I grew up anatural blondewith light golden tones that sparkled through warmer honey shades.
I thought I wouldnt ever color my hair until I went gray.
My once-bright roots started to fade into adarker taupe shade.
Getty Images/Design by Bella Geraci
My summery highlights were beginning to have more of a winter dullness.
My hair was now a dirtyblonde color often called dishwater or mousey due to its flat tone.
In that moment, just as my hair color was fading, so was part of my identity.
Shelby Wax as a kid.
I didnt look like myself.
She warned me that once I began dyeing my hair, it might be hard to go back.
Shelby Wax as a kid.
Courtesy of subject.
Meet the experts:
Shelby Wax not long after highlighting her hair for the first time.
I left with a brand-new shade that I had never encountered before.
Soft, sandy highlights were woven through a balayage of my dull roots.
Shelby Wax not long after highlighting her hair for the first time.
It was even lighter than my childhood hue and I loved the brightness it brought to my face.
Five months later, I returned to the chair and had my hair painted again for another four hours.
The experience of my hair losing its luster is an incredibly common phenomenon.
Courtesy of subject.
Childrens hair is not one color blonde, explains celebrity hair coloristMatt Rez.
It has the depth of the natural base color wisps of warm mid-lights that pop thebright blonde highlights.
Its like ribbons of colors melting together perfectly.
Courtesy of subject.
Many former towheads turn to bleach, but recreating the exact shade from their childhood can be tricky.
Shockingly though, after a decade of dyeing my hair religiously, things have changed.
My natural dishwater hue is now beholden as a covetable blonde shade on the internet.
The once undesirable hair colors popularity was recently solidified whenTaylor SwiftsErasTourbegan.
At that moment, I felt scammed and so did TikTokers.
Is our natural color really more flattering?
Do old-money blonde women actually let their color fade?
If Taylor Swift is doing it, does it mean I can save all my money at the salon?
While it may be trending, many people arent going all the way back to their roots.
Instead, theyre bringing back another coloring trend from the recent past.
It’s this new take on easy, less-is-more grow-out as it’s seamless.
You need a controlled amount of warmth to be weaved in so the highlights are accentuated, he says.
Even after speaking with experts, my next color appointment is still booked.
For now, I dont plan to abandon my dye habit altogether, but Im trying the less-is-more approach.
I still want to stay a blonde, but I dont mind letting it get a little dirty.
Ultimately, Im happy that dishwater is making its way back into the zeitgeist.
While we still are chasing a childhood dream, thats a step forward Im happy to take.
Read more stories about blonde hair.
Now watch Saweetie discuss the latest beauty trends.
