My Going Grey Gracefully Journey.
- Thread starter Narnanz
- Start date
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After...only the top and a little on the side was foiled.
I think it looks fabulous! I have been trying to work up the nerve to go grey for years! Thanks so much for starting this thread, maybe I will get inspired.
Your color is gorgeous!! [emoji173]️ I went yesterday, and got some of my (very) dark brown highlighted to blur my 3 month demarcation line a bit. It’s a process that takes awhile!
Its taken me several years but Im glad I done it....keep at it...I believe you will be pleased with the end product...I only get foils maybe twice a year now.
Looks good! I’ve decided to take the plunge. Canceled my root touch up for next week. I’m so tired of going in every four weeks for color that only looks good for a week or two.
I’ll be 49 this year. I was planning to wait until closer to 60 but I’m over it. I have to keep my hair darker (which doesn’t look good with aging skin) because I get super brassy with any sort of highlight. The brassiness looks horrible.
I’m not looking forward to the grow out but I think the silver will look good on me. Silver definitely compliments my skin tone.
I’ll be 49 this year. I was planning to wait until closer to 60 but I’m over it. I have to keep my hair darker (which doesn’t look good with aging skin) because I get super brassy with any sort of highlight. The brassiness looks horrible.
I’m not looking forward to the grow out but I think the silver will look good on me. Silver definitely compliments my skin tone.
This is an Instagram I follow for women who have decided to ditch the dye.
https://www.instagram.com/grombre/
You may find inspiration in it, as I have. I'm young (30s) but started to go gray at 17/18. So I colored for all those years and grew so tired of the coloring process (at home) and having to do it so frequently. My hair was getting so damaged. Only about five months ago I decided to stop the madness and went from a dark brown auburn to a silver (with the help of a professional) and now my white/gray hairs blend in so much better instead of being in stark contrast to the brown. It's a bit odd to be young with silver hair but I'm getting accustomed to not being dark-haired anymore. It takes courage, but my hair is already so much healthier than it ever was with coloring. Good luck to y'all.
https://www.instagram.com/grombre/
You may find inspiration in it, as I have. I'm young (30s) but started to go gray at 17/18. So I colored for all those years and grew so tired of the coloring process (at home) and having to do it so frequently. My hair was getting so damaged. Only about five months ago I decided to stop the madness and went from a dark brown auburn to a silver (with the help of a professional) and now my white/gray hairs blend in so much better instead of being in stark contrast to the brown. It's a bit odd to be young with silver hair but I'm getting accustomed to not being dark-haired anymore. It takes courage, but my hair is already so much healthier than it ever was with coloring. Good luck to y'all.
Love that account! Finding so much inspiration online. I’m at 10 weeks and not looking back. I’ll be 49 this year and just can’t imagine keeping up the dye any longer.
I was so thrilled to find this thread because after years of coloring my hair, I’m starting to think about doing the same thing. @Narnanz , thank you for starting the thread and all the photos showing your transition!
I’ve been coloring for so long, I’m not even sure what my natural color is anymore — I think it’s a flat, light, dishwater brown. I have a base color to warm it up a bit and then highlights on top of the single process color to give it brightness and dimension. I have very fair skin and was a blonde child. At 52, the grays have started coming in. I go to the salon every five weeks for the single process color to cover my roots, and then every three months or so we do highlights. The last time I was at the salon, 2 1/2 weeks ago, my stylist said she noticed some “transparency” — in other words, my grays are starting to show through the base color. She changed the formula a bit to fix that — but now, 2 1/2 weeks later, I can see the gray coming through again.
I don’t have much gray, although much of it seems to be right along my part line. I’m getting tired of the battle to cover this up (plus the cost of upkeep is crazy) and don’t want to be in the position in a few years of doing a grow-out with a harsh demarcation line. I’m wondering if it will help to just ditch the base color and just do highlights every few months to blend with the gray as it continues to come in. Has anyone else tried this or have any thoughts?
