Skip to main content

Never Say Never

IT'S that season when hormonal and non-hormonal factors are driving the women around me to do major changes to their hair. Different styles, cuts, colour, whatever. So why wouldn't I be carried away, right? (Even if two of my resolutions for the year are to keep my hair long and leave it the shiny, natural black it is). But I love colours too much and when I saw the colour revolution bubbling around me, I just had to get mine done.

First step was research. Lots of research because I rather go bald than to live with bad hair. So I googled and googled, and came up with a few ideas. Colours in mind were deep blue, aubergines and greens in Ombre style. I thought these colours were a good match for my natural black. Ombre's all about understated funky and it makes classic braids and buns look edgy. Note to self was to avoid red at all cost.

Second step was to have a partner in crime. So I had Mek Zhin. Meks has the most beautiful hair ever. Thick, healthy and glorious + we share the same colour sense (except that she likes purple too much and I don't). So during one tea time, we took off to do our hair. Funky colour Ombre!

I wanted something like this
OR

This ! Love the blue and green
 SO I can do this 

These random streaks add character to the braid
OR this

Not too keen on the gray but I love the style

Third step was communicating our idea to my most trusted hairstylist, Min. I love this Korean man for the way he's handled my hair and soothed me during my worst hair crisis. He's the type who'd tell you what's good and not for you, and wouldn't carry out a project simply because it won't do your face or hair any justice. So upon understanding our special needs, Min projected a worried face. My heart sank because I knew right away what he was about to tell me.


"This requires double or triple bleaching. Otherwise the colours won't turn out right, and bleaching can damage the hair," Min said.

Bleaching would damage my hair, not Meks. Mine's too fine. Hers is good. After an hour of consultation and discussion among us, he began with Meks. For me, he suggested reds and browns, without the bleach. I thought about it and in the instant he put the first dye onto my sectioned off hair, I changed my mind.

"Just use red. All over. No highlights". Very spontaneous. Min didn't complain so that must be a good sign. Or he was just letting me be but I did ask him for a thousand times during the application if everything was going to be okay. While at it, I also texted the one person whom I've known to have had red hair for the longest time, Saby, for words of encouragemnt. She still does, and it's hot on her.

Meanwhile, Meks' process was a long one. Bleach. Wash. Bleach.Wash.Colour. Wait. Wait. Wash. Dry. Glee. Love it.

Meks had this in mind
AND she got this

This pic taken with a phone cam doesn't do justice AT ALL but it's really nice

My hair turned out a deep red. Wasn't too happy in the beginning but I'm getting adjusted to it. Just when I said never to red, I'm living with it now. I might like it more next week.

Mine is red like this. It's on fire outdoors.


Comments

  1. Don't worry dear...it's just hair colour....not a tattoo! You can change it anytime ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. it's not too bad now after my second wash. the colour just got deeper and better set. i will just have to get used to it, Saby.
      :)

      Delete
  2. Now I'm curious why you said you wouldn't go with red in the beginning. I had red streaks in my hair, it was good when it was new, but kind of faded into a dull brown as time went by.

    I told myself I'd never colour my hair again, but now I'm intrigued by the blue/green style.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i've done red when i was 18. just thought the colour didnt match my skin tone so much. Min said my red would fade into a kind of copper. its worrying me already. lol

      i said the same thing just 6 months ago and oops, i did it again ! yes, try the blue/ green. i love the combo. so cool.
      :)

      Delete
  3. i agreeeeee, photo doesn't do justice at all. hahaha, lets take a better one when i get back ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yeah, we need a real camera :p
      this pic is better than the second one you sent me.

      Delete
  4. Jaya, I love red, especially on dark hair. I bet it looks scrumptious. You could always buy those clip in, coloured extensions and play!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hey Juliette! i do love red but i just feel that it may not suit my skintone that well ? i should go look for those extensions. good quality ones are hard to come by :)

      Delete
  5. Going all Pippy Longstocking are you? hahaha Run Red Run, Rudolph the Red Haired Reindeer, Has all my ranting hurt your red? Nod and red and agree. Have a nice red day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hello Pat! i love the Red from 'Once upon a time'. its cool that she's also the wolf. you have a nice, catty day :)

      Delete
  6. I adore Meks hair, even on what might be a bad photo it looks fantastic. Great read on the hair Jaya. If yours is like the photo then it's going to look damn fine, I'm glad things worked out so good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks Matthew. if i can get a better pic of Meks' hair, i'll put it up, k.

