I'm Here to Say...
I'm going gray!
No. I mean it. I’m going gray.
This is a real “write what you’re afraid to write moment” and I imagine I’m late to the game. I can’t take it anymore. Forget about inflation at its worst. There has always been inflation when it comes to “hair care.”
Quote: “Indeed, the global hair care market value amounted to about 91.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2023 and is expected to grow to nearly 105 billion U.S. dollars by 2028. Hair care boasts one of the largest shares in the global beauty market, about 22 percent as of 2022, second only to the skin care segment.” <Statista.com>
Those are stats based on non-cash jobs and we all know there’s plenty of cash out there when it comes to getting all the services.
I’m not complaining, maybe whining, but did you read this clearly? 91.2 billion dollars last year. Many hair stylists have “moved on up to the east side, to a deluxe apartment in the sky” and good on them! No really. Good on them. But BAD ON ME.
I am 63 years old and the only luxury I have ever done is my hair when I can afford it, which is never, but I do it because I like not being gray yet. Not to state my case whine further, which I will…I am a drug store makeup girl too. I have never had facials, injections, teeth whitening, don’t do nail salons, etc, and I’m really good with that. I love fashion, but in the second hand or Target kind of way, and I try hard to recycle my clothes. I do love good shoes for my bad feet. I actually like being mostly natural.
I had this idea that I would turn 70 and begin to “go gray.” Have you heard the song, “Let It Go?”
“Deborah, have you ever thought of dying your own hair?”
“yes, I did and I did and I was bad at it.” I would also say, “I have a bit of trauma over my mom dying her hair and cooking that stuff on the stove when I was little. She remained smart her whole life and has no idea I feel this way (same about ironing). I am a disaster. Sorry not sorry mom. oops.
To further my whinefest legitimate complaints, have you noticed that the young hair stylists of today do not communicate? they don’t have to. Most young people don’t. I know I have sought out and been grateful to pay a reasonable price, but if you don’t want to do my hair anymore, tell me you doubled your prices. I’m much better with that than being ignored. Plus, how does anyone operate a business like that? I think this is just part of a new generation and it really sucks. It’s just business, but sometimes it’s not. You might have really liked the person doing your hair. It’s supposed to be part of the costs you might justify? “let me pay you a lot of money and tell you about my day.” Bartender style. Too bad, it’s expensive. I’m talking.
Also, when you get older, you’re easily shoved aside. Everything from shopping without an app, driving at night, watching t.v. (without an app), communicating with anyone, etc. If you pick up the phone… leave a message at the sound of the beep. Text? you are put last on the priority list until it’s too embarrassing to text you back.
As a professional photographer for over 20 years, I figured I made $20 to $30 per hour after it was all said and done. That was “after” I paid my dues for a few years. That doesn’t exist anymore anywhere. Dues paying? I drove, sometimes for a few hours, worked hard, (12 hours average on a wedding, editorial job, three on portraits) was carrying heavy (expensive) equipment, I was always caring and creative, followed lists and instructions, drove home, edited (software costs) on my computer (cost) late at night when the kids were asleep and delivered to a website I still pay for to this day, so my clients always have their images available. That’s a separate storage website. Not my website. I was legit, paid taxes, had an insurance policy. I was good at what I did, but I wanted to do a good job and be fair. No tips as it wasn’t customary in our industry.
Do you know (while I continue my whinefest) that your pictures can last a lifetime and your hair can’t? There’s value in that and I guess I didn’t value myself enough. I felt I did though. I do know that with the more you charge, the more pressure, and the more potential for demanding and abusive clients. I had a few of those and it was enough to make me quit forever. I hate pressure and that’s what the beauty industry, as a whole, has created. It’s a monster. So I’m letting my one beauty pleasure go.
I know there are stylists doing good work for a fair wage. I just can’t find one here. I also know there are rental costs, equipment costs (scissors, blow dryers, irons, etc.), gas, etc. I feel I had far more costs. I imagine in this unGodly time of inflation a beauty salon owner is being hit with extortion. I did not have a studio. I get that, however pricing was high long before the bad times. Sadly, while gas is almost $6/gallon in Southern California, people are still flocking to the salons. It’s an Instagram/Tik-Tok life for many. Soon it will be a 500 billion dollar industry.
Whinefest over.
Getting back to going gray. I was scared to go gray for a long time. I had 70 in mind, like I said. I will never pay a portrait shoot fee ($250 - quick color and cut) to go to a local stylist in Southern California for one and half hours. This is a sad reflection on the insatiably crazy world we live in and it extends to other professions like veterinarians. Designer people with designer dogs who have required the best. Which is why Fido gets dumped (“no more Insta-shoots for you Fido. Reality set in. Sorry!”) and my hair will turn gray :), the first being far more horrible, and the latter being no big deal.
I know there’s a small town where the costs for these professions have been captured in a time warp from another era. It’s a slower life. Wish I could go. But the grandchildren…
As for me? I want my husband to retire by 65 and I’ll go gray for it :)
(Can I blame the Kardashians for this whole mess) yuck.
Don’t beat me up. Just leave a comment if you have experienced this or not?
…and if you dye your own hair, good on you!! If you’re gray or going? GREAT ON YOU!
If you’re hanging on. I get it.
Sooner or not, you’ll be here to say…. I’m going gray :)
P.S. Don’t expect pictures. I own several trucker hats and beanies.
Deborah, I love this. And the picture is the best, your talent lives on into the next generation. I cut my own hair and I can’t/won’t keep up with color treatments; so I am going gray naturally. I’m 40 but it’s been graying since I was 23. You will look lovely with sparkling silver strands and I feel like it will be a burden lifted. Thank you for sharing your journey into acceptance ❤️
Oh, the dilemmas faced by women! Not that there are zero men who color their hair. I may have met one or two in my 6 decades on the planet but this remains a predominantly female quagmire. As for me, I was platinum blonde when young, then in my 30s sometime I went brown for a year, then salt & pepper for the next 20 years, then white. Whatever happens, happens. We men don’t concern ourselves with these matters. But some of us get downright hostile about our pot bellies. I got one at exactly age 50 and said to myself “ain’t no way I’m putting up with this!” So I got rid of that horrid thing right quick I did!