I thought it would be fun to post pictures of my hair color (and lengths) throughout the years. I love the color I have now, which is close to my natural, but it was also fun to try other colors. Looking back at these photos, I realize that the color I have now suits me best (IMO, at least.)
My hair in college (for the first 2 years or so) started off something like this (I had highlights, low lights and that was all my real hair, length wise)
Then came my blonde phase (I wore a lot of extensions during this phase, which explains the varying hair lengths.)
I was quite blonde! Wow. I used to have to get my roots done every 6 weeks or so, it was very high maintenance. Do blondes have more fun? Maybe. I’m not sure. The color is super hard to maintain for a natural brunette though…which kind of isn’t that fun. But I digress.
After years of being a blondie, I took the plunge and decided to go darker. I was tired of the time commitment and cost of coloring my hair so often. Not to mention the damage. Oh the damage. This is how it turned out (sorry for the bad webcam pic, it’s all I have on this laptop.)
Then, when it faded from that initial “going darker” it was this horrid orange color (I repeat, horrid. I shudder when I see this picture.)
(and BTW yes I am 100% aware that I pose thesamefreakingway in every single photo. I am getting better at that now. But yes, I’m aware, no need to point it out, I know. Trust me, I know.)
Then I went even darker:
I hated it this dark. I felt it didn’t do anything for my features. it just washed me out and made me feel pale and gross. I went super dark right before I had my surgery because I thought “I don’t want to be the bottle blonde with big boobs.” (not that there is anything wrong with that, I was in a transitional period, and I just wanted to have darker hair.)
I soon realized that I wasn’t happy with it that dark, even after it had faded a bit. So when I moved to Texas, I decided that I wanted to try and get it back towards my natural color. This is what it ended up like:
So that’s what it was like initially when I first colored it after moving to Texas, and I’ve kept it pretty much the same ever since, but here are some of my most recent photos of my color:
So, after sharing all of these photos I’m feeling pretty nostalgic, hehe. Anyways, I just thought this would be a fun post to do because we all experience so much change in our apperance over the years- whether it’s makeup, hair color, personal style etc. I think I’ve progressed a lot since college (thank goodness!)
Tell me about your hair color through the years! Did you change it a lot or stay pretty much the same since HS/college? Let me know in the comments below 🙂
Thanks for reading and laughing along with me at what a poser I am. Seriously. I guess that’s my “good side.”
xoxo,
Veronika.
For most of college, I was a bright redhead, but that's really high-maintenance and it got brassy and washed out quickly. I now have a more natural reddish-brown that I think suits me much better.
After the wedding, I'm chopping my hair really short again and want to do a dark, dark brown. I can't wait to try something new!
Love the color you ended up with! Natural and sophisticated. And it looks so healthy! 🙂
As soon as I was allowed to dye my hair (when I turned 18), I've been dying it the same red color ever since. I love it and I think it works for me.
A very fun post! I love your hair the way it is now, btw. I think it's a great color and style! I wish I could have your length and volume. Ok…and the color too!
My hair has been about every color imaginable including hot pink and bleach blonde. Both were horrific choices as you may imagine! Thankfully I do not have pictures of either of these tragic mistakes!
Right now I'm in a weird transition phase of growing out my cut, but I'm pretty happy with the color! My hair is naturally dark brown with lighter brown highlights…so not exciting but it works for me!
great post! I have to admit I like your her color now way better!! but you manage to look great through out all the phases 🙂
from the age of 13-24, i was an Asian girl with blonde highlights. speaking for myself, i looked ridiculous. my hubby calls it my "bee hair" phase. i went back to my natural color (so dark brown that it's almost black). grew it out super long for the wedding, then the week I got back from our honeymoon, i got 10 inches chopped off and donated it to Locks of Love. Now, I'm rocking a slightly layered shoulder touching bob, and I love it. I might grow it back out so that I can donate it again!
p.s. loved looking at all of your hair pics!
xoxo,
tam
https://tampham.blogspot.com
I think what you've got going on now is definitely most flattering! It's very natural looking without being blah.
