MY AUNT MARY, who is now 80, was stunningly beautiful when she was younger. She had golden hair that she kept long and rolled into a French twist at the back of her head. The sunny yellow of her hair complimented her fair skin perfectly. When her hair began to gray, she started to color it herself to keep it blonde and she continued to wear it in the exact same elegant style. Her hair was obviously very important to her. She once told me she did not swim in the pool in her backyard because the chlorine would destroy her coloring.

She had not, however, been to a salon in many years. That was true until last week. Her daughter, as a Christmas present, gave Mary a gift certificate to a hair salon. The certificate was for a cut and color. There’s a first time for everything and so my aunt consented and made the appoinment. At the salon, she told the stylist to “touch up her roots.” She apparently did not realize that it is normal to discuss coloring at more length. The stylist worked away at my aunt’s hair, applying chemicals and shortening it considerably. After an hour or so, Mary emerged from the salon. For the first time in her life, she was a brunette. Her threads of gold were gone.

I have not seen my aunt. She lives many miles away. She says she looks ghastly and I believe it. In order to retrieve her former appearance, she will either have to have her hair chemically stripped, which is very damaging, or let it grow out slowly, which will take many months and require a two-toned look for a while. She would actually look better with white gray hair at this point, but whatever she does, she will look worse for the immediate future.

Some might say my aunt has been justly punished for her refusal to accept the ways of nature. But I don’t begrudge her the hair she loved. The moral is far simpler. They say it’s the thought that counts when it comes to gifts. This is true. With some gifts, it is only the thought that counts.

                                                                                 — Comments —

Karen I. writes:

I feel bad for your aunt. If she does get her hair stripped and re-colored, it should be fine as long as her hair is healthy and thick enough to stand it. I have a beautiful elderly neighbor who had the black dye stripped from her hair and then re-colored with strawberry blonde. It looks stunning, but she had very good hair to begin with.

Your aunt may want to know that Prell shampoo will strip dye from hair quickly. It won’t take it all out, but it will help. If her hair is not very strong, she may want to consider getting highlights and going back to blonde little by little. She could go back to the salon that made the mistake in the first place and discuss the problem with the owner. A good salon will agree to correct the mistake at no charge, and will get a different hairdresser to do it. If she chooses not to do that, I would highly recommend she call salons and discuss the problem she wants corrected to see if it something they can do well rather than just making an appointment. She should try to find a salon that specializes in “corrective coloring.” 

I only know about these things because I have thin dry hair due to my thyroid condition and I have to be very careful with it. I’ve learned by trial and error over the years that the best thing is to find the right salon and to be very clear about what you are looking for.

Laura writes:

Those are good suggestions.

Please follow and like us: