08/04/2006: "Attack of the 50 foot hair dresser!"

So, I have this fairly important happening (shhh, top-secret) next week, I'll be going to Washington State on Wednesday and staying through the weekend. I want to look nice so I decided to get my haircut. The hair dresser did a great job and suggested some color to give my boring brown hair a lift and I was referred to the owner of the salon (20+ years experience coloring hair). I told her of the importance of this hairdo, how I *only* wanted a natural tinge of reddish brown; she strong armed me into only getting highlights and lowlights to make my natural hair color stand out more. I was hesitant but she was the professional and she was quite insistent so I let her have at it. I told her repeatedly however, that I didn't want streaky, obvious highlights!

Guess what I have?

I have a bunch of large, perfectly evenly spaced BLONDE streaks, not just blonde but practically white! The worst part is that during the grueling 2-hour process (I knew there was a reason I didn't go to beauty shops) she told me the story of her life and she's a sweet person and by the end I liked her so much personally that I held my crying until I was safely ensconced in my car. The more cynical side of me reared its ugly head on the ride home where I wondered if they intentionally endear themselves to you so you won't go postal when they muck it up!???

Oh well, it's just hair right? I'm going to attempt to tone it down a bit this weekend but I'm worried that I'll just make it worse. I know I *should* go back and tell her that I didn't get what I'd requested but I believe in picking my battles. I've had MUCH MUCH worse hair-tastrophes in my life, like the time I tried to put "Sun-In" over a henna dye job and gobs of my hair fell out...or the time a friend of my mom's gave me "highlights" and turned my hair salt n pepper gray. Will Berigan (a senior, I was a freshman in high school) would jokingly ask me about my time travles when we'd pass in the hallways. Ahhhh, to be 14 again!

Replies: 23 Comments

on Saturday, August 5th, Joan said

We need pictures!?!

As a hair freak, I have tried everything within my money limit to "get the hair of dreams." Unfortunately, it just doesn't work. Like my hair cutter's sign says..."I'm a beautician, not a magician."

On a positive note, it will grow out.... Not much encouragement now. I did read about kitchen hair fixes - to "revive color-treated hair.... FOR DARK HAIR - brew 2 cups strong coffee or tea (6-8 tea bags). Shampoo and condition, then pour the cooled liquid over hair and leave in until the next shampoo. WARNING - hair will retain a faint coffee or tea scent.

Hope it helps. As for Will, maybe he's bald now...probably not. Haven't seen him in years. Did you know he married RF's cousin? And RF is remarried?

Good luck regardless.

on Saturday, August 5th, Elise said

Thanks for the coffee/tea idea...I'll try that this afternoon, it should tone down the highlight anyway, which is all I really care about. I mean, wanted my hair to look like it had been "kissed" by the sun, not sexually assaulted by it!

As for Will, I heard a program recently on thislife.org (best radio show ever and it streams online!) about a guy who still remembers having his cello thrown down the stairs by a bully who turns out was Jack Abramoff!

The people who say or do the mean things rarely remember it but the ones on the receiving end never forget. I look back now and think that was funny but at the time it was devestating.
:(

on Saturday, August 5th, Judy Varse said

hee,hee,hee,
Elise you're an artist! just go with the blond almost white streaks they sound interesting, or ask the hairdresser to fix it but don't risk doing it yourself you might turn your hair green! BEEN THERE DONE THAT

on Saturday, August 5th, Elise said

Hi Judy, they're not that interesting! But, maybe I'll hold off on trying to "fix" it, beyond the tea idea, which I like and can't do too much damage, right?
:laugh:

on Saturday, August 5th, subi said

okay, my suggestion is to use one of those washes...if you go for a darker shade, it will definitely NOT make it worse. a product which i have never failed with is at CVS, a 8-10 wash rinse and called Natural Instincts...look here, http://www.sortprice.com/search?q=natural+instincts ... i have even done it with two different colors at the same time (when i had the long hair) so depending on what you want, go with what you think is right, hey you mix colors all the time, and scarily enough i have resorted to cutting, yes cutting and dying or now going a lot lighter, b/c the hairdressers NEVER get it right for me...at least the ones i can affort, and i have had that awful skunk/chunk look, i saw go darker... (!) let us know! i have heard of the tea-tinting, and am curious if it works... my vote for you is either the light auburn or navajo bronze if you're feeling wicked!

on Saturday, August 5th, Elise said

Hey Subi! I've been doing my own hair for years and years and just thought I'd have it done professionally for a special ocasion and I do can soooo much better myself.

Anyway, thanks for the tip...I'm wondering if the natural instincts will dye the blonde strips darker than everything else? Do I leave it on the whole suggested time or less? I'm nervous but I think you're right, it can't make it worse. The hilarious thing, is that even though I just had it done yesterday, the root she left (even in the front at my bangs) is almost an inch long. WTF?

