Funny about a new year.
The start of 365 days, but will it be a good one? I’ve never been a pessimist by any sense of the word, but 2024 seems to be off to a rocky start for me. Lots of things going on in the family; all of which are being addressed, but I wonder why it came in such a big concentration at the beginning of the this year.
So, optimist that I am, I’ already thinking of positive with 11 months to go!
I personally started the New Year with a wonderful occurrence of January 19. It is the day I went from dyed brown hair (38 years of it) to natural white hair! I made the decision about 6 months ago, that I was going to allow myself to be a freewheeling “silver sister”. So what does that mean?
It means that after going to the hair salon every three weeks to get roots covered, I stopped (after consulting with Stephanie, my longtime stylist). Her advice at my last visit in October was to not return to her again until January 19, at which time she would help me along with the “grow out” process – she would be able to see the actual color of what my real hair looks like (pure white) and then cut my hair and strip what was left to blend in with my natural color of white.
So, I went into to the salon with an 2.5 inch band of white new growth with washed out brown dye on the ends and out a highlighted, white/blond! As my hair continues to grow, I will have my regular bob cut every 6-8 weeks and in a few months the blondish tint will be trimmed and I will be naturally pure white.
This has been a true cleansing project! I feel great – I think it looks very chic, and my family loves it! And my husband thinks he has a new girlfriend and is cheating on the wife!
And so, my January advice to anyone who wants to listen is to face your situation, whatever it is, and don’t mask it (with things like hair dye). Be who you are.
Costwise, to visit a salon every 3 weeks means about 17 times a year. Between New York coloring prices and Sarasota coloring prices, I averaged the cost to $90 a visit which brings the yearly total to approximately $1530 x 38 years = $58,140! And that is not counting haircuts. In reality, I could have bought 155 pairs of Chanel ballet flats, or approximately 14 designer handbags, or 145 cashmere sweaters; or about 150 Hermes Scarves; or visited Paris first class about 40 times!
My father’s hair was white hair before I was born (his hair changed at age 23), and I always thought he looked very handsome. Men are natural beauties: they need no makeup, no hair dye, etc. Please know that white/white hair is very different than going grey or having salt and “salt and pepper” as they call it. White hair is genetic and paired to stress. It goes along with lighter colored eyes all of which mean I produce no melanin. Interesting reading.
Unlike so many other things that can occur in any given year, going grey, silver or white is something each of us control – and maybe the only thing we can control – with all of the other issues that surround us, good or bad.
I hope that each of you has a healthy and happy 2024 and can get through the cold weather that we all have – it is 39 degrees in Sarasota this a.m.
Until next time!
Paradise Found 