I found my first grey hairs early in the tenth grade when I was all of fourteen years old. At the time, I was much too young to feel the jolting reality of my own mortality, so when my mother yanked one from the back of my head to show me, I snapped at her. I thought they were cool and wanted them left right where they were, thank you very much. As a result of greying so early on, I never worried about it making me look older, so I usually let my hair go au naturel now without giving it much thought. I find prematurely grey women foxy, anyway, so why not?
I am still only partially grey, though, and the hair that is not yet grey has turned this mousy, dishwater colour in recent years, so I have been wanting to punch up the colour. As luck would have it, and for the first time in my life, I found the perfect colour for my complexion, Garnier’s Belle Color Light Reddish Brown #64.
And, as luck would not have it, my ability to continue dying my hair light reddish brown might prove to be difficult if not impossible.
When I dyed my hair Light Reddish Brown #64 for the first time a few weeks ago, people commented on how good I looked, I felt absolutely kicky, and I looked this good lounging around in my bathrobe:
I, of course, ran back to my local pharmacy to buy some more, but IT WAS GONE. After a brief moment of panic, I scanned the shelves for light reddish brown in the other brands of hair dye, because I can be flexible, it’s one of my many skills, but THE PHARMACY DID NOT CARRY LIGHT REDDISH BROWN IN ANY OTHER BRAND.
I had to put that in all-caps in order to underscore how ridiculous that is. It’s light reddish brown. It’s a regular hair colour. People have light reddish brown hair. It’s a thing. I know, because I’ve seen it, but, as I looked up and down the shelves, I noted that, although there were medium reddish browns and dark reddish browns, there were no light reddish browns in sight. I went to the other pharmacy nearby and checked their shelves, because this had to be some kind of weird, pharmacy-specific oversight. It turned out that they, too, were no longer carrying light reddish brown in any brand.
What the hell is up, Shoppers Drug Mart? I’ve searched the internet for an answer to this problem, but I can’t find any information that would explain this Light Reddish Brown #64 drought.
This is just one more line in the long list of things I’ve loved and prematurely lost. When I found the perfect pair of jeans that actually made me look like I had an appreciable butt, the style was discontinued. My favourite potato chips, O’Ryans Sour Cream ‘n Onion, went the way of the dinosaur sometime during the 1990s. I had just figured out which brand of blank cassette tapes recorded the best sound when technology marched headlong into CDs. And now, just when I discover a good hair colour that works, it appears to be discontinued. Or totally out of style. Or maybe it’s too toxic for humanity and it makes puppies sad.
My inability to hold on to any of the things I really like must be some kind of karmic payback. The Universe is once again thwarting my happiness to balance the books for all the horrible evils I must have committed in one of my past lives when I was part kitten kabob eater, part baby panda torturer, and Pee Wee Herman.
I suppose I will have to return to my less-kicky state of dishwater mousiness.
Oh, Light Reddish Brown #64, how I loved you.
About Schmutzie
I have this same problem. Found a great pair of jeans at Target about a year ago. Fit me and my slightly lumpy behind perfectly, so I went back a few days later and bought another pair… a week after that they were gone. Checked online, all the Targets near me and not a damm thing. It almost feels like they never really existed in the first place and I’m walking around with jeans from another dimension. Lets not get started on when I finally found a foundation that was my color and didn’t make my skin get all teenager going through puberty and the company decided to just get rid of the whole line… brand name and all. Cue me going into a panic about how would I ever go outside again.
So it’s not just me!
Twitter Name: schmutzie
I’m a firm believer that ever company should have a product locator on their website, somewhat like that of the crazy McRib locator, thought that was made by some random person I think. I too have an issue that when I fall in love with some item I can no longer find it it my area though people I know around the country swear they can find it.
Twitter Name: unknwndreamer
I hate to see a sister suffering. Found your color on the web—try this linkypoo.
http://well.ca/products/garnier-belle-colour_4858.html
Maybe your hair issues CAN be resolved.
As a sister who also was prematurely gray, I feel the pain. Medium Ash Blonde became my friend along about age 30.
Good luck and Godspeed (I always wanted to say that!)
Bethany
YOU. KICK. ASS.
Twitter Name: schmutzie
I feel your pain. Light Auburn is an elusive hair color as well. I stock up if every I see the right one. I’ve had to go darker than I really want to because I haven’t been able to find the right shade in well over a year.
Bigelow teas like to taunt me- their Berry Good was, indeed very good and it disappeared from every grocery in the state of Maryland as soon as I got hooked. I then found the Pomegranate Pizzazz just in time for it, too, to disappear from the shelves.
I’m on a quest for new “good butt but not butt-crack revealing” jeans because the ones I found at Target back in the day have disappeared into the ether.
Twitter Name: MamaKaren
Do you still have those jeans? There’s a website (I don’t have it bookmarked here at work) where you can send your jeans to these women and they will handmake a perfect replica of them for less than $100. For the perfect pair of jeans, I’d totally spend that.
