Grey Hair

Before                                                                                  After  

I got my hair done by someone new one month ago, and she turned it grey.  Okay, let me start at the beginning.  I was looking for a new hair colourist and was at the point where my roots were so bad I couldn't take it any longer (ever let your hair get to that point?  I always do, it's bad, but I do it every time, le sigh).  So while grocery shopping one evening, I was walking behind a pretty blonde (with the perfect shade of blonde) and boldly asked her where she gets her hair done (this was, of course, after I complimented it).  She gladly told me where she normally goes and I booked an appointment the following day.  

When I got to my appointment, I met with my new colourist and she seemed very nice.  I described to her how I came to be in her chair that day and she knew exactly the girl I was talking about  from the grocery store and described her to a T.  She said she knew what kind of blonde I meant (beige, not golden, ashy but platinum...) and while I sat nervously in the chair trying to focus on the stacks of magazines I pulled, I couldn't help but worry.  Sure enough, I had reason to.

When she finished toning my hair, the wet result of the blonde was far from what I was used to.  It was not a bright, vibrant, platinum blonde, but a dull, dark blonde (if you can even call it that).  I decided not to worry as the real test would be when my hair was fully dry and styled.

While she blow dried my hair, we talked about the blue shampoo blondes should use to brighten up their blonde and remove the gold (I have been using blue shampoo for years, once a week). and other topics  I tried not to peak at my hair as she was drying it, but a few quick glimpses here and there were not proving to be very promising.  Once she was done drying and styling my hair, I was just about to get out of the chair when it was evident; I had grey hair!  I commented to her about how grey it looked and she said something along the lines of, 'Oh that girl you saw likes it really ashy to ensure it doesn't go golden'.  I tried to smile but it was forced.  She could tell.  She told me to not use my blue shampoo and reassured me that after a few washes, it would be less grey.  

I then proceeded to pay the most expensive hair bill I've ever had in my entire life (more like two visits for the price of one!).  I wanted to cry.  Not what they quoted me on the phone and I wasn't happy?  Awesome.

I left the salon hoping it was all in my head.  I walked confidently through the mall (fortunately it was almost closing time) until I stopped in at a store and caught my reflection in the mirror.  Sheer horror.  Grey.  Seriously grey-green hair.  I wanted to wrap a scarf around my head and run to my car.  I called my best girl friend almost in tears and she met me at Starbucks.  I was scared to get out of the car to show her, let alone the world (dramatic, yes, but cut me some slack).  She (gently) agreed it was kind of grey, very dull and not at all like the colour I normally get.  I proceeded to spend the next hour mulling with her over how to fix it (this included texts to her own colourist, a conversation about dish soap as shampoo, and making bad decisions).

The next day I decided to call the salon to get it rectified, if possible.  They were accommodating and said I could come in that afternoon (thankfully) to try and do something.  When I got there, my colourist wasn't mean, but she wasn't the happiest to see me.  She proceeded to use a very strong shampoo to wash my hair four times to remove some toner.  It helped.  I was less grey, but my blonde was still dull.  I left feeling better, but still not feeling like myself.

Four weeks later, and lots of shampooing, and my hair looks normal in that pic above, but in real life it's still not what I'm used to.  Lesson learned: next time (I will have to find another new colourist) I will bring photos of myself with the blonde I like, as well as some photos of blondes.  Oh, and I won't pay an arm and a leg for a trim either.  

Ever had any bad hair experiences?

* The photos above have not been modified in any way.  

That was my actual grey hair two days after my appointment.  

The 'after' picture is about two weeks later.

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