Sunday, May 31, 2009

Washing That Gray Right Outta My Hair



Friends, my hair is gray.  There is no denying it.  Every three weeks I am reminded just how gray it is.  I can pretend for a couple of weeks, but on that third week, I'm always a little surprised.  It's like I forget how much gray hair I really have, and I have a LOT for a 40 year old.

In high school, my friends would pluck out my grays as I walked down the hallway to class.  At my first teaching job, my wonderful 8th grade students would say, "Miss Smith, you have gray hair." They would comment from time to time that I seemed to be getting more.  Thanks.

I knew it was time to do something about all of this gray when my 90 year old grandma said, "Holy Toledo, look at all of the gray hair that you have!"  Yes, I looked across the table to my own mother for support, and I noticed that she hardly had ANY grays on her head.  If grandma was noticing it, it was time to get myself to the nearest box of Clairol.

Coloring my bushy, thick hair myself was a disaster.  I ruined towels, shower curtains, bathroom rugs and all kinds of clothes.  I was never meant to be a stylist.  I turned to professional help at the ripe old age of 30.

It started with a color appointment every 8 weeks.  Then it was 6.  Then 5, 4, and now I am down to coloring my hair every three weeks.  My friends, who could not believe that I was actually getting a proper professional job if it only lasted that long, referred my to their master stylist.

I love my friends, I really do.  I was especially thankful on Saturday as I sat in the chair across from the salon receptionist to pay my bill.  My hair was silky, fabulous and no longer gray.  It took four hours with the master stylist, but I was looking like a million bucks.

Glancing around the posh reception area, I realized that I had never sat down to pay my bill at any salon.  That is when the friendly receptionist told me that I owed $360.00.  Good thing I was sitting.

I nervously fingered my visa, and tried to calculate what kind of tip one had to respectfully leave on a four hour, $360 dollar visit to the salon.  I felt my face getting red as I handed my visa over.  Would my card be denied?  Would I have to sweep or shampoo to pay off my debt?

I made it safely out of the salon and back home.  I am still in shock.  I'm considering embracing my gray...or at least trying to color my hair in the shower at the gym.  I'll be spending extra time there now that we will be eating Kraft macaroni and cheese for dinner all this month and next.

11 comments:

***Sharon*** said...

I totally could've written this post! (Minus the $360 part!) I am 39 and started getting those cursed gray hairs early on as well. And what's with the box saying color every 6-8 weeks? More like 3-4 weeks! I've decided that once or twice a year I will go to the hair salon school and get my hair "professionally" done for 1/2 the price. All those weeks in between it is color out of the box!

(BTW - hmmmmm....coloring your hair at the gym......not a bad idea! lol)

Lisa@saltandlightstudio said...

$360!!! That's just plain outrageous! Girl what you need is a friend in hair styling school, I'd recommend hanging out around your local Cosmotology school.

Yikes!

BlogBaby

Terri said...

Oh my goodness!!!! I would have had to sell my hair to pay the bill! Honey, I color my own hair with a $3.00 box of Clairol! Been doing it for 5 years! I haven't had a horror story yet! I wish I was their to do yours! We would have fun!

Deb said...

@Sharon: Yeah, I feel "professionally done" alright! I learned that if you shoot first and ask questions later you might have to pay a lot of interest on your hair. I've gotten lots of compliments, though.

@BlogBaby: Not a bad idea, I'm going to have to figure some kind of strategy out!

@Terri: It would be fun if you were here! I don't think selling my hair could even get me out of this jam. I might have to give doing it myself another try :)

Kim said...

I have longish, thick and a ton of hair and I do color it myself. I have my husband check it over to make sure I didn't miss a spot!

Veronica Lee said...

I get my sons to pluck out the grey strands!!

Deb said...

@Under the Influence: I'm sure once George sees the Visa bill he will be all too happy to help me out with my DIY hair color.

@Veronica Lee: Oh, Veronica, I'd be bald! I would definitely get the teenager roll of the eyes from my son if I asked for that favor :)

Two Pretty Little Skirts said...

uh huh grey here too and I'm only 33!! we're talking streaks not just a hair here n there. I just started going to the salon so I can actually look 33 not 50.
So after you picked your jaw off the floor from shock of price...I hope you at least went out and showed it off!
Thanks for stoppin by and commenting!

Dawn

Two Pretty Little Skirts said...

duh duh duhduh duhduh...cant touch this ;)
I think that is cute, about it being your first dance together.

Helene said...

My sister started getting gray hair at a young age...and I just noticed my nephew (her son) who's just 18 is already getting gray hair.

You know, sometimes it's nice to splurge on yourself! I do that too...only one time a year because that's all I can afford too!!

Lynda said...

How did that old L'Oreal commercial go: "...because I am worth it?" Well, darling, you are soooo worth it.
But if you decide to go for a wild grey streak, I will happily join you in jumping off that cliff in the spirit of setting a new fashion trend in our tinted neck of the woods.