Once upon a time, I colored my hair for the fun of it or even just for kicks, but not just solely to cover up my gray roots.
I remember years back, a time before I had kids or was even married, that I used to color my hair every four weeks religiously getting my roots done. I wouldn’t dare be caught with any such root growth.
By the way, I have also had every color under the sun done at one point or another or ’50 Shades of Color’!
See I am a natural born brunette, who has had so many different shades of blonde alone from dark blonde to platinum blonde. I have even had different shades of highlights, also been a red head, and even back to brunette for a bit.
And there was even one time, I actually had my hair over processed from dying it too soon after the last touchup, that I had my hair breaking from where the bleach overlapped that I had to cut all my hair off! Not one of my finer moments I admit.
Unfortunately for me, I took after my maternal grandfather (whom I loved more than life itself, but wish he wouldn’t have shared this trait with me) and started to gray young. I was 18 years old, when I looked in the mirror and found my first gray hair. It was mortifying and traumatizing for me to say the least. I remember grabbing my tweezers and plucking that one lone gray hair. But as the old wive’s tale goes, “Pluck one gray hair, two grow back in its place!” Now at thirty-five years old, I have more grays that I can count.
Hair Raising for Sure…Well, as I stated I was so very diligent to make sure to dye my hair in my youth. Again, I never went more than the four weeks of root growth before getting my next touch-up.
When I got pregnant, I followed the guidelines for dying your hair when indeed pregnant. After I gave birth to Emma four weeks turned into five then six weeks. Which, by the way, is bad enough as far as roots go.
Then I got pregnant with my second child and was put on bed-rest. I didn’t get my hair dyed from 20 weeks of pregnancy until Lily was 2 months old (well I couldn’t leave my bed and then having a newborn kind of also put a crimp in getting my hair done). All I will say is that my hair was definitely a frightening sight just like Fright Night.
There was even a time when both my kids were still babies and before they entered school full-time that I could count on one hand how many root touchups for my hair I had actually gotten. At that point, being a stay at home mom to two kids definitely put a damper on getting my hair and roots colored.
See it was almost four months and counting that I still hadn’t gotten a root touchup. And it was also October and actually closing in on Halloween, when my husband thought it would be funny to tell me I could double for Bride of Frankenstein for the holiday. So I got the message loud and clear and knew it was time to go get my hair and roots finally done! So thankfully, I did just that, but then it happened as I had no clue what to be for Halloween. Any advice or help would have been greatly appreciated!
Now enjoy a bit of humor on how to survive scary movies from courtesy of Scream and Jamie Kennedy:
JanineHuldie says
Bill, I have learned long ago that Kevin truly just is a comedian and just can't help himself. This is the same boy that when asked at my routine monthly checkup during my first pregnancy if we were still having 'fun' in that department told my OB in his own humor that,"He doesn't do fat chicks!!" If he were serious, he probably would have found his nether regions missing later on, lol!! But seriously thank you and I try very hard to take it all with humor, because otherwise I might just have gone crazy along time ago!!
Stacy Harris says
As a hairstylist, you might be a little surprised to hear this…. but I hate doing my hair or even getting it done. It is such a pain in the bleep. And frankly, doing woman's hair was one of the reasons I went more into the barbering side of things. Now I don't mind… I just don't have the patience. I hate waiting 40 minutes to see what the color looks like and how it turned out. That being said, because I am committed, I am actually dying my hair for Halloween. It will probably be a shocker. I can't wait. This might be the only time I am excited about doing it! LOL But then again – I do love the ability to change looks. I have done everything from blonde to black to red and all colors in between. Sometimes I wish I would have never started because my I really do love my natural hair color. Sadly… there is so many gray hairs popping in there… natural no longer seems to be an option! 🙂
JanineHuldie says
Stacy, I couldn't even imagine doing other women's hair, because I see my cousin do it and know how much work from her that it entails. That said, you sound like me with having been so many different hair colors over the years and now just hating getting it done, but sadly here too with all the gray don't have much of an option. Thanks for sharing and letting me know I am not alone in the battle of the gray hairs, lol 🙂
JanineHuldie says
Rasma, thank you so much and glad you can relate. I used to not mind one bit, but now it is just such a chore to keep up with touchups for me, but I could never pull off a the gray, so I think like it or not I am a slave to the coloring bottle, lol!!