I dabbled in blonde highlights all through high school and college, with varying results, and recently went dark due to the economy but I'm missing my highlights a lot! My natural color is very similar to yours.
I would love to kno how u styled your hair in the very first pic and also in the "most recent" sections second picture! Love them and can't get my hair to do those things! Spill the secrets please : ) products, tools??
Jamie- in the first pic I was going through a "making waves with my flatiron phase" and I used products like bumble and bumble surf spray and mousse. It was long ago so I don't remember 100% what I was using but I know I blow dried my hair while scrunching and then used my flat iron to enhance my natural waves.
In the last few pics my hairstylist did my hair. In the curly one he curled each section with a curling iron and in the second one he blew it out with a roundbrush. 🙂
The first picture of you with brown hair I thought you looked exactly like Anne Hathaway.
I have to say one thing before I deluge you with my hair coloring details.. you are SIMPLY gorgeous!
I think that you are pretty with your natural or "near natural" hair color the most, although you look pretty w/ blonde hair as well.
Anyway, I went through some serious hair colorings throughout my life (I'm only 25)! I started in 3rd grade (oh my poor virgin hair!) with burgundy hair color, and went crazy with hair dying in my teen years (dyed it all sorts of colors from black to green) and only stopped dying my hair a few years back.
I went "au natural" until about 3 months ago, when I became "inspired" (after reading a beauty blog) to lighten my natural hair color a few shades lighter (I really wanted that light ash brown color, and sadly, I still do!!) It was a huge mistake – I ended up with unsightly "orange" hair color. So gross! It was right before my snowboarding trip to Mammoth too, so I immediately re-dyed it, and the orange as "muted" until I dyed it medium brown 2 months ago. It was originally darker than I wanted, but I loved it. However, that color has long faded, and I now have slightly brassy hair again. *sigh* I would love to go back to my normal hair color, or even a pure brown color without the risk of the color becoming brassy.
Nina- the one where you cant really see my face? My husband thinks she is really unattractive (I don't he does) and I just read him this comment and he's like "you look nothing like her!!!" LOL
libbeh- make sure your colorist is using a Neutral tones brown dye and not a warm or cool. I think mine uses 6N or 7N as my base color (my lowlight, close to my natural color). It's so hard to get rid of red in hair. I would definitely go to a professional and see if they can even it out for you and tone it back to a color you like. 🙂 good luck!
The only thing I've ever really done to my hair was cute it short and get highlights. I got so much highlights that it eventually starte dlooking waaaaay too blonde and light for my taste. BULP.
I do want to comment on the "pose" you always do. I get so much shit from my friends because I always have to move if I'm not showing a certain side of my face in photos. I am 100% positive I have a good side. So I know, kinda, why you like the same pose thang. haha
prettyface- my wedding photos were the only pics that finally made me realize that i don't need to only always show the one side. I still prefer to angle myself that way, but seeing myself at tons of different angles in my wedding photos made me feel much more confident.
Your natural color is gorgeous! My hair has been pretty much tame throughout my life. I am so afraid of taking risks! I would really love to try extensions though, but right now my main concern is getting it to where it is really healthy! Do you take vitamins or use anything to stimulate hair growth and improve the texture?
whitney- biotin and prenatal vitamins will help hair. I take them on and off but always forget to. I have to try and take them more regularly 🙂
I honestly can't remember when I wasn't coloring my hair, or treating it chemically in some way. In middle school I was all over perming it. I had that awful tight, poodle type curl all over my hair. After all of that damage I moved onto coloring. I was blond for a long time because I refused to believe that I had dark hair. Then I went black for a month, then back to blond. I finally found a great colorist and she slowly took me into browns and reds. I've pretty much stayed in the red family ever since.
I have virgin hair. I'm so afraid of losing my natural hair color forever. It definitely changes with the seasons and its exposure to the sun.
You look great in all of those pics. I do especially love the way your hair looks now. Makes me really want to go get a haircut!
In the hat pic & the pic 2 above that you look just like Marisa Miller (the VS model)!! I like it best now for sure! And you are gorgeous, at any angle!
