Perfection Is Overrated

The first time I colored my hair was during my varsity days in Australia. I was convinced by a roommate. She said "It is really easy" and it was really easy but a little messy. I had a lot to clean up after coloring my hair. I left a trail from the dining room all the way to the bathroom. Despite the clean up effort, she did a great job with my hair. I was showered with compliments about my new red hair. It was a one time deal and most importantly it was a hassle to clean up after the fact.

Fast forward a few years, when my grey started to bother me especially at the sides, that signified the beginning of my hair coloring journey. I was frugal at the beginning so I colored on my own. Also, it was not cheap to get it done in the saloon. I became quite efficient and I don't have a lot of clean up when I colored on my own.  

I started coloring my whole head every 4 months then every 3 months then every 2 months and then every month. Today, I suspect 80% to 85% of my hair is gray. I get overly conscious if someone taller is standing behind me at the grocery checkout when my grey is visible from the crown of my head. I worked in a tech company and it is not uncommon for me to be the only female in the meeting room. I remembered one time when I glanced at the attendees in the room where everyone had salt and pepper colored hair. I thought to myself I could join the guys if I hadn't colored my hair. 

The annoyance of seeing my grey got the better of me. My grey is well distributed all over my head. When I colored on my own, either I can't reach some of the grey at the back of my head or I have shimmering strains of red hair all over. Clearly, my ability to color my own hair has deteriorated as more grey gradually dominated my head.

Fortunately, a friend introduced me to a great hairdresser and I have been going to her every month for the last 5 years or so. I thought I am all set in the hair department. Again, my grey got the better of me and the sight of grey approximately a centimeter long at the hairline split got under my skin every fortnight.  

While I am determined not to go to the hairdresser every 2 weeks to conceal my grey, I had to do something as the sight of the grey is irksome to me. I have a plan. I will continue to go to my hairdresser on a monthly basis and in between visits, I will color my own hair. I started to touch up my entire head.  A few iterations of my own coloring,  I came to the realization that the grey along my hairline split and the peripheral of my forehead are the most annoying to me. 

I tweaked my plan. Instead of coloring my entire head between visits, I just color the hair on the top of the crown. It worked. Let's face it , I am my own worst critique.  I was pretty elated to realize that I was perfectly fine just concealing the grey on the top of the crown.  

When it comes to hair and perhaps many things in life, I will strive for practically over perfection. Seriously, perfection is overrated.