Jennifer's Journal

 

Sunday, April 30, 2006

Hair Rant

What is it with hair styles these days?  I mean, really, who thought up these weed-eater or baby-chick's-back-end styles with hair sticking out in all directions as if whacked at random.  Or the "textured" styles, for which the hair stylist uses the scissor to poke through picked up strands until they are deliberately ragged?  Who needs a stylist for these things when practically anybody can their butcher their own hair just fine without them?  Then there are the "skunk" stripes of lightened hair that bear no resemblance whatever to anything else in nature.  And the weird colors: clown-orange, berry cobbler magenta, mustard yellow.  Okay, some of these things might be fun if they were temporary, but they aren't always.  Women have to wear these mistakes until they grow out--or else go back to the stylist to have the mistakes corrected.  Don't get me started on the mousses and jells, both of which bear a strong resemblance to the pomades used by the Victorians who needed to make hair that was seldom shampooed look decent, or the bear grease used by Native Americans to control their locks.  They weigh hair down so it just hangs without bounce or shine, as if set in syrup.
 
Nobody is satisfied with what nature gave them.  Women with curly hair want it straight and those with straight hair want curls.  Those with silky, fine hair think they have no body, so need a color or curl to thicken it, while those with thick hair think they need to have it thinned or dried with high heat to lessen the bulk.  All these things create hair damage that must be repaired with yet more products such as conditioners and oil treatments.  A gray hair is a tragedy that must be hidden immediately with color, regardless of how deadly dull and mummified it makes the rest of the hair look.  Or there's highlighting which not only damages the hair shafts but makes it appear the whole head has gone silver-white; where's the benefit in that?  And teenagers and girls as young as nine or ten also go for this appearance, thinking it makes them look sun-bleached and sophisticated, or else ruin their hair while trying to look as artificially blonde as a Hollywood bimbo. 
 
Where do we get all these weird ideas and dissatisfactions?  From cosmetic companies and hair stylists who are out to sell services and products women would never need if they simply accepted themselves as they are.  It's a racket, and it's beyond sad that women buy into it--though I've been as guilty as anyone.  Healthy, natural hair that's either long enough to be put up with various clips and pins or worn in a shorter style cut that's cut the way it grows never goes out of style.  The silver strands in the hair of older women is the perfect complement to the changing color value of their skin.  It would save much angst, time and money -- not to mention chemicals in the atmosphere and landfills -- if we all turned our backs on the cosmetic companies and went for a more natural look.               

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

your lame
Hair is hair,
Just like any other accessorie.

7:23 PM  
Blogger Jennifer Blake said...

By all means, if you don't mind walking around in clown regalia. My opinion, and I'm entitled to it, as you are entitled to yours. And just so you know for next time, "your" should be "you're", and "accessorie" should be "accessory." Lame is in the eye of the beholder.

7:31 AM  

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