You are so beautiful!! You have definitely nailed the perfect hair color for you, the way it is now!
I've been dark brown/black for 15 years or so.. and just before Christmas I got the urge to reinvent myself and go light brown. It's been a long process, but I love my hair now. Love how it's so much more soft and feminine. Now I just need to grow back my length and I will be happy 🙂
I've been back and forth between platinum blonde and dark brunette for 10 years. After a 3 year struggle with my platinum I'm a dark brunette again.
I want nothing more than to be as close to my natural color as possible. Given I'm where you were when your hair was dark, what did you do to bring it up to the color it is now and how long did it take?
Please, I can't even keep up with all of the colors I have been. LOL
I agree. I like you best the color you are now. I actually didn't mind the dark, but I don't think the blond was for you.
Of course, you still look beautiful with all of the different colors, but this is the best now.
Your current hair color is gorgeous. It looks great and doesn't compete with your natural beauty.
My hair is a super rich, dark brown, and I have pretty much always kept it this way. I dyed it completely black for a year in high school, but then let it grow out to its naturally color, which is already pretty close to black. I actually really love my hair color, so I am glad it doesn't require much maintenance.
Aside from extensions, I went through the same phases around the same time… highlighted, to overhighlighted blonde, then dark, then brassy bc of the dark haha, finally to natural.
My colorist did some warm highlights right before the wedding to make my hair extra glossy and dimensional, but I love the natural look, definitely is what suits everyone best… great post
I think your hair color is gorgeous the way it is now – it's very natural looking!
As far as my hair is concerned I have never really done a whole lot to it. I've had some light brown / blonde highlights but I wasn't really a fan because my hair is so dark. I don't really like blonde highlights on super dark brown or black hair (that's just my opinion, though!). I think I dyed it a sort of reddish a one point too – it was only red when the light reflected a certain way. And then about 2 1/2 years ago I was tired of all the coloring and I dyed it BLACK in the hopes that when it faded it would be closer to my natural color. It eventually ended up a really really light brown and I am so glad it's gone now!
My hair is just my natural dark brown right now and I absolutely love it! I'm super pale so it's not so great in the winter haha but I love my dark hair.
Going lighter when you were younger wasn't bad, it was cute! But I agree the color you have now is very nice.
I noticed that sometime between 2007 and moving to Texas you became, um, more endowed? Is that a boob job?
Your hair looks awesome the color, style and length it is now! Loved looking through all of these pics. I was blonde for a long time too and I just don't think it's a good look on me at all. I didn't see any short hair pics? Have you always kept it long??
xoxo
You are so pretty – you definitely could/should model! I love love love your color and style of your hair. I too have been super blonde and at times it was pretty and sometimes not so much. I have more of my natural color now – brunette with depth as I like to describe it:)
Anyway, you are stunning. I love your entries. They are always fun and informative and a fun read!
Have a great day V!
Haha, I had similar hair colors at those same times in my life too!
I love your hair now, and actually used one of your wedding pictures for inspiration for my own wedding hair & I loved it.
I finally got tired of mine long & cut it a few weeks ago to shoulder length with long layers & it's actually my natural color now too!
anon- yes, I am more endowed because as I mentioned in my post, I had surgery, and I have mentioned also in previous posts that I've had a breast augmentation.
Cassie- going from dark to the color I have now was a 4-hour ordeal with highlights. Basically my stylist just highlighted A LOT and then also put in a base brown color as a lowlight. It faded naturally from there into a great brown color.
andi- I've pretty much always had it long. In 7th grade I had it cut to my shoulders. I always hated having shorter hair (on me) I love the femininity of long hair on me. Plus I'm super tall so longer hair has always balanced me more 🙂
I also think that your current hair color looks best, you look amazing! I have really blonde hair right now and I swear I have roots 5 min after leaving the salon lol. I decided to take a little step towards the darker side 😉 and I made an appointment at my salon.I´m getting lowlights. I´m a little bit scared but everything is better than my prison roots.
