummy tuck (unless some Internet benefactor wants to make this possible, in which case, email me!), I'm going to do the next most reasonable thing: dye my hair.

And folks, I'm thinking blonde.

No, I don't mean some bleachy-looking white-blonde that will appear completely unnatural and overprocessed and take extensive maintenance (Donatella Versace, I'm looking at you):

   
I guess what I'm thinking of might be more along the lines of light brown. Sandy. Kinda like what I was sporting in this lovely fourth-grade photo:

Ignore, if you can, the '80s-awesome denim jacket and layered shirt look. Focus on the hair color.

For the record, this is my natural, completely un-dyed, current hair color:


I once read somewhere that if you're going to lighten your hair, you should lighten it to whatever color it was when you were a child. So theoretically, I could go as light as this:

The only time in my life I've been blonde and tan.

So if any of you have ever made the switch from brunette to blonde - or at least brunette to a much lighter brown - and you've got tips or advice, lay 'em on me. I'd hate to end up with purple hair like I accidentally did that one time in sixth grade.

Of course that would be a change ... 


Comments

  1. Congrats on all that weight loss! I have a 2 year old and a 6 month old, and I need to lose like uh...50lbs. Yikes. I think the light/sandy brown would just make your skin GLOW. It really would look nice. The blonde might wash you out, it looks like we have similar coloring, and whenever I was blonde it just looked so washed out to me. But doing the sandy brown with highlights would look nice too :)

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  2. Hi Rita,

    I too think the light/sandy brown with highlights would look great on you. I'm always fussing with my hair and looked like everything from a pale and supposedly 'interesting' red Nicole Kidman (seemed like a good idea at the time) to a vampish Kate Beckinsale in Van Seling too (seemed equally like a good idea too) And I've also had highlights put in at one stage another too! I won't tell you how many different lengths/styles/cuts I 've been over the years either! So as you can tell I'm an advocate of change in the hair department.

    The only thing I will say is that once you start dyeing and highlighting...you have to keep on top of it or it can look awful. I spent a very long time wearing hats, attempting to tie hair back and re-dyeing to ... erm ...try (unsuccessfully) to ease the growing out/transition stage. I'd send you pictures as proof but I don't want to give you nightmares;-)

    Be sure to post what you decide!!

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  3. Do NOT do it yourself!

    This is one of those times that you should really pay someone who know what they're doing. I promise you it will end up orange if you do it out of a box.

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  4. okay- I seriously just wrote the longest comment in the history of blogging, and then my internet connection bonked right as I posted it. grrr! the gist was this:

    DO NOT DO IT YOURSELF!! I cannot stress this enough! As someone who just went from very dark brunette to blonde I am telling you that this is one area you do not want to skimp on. Find a very good stylist that you really like to work with and trust and that really knows what she is doing. The results will be better and it will save you $ down the road because you won't have to fix any mistakes.

    If you want, email me and I will be happy to give you all the details of how my colorist took me blonde and what my maintenance schedule is like. Which is what I did originally, but don't really feel like retyping all over again.

    also - congrats on losing all the weight - we are so similar: we had our 3rd kids close to the same time, we are totally in the same boat with the last 20lbs, and now we are both going to be blondes!

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  5. I do exactly that, my hair now (colored - dyed seems such a harsh word, lol) is the color it was a child. I am pretty much naturally light mousey brown or dark blonde known affectionately (NOT) as "dishwater" blonde. Now I am getting (lots) grey but it is sort of "blonde" so I am coloring far less, and I love that.

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  6. Hi Rita, I am a cosmetologist and I would suggest starting with highlights and for you a more golden (warm) blonde. Ask the stylist to slice them in for a more dramatic look and it is definately something you want to have done professionally, unless you want brassy (orange) color.

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  7. I forgot to post a schedule for you lol. Touch up every- weeks but your stylist may be able to do a base adjust every 4-6 weeks with new foils 4-6 weeks after that. Lightening is hard on the hair so a salon shampoo purchased from a salon so the guarantee will be honored is a must.

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  8. I did it once. Went from dark, dark brown to this.

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  9. I'm a brunette and actually go a little darker than my natural color. I just prefer brown to blond (I was also a blond child, fwiw). I dye my own hair since I do not do any highlights. I have my stylist do a professional job every 6 months or so.

    Personally I am in love with silky smooth hair. Lightening your hair can be hard on it and make it feel more dry and coarse. Be sure to use good product if you go lighter. And definitely, definitely use a stylist (esp for highlights).

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  10. I have blond highlights and I get them done by Regis. Though I haven't been in awhile and my roots are now showing. Plus my grey hairs. Oops.

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  11. Well howdy do to you! That is awesome with the 100 lbs. CONGRATS! I had no idea. And I'm right there with ya on the need for the boob job/tummy tuck. Good hell, what a mess.

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