Since crossing over into the dark side of puberty, one of the first moves I have consistently made each time I experienced a breakup or similar life-altering event was to change the appearance of my hair, oftentimes drastically. It was almost as though the act of changing it was a rite of passage into my new phase of life. I find, as women, the appearance of our hair is an emotional part of our lives.
Hair Is A Big Deal
My hair has always been one of my most beloved and expressive creative outlets, though the motivation to experiment with it is not exclusively driven by vanity and superficial indulgences alone. As women, the appearance of our hair is often a direct reflection of our emotional state. You can gain a great deal of insight about a female and what is going on in her life by observing the state and appearance of her hair. Recently I complimented a girl on her purple and lavender ombre hair, telling her it reminded me of "grape jelly with a swirl of cream". She told me she dyed her hair to match her aura. It made me smile, for I understood entirely.
When a woman finds an attentive stylist who is capable of bringing her most ambitious hair visions to life, it is almost as big of a deal as finding her soul mate. Most women are capable of being transformed from looking as though they haven't showered in days to a top model, from a soccer mom to a trophy wife or 'basic' to bombshell after two hours in the right stylist's chair.
Once Upon A Hair Dream
As big of a deal as hair is, I'm rarely committed to a certain "look" for long. I often find myself gravitating back to the dark side after every change, however I always grow restless and bored yet again. As important of a role as hair color removers have in terms of allowing one to change their hair color often, they are only able to take you so far. I am always hunting for anything to further nurture and promote my lack of hair color commitment. Therefore, when I encountered the wonder of Olaplex, my heart nearly stopped for a moment.
When my stylist posted a "before and after" picture showcasing the transformative results from his first attempt at using the product, I immediately stood at attention and was nearly saluting. Within 24 hours, I had an appointment booked, along with a world of knowledge. I scoured the internet for an entire day in an attempt to absorb as much information about the service as I possibly could.
The Hair 'Mission Impossible' Made Possible?
As many of my faithful readers on The Daily Doll are already aware, I carefully research product and methods prior to recommending them. I am not interested in simply discussing another person's experience with a product, discussing reviews I've read about a product or solely documenting my experiences alone. I enjoy being the investigator, the guinea pig and the reporter synergistically.
While conducting research online, I read the following claims:
"Olaplex multiplies and perfects the bonds of the hair..."
"Stylists, tell your clients that gone are the days of worrying about hair breakage!"
"Olaplex is a game-changer..."
"Add Olaplex to your bleaching mixture, and never break hair again!"
What if there are no longer limitations to what can be done to hair in one day, I thought. What if this product becomes the most magnificent enabler of my hair exploration addiction to date?
I was so excited, I was nearly sweating.
Upon arriving to an appointment with my stylist, I wasn't anticipating a miracle. I embarked on the venture with the understanding that Rome was not built in a day. I had no desire to go to the extremes of being blonde again, but knew I desired to be lighter. My hair was black at the time and although I love dark hair, I was bored yet again. The problem was, though, underneath those layers of black dye were also layers of bleach. Like I said, I'm not exactly the most loyal 'girlfriend' to my hair experiments. In terms of hair color, I've begun to wonder if I'm capable of monogamy at all.
Chase Taylor, my exceptional stylist, bleached 60 to 70 percent of my hair, with Olaplex incorporated into the bleach mixture. The end result was a soft, shiny mane of hair, approximately three levels lighter, with absolutely zero trace of any further breakage. I was elated. My feet were still planted firmly on the ground, yet my head was in hair Heaven.
So, With Olaplex, What Can You Expect?
It May Blow Your Mind, But First Manage Your 'Olaplexations'
In my unprofessional yet thoroughly informed, always skeptical and slightly neurotic opinion, below are six tips I suggest you keep in mind if you find yourself interested in an Olaplex service:
- Select a stylist who knows what he/she is doing. This is a phenomenal product, but must be in the right hands for optimal results.
Here is to Olaplex assisting you in making your wildest, most ambitious hair dreams come true, too.
Read the original and extended version of this article by Lacey Johnson on The Daily Doll.