DEAR Jasminda,

I am in desperate need of a new hair colour. I am starting to resemble Pepe Le Pew, but I’ve never dyed my hair before.

Any hints?

Ms Petra L.
Dear Petra,

Isn’t it interesting that in a pandemic it is not the politicians or the academics or the fashion designers that we miss.

It is the essential workers: psychologists and hairdressers.

In fact, for many of us these are one and the same.

A hairdresser is not just someone who makes you look better, they make you feel better because they will happily play with your hair while you unload, which is really all most of us want.

Now, in the absence of your hairdresser, may I suggest a home colour kit.

If you are going grey, you will need a permanent colour.

Now is not the time to do anything fancy such as highlights or balayage.

Just try to match the colour on your ends to the colour on the box.

This is, of course, impossible when you are shopping using the Click and Collect method, so do your best.

You know, as we all do, that you will not look like the woman on the packet.

Even the woman on the packet doesn’t look like the woman on the packet.

You will instead look like someone in lockdown who can’t stand their hair and who is sick of wearing a beanie (particularly now the weather is warming up).

There are very clear instructions on home dye packets, and I can guarantee you will probably ignore quite a few of them (the good old patch test for example).

But do try to wear the enclosed gloves or you will end up looking as though you’ve also done a home-tan job.

Carpe diem,
Jasminda.