I know I can relate to a lot of girls and women when I say I’ve never been fully content with my looks. There was always something off when I looked into the mirror. Some days I would look at myself and think, “I look pretty today” and others where I thought, “Wow, I looked like that all day?” I can’t admit that I don’t still have days where I think I look a bit ugly or i’m not completely thrilled with my outfit, but I can admit that I feel 100% more confident since I dyed my hair red.
Now, I’m not telling you to run out to your nearest salon and get your hair done. What I’m saying is do the thing that scares you. This can be anything from a tattoo, a piercing, dyeing your hair or just doing something that you normally would never dream of doing. That’s what I did with my hair.
I started dying my hair when I was in middle school, but I never thought that one day I’d wake up and look in the mirror to find myself with a head full of deep red locks. I always played it safe. I would dye my hair a dark brunette or lighten it up with some highlights in the spring. I had a Pinterest board called “If I had guts” during this time; I would pin girls with short hair or girls who had shades in the red/purple range. I first wanted to dye my hair red when I was super into watching Jaclyn Hill on YouTube. I thought it looked so good with her skin tone and it was unique. I had envisioned myself doing it to my hair a ton of times throughout my high school years, but every time I sat down in the salon chair I was too afraid; then college came.
The summer before I started college was the year I went red. I decided to do it at the last minute, literally, my hair stylist asked me what we were doing and I said “Red.” I thought that now was the best time to do it. I was starting a new life. I was moving away from home and didn’t know anyone. It was a true fresh start. I also believe college is the time to take risks and that’s exactly what I did. I am so happy I did it. I feel a lot better with how I look. A lot of the time people will complement my hair color and it makes me feel good, better than I did before. It makes me believe people are noticing me, and in a very positive way. I wasn’t noticed a lot in high school, I really keep to myself and had my little group of friends. So to be able to have something that gets me noticed is a very nice feeling. Another thing I get with my red hair is that people say, “It looks like it was made for me.” I think this is the best complement of all. I look in the mirror and in photographs and I feel like my shade of red is the perfect tone for my complexion and brings out my eyes. I feel beautiful with my red hair, which is something I didn’t feel often as a brunette.
So, if you are thinking about dying your hair a bright or unique color: DO IT. If you want to get a facial piercing, but are afraid of what others will think: DO IT. If you want to get that tattoo: DO IT. If you just want to do something that gets you out of your comfort zone: DO IT. I promise you won’t regret it and it’ll be one of the best decisions you’ve made.