I recently found your blog (thank you Michélle aka Mupnorth!)and I´m really loving it! Btw you are really beautiful 😉
thanks DeefromCG 🙂 I'm glad to have you as a reader. Going darker is difficult, but the key is to still keep some lightness in your hair through VERY blended highlights. Makr sure to request a NON high contrast look. Specify you want your hair colors to appear very blended and you want the highlights to be thin, not thick 🙂
good luck!
I've gotta say, I am very jealous of your hair no matter what color it is! Though I do like your hair color now the best, it's gorgeous and looks very natural! My hair has always been shorter because it doesn't seem to want to grow past my shoulders! I was born with like no hair, grew up super blonde, then it turned dirty blonde, so I went platinum blonde (with hot pink "hi-lights"…oye!) at one point in high school, and am now a brunette. I definitely like brunette best, and think it looks most natural on me. Great idea for a post!
Really who posts this many pictures of themselves? Could you be more self absorbed?
Thanks for your comment anon with IP address(96.56.61.66) Newburgh, New York, United States.
LOVE THIS POST! So cute.
Your hair is gorgeous, love the first pic, the blond pics and of course the way you look now. AND, I don't think the 'orange-y' colour is that bad, it looks okay to me (!) – speaking as someone who doesn't know you.
BTW, that anonymous post above is ridiculous. If you can't insult someone without leaving your name, who are you to talk. Don't listen to them. JEAAAALOUSSSS.
A.Co- thanks for your sweet comments.
These comments are not as "anonymous" anymore since I now can track IP addresses. I don't believe in leaving a comment anonymously. If you have something to say, be proud to say it and not hide behind "anonymous."
I'm not trying to hide (I'm the one who asked about the surgery). I was just wondering and how did I miss where you mentioned your surgery?!?
It looks great! I was just curious because I'm thinking about it myself.
Was this by chance in Texas? I live in Houston and it's a bit overwhelming to find a good plastic surgeon.
Sara
anon- I was referring to the other anon who made a comment after you.
No, I had my surgery done in Toronto by Dr. Sean Rice. He is great! I also know some girls who went to dr. ciaravino here in houston and liked their results.
Sara- if you are in Houston, it looks like the IP address I posted was not yours. 🙂
I'll have to check out Dr. Ciaravino then.
Thanks!
Sara
sara- No problem 🙂 He is known as the "breast doc" in Houston. You can go for a consult and see if you click or not. Have a great day 🙂
In that first pic, did u use a product to smooth the ends? I love the touseled look. I have naturally wavy hair, which I mostly blow dry w a diffuser. I like the wave I get when I use product and air dry but I have trouble smoothing my ends.
The color now is definitely the best, but you were gorgeous throughout all the pictures! BTW I don't think you look anything like Anne Hathaway. I don't think she is that attractive either! I know I may be in the minority – well me and your husband anyway. When you posted pics of Cheryl Cole I saw a big resemblance.
MsHark- I think Anne is very attractive in a non standard way. She is very unique. My husband told me ever since I posted the pics of Cheryl Cole he thinks I look like her too! I still don't see it, but she is beautiful so I am flattered that he thinks so. My DH is in love with Kate Beckinsale!
Veronika,
what color would you consider your hair? (I know there are a few shades) What I'm asking is what words words to you use to do describe your ideal hue (i.e, caramel, honey, chocolate brown). Hmm all those "colors" made me hungry! ha. Anyway, I have hair color very similar to yours, and lately, I feel it looks great in some photos and really brassy in others and I'm starting to worry with my wedding being in October–Tati
Tati- I basically ask for a neutral light/medium brown with darker blonde highlights.
I don't think asking for "caramel, honey or copper" is ever a good approach because caramel to you in hair color might mean something completely different to yoru slylist. The most accurate results are achieved through showing a photo of what color(s) you want. That way the stylist can actually see the tone of the color and find a more accurate match. good luck!
You are so pretty!! You make me want to go a bit darker!
