I usually color my own hair. I’m not grey and I actually have a great natural hair color. It’s a rich, dark brown with subtle red highlights. Still, I just really enjoy coloring my hair. It’s yet another great thing about being a girl. We can color our hair without stigma, just because we feel like it.

In high school I used washes and temporary color. They were popular in the 80s and there were some fun color available. When I went off to college, I wanted to dye my hair a cherry cola color, but I bought a package of mis-labeled hair color from Commander Salamander in DC’s Georgetown and ended up with vermillion hair. I had bleached it out first, so I was sporting something akin to the color you see on a can of Sunkist soda. As charming as the color vermillion is, I was not happy about having it on my head.

So, I covered the vermillion with black. Flat black is not flattering on me. Not one bit.

After some trial and error I found Clairol’s line of Torrid colors. They rock. I have tried a lot of other colors over time. I even went though a long period where I had my hair colored in salons. I just keep coming back to Torrids, though. I am a fan of the Blazing Cranberry and the Bodacious Burgundy. I choose one or the other depending on my mood.

I’m not fancy. I buy my Torrids at Sally Beauty and mix them with the developer in a glass mixing bowl. I wear disposable gloves and apply the color with a flat brush. The process might not be chic, but the end results are stunning. The color is just this side of wild, unpretentious, and absolutely fun.

In Florida, bottle blonds are a dime a dozen. I’ll gladly go Torrid any day.