Big Reveal

So ... here's my new haircut.

Taa-daa!

I had a good 8-10 inches hacked off, and lowlights added. Those bright streaks, where a normal person would have highlights? That's my hair's "natural" color. I went darker -- part auburn, and part light bronzy-brown. If my hair stylist is correct (and I have no reason to doubt her), the red will fade to about 1-1½ shades darker than the bronze she added. I really, really love the color.

Not sure about the cut yet. I mean, I am not unhappy with the length (just brushing my shoulders) and the layers, but to get my ends to curl under like that, she blew it all out and did fancy things with a blow dryer and a round brush, and I'll never be able to replicate that. I am criminally hairdo-deficient. For the last two days I just let my hair air-dry and do whatever it will, and it does this little flippy thing at the ends. It's not awful -- it's kind of cute, actually -- but it isn't the same.

Here is the great thing about having a good hair stylist, though: she knows that I like to put exactly zero effort into my hair -- because, HELLO, I have a wild-headed three-year-old to attend to in the mornings! -- and she gave me a cut that is intentionally low-maintenance. It's too short for my standard ponytail, but I can pull the front up and fasten it with one of Shae's hairclips, and it's still totally fine. And the color is so shiny! Even some of the guys at work complimented me.

I also got my eyebrows waxed, which you can't tell from the picture, but that is maybe the biggest single improvement, for serious. Brooke Shields can pull off a full natural brow, but not me. I just got everything shaped up and less American-werewolf-in-London-y, and it is lovely. My eyes are my favorite feature, and now you can actually see them, instead of trying to find them under the caterpillars that live on my forehead.

There you go. The new me (which is basically only the new me, except partially red-headed). Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Now if only I could find pants that fit.