Twitter Name: mother_tongue
Whoa! Whaatttt? That sounds like a dream…the custom jean replicators for under $100?
Twitter Name: juliaroberts1
try light GOLDEN brown
That might be worth a shot, because my hair turns every colour reddish anyway, so it’ll maybe turn my colour.
Twitter Name: schmutzie
Your hair is seriously cute.
If I see that color ’round here, I’ll ship it to ya.
Twitter Name: Janie Snelson
My hair thanks you, even though I totally cut it myself with clippers without a mirror.
Twitter Name: schmutzie
I totally feel your pain. I had the perfect mascara–MaxFactor 2000 Calorie Aqualash–and they discontinued the entire line of cosmetics. I was not only pissed, but I was pissed and walking around with raccoon eyes because I couldn’t find a good substitute.
Twitter Name: mother_tongue
Schmutzie.
I’m now working in the beauty section of Superstore. I stock hair colour ALL DAY LONG. I probably stocked Garnier Belle Color Light Reddish Brown #64 today. If you want some I’ll send you a care package. I’m serious.
Twitter Name: ffantastica
If you were stocking it today, maybe it’ll be back in my local Shoppers Drug Mart. Is it wrong how my heart went pitter patter when I read your comment?
Twitter Name: schmutzie
THAT IS SO LAME!!! Stupid Shopper’s Drug Mart. I used to dye mine with Chocolate Cherry – I can’t remember the brand or the number, but I’d know if I saw it. I wonder if they still stock THAT one?
(I got lazy and haven’t dyed my hair in years.) (And I, too, find prematurely-grey-haired women foxy.)
Twitter Name: heymrswilson
I hope you find your #64. There is something about finding something you love and it being discontinued…no, it’s not just you.
I must say it is a relief not to be a slave to color any more. But, there are those days when I dream of something like…#64. ;)
Twitter Name: Motherscribe
I am really looking forward to the day when my silver overtakes the dishwater mousiness, because my silver is gorgeous.
Luckily, I’m too lazy to have ever become a slave to colour. I only colour it about two or three times a year when I want to change things up.
Twitter Name: schmutzie
My ex and I used to joke that if we liked a new TV show we would never say b/c if we did, it was a guarantee it would be cancelled.
Oh, the jeans dilemma . . . so sad. I found a killer pair at The Limited (um, which is a store I’m entirely too old to be in). They made my legs look LONG (I’m 5’1) and had just the right shading. Busted a hole in the knee (not a cool, hip hole. More of a homeless person hole) and I went back. The saleswoman told me they had been discontinued and had me try on several other styles. Um, NO. It looked like a Little Person on steroids. Not my best self-esteem day.
Twitter Name: DTKMMeLookCrazy
I had this happen once and found the jeans I was looking for on eBay. I snapped up something like three pair and wore them until I had kids, which left my hips wider than before and thus unable to wear the THE WORLD’S MOST AWESOME JEANS EVER anymore.
Check eBay!
Twitter Name: izzymom
I seem to have this same effect on the best varieties of frozen food, particularly my formerly beloved Hot Pocket paninis. But it’s best exhibited in my TV preferences which, apparently, are a signal to all networks to CANCEL IMMEDIATELY any show that I come to love.
Twitter Name: izzymom
I am 24, and sadly going gray, so it’s nice to know there are sisters out there in the same situation!
Fortunately I like “dark brown”, so I buy whatever brand is on sale. I HAVE had this problem with all kinds of products though.
The other problem I have is that every time I need to buy conditioner, or feminine hygiene products, or french onion chip dip, companies seem to have changed the packaging AGAIN! It always takes me forever to find it again.
The changing of packaging drives me crazy! I just want to grab the blue box, dammit! Not riffle through the whole section.
Twitter Name: schmutzie
I was similarly devastated when Trader Joe’s discontinued it’s excellent tartar sauce. But then it reappeared with some imperceptible changes.
If “light reddish brown” has, indeed, been discontinued for making the environment and puppies sad, try looking in Old Fashioned Foods for the hippie stuff. I know I saw some there before I went back to the Dark Side.
Twitter Name: superkeely
Thanks for the tip!
Twitter Name: schmutzie
When in doubt, always try Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Garnier-Nutrisse-Hair-Color-Reddish/dp/B000GCUCAU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295618036&sr=8-1
Have you considered buying another colour just so that fate won’t know which one it is you like?
Just a thought… sorry ;)
Twitter Name: adamfrayle
You are a smart one, you are.
Twitter Name: schmutzie
I use Belle Color #64 from any pharmacy in Quebec.
For a while I switched to Nice and Easy #110 which was similar only brighter. I finally went back to BC #64 and stock up on it when its on sale.
It hasn’t been discontinued, only they did change the model on the front a while back. Good luck