From the book "TOKYO WONDERLAND AND OTHER ESSAYS ON LIFE IN AMERICA AND JAPAN"
Chapter, " Fried Hair vs. The Natural Look"
When I was a teenager, the last thing I wanted was advice from older people. In fact, I was more likely to do just the opposite of what my parents or teachers told me I should do. But something strange has happened to me recently. Now that I'm getting older, I'm dying to give some advice of my own! It's probably unwelcom advice, but here goes.
My topic is hair. Actually, I've always had a thing about hair, you might even say an obsession. To me, nothing is more beautiful than long, healthy hair. In elementary school, my best friend had the longest hair in the school, way past her waist. In fact, that's why I wanted her for my best friend. Even now, when I see someone I don't know with nice, long hair, I have the urge to follow her or him. Perhaps I shouldn't reveal these things about myself, but the point is, I have always been a hair person. Maybe it has something to do with the era I grew up in.
In the 1960's and 70's, I absorbed a lot of "hippie" values during my youth. One of those was the value for "naturalness" in everything. That was the period, for example, when natural foods first became popularin America. While my mother's generation almost always cooked frozen or canned vegetables and ate only white bread, my generation had to have fresh vegetables and bread made from whole grains. Fashion was also all about being natural. We
wore only comfortable clothes and shoes, almost no make-up, and most young people, male and female, let their hair grow long. Not only that, but perms and coloring were definitely out. It wasn't cool to use any kind of chemical on your hair or change the natural color.
That way of thinking has really stuck with me through the years. I admit that I did perm my hair a couple of times in my 30's, but at that time I was advised not to by by someone older than me. She told me the chemicals used for a permanent would "fry" my hair and destroy all the natural shine. Of course I didn't listen, but afterwards I wished I had. My hair was never quite the same again.
Most Japanese seem to have stronger hair than a lot of Westerners, but even strong hair eventually gets dulled and damaged by frying it with chemicals. These days dyed hair is a lot more common in Japan than the natural look, but it's easy to see the difference. Try it next time you're on the train. Hair that's been colored or permed looks tired. It just doesn't have that healthy look and shine of natural hair. And to the Western eye, jet-black Japanese hair with its natural shine is truly beautiful and rare.
Of course that kind of beauty doesn't last forever. Eventually, most of us have to decide between dyed hair and a new natural color: gray. Letting your hair turn gray naturally is not a bad choice. In fact, natural gray hair has its own beauty, especially compared with hair that's been dyed for many years. But for most of us, going gray isn't easy psychologically. We may feel we have to keep coloring year after year to cover the gray. And that's why I don't understand why so many people start that troublesome and damaging dyeing process before they really to. Show off your natural youthful beauty while you still can!
I know, I know. Some of you are probably thinking, "Just more unwanted advice from one of those older people." Sorry, I couldn't stop myself.
Chapter, " Fried Hair vs. The Natural Look"
When I was a teenager, the last thing I wanted was advice from older people. In fact, I was more likely to do just the opposite of what my parents or teachers told me I should do. But something strange has happened to me recently. Now that I'm getting older, I'm dying to give some advice of my own! It's probably unwelcom advice, but here goes.
My topic is hair. Actually, I've always had a thing about hair, you might even say an obsession. To me, nothing is more beautiful than long, healthy hair. In elementary school, my best friend had the longest hair in the school, way past her waist. In fact, that's why I wanted her for my best friend. Even now, when I see someone I don't know with nice, long hair, I have the urge to follow her or him. Perhaps I shouldn't reveal these things about myself, but the point is, I have always been a hair person. Maybe it has something to do with the era I grew up in.
In the 1960's and 70's, I absorbed a lot of "hippie" values during my youth. One of those was the value for "naturalness" in everything. That was the period, for example, when natural foods first became popularin America. While my mother's generation almost always cooked frozen or canned vegetables and ate only white bread, my generation had to have fresh vegetables and bread made from whole grains. Fashion was also all about being natural. We
wore only comfortable clothes and shoes, almost no make-up, and most young people, male and female, let their hair grow long. Not only that, but perms and coloring were definitely out. It wasn't cool to use any kind of chemical on your hair or change the natural color.
That way of thinking has really stuck with me through the years. I admit that I did perm my hair a couple of times in my 30's, but at that time I was advised not to by by someone older than me. She told me the chemicals used for a permanent would "fry" my hair and destroy all the natural shine. Of course I didn't listen, but afterwards I wished I had. My hair was never quite the same again.
Most Japanese seem to have stronger hair than a lot of Westerners, but even strong hair eventually gets dulled and damaged by frying it with chemicals. These days dyed hair is a lot more common in Japan than the natural look, but it's easy to see the difference. Try it next time you're on the train. Hair that's been colored or permed looks tired. It just doesn't have that healthy look and shine of natural hair. And to the Western eye, jet-black Japanese hair with its natural shine is truly beautiful and rare.
Of course that kind of beauty doesn't last forever. Eventually, most of us have to decide between dyed hair and a new natural color: gray. Letting your hair turn gray naturally is not a bad choice. In fact, natural gray hair has its own beauty, especially compared with hair that's been dyed for many years. But for most of us, going gray isn't easy psychologically. We may feel we have to keep coloring year after year to cover the gray. And that's why I don't understand why so many people start that troublesome and damaging dyeing process before they really to. Show off your natural youthful beauty while you still can!
I know, I know. Some of you are probably thinking, "Just more unwanted advice from one of those older people." Sorry, I couldn't stop myself.