So, those too colors look good, I also like the "spiced tea"...
:blush:

on Saturday, August 5th, subi said

leave it on the recommended time, or longer, i say...i find that particular product dreamlike...it works like a deep conditioner! the blonde will still be 'lighter' but not freakily so...and yeah. they NEVER dye anywhere near the roots, it's a conspiracy i say---well, that and not wanting to irritate the scalp...when i do my color, i irritate the hell out of my scalp! ha! and the time between doing it again is like an inch longer!!! good luck! do take before pics, if only to best them with the after!

on Saturday, August 5th, subi said

btw, have you heard of etsy? check out my link above...i love it! i am attempting to earn some mula---i thought of you tho, it might be another aveniue to feature and sell your work!

on Saturday, August 5th, berry bowman connell said

OK, I think we NEED a picture of that.
No, really. I'm pretty sure everyone
will agree with me on this, so....
camera, mirror....action!

on Saturday, August 5th, berry bowman connell said

art school confidential

on Saturday, August 5th, Elise said

Hey Subi, thanks for the tip. I went and got two colors, the spiced tea and the sedona sunset. I may use one or the other or both but I think I'll wait until tomorrow because this morning I tried the tea dye and it looks MUCH better...just toned everything down a notch.

and I checked out the etsy too...wow, an amazing poet AND a visual artist too! I'm going to buy "I want I want sometimes"...sooooooo cool!

btw, you have *gorgeous* hair, you know that right? Did you ever get my comment on your blog about wanting to paint you from the old photo you had on your profile (with the bird on your head)?

And Berry, I will think about taking a photo (of the hair) as I hate having my photo taken in general... and, I see about the movie...it's all about context!
:laugh:

on Saturday, August 5th, dad said

why don't you just get a hat sky is the limint

on Saturday, August 5th, Elise said

You're joking, right dad? I mean, it's not *that* bad...it's just when you pay *a lot* of money to have a professional do your hair you expect something better than what you could have done yourself for 9 bucks!

Anyway, I'm sure it will be fine but I'll keep the hat idea as plan B in case my "fix" doesn't go as planned.
:blush:
love you!

on Saturday, August 5th, subi said

http://www.art-money.org/204?urlAdd=http://www.art-money.org/204http://www.art-money.org/204

(another cool link for you, have you heard of this?)

on Sunday, August 6th, Elise said

You're always coming up with such cool sites...you know, I think that one would be tougher for for me because I don't live in Europe; have bought or sold anything through them yet.

It's a great idea!

on Sunday, August 6th, holly said

Pictures!
Not in time for your trip to Washington State, but when you're planning to be out in the sun (especially on the boat), put your hair in two braids-- you'll get nice highlights that are very natural looking-- they'll help blend the stripes.

on Sunday, August 6th, Elise said

Sun? What's that?

(seriously!)
:plain:

on Monday, August 7th, holly said

No kidding? Wow, we've got more than enough-- I'll send you some.

on Monday, August 7th, Elise said

I'm just waiting for the days when we'll all live in temperature controlled bio-domes.

We've only had a handful of sunny days (maybe 8 or 9) all summer!

on Monday, August 7th, elderberrystudio2000@yahoo.com">Jackie said

E: You're coming to Washington? Is it for business or pleasure? Are you going to be in SEattle?
I know you hate phone calls - but if you're in Seattle, maybe we could meet for lunch? I work just a block south of the Pike Place Market :hehe:

on Monday, August 7th, Elise said

Hi Jackie, I keep forgetting that you're in Seattle! I was thinking you were in Vancouver for some reason; of course I'd love to meet you for lunch! I'm coming down on Wednesday night, the interview is on Thursday in Centralia, then I'm not sure what I'll do after the interview...if the interview goes well I'll want to check out the area, Olympia and possibly head up to Portland before coming back to Seattle. My flight doesn't leave until Sunday afternoon but I'm considering changing it to save $...but I'm going to go to Pike's Market for sure so just let me know where you're at and when you'll be there and I'll try to stop by. And maybe email me your phone number in case something comes up and I can't make it.

how fun! Maybe you can recommend some other galleries to visit as well? The librarian in me wants to check out your new glass library too...if I bring my map maybe you can help me chart out some things to do?
:laugh:

on Tuesday, August 8th, elderberrystudio2000@yahoo.com">Jackie said

E: Olympia is a really cute town, and their real estate prices haven't gone as bonkers as the prices in Seattle. There are some galleries there,as well as some cute shops.
I sent you an e-mail about other details. When are you coming down - is it next week? (the week of the 14th) Yoikes! I'm going out of town next Thurs. for my nephew's wedding. Hope we can touch base!

:D

on Tuesday, August 8th, Elise said

Acutually I'm leaving tomorrow (wednesday) the interview is this Thursday...then I'm going to stay through the weekend to check the area out if I feel the interview went well and I'm interested in the position.

If I get the feeling I'm not what they're looking for, I'll probably go home early if I can fly standby (like, on Friday night maybe)...
so, we'll see.

I have a friend in Portland so I've been to the galleries in the Pearl District, I *loved* it! I remember having fantasies of moving there the last time I visited for a conference.

sigh...

and I've heard Olympia is a cute town and there's SAILING there, so...from what I've read the college and the area look great but it would be a huge move and a lot of things would have to fall into place for it to work out.

keep your fingers crossed for me!