The Great Pink Hair Challenge of 2011...the conclusion...

I know I know.  I've been slacking.  But at least know that I am doing so much I just haven't had a chance to write!  So I'm not slacking in everything, just not balancing it out as well these past few weeks...

So what happened in your pink hair challenge this year you ask?  Well here's how it went:  (read the Feb. blog about the Pink Hair Challenge if you haven't yet to know what I'm talking about!)

Me in my wig!!!

I was able to get a short blond wig from my mom, who kept one of the one's she used while she was going through chemo for "just in case."  Now, while a part of me wanted to scream "no more just in case!!!" at her, the other part of me was really happy, since getting a wig that I could wear to work over my "illegal" pink hair was obstacle #1 for me if I wanted to get permanent pink highlights.

Next, there was a woman that saw what I wanted to do and what I needed on my team page on facebook.  She  works at a salon in town and came to me, writing to me on facebook that she would be willing to do the pink highlights for me, and she would ask the salon owner if she would be willing to donate the hair dye!  I was blown away by her generosity, seeing that we didn't even know each other!  She wrote back to me in a few days time and told me her salon, The Aura Salon and Spa would definitely be willing to donate the whole package for my pink hair challenge.  What a wonderful thing; I am always amazed anew at the generous spirit that people have.  Just another wonderful thing you learn when you experience the 3 Day for the Cure!

And lastly, I had to convince my husband.  This wasn't too hard, since he told me last year when I did the wash out streaks in my hair with the Streekers dye that he actually kind of like my pink hair.  So he was ok with them being permanent highlights.

So it all came together 2 weeks before the challenge was to begin, and I put out my "Great Hair Challenge of 2011...plus an upgrade!" letter via email and facebook, "selling" each streak for a $35 or more donation, and it would run for 3 weeks.  Then at the end of 3 weeks I would tally up how many streaks I had, and if I made it over my $1000 milestone I would make them permanent highlights this year, instead of using the washout dye.  I actually immediately received a donation for my first pink streak!  That was a terrific start!!  And so when the start date of my challenge arrived, I had 3 streaks already "purchased" in my hair.  Yay!!!

Week one was a little bit of a disappointment, and I was a little worried because at the end of this week I still only had 3 pink streaks purchased.  But by week 2 things picked up... a lot!  I also made a special deal with an old friend who it sadly turns out is currently battling ovarian cancer.  She told me she would purchase a streak in my hair, but would I make one a teal (teal is the ovarian cancer ribbon color) streak for her?  So I immediately asked Casey from the salon if teal was an option.  She told me yes, so then I made the deal, that if I got over my $1000 milestone (I hadn't yet) I would make one teal for her!   And at the beginning of week 3, I had done it.  I had reached my $1000 milestone and it was official, I would make them permanent!!  Woohoo!

By the end of week 3, I had 13 pink and 1 teal streak "purchased" in my hair, and I had raised over $900 with my pink hair challenge.  I was elated!!  But also nervous, I really did have to make my hair pink and teal, permanently, and wear a wig to work for 3 12 hr shifts per week...

So I took a team mate for moral support and went to the Aura Salon and Spa to meet Casey and get my highlights.  I was blown away once again.  First she dyed all of my blond hair a medium brown and put in light blond highlights.  She said this would really make the pink stand out.  Then she put in the teal and pink highlights over the blond highlighted pieces.  This wonderful woman worked for 3 1/2 hrs on making my hair a masterpiece, all for free!!  And I can't thank her enough, it's absolutely gorgeous!!!!  I wish very much that I could have my hair like this permanently.  She did a phenomenal job.  Now I just have to take care of my hair as much as possible, to make them last as long as I can.  Casey even offered to help by touching it up once for me to help keep them just a few weeks longer!  And I wore my wig to work for the first time yesterday, and boy did I get a lot of comments and giggles and stares!!  It really got people talking!

Me and my beautiful new hair!!!

So that is the conclusion of my pink hair challenge.  Was it worth it?  Definite yes.  Will I do it again next year?  Absolutely.  Now I have 1 year to come up with a different twist for 2012...