Blonde Ambition.

I dyed my hair for the following reasons.

1. I used to be blonde and I was absolutely in love with it.

2. I like the mantra "Blondes have more fun".

3. I am an indecisive Gemini and change my mind as often as I change my socks.

4. I thought blonde would be a nice colour for summer.

5. I wanted a change. Finished college, fresh start.

I dyed my hair blonde blonde about 5 years ago, when I was the ripe old age of 17. Insert poser blonde photo.

I loved this colour. That year was the best year ever, so obviously when I think of being blonde I think of the amazing time I had when I had blonde hair. I have been red, black, blue and brown, but the blonde was my favourite.

I realise home dying can seriously damage hair, and I have had my hair dyed professionally, but this has not always worked out for the best, and I have come to be quite wary when it comes to hair stylists. I have found in my experience that stylists do not always know what is best, listen to their customers, or have their customers best interests at heart. Maybe it's just me.

So my quest for blonde hair continued after many years of indecision. I used Scott Cornwalls Colour B4 which is a hair colour remover to remove as much dye as possible which had built up on my hair. This product has worked for many people but unfortunately did not work on my hair how I originally had planned. It lightened it ever so slightly, and I was left with blonde brown roots, black middle and red ends. DISASTER. I became manic. I used violet toners by Wella, pre lighteners and bleach by Jerome Russell and John Frieda to the MAX. I know I totally fried my hair, but I felt slightly reassured that I was constantly deep conditioning with Umberto Gianinni's Intensive Hair Mask. I lie, I wasn't reassured whatsoever. I was in bits over it.

After all this I was then left with white roots and orange hair. Mortified. I think I was so desperate because my birthday was right around the corner and I felt I had to have it perfected before the birthday photos. I have now realised the reason it didnt all go blonde was as a result of the layers and layers of dye built up on my hair over the years. I looked at it and wept. I was genuinely so disgusted that I had done this to my hair. The ends were fried, it felt gummy and horrible when wet, and it was just so so weak. This had to stop!

I have since left it and refrained from DIY Dying, although I have been using a myriad of products to try whip it into shape and gradually lighten. All John Frieda products coincidentally. John Frieda Blonde Renew Tone Correcting Shampoo and Conditioner to remove brassiness, John Frieda Blonde Go Blonder Lightening Spray on occasion after washing, and John Frieda Blonde Leave In Conditioner. Perhaps I have been over conditioning, but if you saw my straw like hair you would be like "OMG what the hell did you do to your hair!"

Yes. I have since learned to embrace the fact that it is not perfect. But my friends have been very supportive. They have even said it looks 'cool' and 'unique'. If you are wondering what it looks like scroll down to the previous post! It has since lightened as a result of using all of those John Frieda products, but I think I realised it is now time to get it sorted professionally. I guess one of the reasons I refrained from getting it fixed properly, apart from the price of course, was that I was so afraid of the hair stylists taking one look at me and going "We're not touching it, you've ruined your hair". Sounds overdramatic, but I have had nightmares about this.

So that concludes my recent hair disaster, but I am glad I did it, even if it looks kind of crap and has become completely weak and brittle. I have learned to deal with these things,and soon it will be old news.

I hope you are all having a fab weekend! Even if it is rainy and crap outside here.

Love!
Aoif x