I think it’s my prerogative to have at least one “fuck it” moment every now and then. Like “fuck it I will book tickets to that expensive festival in Spain” or “fuck it, I WILL eat all the marzipan off this cake” – but my most glorious “fuck it” to date was waving goodbye to 2 years (count ’em 2) of intensive hair rehab. After years of dying my hair dark I went back to my roots (see what I did there?) with a dodgy home bleach, some perseverance and passing my new hair as “It’s not that I can’t be arshed, it’s ombre.”
Ombre was it fuck.
So it was time for a change. Purple. Purple was a good idea.
I considered a home dye job. I had a flash back to blistered hands and stained bath tubs so that idea was out. It was time to get in some professional help.
I phoned up Rainbow Rooms George Square. “Marc, I want to go purple.”
And that was that.
Well actually it was more than that. “Aren’t you a bit fair?” Not so much a talking out of rather than a “We really don’t want you to regret this.” I was asked to bring in snaps of colours that I liked. Bring in snaps for me with darker hair to show that No, this was no my first rodeo and I was totally ready for it. After pouring over about 20 different shades of purple we settled for a mix of Fudge Paintbox colours (keeping my blend a secret for now) and went to work.
Mug of tea, mags at the ready and bleach on my hair, it’s safe to say the transformation wasn’t a quick one. We’re talking 3-4 hours in the chair. With bleaching and dying and conditioning treatment I thought I was going to be there forever. This was a far cry from the home job I had in mind (which would have involved me sitting wrapped in a towel, eating marzipan and getting hair dye everywhere.)
In truth I had no idea how it was going to turn out. Should we leave it on longer? Put on another application? When I first saw my hair, fresh from shampoo all I could think was “That is fucking pink. PANK.” I suspect they saw the flicker of panic in my eyes as was told, “we’ll see if we need to put on another lot to darken it up.” Once it was dried however, total game changer. I WAS IN LOVE.
As far as makeovers go it was a pretty drastic change. I know colouring my hair is hardly reinventing the wheel and it’s certainly no pixie cut or micro bangs or something else far more transformative. I do however like it and god damn it I think I bloody suit purple.
I don’t know about you but I think there’s nothing like a major makeover to give yourself a wee boost and the guys at Rainbow Rooms did a fab job (I can’t thank Stephanie enough for coming up with my signature blend.) Anyone else thinking of any big changes for the new year?