Melanie Chisnall says
Haha! If Geoff had told me that, I'd tell him 'thanks' – he can watch the kids this coming Saturday before Halloween while I go get my hair done, lol! You're not alone…okay, I don't have kids, but it's been months since I had my last touch up. My hair is this yukky mousy blonde brown colour which I really don't like. It's got to the point where you can't see that it was blonde if I tie it up. I am not turning 30 with mousy hair. No ways! Thanks for the reminder! It's just been so busy during the week and the weekends are ridiculously short. Loved this post! 🙂
JanineHuldie says
Melanie, Kevin is lucky that I do get his sense of humor, because he truly just loves to try to make me laugh and that was his not so subtle way. That said, I can relate tot he roots part and when I was thirty, working full-time and had no kids I managed, but between the kids and the full-time writing gig, there just does not seem to be enough hours in my day at this point. Need to figure out a better schedule, but still haven't gotten there yet, lol!! Thanks, glad you related and enjoyed too!!
Emily (OhBoyMom) says
Oh Janine, this post was sooo close to home! I too went prematurely gray and am an every 4-week color-er (sometimes 3!!!) too. I get CRAZY about my gray roots and can totally relate to not being able to get it done when you want. I've brought my kids with me to the salon as infants, toddlers, etc. because I just HAD to get those roots covered. However, here's a hint: They sell temporary cover up products now. I have something that looks like a brown lipstick that I use on my roots (although this product is not so easy to find in stores — I'm sure they have it online) and I also recently brought a dry shampoo spray that comes in brown — voila, roots covered after spraying on. They wash out after shampooing, but I just apply it again…anything to save my sanity! 🙂
JanineHuldie says
Emily, thank you so much for sharing and am so going to have to look into those two things you mentioned. I was truly a hair dye addict and since being on bed rest with my second I truly have lost concept of time with it except for when I see those horrendous gray roots staring back and mocking me int he mirror!! Seriously, thank you so much 🙂 🙂
Meredith says
I too let coloring slide for waaaaay too long with my pregnancies and kids. Now I'm sort of back in the routine, but this is less friendly on the budget–yikes! But hey, I really like my highlights? 😉
JanineHuldie says
Meredith, I love my newfound gray highlights too, lol!! Seriously thank you and happy to know I am not alone with my lovely hair color issues 🙂 🙂
Cyndi says
I've been lucky in that my mom and my sisters all started graying at 40. I'm 33 and have like 7 gray hairs on my head. When I count them, my hubby tells me to shut up b/c he started going gray at 18, too. His mom has had snow-white hair since she was in her 60's. Hehe. But, I DO want to try henna. I hear the real stuff – not the kind with any chemicals added – does wonders for the hair. I wonder what my mom will think when she sees me at thanksgiving. Teehee.
JanineHuldie says
Thanks Cyndi and I heard Henna was safe during pregnancy, but ended up using the safest semi-permanent color that I could at that time. I pretty much went back to my dark roots so as not to use bleach or anything else at that point. But I totally think you give Henna a try and let me know what you think of it. Would love to see your mom's reaction though 🙂 🙂
JanineHuldie says
Oh I hear you on that Julie and my mom also grayed young (got that from her dad/my grandfather that I mentioned). Sorry you can relate though, but is kind of nice to know I am not completely alone on this one. Thanks 🙂
JanineHuldie says
Kate, it was totally rough, but at least until almost 30 years old it was only a few here and there, but since having my kids they have truly added tons more to my head. I guess I can thoroughly blame them, lol 🙂
Ruchira says
I have a couple of gray hair and I am pretty sure will have a bunch of them soon 'cause my mom had them in her 50's. I usually put henna on my hair…it gives it a golden brown color since my basic hair color is brown black.
Bad timing to get your hair done, Janine. You could have saved on your halloween costume (wink wink)
JanineHuldie says
Ruchira, I know and am not sure what I was thinking, when I could have had the perfect Halloween costume with it, but alas it was truly time and I guess I will have to go back to the drawing board. Thanks though 🙂 🙂
Carrie Groneman says
Hey Janine, I started getting some grey about the time I turned 50 and I have colored ever since and I always will I think, lol. Fun read!!!
Janine says
Thanks Carrie and I know same here will always color my hair, too now 😉