Spring Transformation

I’ve been really neglecting a lot of things lately. For the past couple of months, I’ve been overwhelmed by so many obligations that it has been difficult to balance all of them (that dilemma is familiar to many women and will be the subject of another post). When that happens, the first things to go are the things I do for myself. Consequently, I was ready for a big Spring transformation!!! My primary focus for this transformation was my hair. Here’s what I looked like the morning of the “project:”

It had been six months since I had had my hair cut and professionally colored. NOT a good look! Every month or so, I touched up the roots with my favorite drugstore touch up kit (I really do love it). My hair was also at least six inches longer than it should be and my last keratin straightening was completely “over.” While that’s not a big deal for some, my hair is thick and wavy, making it a nightmare during the hot, humid Virginia summer. In the picture above, I had already used a flat iron on it, so you get the idea of what I’m working with!

Now I get it that in the greater scheme of things, this is not a big deal. Honestly, though, when you’re focused on making sure everyone else has what they need for a long period of time, sometimes you just need a boost. That’s exactly what I needed!

Late one afternoon, I headed over to see my hairdresser, Bonnie, owner of CG Hair Studio. Bonnie has been taking care of me since I moved back to Virginia, from California, over seven years ago. She’s a master colorist and stylist and I love how she does my hair!

That evening, Bonnie did “the works” ---a double process color, keratin straightening and a cut. I was at the salon for six hours (much of that spent waiting while the color or keratin processed). This is my normal process but it not “normal” for others. Because I have so much hair, everything takes longer.

First she started with my based color for my roots.



Then we moved on to highlights. During the winter, I get a combination of dark brown, blonde and copper but during the Spring, I “go blonde.”



Bonnie does a fantastic job with color!!

Color is done. Now it’s time for straightening and then a cut!

So far, so good. The most tedious part is yet to come---the straightening process! I didn’t take any pictures of this part, only the results. When using a keratin straightener, the stylist combs on the straightening solution, making sure to soak the hair thoroughly. After that, I get to wear a shower cap and sit under a hairdryer for roughly thirty minutes. Once that’s done, Bonnie then sections my hair into tiny sections and straightens the section using a very hot flat iron. This part takes quite a bit of time. The absolute BEST part of it, though, is the cat box smell that wafts off of my head as the keratin soaked hair meets the hot flat iron. Ugh!!! No pain, no gain, right?

Seriously, though, it’s not that bad! Once the straightening process is done, Bonnie cuts and styles my hair. I think the results speak for themselves!











After the keratin straightening process, you have to wait three days before washing the hair and you must use sulfate-free hair products to keep the hair straight. I absolutely love the results and recommend this process to anyone with out of control hair.

 What do you do to transform yourself when you’re feeling down? Please share!