Tracing My Roots

My short life as a brunette is officially over. I only mention it because just last week I was in New York for the CEW Beauty Awards luncheon and people I see only every few months commented on my light brown hair. Next week I'll be in New Jersey for the SCC Suppliers' Day event and some of those same people will now see me as more of a blond. My natural color is blond and I think it suits me, even if at the root of the matter my real hair color today is nothing remotely like blond. I feel more like myself as a blond -- infer what you will from that. I tried life as a redhead back in the early nineties and, while it was fun, it just wasn't me.

Friends and relatives think I'm having an ongoing identity crisis, and my husband organizes a pool every time I make an appointment at my salon, but I don't mind. My hair grows quickly so it's no big deal to try something new, and my stylist likes to experiment, so I give her a lot of latitude. Salon color and styling products keep evolving and as someone who has struggled with thick wavy hair all my life, it is great to be able to try new styling products and tools -- that's right, not only is my hair color 'managed,' my hair is also not straight. I love this industry and I think of all the playing with my hair as my small salute to it. I am a baby boomer and I intend to take advantage of all the benefits that entails, including the attention lavished on boomers and our purchasing power. And if one day I decide to let my hair 'go natural,' I am sure there will be products that will help it be the best darn 'natural' it can be!