My Going Grey Gracefully Journey.

[Narnanz]

Im so glad everyone has found this thread helpful.
Please keep on updating and giving little tippits of advice for those who have not yet embraced the change.

 

[octopus17]

I haven't dyed my hair since January 2020 and the majority of it is grey/white. The original medium blond dye is still on some outside ends but it actually blends in quite nicely. I have a bob and the best bit is the completely white underlayer. The outside layer is naturally darker with dyed medium blond ends which looks great if I run my hands through the sides of my hair exposing the complete white underneath. There is a natural contrast as the outside of my hair is a dark grey colour (bar the ends), but I like it.

I'm prepared to wait it out until all the colour has been cut off and then take it from there - if I like it, I like it, and if I don't I'll just get it coloured again. I really think it's in much better condition atm though.

 

[BigPurseSue]

Re. Bonnie Raitt, I know she’s a natural redhead, but as she’s gotten older I have wondered if she colors most of her hair red at this point and leaves the white streak as a “signature.”

Big fan of Bonnie Raitt here. Huge, huge fan. And I'm in love with her hair. I love the signature white streak. I love the vibrant red. It looks sassy and audacious. I think that among musicians-of-a-certain-age she wins best hair (with Judy Collins second). But hey, she's in her 70s. That's not her natural color. And on her album covers from the 1970s her hair looks, um, light auburn? Maybe due to the lighting. But the red has definitely grown bolder, brighter and yes redder through the decades. But that's o.k. I love her signature look. The fact that we're debating it means it looks natural and suitable for her. Rock on Bonnie...

 

[gettinpurseonal]

my natural hair is 90 to 100 percent grey so the brown taking on yellow or orange appearance wouldn't be much of an issue. I guess I could ask her about putting in a bunch of ashy or grey highlights? If I want to keep my long hair, this is going to be quite a process I think.
Please understand I'm not bragging but my long big hair is my "thing"
I get compliments all the time on it. I was looking at pics of Bonnie Raitt recently. She still has that streak in her red hair that she's had for years. I don't know how she works around it but I doubt the rest of her hair is still naturally red. I wish I just had a streak but mine is basically all grey as far as I and my hairdresser can tell.

My hair is down to my waist and I am over 50. I certainly understand. I have not had my hair highlighted for 2 years, but I did it for years in order to prevent dying all my hair, thus reducing damage. I went only every 4-6 months between appointments, which is the nice thing about blendable highlights. The 2nd photo of my hair looks blonde versus grey/silver. I think it was taken several years ago when I got highlights and toner. The first photo in the purple shirt is natural.

 

[catsinthebag]

My hair is down to my waist and I am over 50. I certainly understand. I have not had my hair highlighted for 2 years, but I did it for years in order to prevent dying all my hair, thus reducing damage. I went only every 4-6 months between appointments, which is the nice thing about blendable highlights. The 2nd photo of my hair looks blonde versus grey/silver. I think it was taken several years ago when I got highlights and toner. The first photo in the purple shirt is natural.
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Your hair is gorgeous! The first photo with the purple shirt is #hairgoals for me!

 

[sdkitty]

My hair is down to my waist and I am over 50. I certainly understand. I have not had my hair highlighted for 2 years, but I did it for years in order to prevent dying all my hair, thus reducing damage. I went only every 4-6 months between appointments, which is the nice thing about blendable highlights. The 2nd photo of my hair looks blonde versus grey/silver. I think it was taken several years ago when I got highlights and toner. The first photo in the purple shirt is natural.
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your hair is beautiful...I like the top pic.....so the woman I was talking to had hair more like yours - long and straight. not sure of her age but I think she was a very young looking 40-50 year old. my curly hair isn't going to look like that
the lighting in this photo makes my hair look a bit blonder than IRL but you get the idea
I also have pale Irish skin and I think women with more pigmented skin look better grey....you can probably tell I'm conflicted

 

[catsinthebag]

your hair is beautiful...I like the top pic.....so the woman I was talking to had hair more like yours - long and straight. not sure of her age but I think she was a very young looking 40-50 year old. my curly hair isn't going to look like that
the lighting in this photo makes my hair look a bit blonder than IRL but you get the idea
I also have pale Irish skin and I think women with more pigmented skin look better grey....you can probably tell I'm conflicted

I LOVE your hair! Because my hair is super fine and I struggle with frizz, I am always jealous of hair like yours that curls instead of frizzes.

I’d suggest doing a google image search for curly gray hair (assuming you haven‘t already), and see if anything strikes you as a look you’d like. That said, you won’t know how yours is going to look until you grow it out for several months. Everyone is different, and a couple of centimeters of gray roots won’t really tell you what the finished product is going to look like. You won’t really know until it gets to about chin length. It can be a painstaking process — I think the trick is to find your hair fascinating and be really intrigued with where it’s going.

