The other day I saw a woman with long hair streaked with dark blue color. I guess I was a little shocked and that was probably the intended result, or else she simply wanted to be noticed. Maybe both. I could not resist taking a picture when the woman’s back was turned.  She seemed perfectly normal in other ways, was even pushing a baby stroller.

I  wonder how my hair would look blue?

Hair can be almost any intense color these days thanks to hair dye, including colors that do not occur naturally.  It isn’t easy. In order to make hair an unusual shade, all color must first be removed by bleaching. Then, after the hair rests a week, the new color is applied. It seems that unusual hair color is more often a do-it-yourself project than a beauty salon creation.

The artificial color I’ve noticed most often is pink, probably popularized by the pop star whose stage name matches her hair. I also saw a contestant on a prime-time reality show with a pink ponytail, probably the result of color growing out. Pink highlights are popular too.

There are temporary hair sprays, such as green for St. Patrick’s Day, and some people use Jell-O for a temporary change. However, I think one might as well go all the way and change the hair with permanent color.

I don’t think I want green hair, though. Somehow it reminds me of a head full of pond scum.

Orange hair occurs naturally and, therefore, is not quite as shocking as some of the other colors. Wynonna Judd has orange hair. However, orange can also be obviously fake. Remember the Batman Movie theater killer and his bizarre orange hair?

Artificial colors are often associated with punkers. Punk started out as a style of music, but later came to be a style of dress or fashion. Punk-rockers dress to be shocking, have weird hair styles and hair colors — anything to be anti-mainstream society.

If punkers can have colorful hair, why can’t I?

Pop music stars also dress and act in ways to be noticed. They have unusual hair colors to draw attention as publicity is essential in show biz. Some stars have hair dyed to match their dress, or use colored wigs for theatrical purposes. Young people emulate the stars and dress like they do.

A small percentage, about 2 percent, of the population has naturally occurring red hair. However, regardless of the shade of red, from strawberry blond to dark auburn, it is not a true red.  Blood red hair for Valentine’s or Christmas is artificially created.

I’m not sure I want a color that bright, though.

Blonde hair is often due to bleaching, but is not seen as shocking since it can also occur naturally, depending on the shade of yellow. Bright canary yellow is not something we normally see outside a club or comic book.

I do not think I would look good as a canary.

Like me, some people are unable to decide on a color and color hair more than one hue. Hair can be done in a rainbow of colors by using aluminum foil to carefully separate the colors of various sections of hair during the dying process.  Less brave people may put small streaks of color in their natural hair — easier to change back if you decide you are not as rebellious as you thought.

Funny, the more people there are who try outlandish hair colors, the more accustomed we become to it. One of these days, we may all be dying our hair blue, green or purple and think of it as the normal thing to do.

Tell you what — I’ll dye my hair pink or blue right after you do.

Copyright 2013 Sheila Moss