Growing out gray hair
- Thread starter TeTe
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elaineee7
Cathlete
Sorry, I keep covering mine up. The only girls I know who have gray hair are those who never colored it to begin with. One of my best friends is all gray and looks great. She turned prematurely gray in her twenties. I think she uses some kind of rinse, though. Have you consulted your hairdresser? I'm sure he/she would have some suggestions. Good Luck!
mogambo
Cathlete
I'm in the process of letting mine grow out. It's been almost a year since I colored it.
I started the process in winter, so I could spend a lot of time with stocking caps on, or scarves over my head. My hair is raisin-colored and it's very very gray by now, so it isn't pretty.
By spring, enough had grown out (2") that I could just pull it all back and it looks gray from the front, but the ponytail is brown in the back. It still looks two-toned if I let it all down, but there is no "skunk-stripe" along my part anymore, since the roots are now about 4" long.
My hair is shoulder length.
My hair colorist suggested low-lighting the roots as they grew out, which I think is a great idea. I didn't do it because I was soooo sick of the coloring process (I had to touch it up every 5 days!!) I just decided to let it go.
I'm 49 years old and over half of my hairs are white. My body and skin are in pretty darn good shape, so my hair being so gray really ages me and I was reluctant to let it go, but finally, I just couldn't stand the expense, the tedious touch-ups, the chemicals. Enough is enough.
When I want to look young and buff I just show off my arms or abs or legs. LOL. My hair is not helping me anymore.
Liane
I started the process in winter, so I could spend a lot of time with stocking caps on, or scarves over my head. My hair is raisin-colored and it's very very gray by now, so it isn't pretty.
By spring, enough had grown out (2") that I could just pull it all back and it looks gray from the front, but the ponytail is brown in the back. It still looks two-toned if I let it all down, but there is no "skunk-stripe" along my part anymore, since the roots are now about 4" long.
My hair is shoulder length.
My hair colorist suggested low-lighting the roots as they grew out, which I think is a great idea. I didn't do it because I was soooo sick of the coloring process (I had to touch it up every 5 days!!) I just decided to let it go.
I'm 49 years old and over half of my hairs are white. My body and skin are in pretty darn good shape, so my hair being so gray really ages me and I was reluctant to let it go, but finally, I just couldn't stand the expense, the tedious touch-ups, the chemicals. Enough is enough.
When I want to look young and buff I just show off my arms or abs or legs. LOL. My hair is not helping me anymore.
Liane
Liane,
I'm 49, a hairdresser told me that I'm probably 70% gray, and I have people tell me they think I'm about 40.
So, it can be done, huh? I was doing the high/low lights for awhile, and then I would color it myself, and it looks good, but your complaints sound like mine: I'm just tired of it. It's like I told my friend, "I workout, do weights, and eat right. That's enough work for me!!!"
I've been using Nice and Easy, the temporary version, while I decide what to do. I really am just kind of curious as to what it will look like, too!
There was an entire article on the subject in More magazine a couple of months ago. It was kind of a diary of a woman who went through it.
Thank you so much!!! Wish me luck, 'cause I think I'm gonna need it!
I'm 49, a hairdresser told me that I'm probably 70% gray, and I have people tell me they think I'm about 40.
So, it can be done, huh? I was doing the high/low lights for awhile, and then I would color it myself, and it looks good, but your complaints sound like mine: I'm just tired of it. It's like I told my friend, "I workout, do weights, and eat right. That's enough work for me!!!"
I've been using Nice and Easy, the temporary version, while I decide what to do. I really am just kind of curious as to what it will look like, too!
There was an entire article on the subject in More magazine a couple of months ago. It was kind of a diary of a woman who went through it.
Thank you so much!!! Wish me luck, 'cause I think I'm gonna need it!
dmd
Cathlete
Hey There Liane,
You might want to think of one of those cool short spunky cuts to go with your natural grey hair color! I bet you would look amazingly sexy!! One of these days I am going to get the nerve to cut mine...I've always thought that a woman with short hair really knows who she is to wear it that way...and you certainly fit that description.;-) deb
You might want to think of one of those cool short spunky cuts to go with your natural grey hair color! I bet you would look amazingly sexy!! One of these days I am going to get the nerve to cut mine...I've always thought that a woman with short hair really knows who she is to wear it that way...and you certainly fit that description.;-) deb
First I asked my stylist if they made gray hair dye but she said there was no such thing LOL. What she did though, was put a color on it that just fades after so many washings. I just kept using that color until it all grew out. Then once it was pretty far along I just stopped all coloring and it faded out to all gray. Keeping my hair short sped up the process too. It didn't seem to take too long.
Since I let it go natural there isn't a week that goes by where I don't get at least one compliment - mostly from women my age who have been coloring their hair for years. They all say they would like to go all gray but hate to think of the growing out process.
Although I sometimes get the urge to color it again, my stylist always seems to talk me out of it.
Best of luck to you!
Since I let it go natural there isn't a week that goes by where I don't get at least one compliment - mostly from women my age who have been coloring their hair for years. They all say they would like to go all gray but hate to think of the growing out process.
Although I sometimes get the urge to color it again, my stylist always seems to talk me out of it.
Best of luck to you!
buffettgirl
Cathlete
I've been wondering the very same question. I've been coloring for over 10 years now (I'm 51) and really have no idea how gray I am. I'm afraid to try to grow it out, but gosh, it's so danged expensive. I cringe when I add up what my hair costs every year.
kathryn
Cathlete
I used to color with henna, then decided maybe I wanted a perm or other color, but nothing can be used with henna (or hair can burn!), so I had to grow it out. It took a while, and I had a 'veil' of grey/white over the top of my darker hair during that time. Didn't like it much, because it made me feel older than I do when I don't have it! I went back to coloring, but with a temporary color.
honeybunch1
Cathlete
Me, too - I can't imagine not coloring my hair.
"You can't win them all - but you can try." - Babe Zaharias http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/musik/music-smiley-004.gif[/img]
"You can't win them all - but you can try." - Babe Zaharias http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/musik/music-smiley-004.gif[/img]
It may depend on how grey vs silver your hair is. Some women have a really awful dishwater grey color. I lucked out with a very pretty shiny silver color that people think is blonde highlights! It helps to start growing it out in the spring, then when summer hits and the roots really show the sun and pool chlorine helps soften up the color and blend it in as it grows out more(if you are outside an hour a day or so like me.) I am an avid swimmer and hate to wear a cap so coloring my hair was just not an option anymore-it kept turning orange in the sun and chlorine. I think during grow out it would also help to use the temp color in a lighter shade that will show partial grey to get you used to it and blend it. I feel so freed up not having to color anymore. I also ditched the expensive salon cuts and found a nice girl at cost cutters which, with coupons, costs me all of $8 every 6 weeks for a haircut. Yeah!!!! A ton of money and time saved and I love the look. Would never go back to coloring.
Beth
Beth
I can't help with the growing out grey issue although I am now going from blonde to brown which is a challenge in it self. But.... when discussing an easy transition how about frosting your hair? Many years ago my mother did that and it looked great. She gradually frosted less and less and now has mostly grey hair. I don't know if this helps. I love grey hair as long as it is kept short so it looks like a style, otherwise it can be matronly. good luck!!
Thank you all for the ideas! (Hey, I asked my hairdresser about the gray dye, too. I guess I'm stupid, but I STILL don't understand why it can't be done. You can die your hair every color from pink to purple, but not gray?!)
I think I may go with the frosting idea. My aunt frosted her hair and it looks great!
Thanks again, everyone!
I think I may go with the frosting idea. My aunt frosted her hair and it looks great!
Thanks again, everyone!