What I've Been Reading Instead of Cleaning My House

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

"Because I'm Worth It"

Someone once asked my mother-in-law, Lilu, why she dyed her hair. She said, "Because I started going prematurely gray at such a young age." The person retorted, "Well, but now you're 45, it's not premature anymore." She thought this over logically and replied, "You're right." And she never dyed it again.

I've always been impressed by that since I am also one that started going gray way back in high school. Well, I'm not quite 45, but I've decided that it's not premature anymore and I've stopped dying my hair.

Those old L'Oreal commercials ended with the tag line, "Because I'm worth it." Well, I think that I'm worth a lot more than a box of hair dye at the local drugstore.

9 comments:

rena said...

I'm 43 and if I don't dye my hair look 83! Besides, now I can choose any hair color I want.

Lois said...

Yeah, you're just more flamboyant than I am. I'm embracing the gray. Weren't you the one that used to call my gray hairs "nature's highlights"?

dalene said...

My husband pulled out my very first grey hair and I was mad.

Just like every scar, stretch mark and arthritic joint I feel like I've earned those grey hairs. I think wearing them with pride and courage is how you really "grow old gracefully."

GrittyPretty said...

great attitude and i want to not dye my hair just like you! but...there's the bonus of hair dye lending my thin strands some tempting volume...

Lois said...

GRITTY -- Yeah, I have about one hair per square inch of my head. That's one of the reasons why I married Nigel (he's a walking carpet). I'm trying to weed out the bald gene from my family tree.

Geo said...

I'm another premature greyist . . . actually, with me it's ELECTRIC WHITE . . . and for well over a decade I've been watching nature's highlights take over. I used to be a real hair color dabbler, just thought it was fun, but I sort of revoked premission to play that way once my hair started whiting out. No senior citz roots for me, I said, I'll be true to my old school. But I finally realized that I LIKE to mess about with color, and who cares if somebody thinks I'm trying to hide my age. I red henna-ed my locks, and it's been entertaining watching the whites turn red, then go sorot of autumnal orange, and now drain out to yellow. If I wait long enough they'll probably get to a nicotine tooth color, but I am eager to start the fun again. Roots? Bah! According to Vogue magazine (which I only look at when I am waiting in a salon, which is next to never), roots now a hip fashion statement: "I have better things to do with my time than worry about my hair." Of course, I bet they weren't talking about electric white roots. Think I care?

Geo said...

And anyway, I DO have better things to do with my time than worry about my hair . . . like practice using spell-check.

Lois said...

CW -- he pulled out your gray hair? Sounds like a certain YW from the Farth Ward I know (remember, GEO?).

GEO -- if I had electric white hair, I would totally go for it! Weren't you the one always threatening to dye your hair platinum blond? Hey, nature is doing it for you! Awesome!!!

Geo said...

No, I'm the one who HAD platinum blonde hair, way before i knew you. But it was not cool electric white.