By: Morgan Creek | Opinion Editor
February 20, 2018
A lot of San Clemente High School students, when talking to someone who doesn’t personally know me, have referred to me as “the girl with blue hair”, or, in the past, “the girl with pink/orange/red/purple/green/etc. hair”. My color-changing hair is definitely something that makes me easily identifiable, unique-looking, and memorable. After all, I’m pretty sure that only around 5% of the SCHS population has noticeably colorful hair.
Many of my friends, my classmates, and even some random strangers, have been curious about the life of a colored-haired person: Do you like having colored hair? Where do you get your hair done? Is it damaged? What do people think of you? and even Why would you ruin perfectly good hair?? So, for anyone who has ever wondered how colored-hair has changed myself and my life (or why I’d commit such a horrible crime to my hair), here are some answers from me and a few other dyed individuals at SCHS:
Interview with Adriana Rivas, Grade 12:
What was the experience like when you first dyed your hair?
The first time I dyed my hair was when I was twelve. I bleached the tips of my hair and then dyed them blue. It was super exciting! I loved how it turned out. I would constantly look in the mirror and just stare at it, not out of vanity, but because the color was so captivating. I loved the way it caught the light.
What is your natural hair color and what colors have you done?
My natural hair color is a dark dark brown, almost black. I’ve done half-pink half-teal tips, auburn, deep blue, and black, with lots of bleached looks in-between.
Have you ever regretted dying your hair?
I don’t think I ever regretted it, although the blue did turn a murky green color when it faded. That was really ugly.
Why did you/do you dye your hair?
I dye my hair for lots of reasons, but mostly because it’s really fun and exciting. It makes you feel like a new person each time. I also like the way I look with certain hair colors, and it honestly makes me feel more confident. Having red hair really brought out the green in my eyes, and I liked matching my blue hair with blue outfits. Sometimes it’s a spontaneous decision and I do it out of boredom. The good thing is, I know I can always dye it back to black if something goes wrong.
What did your parents/friends/peers think?
My mom thought it was awesome! My dad, though he didn’t like the idea of dying my hair, admitted it looked great. All my friends liked it too.
What advice would you give to someone looking to dye their hair?
I’d tell them to just go for it and not be scared because mistakes can always be fixed. It’s also important to talk to a beauty professional about bleach (choosing the right volumes, using a toner, etc.) so they don’t fry their hair. Lastly, if you’re dying your hair at home, have someone with you who knows what they’re doing.
Interview with Curran Squires, Grade 12:
What was the experience like when you first dyed your hair?
It was a fun time. I dyed it light pink junior year. I’d wanted to dye it for a awhile and finally my friends convinced me to do it.
What is your natural hair color and what colors have you done?
My natural hair color is blonde. I’ve only ever done pink, but I’m planning on doing red or purple soon. I’m waiting for Morgan to have some free time so she can dye it for me.
Have you ever regretted dying your hair?
Nope!
Why did you/do you dye your hair?
Why not? Most of my friends have colored hair already, and it’s something I always wanted to do. A bunch of band members from bands I like have dyed hair and I think it’s super cool.
What did your parents/friends/peers think?
My parents didn’t like the pink because they thought it was too feminine. I didn’t really care. My friends thought the opposite- I think you’ve got to be pretty confident of a guy to do pink.
What advice would you give to someone looking to dye their hair?
If you’re dying your hair at home, be careful!! Dye gets everywhere and it can stain a ton. When I dyed my hair pink, some dye got on the walls and the floor and it didn’t come out, even with bleach. My parents were seriously pissed. Make sure to lay down towels and just be really careful. Or, have someone dye it who knows what they’re doing (I did not whatsoever).
Interview with Me! (Morgan Creek), Grade 12:
What was the experience like when you first dyed your hair?
I was pretty nervous the first time I dyed my hair. I was in eighth grade and I did it at my house with a few other friends. We all soaked hair in Kool-aid (it was the thing to do or something) for almost two hours. I used Black Cherry and my hair turned out super bright red. I guess I was more nervous about the fact that I hadn’t told my dad than the color. It ending up lasting for three months and I got in huge trouble.
What is your natural hair color and what colors have you done?
My natural hair color is a dark brown, and I’ve changed my hair color at least 50 times. I’ve done black, black with red underneath, dark purple, blue and purple, ash brown, green, blonde, platinum, lilac, red, pink, peach, orange, red/orange/purple ombre, teal, blue, purple, and some weird bleach colors in-between. So basically every color.
Have you ever regretted dying your hair?
I’ve definitely disliked some colors. I mostly dye my hair at home, and there’s sometimes that moment when I’m rinsing the dye out that I think Wow. This is so not the color I was going for. I’ve accidentally done red instead of peach, green instead of blue, purple instead of pink… Once I even got my hair done wrong professionally. I wanted platinum blonde and it came out grey-brown. It was a total disaster. But even with all the accidents, I don’t think I’ve ever really regretted it. I’ll normally freak out for one day, and wake up the next day totally over it. Eventually you start to remember that it’s just hair and it’s really not the end of the world.
Why did you/do you dye your hair?
I’m a pretty colorful person and I just like to express that in every way possible. Through my makeup, clothes, or dyed hair, I’m pretty much just expressing who I am as an individual. Plus, I like to change things up a lot. I feel like my normal hair is boring, and hair dye exists, so why not? I’m pretty spontaneous and I like to have change in my life, even if it’s something as insignificant as my hair color. Plus, I love art, so dying my own hair is super fun. I’ve done it enough times that I can get creative with 2-3 colors at once. There’s an infinite number of color combinations and I love it.
What did your parents/friends/peers think?
All my friends love that I’ve always had colored hair. Some of them don’t even know what I look like with natural colors. Even when the dye job is bad, they like it because they think it’s what makes me, me. And I get compliments from strangers all the time, from little girls to grandpas- most people seem to respect doing something bold to your hair. My mom has always been super supportive, but my dad and stepmom were never fans. Five years of hair-dying later and I’m pretty sure my stepmom still wants to kill me every time I change colors. For Christmas my dad asked for “two of his family members to have brown hair”. I wore a brown wig and gave him dye for grey hair.
What advice would you give to someone looking to dye their hair?
I would say to just do it. I’m a firm believer of pursuing what makes you happy, so if you think you’d be happy with a different color hair, go for it! You can always dye it back if you don’t like it. I would also recommend getting your hair done professionally for the first time. Don’t start dying your hair at home unless you’re mentally prepared to handle the “error” part of “trial-and-error”. The first time is always the scariest, but once you’ve dyed it once, it honestly becomes kind of addicting. And don’t worry about what other people will think- that goes for your friends and your family. It’s your own hair, and people will judge no matter what you do. So if you want to do it, do it! (And, don’t forget to use vegan hair dye. Fight animal cruelty!!!)
These interviews certainly don’t answer every hair-dye question out there, but hopefully you get a clearer picture of what it’s like to have colored hair. Maybe you’ll even consider dying yours sometime soon! And, if you have any other questions, feel free to ask me or anyone else in this article! All of the colored-hair crew will be happy to help 🙂
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