The hairdresser traced her fingertips through my dark brown hair, “I don’t know, it can be really damaging,” she cooed, “maybe we can just do highlights instead?” I considered it for a moment and subsequently shook the doubt away. “No,” I replied tonelessly, ignoring her blatant hesitation, “just make it all blonde.” Her uncertainty paralleled my family and friend’s, making it easier to turn her proposal away as I’ve heard the spiel before. Did she think I hadn’t put thought into it? I considered the reasons why I wanted to dye my hair—why anyone wanted to dye their hair.

Simply put, I wanted change. If you’re looking for that, dyeing your hair will help you find it. Have you ever wondered what you would look like with a certain color? There are obvious doubts you may face, but have no fear, an untrained professional is here to clear the air (myself).

The fear of damaging it

People do things everyday that damage their hair, using heat products, brushing it while it’s wet, tying it into buns/hairstyles, etc. This is simply another one of those things. Eventually, some may end up dyeing it anyway as a method to cover gray hairs. While it’s healthy and can handle the dye, why not start early? There are also tons of products that relieve this damage, such as deep conditioners, oils, etc. Not to state the obvious, but, it’s also always growing. So you can always dye it back to your original color, and with time it will become healthier.

The dreaded upkeep

This can be avoided if doing a hairstyle such as balayage, which allows for hair growth from roots without much notice. Regardless, every day we do things that are upkeep. Getting your eyebrows waxed, painting your nails—these are things that are commonly done, but are not necessarily, well, necessary. I found that dyeing my hair was another one of these things, and got quite used to it.

The prospect that it won’t look how you imagined it to

This all starts with research. Find a place for the initial dyeing that is trustworthy, and perhaps has a portfolio of past work. At the appointment, provide pictures with an example of exactly what you want. I personally brought pictures and additionally told my hairstylist that I absolutely did not want brassiness, or yellowness; she ended up toning it for me multiple times to make sure that the result was what I wanted. Even if it comes out like the picture, and you still dislike it, it’s hair and you can always dye it back.

There is so much good that can come from a change

At a time when my personal life was rapidly changing, it felt good to change my physical appearance too. I can’t be certain that my change in hair color has caught the attention of new people/opportunities, but it sure feels that way. Whatever color you pick, though not natural, may suit you more. I strive to be happy and outgoing, and the brightness of the blonde really attributed that aspect of my personality.

After dyeing it, my hairstylist, family and friends all loved the result, as well as myself, most importantly. I commonly get told to, “Keep it blonde forever,” and while that might not be the case, who knows what the future holds. All that I can say is take the leap, because

great things can come out of a healthy change.