      Delete
  7. I really like the mixes of color

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous29 July, 2012

    Jaya I want to colour it now blue and green _fuzzy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. arghhhh! now everyone likes it :)
      go do, k.

      Delete
  9. We are in cahoots. I had my hair dyed auburn last week. I have a little streak of pink and a little streak of blue on the right side, with a pink feather. In a couple of months, it will be another color. I bet you look beautiful because you have such a sweet smile. Nothing could make you unattractive.

    Love,
    Janie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hey, that sounds awesome actually. i was just imagining it. and thank you, Janie for the compliment.
      :)

      Delete
  10. Blah, I don't know. I have a thing for girls with short red hair and I've been trying to get Theresa to get a hair style like that for years but she refuses to.

    Oh well...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. short red hair is quite cool. maybe she would one day.

      Delete
  11. I can just imagine your hair must be stunning in the red. And I must admit that I LOVE blue-green colour and the purple is nice too. Now I'm convinced I have to do my hair too ;D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. it's not too bad now, Azra.
      yesss! you have to get your hair done in blue-green. i think it's really, really nice.
      :D

      Delete
  12. I'm not sure about the I'd-rather-be-bald part, Jaya J. You're talking to a guy who photoshopped his picture for some ID card the other day hahaha. But um.... where's your picture? We need to see that red hair. SHOW ME THE HAIR. SHOW ME THE HAIR. Would it help if we all said 'please'? ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh i mean that part abt going bald, RC. i mean we are talking about having structurally damaged hair, which means that its probably not hair anymore ? so it can feel more like straw and you dont want to run your fingers through that.
      you're vain then :) but vain is valid.
      no pic of me :( please no :)
      hahahaha

      Delete
    2. Anyone who puts on a batsuit and thinks he looks good has to be vain. But you're changing the subject..... where's that pic?
      SHOW ME THE HAIR
      SHOW ME THE HAIR
      SHOW ME THE HAIR
      SHOW ME THE HAIR

      Delete
  13. my artist daughter has red and purple hair.
    I have had the same #32 brown for about 30 yrs.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

An Award on Oscar Day

THANKS for the Kreativ Blogger award on Oscar Day,  Queen Bee . It is sweet to pin a badge like this here and since this is my first award, it's all the more sweet.  With this, I'm required to list out ten random things about myself and later tag six other favourite bloggers.  Let's start with the 10 Random Things :)  1) Diamonds are not for me.  I admire jewelry (fine or otherwise) but I'm not in love with them enough to want to own them. My favourite jewelry is a pair of white pearl stud earrings.  2) I drink water for breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner. It's just a good habit I can't break. I usually write with a bottle of water next to me instead of a mug of coffee.  3) I love balms . Nothing calms me better than a nice balm. It reminds me of my grandma, clears my mind, and puts me to sleep.  4) I keep a hammer in my bedroom.  It came in handy TWICE when the lock jammed. I broke it and set me free. My mother was petrified with the knowledge that m

Me, Myself and I

LOVELY Miss  Azra  has tagged me. It's fun once in a while to do this sort of thing and questions here seem doable too. I'll try to keep my answers short and sweet, resisting the urge to ramble since it's all about Me, Myself and I ! 1. What is your favourite saying, or motto ?  It doesn't matter. Don't worry about it.  Basically, I just try to see the positives in most shitty situations. Realistically.   2. What is your dream job ?  It ranges from being a tour guide, a travel writer and a secret agent to a medical rep, a rose picker for Chanel gardens in France and an English teacher to those under 12. I'm allergic to teenagers. 3. What part of the world do you have little interest in travelling to ? And which part of the world is next on your list ?  I have little interest in Jakarta and Bangladesh, or any place where the temperature is -45 Deg Celcius for most of the year.  My dream destination is Africa. Next on list is either Africa or New York

From Doha, With Love : Minimal Changes

SO I've been to Doha a few times already by now. Minimal or no changes at all on this flat land of sand and sandstorms, except that the population seemed to have increased by god-knows-how-many-folds judging from the volume of people seen at the popular Souk Waqif in the city centre two days ago. It's like people have multiplied like the sea sands. The last few times I was there, I remember liking the place for what it was - a perfect venue to people-watch, smoke Shisha and be a tourist. Now I don't know if that's a good thing... ...if there aren't enough social venues for this astounding volume! Perhaps, I'm a little spoiled coming from a city where food is available 24 hours a day, with freedom of alcohol consumption at random bistros and cafes and to do just about everything I wished for in a cultural setting that doesn't stare at me like I'm some kind of a three-eyed monster. I suppose people here are just a curious bunch given the potpourri of