A Strange Girl-Thing

As a fifteen year-old girl, I took a class for modeling and poise. The teacher, Larysa Plawan, was a Joan Collins look-a-like who used my hair as the example of dull color in front of the entire class. Nothing is more mortifying to a young teen girl than to have a personal feature held to that level of critique. That was the beginning of my "chemical dependency" or my relationship with the clairol bottle. I was so scarred by that event I have this adversion to my naturally dark, dirty blond hair.



I started with the ultimate gateway -- the beach blonde spray that you leave on to get highlights. Then after I got my first real adult job, I started with the "hard stuff" -- bleach and toner. I was platinum blond, copper red, strawberry blond, brunette, and everything in between. I never did black, blue, or any other primary color.



As I got older, my hair started feeling the strain of my chemical abuse, and I decided to get professional help -- a trained and experienced salon colorist. These trips are not cheap, but you get undeniable results for plunking down $150 bucks.



Now, I just cannot justify those trips anymore or justify why I put those chemicals in my hair. I have decided to give pure body art quality henna a try, since you can use it on chemically treated hair. This way I can color my hair myself and save money.

The only thing is I will have to forgo my flaxen tresses for red hair or if I get bored with red, go brunette or black.

When I was younger, changing my hair color became a sociological experiment. When I was blond, it was like I was casting this wide net of all kinds of males. Blondness attracts across socio-economic boundaries and all personality types. Having red hair attracted men with the red hair fetish. Dig deep enough into their background, and most if not all of their girlfriends had red hair. It seemed to me that they were not really dating me, but dating my hair.

Brunette hair always got interesting responses. When I met my husband I was coloring my hair dark brown. When I lived in Boston, a guy who was a neighbor and a friend when I was blond, became completely amorous when I turned my tresses to brown. It was weird.

I will probably get my hair professionally cut as I cannot cut my son's hair much less my own.

Right now, I am going to make myself some rag curlers from some old sheets to curl and add body to my hair without the chemicals of a perm.



After discovering the Environmental Working Group Report Skin Deep, I have been switching to the least toxic brands of beauty treatments. I use Aubrey Organics cleanser,

toner, and moisturizer. Neutragena healthy skin makeup rates really well with EWG and has the all important sunscreen. I use Crystal Stick deoderant which lasts a long time and has less

toxicity than other deoderants. I am also a big fan of Trillium Organics body polish.

Eventually, I will allow myself to get gray since I think my gray will actually look nice. I just think that I am too young to cultivate the silver tresses. I want to wait until I can get senior discounts.