I’ve been coloring for so long, I’m not even sure what my natural color is anymore — I think it’s a flat, light, dishwater brown. I have a base color to warm it up a bit and then highlights on top of the single process color to give it brightness and dimension. I have very fair skin and was a blonde child. At 52, the grays have started coming in. I go to the salon every five weeks for the single process color to cover my roots, and then every three months or so we do highlights. The last time I was at the salon, 2 1/2 weeks ago, my stylist said she noticed some “transparency” — in other words, my grays are starting to show through the base color. She changed the formula a bit to fix that — but now, 2 1/2 weeks later, I can see the gray coming through again.
I don’t have much gray, although much of it seems to be right along my part line. I’m getting tired of the battle to cover this up (plus the cost of upkeep is crazy) and don’t want to be in the position in a few years of doing a grow-out with a harsh demarcation line. I’m wondering if it will help to just ditch the base color and just do highlights every few months to blend with the gray as it continues to come in. Has anyone else tried this or have any thoughts?
I think if you have a lighter color with highlights, you’ll probably have a little less dramatic transition to your silvers. My natural color is dark chocolate brown, and I’ve been coloring to that for at least 25-30 years. I’m now at 5 months without the brown, and I’m determined to keep going. The transition is difficult but the upkeep every month was absurd! I had one round of highlights to blend the demarcation line, which I regret, as dark brown lifts to an orangey color. Not a great contrast with white! With lighter hair, your colorist should be able to do some nice blending with some high/low lights to transition you. There are some amazing pictures/stories on Pinterest for ideas and inspiration. If you’ve decided you want a change, just know there are a lot of us out here who are here to listen and support!
Thanks so much for this. I’m realizing I have colored my hair for so long, I no longer know exactly what my natural color is! I think I want to try at least going to just highlights to see how that looks. My stylist will probably be resistant — I brought this up a few months ago and she promptly said she thought I would hate it. She’s very good at what she does and I trust her opinion, but I’m also getting tired of feeling like I’m a slave to going in every 5 weeks like clockwork. I’m reading some of the stories on grombre on Instagram and love hearing how liberated everyone feels. I was thrilled to find a thread here on tPF!
Totally hearing you! I’ve been going to my stylist for (!!) 30 years. She is super and supportive, but told me I might think it will be “matronly” looking. Meh. Told her I wanted to do it, and can always go back if I don’t like it. You might be surprised when you see some grow out. I think your idea for just getting highlights sounds like it could really work and get you there with the least aggravation! Good luck, and keep posting!! There are some great resources and support out there!
Grombre on Instagram has been really interesting and inspiring. I also found this website, complete with before and after photos that have been really helpful:
https://katiegoesplatinum.com/gray-hair-before-after/?cn-reloaded=1
I showed DH the before and after photos, and to my surprise, he often commented, “the one on the right (the “after” photo) looks better.” He also said he could not imagine having chemicals dumped on his head and sitting under a steamer with his scalp itching and his eyes tearing. And paying for it! He’s totally fine with me growing out the blonde and seeing what’s underneath. He even did a Google image search for Women with Gray Hair and funny enough, he likes the same photos I do.
I have an appointment at the salon next week, and I’m going to tell my stylist to just do highlights and not the single process color. I expect some resistance. Wish me luck!
https://katiegoesplatinum.com/gray-hair-before-after/?cn-reloaded=1
I showed DH the before and after photos, and to my surprise, he often commented, “the one on the right (the “after” photo) looks better.” He also said he could not imagine having chemicals dumped on his head and sitting under a steamer with his scalp itching and his eyes tearing. And paying for it! He’s totally fine with me growing out the blonde and seeing what’s underneath. He even did a Google image search for Women with Gray Hair and funny enough, he likes the same photos I do.
I have an appointment at the salon next week, and I’m going to tell my stylist to just do highlights and not the single process color. I expect some resistance. Wish me luck!