Finding a Hair Color and Style That Actually Works for Me

Practicing Her

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After years of trying different colors and cuts, I finally started paying attention to what actually works for my face, coloring, and style.

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Some beauty decisions are louder than others.

Hair is one of them.

You can simplify your makeup. You can rotate perfumes. You can edit your wardrobe slowly.

But hair?

Hair announces itself the moment you walk into a room.

And for a long time, mine felt like experimentation without a direction.

Twelve Years of Hair Experiments

I’ve been coloring my own hair for almost twelve years.

In that time, I’ve been just about every color imaginable.

Blonde. Black. Red. Neon pink.

I’ve had hair past my shoulder blades. I’ve had a pixie cut.

At one point I kept neon pink hair for almost four years.

And for a while, that felt right.

But as it started growing out, I noticed something I hadn’t before.

It felt a little too… girly.

Not in a bad way.

Just not like me anymore.

That’s when I realized I wasn’t just experimenting with hair color.

I was experimenting with identity.

Hair experiments often start as style decisions, but they usually end up being identity ones.

Growing Out the Pixie

Right now I’m in another transition.

I’m growing out my pixie cut.

It’s finally just past my shoulders, which feels like a milestone after a short haircut.

Growing out a pixie is its own strange journey.

There are phases where nothing makes sense. Phases where you’re constantly adjusting it. Phases where you question every decision that led you there.

But there’s also something satisfying about watching it slowly become the length you imagined.

(And yes, I’ll probably write about the pixie grow-out process later.)

Finding the Color That Feels Like Me

As my hair got longer again, I started thinking more carefully about color.

Not trends.

Not what looked good on Pinterest.

Just what actually felt aligned.

After some trial and error, I landed on a shade I didn’t expect:

A dark auburn mix called Cranbaby by Lunar Tides.

It’s deeper than what I usually choose.

Richer. Slightly moodier. Less sugary.

And for the first time in a while, my hair felt like it matched the version of me I’m becoming.

The right hair color doesn’t change who you are. It just makes you feel more like yourself.

What I Pay Attention to Now

After years of experimenting, I’ve realized something simple.

The right hair decision isn’t the boldest one.

It’s the one that supports your features instead of competing with them.

Now I think about:

What tones complement my skin. What length works with my routine. What style I can actually maintain.

Because the best hair doesn’t require constant fixing.

It works even on a day when you hit snooze three times.

Why This Matters More Than I Expected

When my hair felt random, I felt random.

Now that it feels intentional, everything else feels easier.

My makeup doesn’t have to do as much.

My outfits feel more cohesive.

Getting ready is calmer.

And that kind of quiet alignment is what I’ve been building across everything lately.

Not dramatic change.

Just intentional signals.

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Final Thought

I’ve spent more than a decade experimenting with my hair.

Different lengths. Different colors. Different versions of myself.

But this is the first time it feels like it actually reflects who I am right now.

And that’s the version of beauty I’m practicing.

After snooze. 🌸