Human
Fantasy creature
What made me want to dye my hair purple you may ask? Weren’t you worried about the consequences? These questions went through my mind before I took the plunge and went purple. I call this “the purple hair effect” and if this article can help just one person then I’ve done something right….
When I first dyed my hair lilac back in 2012 after mind blowing holiday to New York City – I felt empowered and liberated from societies shackles, I came back home to a number of people (my parents included) that gasped and was utterly in shock at how much of a radical statement I was making. Questions and exclamations like “How would you ever get a proper job?”, “Who would respect you on face value?” and the ultimate “Why can’t you just have normal coloured hair?” were thrown at me.
Quite frankly – I didn’t care because quite honestly I chose to dye my hair purple because I’ve always wanted purple hair – it wasn’t because I wanted to jump on the trend of pastel hair nor was I rebelling (or at least consciously) against anything. One of the most ironically beautiful things that I’ve learnt from changing my hair well over 3 years ago to pastel purple is that I’ve never felt more like myself – genuinely comfortable in my own skin – with purple hair! I hear you chuckle, yes I thought it was a bit funny too yet somehow it makes sense to me. When I had ‘normal’ dyed hair, I tried every which way colour, brown, ombre, blonde tips – you name it I tried it and still was never satisfied, constantly changing to find myself through my hair. Finally I took the plunge when I went to my hairdresser and he asked me why I couldn’t dye my hair and go purple? I thought about it and ultimately couldn’t give him an answer as there was no real reason behind why I couldn’t do it other than I was afraid about what society would think, what my parents would think and how this would affect my job prospects.
Ironically since dying my hair blonde to go purple I’ve never looked back – not once have I regretted it. I feel so in love with purple hair that I’ve never once changed it to cotton candy pink or mint, because I feel no desire to. Purple is me. Now I know what you’re thinking, it’s only hair or that how can you be ‘yourself’ if pastel goths, pastel fashionistas and all round pastel everything trend has erupted everywhere?
I think it wasn’t social acceptance that I was searching for – rather self acceptance and self love and it was only by changing my hair to a colour I’ve longed for, for years that I found that within myself. It took a long time for me to really look after myself, respect myself and start living for myself not for others. For those wondering, my parents have grown to love my hair, I have a wonderful full time role in a digital data and social agency and my hair has become one of my trademarks and part of the brand of my site emiunicorn.com
I urge to you reading this, whether you’re a long time Emi Unicorn reader or just passing by – to love yourself and do whatever it is that makes you happy and if it’s something life changing or scary, take a risk, take the plunge and you’ll never know the outcome till you’ve given it a go. You might love it or hate it but at the very least you’ve tried it.
If it has been a spontaneous trip to New York or Paris – book your flights and explore the world. If you’ve always wanted to splurge on that designer bag go on and spoil yourself – life is way too short to regret the little things in life. And if it is that you’ve been eyeing girls on Instagram and Tumblr looking at their pastel hair and thinking you want that hair but could ‘never’ do it – get that negative mentality out of your mind and go out and find a great salon that can bleach your hair to the lightest blonde possible (don’t worry if it’s not white blonde, as long as you get it to a platinum blonde you can then use toner to make it less brassy and more pure blonde. I highly recommend Manic Panic Virgin Snow). If you just don’t know where to start, ask these girls or boys on the net where they get their hair done at – I’m sure they’ll be flattered and more than glad to help out a fellow blossoming unicorn turn into a pegasus!
Other helpful articles:
- Glitter roots – your answer to regrowth
- 5 tips for styling pastel hair
- 50 shades of pastel grey hair
- How to dye your hair pastel purple on asian hair (VIDEO)
- How-to guide for pastel hair
- 4 questions you should ask yourself before dying your hair pastel
- Opal hair – perfect subtle unicorn hair
- Why you should dress around your hair color
- Find out which pastel hair is right for YOU