Val admits she's a bit reluctant to make bold beauty moves. But many of you told us you choose to be quite adventurous—
especially when it comes to your hair.
Instant Gratification
I can change my hair or makeup at the drop of the hat. Sometimes it backfires and other times it's a hit! I recently went from long hair to short and then from a bleach blonde to as close to black as my hairdresser would allow. I figure, my hair and makeup are the only things that I can change in an instant, any other body issues or insecurities take too long to fix.
Leslie Polston
Olathe, Kansas

Birthday Treat
I was a young middle school teacher working in North Carolina just out of college for 2 years. My hairdresser (a straight, handsome man) had been telling me for over a year that even though he liked my blonde hair, he felt my skin would look better if I had auburn hair. So as a birthday treat, I went into his salon on a weekday as a blonde and came out as a redhead. Some of the adults didn't even notice the change, but the kids…they couldn't stop talking! One kid even went so far as to tell me he liked me better the other way. I laughed, and then reminded him not to insult the person in charge of grades!
Meagan O'Toole
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A Total Body Makeover
Exactly six years ago, I was winding up a long-term weight loss program (went from 222 [pounds] to 135). When I was fat, I had quit caring about my hair and let it grow to mid-back length, but it was thin and about half gray. I used temporary color from time to time but usually had roots showing. One day just before Christmas, I looked in the mirror and realized how awful it looked especially with my new body. I called around and miraculously found a stylist with an opening that very afternoon. I told her to cut it off. Snip-snip, and suddenly I had a chin-length bob. Wow! Still a little lackluster so we permed it to a soft wavy style. Then decided oh what the hell, and colored it a vivid cinnamon/auburn. Omigod! I felt 15 years younger. The compliments at work the next day were unending. I've never gone back. Now it's even shorter, no perm, and just glowing. So am I!
Judy Faaberg
Everett, Washington
From the February 2007 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine

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