Amber- just don't make the same mistake I did and go too dark! thaks for your sweet comment 🙂
I love this post! You are so beaultiful no matter what color hair you have 🙂 I'm trying to go back to my natural color as we speak, which is pretty darn close to your natural also. It's very hard though since I'm trying to do it all on my own (not professionally) to save on money. Hopefully I'll get it right and not have to worry about my roots anymore 🙂
i think you should make a post about your experience with plastic surgery, i myself, am getting a breast augmentation and it would be great to read your experience and any tips on the recovery process.
Your hair looks great btw. i love it, i have naturally dark hair and i agree that blonde is very high maintenance.
anon- I would definitely consider doing a post like that, but if you email me, I can send you an interview I already did about my experience:
veronabrit at gmail dot com
thank you!
Love your hair now, though you look gorgeous in all the pics. Do you lighten your base color or just highlight? I am trying to achieve a similar look to your hair now. Sorry if you answered this before!
anon- I only highlight. I grow my roots out for 4-5 months and then highlight so my natural color is my "in between the highlights/base" color. I also get a brown color close to my natural painted in free-hand as a low light for depth.
I love your current colour.
I am naturally olive skin so not many hair colours work with me.
I have had super blonde highlights, black hair, dark brown, copper highlights, pecan colour, brown, and it is currently a gross mix of brown with red undertones (and highlights creeping back up).
I havent gotten the chance to get a recent colour because I am on bedrest but I am going to call my stylist and BEG her to come give me a haircut and colour.
Nat- sorry to hear you are on bedrest! wishing you well 🙂 I would definitely see if your stylist can swing by! I don't see why not. Especially if you have been going to her for awhile!
i'm surprised you didn't like the very dark shades before you went back to closer to your natural color. i LOVED it! maybe i'm just jealous. i like dark hair and sadly, i look better as dirty blonde 🙁
i saw in one of the comments you mentioned biotin – i swear by it. my hair stylist said she's never seen so much new hair growth in anyone in such a short time. it really does work. i take it religiously with my prenatals – not preg, but trying 🙂
one more thing about the anonymous poster who was mean – why read this blog and further more, why post such a negative, hateful remark? that must be infuriating for you. hopefully you know that your blog followers think it & you, although we've never met you, are great. sooo much fun to read. don't let the negativity get to you!
thanks for your comments robyn. The rude comments actually don't infuriate me at all. I just keep a positive attitude and realize I can't be liked by everyone and that's OK. I am more amused that people take the time to read my blog and then insult me in the comments. Oh well!
I heart you 🙂
I heart you too. a lot! <3
holy cow, I didn't realize you had foobs!! I say with love…
Can I request a post on that subject please??? I'm always so fascinated by young women (like, pre-25) that get elective plastic. I used to want to get my nose done, but then when I realized that it's a prominent feature in my family and forever ties to my Mom-Mom (and soulmate) I couldn't even imagine having it altered. I wouldn't even pierce it at this point.
Craziness…
Kristen- I was extremely flat chested (I am wearing very padded bras in all of those pics). For me, it was about being proportionate to my height and filling out clothes and feeling feminine. I had no breast tissue at all, just completely flat skin. It's a personal choice, definitely not for everyone. It is one of the best decisions I've ever made.
I love this post! I would agree in saying your current color suits you best but I have to say I like them all. You certainly pull off any haircolor well! I am a natural redhead (more of an auburn) but I have gone from super blonde highlights to dark brown hair. I always come back to my natural color though. I can't say that I won't do some highlights this year though once the weather warms up!
– Jennifer
Did you ever get flack for it from other girls/kids, or was it driven mostly from within?
This will sound so cliche, but I have C's and I don't think I've been so in love with them that I wouldn't give them up in a heartbeat. I'd love to be able to go bra-less and wear certain low cut things that would actually look feminine (and not totally trashtastic) if I had smaller, or no boobs.
I can't imagine how with such a pretty face and obvious girliness (again, said with love) that you ever had a problem feeling feminine, but you never know what's going on beneath the surface I suppose.