At the end of the day, it’s hair — if you are too conflicted, you can just keep dying it, and if you grow it out and don’t like it, you can always dye it again.

 

[sdkitty]

I LOVE your hair! Because my hair is super fine and I struggle with frizz, I am always jealous of hair like yours that curls instead of frizzes.

I’d suggest doing a google image search for curly gray hair (assuming you haven‘t already), and see if anything strikes you as a look you’d like. That said, you won’t know how yours is going to look until you grow it out for several months. Everyone is different, and a couple of centimeters of gray roots won’t really tell you what the finished product is going to look like. You won’t really know until it gets to about chin length. It can be a painstaking process — I think the trick is to find your hair fascinating and be really intrigued with where it’s going.

At the end of the day, it’s hair — if you are too conflicted, you can just keep dying it, and if you grow it out and don’t like it, you can always dye it again.

thanks
yeah, if I want to grow out the grey and keep the long hair it would be a Long process.....

 

[whateve]

your hair is beautiful...I like the top pic.....so the woman I was talking to had hair more like yours - long and straight. not sure of her age but I think she was a very young looking 40-50 year old. my curly hair isn't going to look like that
the lighting in this photo makes my hair look a bit blonder than IRL but you get the idea
I also have pale Irish skin and I think women with more pigmented skin look better grey....you can probably tell I'm conflicted

I don't agree about the skin color. I've seen very pale people that look great with gray hair. If they look good with blond, I think they would also look good with gray. I think something happens with everyone's skin as they age that makes it look better with gray. My own olive skin used to look good with my nearly black hair when I was still dyeing it, but it got to the point that I realized I didn't like the way it contrasted with my skin. Now the gray is a more harmonious look IMO.

 

[Starflower2305]

My natural hair colour was black. I have what I'd call Celtic skin, very pale, freckles and bright blue eyes. Since I've gone grey my skin, while still pale, looks a bit more olive.

 

[trigirl]

It’s been awhile since I last posted (I was at 17 months grow out). I’ve been fully grown out for a year now. Sometimes I miss being a brunette but I’d never go back to dying my hair. I hated my itchy scalp and dye resistant grays. It was such a process with little payoff. The very too layer has more brunette but underneath it’s *very* gray. I’m just rolling with what nature gave me. At 51 I don’t think it was too early to go gray. Wash and go, low maintenance hair is my jam. I splurge on other beauty stuff but hate dealing with my hair.

 

[whateve]

It’s been awhile since I last posted (I was at 17 months grow out). I’ve been fully grown out for a year now. Sometimes I miss being a brunette but I’d never go back to dying my hair. I hated my itchy scalp and dye resistant grays. It was such a process with little payoff. The very too layer has more brunette but underneath it’s *very* gray. I’m just rolling with what nature gave me. At 51 I don’t think it was too early to go gray. Wash and go, low maintenance hair is my jam. I splurge on other beauty stuff but hate dealing with my hair.

I think you look great!

I love my gray hair, way more than I expected. It's a very pretty silver. I don't think DH likes it but he wisely doesn't say anything. The only thing that isn't good is that now people assume I'm older. I used to look younger than my age.

 

[Narnanz]

I think you look great!

I love my gray hair, way more than I expected. It's a very pretty silver. I don't think DH likes it but he wisely doesn't say anything. The only thing that isn't good is that now people assume I'm older. I used to look younger than my age.

I get called the grey haired lady in any description of me for Lotto mystery shop....I laugh...think its hilarious.

 

[Narnanz]

It’s been awhile since I last posted (I was at 17 months grow out). I’ve been fully grown out for a year now. Sometimes I miss being a brunette but I’d never go back to dying my hair. I hated my itchy scalp and dye resistant grays. It was such a process with little payoff. The very too layer has more brunette but underneath it’s *very* gray. I’m just rolling with what nature gave me. At 51 I don’t think it was too early to go gray. Wash and go, low maintenance hair is my jam. I splurge on other beauty stuff but hate dealing with my hair.

You look fabulous....bet you that you are getting compliments from other lsdies who might be thinking of doing the same...
......it took time but Im so happy that I did it....Ive even influenced a few regular customers to let their grey shine thru.

 

[trigirl]

Thank you both! You know, I have not had one person say anything about my gray (outside of family and friends). Zero stranger compliments or criticism. But, I’m a pretty introverted person so it’s not something I think of. I have inspired a few friends to go gray though. It may not be for everyone but I’m glad it’s becoming a bit more accepted for those tired of salon visits every couple of weeks.