So I did a thing...The hair dye debacle

I've always been an "I can do it myself" kind of person. When I say, "So...I did a thing," the usual reply is, "Oh no...what did you do??" It's not always a bad thing, but I do have a knack for things not quite turning out how I envisioned.

Years ago, before I let the professionals handle it, I decided I needed to color my own hair. I was in my early 40s, and gray hairs were popping up faster than weeds in a church parking lot. At first, I just plucked them, but after a while, it became clear that if I kept at it, I’d end up with a hairline that looked like it was retreating from battle. Time to bring in the chemicals.

I grabbed a box labeled “Medium Golden Brown.” Safe enough, right? Plus, it was a foam formula: less drippy, less messy. In theory only, I assure you! I mixed it up, followed the directions, and started applying. The first application went okay, but when I needed more product from the bottle, things turned into a circus act. With now slippery gloves, trying to pump the bottle was like wrestling a greased pig. What I really needed was an extra set of hands; preferably attached to someone who wouldn’t complain.

I managed to slap on the rest as best I could, and pinned it all up. Sure, I knew some dye had made it onto my skin, but it didn’t look like it was staining. I was wrong.

Seventeen minutes in, I checked the mirror. My forehead now had dark brown fingerprints. My ears were smudged and my neck looked like I’d fallen asleep under a broken spray tan booth. There was even a streak across my nose, which I don’t even remember touching! And my bathroom? Let’s just say Jackson Pollock could’ve taken notes.

Panic set in. I sprinted to the kitchen, grabbed a Clorox wipe, and started scrubbing my face like I was trying to erase a crime scene. Yes, it worked. Also yes, my skin hated me. By the time I rinsed and conditioned, I did have “golden brown” hair, but those tiny baby sideburns? Untouched... sticking straight out like fuzzy gray ears.

So, the final result: hair mostly dyed, face slightly raw, bathroom looking like a toddler’s finger-paint project, and two little gray sideburns winking at the world. Lesson learned. These days, I let a professional handle the battlefield.

A little grace, a little grit, plenty of laughter,

~Stef