Dye Hair White

Shears and stories

Barber and hair stylist Selene Fraser chats easily with the young man sitting in her chair. A bell chimes signaling her next client has arrived.

At the Barber Shop on Gaetz, the motto is first come, first serve and no appointments are necessary.

Fraser looks up and smiles at Stan Riengette, 60, who has stopped for a quick trim during his lunch hour. He doesn’t have to wait long.

Fraser brushes off the chair and beckons Riengette to take a seat. Riengette works nearby and has been coming to the shop for a few years.

He likes that he doesn’t have to go to a big mall to get a decent haircut. Riengette says it is tough these days to find a good barber who knows how to cut an older man’s hair.

“Where’d you park ?” she asks.

Her shop is located on Gaetz Avenue where the city is currently working on a portion of its downtown revitalization project.

Fraser was concerned this would affect business.

There was no need to worry.

The shop has been around for about a century and many of its Central Alberta clientele have walked through the door for 40 or 50 years.

So a little sidewalk maneuvering would not prevent them from sitting in their favourite barber’s chair.

Fraser said on a good day she can cut, trim or buzz the hair on the heads of 30 to 60 people. While most of her clients are “old farmers” and “old, old guys,” the younger crowd including women are starting to take a seat. She said the atmosphere and the reasonable prices are drawing them to the familiar red, white and blue striped pole on the signage above her door.

“People come in and talk and tell stories,” said Fraser. “We have some pretty good laughs in here.”

Of course it is the stories and the fun gossip which makes her feel like she is not working. Fraser is the eighth owner of the historical shop having taken the reins about a year and a half ago. In her short time at the shop, Fraser already has an arsenal of anecdotes.

One heartwarming story that stands out involves her father.

Both Fraser’s parents Dale Fraser and Doris Pomerleau grew up in Red Deer while Fraser was raised in Swan Hills. One day “an old fella named Roger Dye” came in to get a hair cut.

Like most good inquisitors, Dye played 20 questions about Fraser’s history.

“He used to play chicken on his bicycle with my dad when they were kids,” said Fraser. “But I didn’t know him. It was wild. It’s a pretty small world.

I Want To Dye My Hair White Or Platinum Blonde?

Bleach would be an okay option. But keep in mind it’ll probably be very burnt and broken looking. So do that, and the get the best kind of hair dye you can find. I’d recommend the Garnier Fructis kind. It’s great and comes with a conditioner. Also, you might want to maybe get it a bit trimmed after you’re done with all of it, it’ll take off some of the burnt ends of the bleach. Maybe let a pro do it, that way, you won’t make mistakes.

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