Do Blondes Have More Fun?

Do blondes have more fun?  This is a question I have been researching for almost 9 months now.  I decided that at the age of 50, it would be fun to try being a blonde.  As a brunette going gray, I know there is maintenance involved in covering those roots.  Every 4-6 weeks it is necessary to invest a decent chunk of change along with time washing that gray right out of my hair.  Well, I've seen this platinum trend and enough Kardashians episodes to decide to take the leap and make a significant change.  How hard could it be?  Time sitting getting my hair done didn't sound horrible.  Let me tell you about my experience.

My stylist warned me that it would take some time to get my hair to the point that I desired.  I wish she would have been a little more up front about the time and the cost.  In my first appointment, which took 5 hours and $350, I walked out feeling a little disenchanted.  I wasn't even close to as blonde as I wanted to be, but I was patient and it was definitely lighter.  My next appointment was just like the first, bleach, foil, toner, waiting…..5 more hours and $350.  The results were the same, moderately lighter, but not where I wanted to be, but definitely some damage at the ends, meaning trimming off a few inches.  I was following the at home care protocol as well, lots of Olaplex (a deep conditioner) and some blue shampoo to keep my hair from looking too brassy.  After one more 5 hour appointment and still not the results I was seeking, I did what many women do, I found a new stylist.  I was on a mission now to become fully platinum and no one was going to talk me out of it!  The joke was on me as I sat for 5 more hours and spent $300 more.  This time, however, I felt like I was being heard.  My hair was lighter, significantly lighter. I was the most blonde I had ever been.  I also had a few more inches less length.  But now when I washed my hair, it got weirdly wavy and was difficult to comb through, it took forever to air dry and I was afraid to heat style it because it would further damage very processed hair.  I tried to only wash once a week and wore my hair up in a ponytail a lot because I really didn't want to have to style it.  Soon enough it was time for another color; and I was feeling like an addict.  I sat this time really debating if all this time and effort was worth it.  Did I even like being a blonde?  What was the point of all this?  Was I having more fun?  No my grays couldn't be seen growing in, but my dark roots seemed even darker and that might even be worse than a few grays.  Ugh!

That's when my stylist at Primp and Blow gave me a pep talk and said "you've come too far to quit now, you have to finish this process and live with it for awhile to really make the most of all the effort you've put in".  She was right.  I was now going back every 4 weeks for retouches and trying to stay sane with blowouts in between because just combing my wet hair was torture.  I would have so much hair breaking off in my wide tooth comb, it was scaring me.  I had a big trip coming up for my 20th wedding anniversary and had to get my hair done before almost a week in Bora Bora, so a few more hours and a couple hundred dollars later and I finally felt like a platinum blonde.  I truly felt Scandanavian.  She did what was called a "root smudge" which made me love the look so much more.  It wasn't so white against my scalp and gave kind of a lighter brown root which seemed to blend much better.  I was happy with it.  Having to use Olaplex and now purple shampoo along with products to moisturize and protect my hair when blow drying and curling was kind of a nuisance.  Having to wait with my hair air drying as long as possible before even combing it was definitely a nuisance.  But my hair finally looked like all the photos I'd been pinning and screenshooting on my phone.

I still look in the mirror and don't recognize myself.  I don't love having to stand in the shower for 5-10 min to condition my hair before washing it with purple shampoo and conditioning it again, then waiting to comb it until it's partially dry or going to bed with it damp because it took all day to air dry.  It's been fun enough being a blonde, but I don't think hair color determines my quality of life.  It's a state of mind I can have regardless of the color of my hair.  I think I'll begin the process of transitioning back to brunette, so I'll probably have some blonde streaks for awhile or a dishwater blonde look.  I'm ready to be the old me with a thick head of super healthy, strong hair as a brunette, and I'll have just as much fun!

Have you ever made a major change to your hair?  I'd love to hear about it!  Share your experience in a comment.