Hairy Tales – From Hair-dye to Henna and back !

A couple of weeks back, I had sent out the video link to CNBC’s Changemakers episode that featured Krishnan to all our friends. The episode was on Perfetti Van Melle’s outstanding CSR work in India, and since ShikshaDaan is their Education CSR partner, Krishnan spoke about our work. I am seen fleetingly in some portions. When Kumarika and I chatted about the video, she remarked that she couldn’t recognise me immediately :).

I jokingly told her that it must be because I am old now ! Then we spoke about my hair color and she felt the Henna was not working in my favour. Coincidentally Amma also has been harping on this point, saying darker hair colour makes me look better. I have been using hair dye since my late thirties as I started going grey really early. Then in 2016 I experimented with going grey. While I loved my grey hair, the one negative fall out of that was, I just let myself go. Didn’t exercise, gained weight, and just started feeling “old”.

Hair dye to Henna

In 2017, I gave up the greys and restarted colouring my hair. I have always been partial to L’Oreal cosmetics because Krishnan was part of the team that launched L’Oreal in India. I have used Excellence Creme and Casting Colour. I have also used the Majirel range. Then in 2019, I wanted to experiment with Organic Henna instead of chemical hair dye.

I bought Kama’s Organic Henna and the initial results were ok, probably because the effects of the hair dye were still there. By March this year, as the lockdown started and the weather turned hot and humid, my hair just became unmanageable. It became dry and straw like. I just didn’t enjoy the texture and despite using Organic Indigo after applying the Henna, my hair never turned dark brown or reddish brown… it was dark orange and in patches, a dirty brown.

Back to Hair dye

Kumarika saying that she didn’t recognise me was the trigger ! I immediately ordered Excellence creme hair dye and coloured my hair the very next day. Ohhh it was such a nice feeling to see my hair nice and silky. The rough, straw like texture was gone. Ofcourse the henna in the hair didn’t let the hair dye work fully, but I got the shade of reddish brown that I love. I also felt younger :):). Its all in the head after all.

I love my hair again. Maybe it needs all those chemicals in the hair dye…. will stick to organic fruits and vegetables in food, but for my hair colour, am using the chemical hair dye !

I found another young lady who has gone grey in her thirties – On Going Grey In My Thirties. Do read her blog post.

Comments are welcome :).