Kristen- it was very much driven from within. The most honest and heartfelt way I can express it is that when you don't have breasts (and I mean no breast tissue at all, not just "small boobs" like an average A or B cup) you feel like you are missing something that innately makes you a woman. I am not sure someone with breasts can understand on as deep a level as really flat chested ladies can, but that is the best way I can describe it.
I was made fun of a lot (from girls, ex boyfriends etc) for not having breasts (obviously something I couldn't control) but that was never what drove me to have my surgery. I just wanted breast tissue. I wanted to feel and look proportionate. I wanted to have those womanly body parts that I never grew naturally.
I never felt unfeminine, sorry if it came across that way, I definitely have always been girly. Having breasts was important to me. When you don't have them for your entire life it can feel very…liberating to have them. They fit my body well, most people don't know I have them unless I tell them.
I am still able to go braless (but never did when I was flat chested, I wore padded bras all the time.)
Thanks for asking, don't worry I'm not offended at all, I think it's important to ask these questions.
As long as you're happy, didn't commit a crime to make it happen, and are still a good person you pass my litmus test for good decision making. Haha, aren't you glad to know? not 😛
PS – Having just perused the new F21 line, I think you look like Kylie Brenner. Toos Cutes.
Kristen- good to know 🙂 I'm not sure who that is? Do you mean Kylie Jenner? I don't see it but she is cute!
ps- I think I'm an even better person with boobs! 🙂
oh yes, Jenner… I did the Brody + Jenner in my brain and whoopsed all over the place.
What a great post! At some point, can you do a post on how to give styling "life" to long hair with layers. I can't get my hair to do anything like you do with yours. Any help on drying/styling methods would be most appreciated.
Yes Veronika I know you have talked about how you style your hair but I have long hair with long layers too and I would love to get more info about how you get so much body and style in your hair! Thanks hun
Leah
Leah- I use velcro rollers. I blowdry first with a round brush and volumizing products, and then I put in the velcro rollers and let them sit for 15-20 minutes. When I take them out I have lots of body and volume 🙂
I really think the reason you looked so pretty on your wedding day was because your smile was natural. Not saying you look bad in all your other pictures but I really think that smiling is a much better look for you than "sexy pout".
anon- I was definitely so very happy on our wedding day! I try to post pictures with a variety of expressions in most of my posts (not this one specifically but most.)
thanks for your comment.
I have super thin hair and have been trying to grow out my old beckham bob style for a little while now! I have been using clip in extentions cause my hair is brutal right now and i hate how thin ands short it is (colar bone) did you find extentions made your hair worse as in breaking off and damage?! Any tips on making it grow faster or thicker! I have been using everything velcro rollers etc!
it's funny that you have the same dress on before and after surgery- you can tell the difference there. not to sound weird… haha i guess i just pick up on details.
i actually like the orange and first dark pictures the best since it shows how you are genuinely pretty and have a great smile.
anon- yes you can definitely see a huge difference. I definitely fill the dress out better in my after photo! I was lucky, all of my clothes still fit me (aside from a few tiny abercrombie and fitch tanks)
I think the hair care is very important for every woman, because the hair represent one of the most attractive point. A woman can even conquer a man just with a beautiful hair, and when that happend is better the man buy viagra for a great sexual performance.
Love your pictures, your gorgeous in any color!!! Oh btw you looked stunning as a bride!
So iv been every color imaginable well besides the crazy pink, blue etc colors.. Iv had orange hair, red hair, platinum blonde hair, med brown hair, and now i am black … and already sick of it want to go back to a light medium brown with low high lights.. i can not stay with one color for long lol
I love your last or most recent look!! Do you have high and lowlights? and are the high/low lights within a couple shades of your natural haircolor? Sorry, I am looking for a similar color.. 🙂
@anon—thanks 🙂 I just get highlights over my natural medium/light brown hair color 🙂 you should take photos of the color you want to your colorist and ask them to match it! 🙂
Your hair looked GREAT in the first pic you posted! (in college). that colour/length/highlights really suited you!
Thanks anon! I prefer it more natural the way it is now but that's my second favorite look!
Thanks Veronica!!