I am a firm believer that if you’re going to do something crazy, college is probably the time to do so. Obviously, if you don’t want to do something crazy in college, you don’t have to. However, my parents and their friends always tell me how “college was crazy” and “you only get to go to college once,” so I figured the time to shake things up is now and what better way to do so than by dying my hair.
Over the summer, I knew I wanted a change so I took to the internet for ideas. I considered many different options before settling on dying my hair: getting a new piercing, completely changing my wardrobe, painting/redecorating my room, and even getting a tattoo. Of course, some of these options are more drastic than others (i.e. getting a permanent tattoo). The good news about dying your hair is that one day it will grow back and I’ll have the chocolate brown hair my mom so dearly loves again. So, if you are looking to spice up your life, maybe the next step is dying your hair. However, there are some things you should consider before making the big jump.
1. Upkeep
Dying your hair isn’t as simple as dying it once and being done. If you are dying your whole head, you’ll have to go back to the salon every month or so to touch-up your roots, which can be hard to do if you are in college. So unless you usually get your hair done near your college, I would look at your schedule and see if making a trip home to your stylist every so often is reasonable. Another option would be to take to Google and Yelp and try to find a stylist near your school or maybe you already get your hair done near your college in which case, you’re good!
2. Money
Because you’ll be making frequent visits to a salon, it’s important to budget. Are you willing to spend a large sum of money on the first visit? If yes, are you willing to pay for the upkeep? Sure, seeing box dyes in Walmart and CVS are incredibly tempting because of how inexpensive they are, but going to a salon is definitely the way to go because it will cause much less damage to your hair. So the cost is worth it! You also might need to buy a new hair routine: shampoo, conditioner, hair masks, etc. Dyed hair required more maintenance and sometimes buying these products can unexpectedly hike up your bills, so be prepared!
3. Damage
If you have never dyed your hair before and it feels soft and silky, it likely won’t feel the same after. If you have brown hair and you are trying to lighten your hair, your hairdresser is going to use bleach and the harsh truth is that your hair might end up feeling like straw in the end. However, having a good shampoo and conditioner coupled with the occasional hair mask will do wonders! You might have to learn new ways to style it, but if you go to a professional stylist, the damage should be minimal.
So if you are ready for the upkeep, the cost, and the possible damage, the next thing to do is consider what color you want! Obviously, you should also do what you are comfortable with, but if you are ready for a change, maybe consider dying your hair!