How I Convinced My Millennial Mom Group Chat To Try At-Home Hair Dye

Not long after giving birth, I desperately wanted to pour back into myself amongst the hazy days of caretaking and long nights of feedings. Cut to my (still very hormonal) self sitting in a salon chair, a familiar cinnamon-scented coffee in hand — I hardly recognized my postpartum self in the mirror and desperately missed my baby, so perfect with her tiny hands and big, blue eyes. My tresses were covered in crunchy tin foil and my arms ached for her, though silently, I knew I needed this. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I didn’t necessarily need a salon appointment — I needed to feel like myself again. And, as it turns out, those are two very different things.

I went for what I thought was a cool girl-coded bob with a ridiculous angle and a uniquely horrible, streaky “bronde” that entirely washed me out. No less than 24 hours later, with a meltdown in full swing, the mom group chat blew up my phone to console me. I found myself in the bathroom, a plastic bag around my already-ratted clothes and dark brown hair dye painted all over my head. There wasn’t much I could do about the categorically uncool bob, though at least I had my brunette hair again (and a newfound surety that I’d avoid salons until further notice). Phew.

That emergency dye job was supposed to be a one-off. Instead, it became the beginning of my at-home hair era — and, eventually, my campaign to get the entire mom group chat on board.

Growing up, my mom never went to the salon, instead maintaining her sunny blonde hair with box dye, and honestly, her no-fuss approach to beauty is even more relatable as a millennial mom myself. Because whether you’re a busy working mom or an equally busy stay at home mom, one truth remains: solo time and personal funds can be slim — and personally, I’d rather not waste either when a good ’ol box dye has continued to keep me confident (and my color even and vibrant) without requiring me to rearrange my entire life around a hair appointment.

The Unexpected Beauty Of Box Dye

Aside from the obvious (see: a seriously affordable price point), there’s a whole lot of benefits to choosing box dye — and that’s especially true with the Clairol Nice'n Easy10 collection. Once my friends saw how little time, money, and logistical gymnastics were actually involved, convincing them suddenly became a lot easier.

“That emergency dye job was supposed to be a one-off. Instead, it became the beginning of my at-home hair era — and, eventually, my campaign to get the entire mom group chat on board.”

For one, the permanent dye only takes ten minutes to fully develop, whereas most other boxes on shelves take anywhere from thirty minutes to nearly an hour to do the same. The salon, on the other hand, can sometimes eat up half a day, and as a mom: literally who has that kind of time?

The powerful, salon-quality dye promises to cover every single pesky strand of gray hair, leaving you with vibrant, fully-covered locks sans the unwanted streaks. The ColorSeal Intensive Conditioner included in every box is also a major win, leaving your hair feeling deeply nourished and impossibly soft. Not to mention, they also include a unique PerfectColor Comb attachment with 5 built-in nozzles that helps you apply and distribute color evenly through your hair. As for the range of colors, Nice’n Easy10 currently offers thirteen stunningly natural hues, from Lightest Blonde to Black and with cool or warm undertones.

Basically, it delivers the thing I — and, eventually, my friends — were actually looking for: a quick refresh that makes you feel more like yourself, without turning it into an entire event. It’s easy enough to do while the baby naps considering you only need ten minutes and a quick rinse. It felt like a total no-brainer IMO.

Less Time In The Salon, More Time In The Mom Chat

As a beauty writer, I’m incredibly lucky to have access to some of the best hair gurus in the game. In this slower, more intentional season of life, I’d much rather my “me time” look like blasting my favorite playlist on my way to the gym, or the mom gang finally making it out of the group chat for brunch. A ten minute hair color refresh (with a gorgeous glossy finish, might I add) is a worthy trade-off.

And that’s really how I convinced my millennial moms: not with a hard sell, but with the promise of getting one small piece of our pre-kid selves back without sacrificing the time and money we’d rather spend on, well, literally anything else. If you’re a mom who has been putting off your roots because a salon appointment feels like one more thing to coordinate, consider this your sign.

And so I say to every friend who’s pregnant or newly postpartum: never cut your hair into a bob right after giving birth, and remember that box dye is your friend. I, for one, will always keep a box of Nice'n Easy10 in shade Dark Brown on standby, just in case. And, as it turns out, so will the group chat.