HIGHLIGHTS

I spread the word about Carousel Strands wherever I go, whether I’m conversing with friends, family or coworkers. On this note, my absolute favorite conversations with people occur when I tell them about Carousel Strands, inform them about this fabulous “Highlights” section of our website, and have them launch into a personal story about their own hair. I listen attentively as they spill their hair care secrets, laugh when they tell me of a particularly humorous (yet, at the time, traumatic) run-in with a DIY perm kit, and feel their pain as they try to recover from a horrendous chop at the salon. But recently, one story really perked my interest. It’s not completely out of the ordinary, but the fervor with which the subject told me the story made me realize that it was an issue that needed to be brought to our readers’ attention. We’re talking, of course, about the effects of a dramatic dye job.

This is Jessica. She’s a 21-year-old senior at Ohio University studying Organizational Communications; and I’ve worked with her for a few months now. Jessica is a natural brunette, and once upon a time, she had long dark hair.

Looking for a fresh change, she visited her hair stylist ande presented her request: short, blonde hair. Now, I’ve requested the same of my stylist before, and like Jessica’s stylist, mine also refused. My hair was just too dark to maintain as a blonde. After what seemed like a stalemate, Jessica’s persistance won her stylist over, though, with one condition: if it was going to be blonde, it was going to be really blonde. We’re talking, platinum blonde. Jessica agreed, and her stylist went to work.

It was love, according to Jessica. She adored her short, light locks. Though it required regular maintenace, it was totally worth it. It wasn’t long until the problems started, though. Regular coloring, especially when changing a dark color to a dramatic, extremely light color, poses quite the battle for your hair. The chemical damage is substantial, and Jessica soon realized that her hair was suffering. Coloring results in fried, split and weak hair that becomes thin and brittle. It can also be hard to style and maintain when it’s that faint. Although she loved her blonde bombshell color, the damage that was done to her hair-in addition to the financial burden associated with monthly coloring-were no longer feasible. Jessica returned to her natural, brunette shade and decided to regrow her hair.

The story doesn’t end there though. Jessica told me that she’s having a really hard time growing out her hair now-the process is moving quite slowly, and it’s definitely not at the length with which she’s happy. The difficulty to regrow hair as quickly as before is another side effect of consistent, dramatic coloring.

For now, Jessica is working with her hair as best as she can. She dons fabulous accessories like bright, bold headbands to spruce up her style; and of course, her natural color looks fantastic on her. Jessica’s story is quite common for anyone looking for a new look. Changing your hair color is a great way to reinvent yourself and give yourself a total makeover; however, most stylists recommend that you stay within two shades of your natural color. Going too much lighter can severely damage your hair, while going substantially darker can make it hard to revert back to your natural state in the future. While I’m envious of Jessica’s uncanny ability to pull off both the brunette and blonde look-something that I’ve always dreamed of mastering-her experiences make me extremely wary to actually try it out.

If you’re caught in that same kind of battle with yourself, I leave it up to you to decide the future of your own hair color; but keep in mind the consequences that can arise from such a dramatic change. Everything that is fabulous most certainly has a price, and it really comes down to how much you’re willing to pay to achieve a that picture-perfect look you’ve been dreaming about.