So quite some time ago I wrote that I had decided to abandon the dye and go grey gracefully. Well I got a bit bored with growing what remained of the colour out and decided to go grey disgracefully instead.
Let me step back a bit *insert wobbly wobbly lines here*.
I started this project back in June 2015 by buying and using a pack of chemicals which claimed it could strip the existing dye from my dyed over dye hair.
Reading the small print it transpired that the kit was less effective on old and many times dyed hair so what was left underneath was largely still blonde dye.
I perserved for a while but caved and re-dyed before Christmas- and after the initial euphoria regretted it!
I took heart from the friend who had started growing hers out at the same time as me and started again. She however confessed she had taken the oft recommended course of having just a few highlights put in to soften the skunk-style growth line.
She is immensely elegant anyway and carries off her multi-tonal hair beautifully whereas I started to describe my colour as "Yorkshire Terrier."
Then last week at dinner with friends I was admiring another friends' pixie cut. She is always immaculately dressed and groomed and she looked lovely. I began to firm up a vague idea I had of taking drastic measures to sort out my shoulder length hair.
I looked up "pixie cuts for fat faces" and scrolled through dozens of versions of the classic style. I decided that the classic cut with short bring might be a bit mumsy on me - well I know I am a mum of 7 but I didn't want a hairstyle which looked like it was only there for practical reasons.
I wanted something a bit more - well madmum-ish.
Off to the hairdressers I went leaving a text for my friend Karen saying "Debating drastic pixie cut.....want to come and watch the carnage?" I know she's always up for a laugh and if it went horribly wrong she would take me for some medicinal gin coffee.
My hairdressers of choice is Cellys in Hemel Hempstead - one of a chain which offers pretty much any hair treatment for £9.90. So - wash and cut= £9.90. Blow dry £9.90, perm, £9.90. You get my drift.
Now this might sound foolish for such a drastic restyle but I have been using the salon for over a year and been very pleased. You just turn up and queue - perfect for busy people who work on a whim like me.
After waiting an hour I Lesley called my name- she's cut my hair nicely before so I was happy with that. (you can ask for specific stylists but I just take whoever is free first)
I showed her some pics on my phone of a variety of styles and told her what I absolutely didn't want. No feathering onto my face & no fringe.
She talked her ideas through then after washing my hair lopped a big chunk off the back. No going back then. Karen was already open mouthed.
Then the clippers came out. I really wanted as much of the old coloured hair off leaving whatever lay beneath to shine through. I wanted to embrace my glitter highlights (aka grey and white hair) whilst showing that I was not settling for a granny-do.
So what I got was clipped back and 1 side, longer layers on top and one side graduated down to my ear.
I LOVE IT!
Poor Karen went white when she saw the clippers and seemed more worried than me about the end result. I have the benefit of more than a decade of life over her plus this is not the first time I have chopped my locks drastically.
She photographed some of the progress for me:
It's different I know but the response I have had from friends has been amazing. I do look a lot like my late father and I think this hairstyle emphasises that likeness but thats genes for you!
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post - I mention the salon and my stylist only because I think they deserve the recognition for a job well done at a bargain price (under £15 including wash, restyle, rough dry and product)
Let me step back a bit *insert wobbly wobbly lines here*.
I started this project back in June 2015 by buying and using a pack of chemicals which claimed it could strip the existing dye from my dyed over dye hair.
Reading the small print it transpired that the kit was less effective on old and many times dyed hair so what was left underneath was largely still blonde dye.
I perserved for a while but caved and re-dyed before Christmas- and after the initial euphoria regretted it!
I took heart from the friend who had started growing hers out at the same time as me and started again. She however confessed she had taken the oft recommended course of having just a few highlights put in to soften the skunk-style growth line.
She is immensely elegant anyway and carries off her multi-tonal hair beautifully whereas I started to describe my colour as "Yorkshire Terrier."
Then last week at dinner with friends I was admiring another friends' pixie cut. She is always immaculately dressed and groomed and she looked lovely. I began to firm up a vague idea I had of taking drastic measures to sort out my shoulder length hair.
I looked up "pixie cuts for fat faces" and scrolled through dozens of versions of the classic style. I decided that the classic cut with short bring might be a bit mumsy on me - well I know I am a mum of 7 but I didn't want a hairstyle which looked like it was only there for practical reasons.
I wanted something a bit more - well madmum-ish.
Off to the hairdressers I went leaving a text for my friend Karen saying "Debating drastic pixie cut.....want to come and watch the carnage?" I know she's always up for a laugh and if it went horribly wrong she would take me for some medicinal
My hairdressers of choice is Cellys in Hemel Hempstead - one of a chain which offers pretty much any hair treatment for £9.90. So - wash and cut= £9.90. Blow dry £9.90, perm, £9.90. You get my drift.
Now this might sound foolish for such a drastic restyle but I have been using the salon for over a year and been very pleased. You just turn up and queue - perfect for busy people who work on a whim like me.
After waiting an hour I Lesley called my name- she's cut my hair nicely before so I was happy with that. (you can ask for specific stylists but I just take whoever is free first)
I showed her some pics on my phone of a variety of styles and told her what I absolutely didn't want. No feathering onto my face & no fringe.
She talked her ideas through then after washing my hair lopped a big chunk off the back. No going back then. Karen was already open mouthed.
Then the clippers came out. I really wanted as much of the old coloured hair off leaving whatever lay beneath to shine through. I wanted to embrace my glitter highlights (aka grey and white hair) whilst showing that I was not settling for a granny-do.
So what I got was clipped back and 1 side, longer layers on top and one side graduated down to my ear.
I LOVE IT!
Poor Karen went white when she saw the clippers and seemed more worried than me about the end result. I have the benefit of more than a decade of life over her plus this is not the first time I have chopped my locks drastically.
She photographed some of the progress for me:
And here are the before and after shots:
It's different I know but the response I have had from friends has been amazing. I do look a lot like my late father and I think this hairstyle emphasises that likeness but thats genes for you!
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post - I mention the salon and my stylist only because I think they deserve the recognition for a job well done at a bargain price (under £15 including wash, restyle, rough dry and product)
