Women who choose ‘mermaid hair’ feel stronger, more confident

Ooltewah artist Kerry Anne Finley, 43, has a son who loves her fuchsia hair and a husband who learned to love it quickly. When Finley met a Muslim woman wearing a hijab (scarf) the same brilliant pink as Finley's hair, the two shared a delighted laugh over the matching tastes. Ooltewah artist Kerry Anne Finley, 43, has a son who loves her fuchsia hair and a husband who learned to love it quickly. When Finley met a Muslim woman wearing a hijab (scarf) the same brilliant pink as Finley's hair, the two shared a delighted laugh over the matching tastes.

By Lynda Edwards November 17, 2015 9 min read

Kerry Anne Finley is married to a low-key robotics engineer from Ohio’s Amish country, so she wasn’t sure how his hometown would react to her new blazing fuchsia hair.

Amish women cover their hair with a bonnet for modesty, but when the Finleys visited Ohio, Kerry Anne’s first stop was at an Amish quilt store to shop for fabric. An elderly Amish woman rushed over to praise her sunset-hued hair.

“Quilters universally appreciate color, no matter their cultural beliefs,” the 43-year-old Finley says.

Photo Gallery

Women who choose ‘mermaid hair,’ feel stronger, more confident

Melissa Gallagher plays soccer with her kids Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015 at their Soddy-Daisy home.

Kyndel Morris, 27, says her boss, boyfriend and baby loves her rainbow hair.

Lauren Muniz has her blonde hair transformed into "Mermaid Hair" by her mother and fellow colorist/stylist Tammy Muniz at Rouge 22 Salon near Hamilton Place Mall on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015.

Lauren Muniz admires her newly transformed hair which went from blond to "Mermaid Hair" with the help of her mother and fellow colorist/stylist Tammy Muniz at Rouge 22 Salon near Hamilton Place Mall on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015.

Savannah Muniz has her hair fixed by her mother, Tammy Muniz, owner of Rouge 22 Salon near Hamilton Place Mall on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015.

Savannah Muniz, left, Lauren Muniz and their mother Tammy Muniz stand in front of Rouge 22 Salon near Hamilton Place Mall on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015.

Some women have cool style and confident panache at a very early age. Bre'Anna Bosworth, 13, chose to color her long hair a beautiful grass green. Her stylist, Erica Baker of Nicos Salon, says about a third of her more than two dozen clients have mermaid or rainbow hair.

Pro tips for taking the mermaid plunge

› Avoid sulfates in shampoo.› Shampoo in cool water.› Shampoo every two to three days.› Think of dry shampoo as your friend.› If you have one all-over color, brighten by adding that color to conditioner. Leave it on a few minutes then rinse.Source: Creations Hair Salon stylist Summer Sheldon in Hixson

Women of color look great in rainbows

Tammy Muniz and daughter Lauren, 23, have given dozens of women mermaid hair in the salon they own, Rouge 22 off Gunbarrel Road. Daughter Savannah, 19, is earning her cosmetology certificate so she can join them. They all agree that Hispanic, Latina, black and Asian women look great in rainbow hair.“Darker skin tones are a good match for every mermaid shade while Caucasian women need to be aware if they have red undertones that might clash with a color,” Lauren says. “Women bring us photos of the cosmos and galaxies, pictures of cartoon characters and tropical flowers and tell us to match those colors.”An Asian client with long, lush, jet black hair brought them a picture of a Ninja turtle and asked for that shade of green. It took more than six hours to lighten her hair enough to accept the emerald and jade colors. The end result was beautiful.“But be aware that the darker your hair, the longer it will take to give it rainbow color,” Tammy says. Most of her clients worry mermaid hair would discombobulate corporate bosses with a distinct exception. Women could color their hair rather than wear an awareness ribbon—to support friends battling cancer including pink (breast), purple (colon) and green (lymphoma).