Going grey-what do you do?

[thiswayplease]

I'm going grey, quite noticeably as I approach 34.

I have naturally auburn hair and went"bronde" last year which is growing out in a trendy dark route way which I don't mind. However the greys are appearing from around the edges rather than the top, if that makes sense!

I feel I want to cover it but not sure what is the best option? Highlights? Block colour? Chop it off? (it's shoulder length just now)

Plus there is the expense of maintaining it.

What works best?

[HappyMedium]

I'm not doing anything with mine. Too much hassle and expense. What's wrong with it anyway? Sign of maturity I'd better start acting more mature

[paxillin]

I do nothing. Once the grey appears, the decision to dye is too big for me, you absolutely have to do the roots at all times if you start. Too much hassle for me. My mum did a salt n pepper type do for a while, very attractive, but so much work.

[RastafarianTargaryen]

Cut it as short as you can live with (for me this was a shaved head) and let your grey grow out.

I love mine and can't believe I wasted so much time and money trying to cover up my natural colour.

[StickTheDMWhereTheSunDontShine]

Dark haired. Early grey. Mid-late 30s, it got patchy and I chose unnatural for a while. Once into 40s, white got so prominent that it became garish, so grew out. Looks much better and I can wear more colours with my natural salt & pepper.

[MsMarple]

I've got brown hair with maybe 30% grey, which I got in my 20s. I stopped dying it in my early 30s when I started TTC and once it all grew out it looked so much better than the badger stripe roots look that used to sneak up on me before. Embrace the grey!

[DianaT1969]

I am 50% grey, mid forties, but have no intention of letting them show. I get balayage colour every 6 months which allows me to use a warm brown touch up colour on the roots every 2-3 weeks at home (£5). I then have professional salon roots colour every 2-3 months with a cut. It's the most affordable way I have found of managing it. The colourist used olaplex (not sure of spelling) last time before balayage to keep the bleached part soft and healthy-looking.

[DianaT1969]

Example of balayage (again, sorry if not spelling it correctly). This isn't me, just a photo from internet, but mine is similar.

[Mirandawest]

I'm 40 and have been getting greyer over the past few years. I dye the whole of my hair the same colour. I don't want grey hair yet, and as my hair grows slowly, if I cut it very short it would take years to get to the length it is now (nearly touching my shoulders).

Not sure how I'll deal with it in years to come but for now I'm happy with how it is.

[nooka]

I've got dark brown hair with quite a bit of white in it now (mid forties). I had it long for a while and died it, but had a pixie type cut a year or so ago and forgot to book the colouring session so just had it cut. I decided that the brown and white effect was actually quite cool, so now I just colour a chunk of it at the front for fun and leave the rest natural.

I think the best look probably depends on how the white is coming through and whether you feel it looks stylish or makes you a bit sad.

[Fairylea]

I used to be a hair dye addict and as I started to go grey at about 30 I stopped dyeing it, I noticed when I did colour it the colour came off very quickly and it looked worse having grey roots rather than proper streaks of grey. So I have just gone with the grey. I am 36 now and have probably 30% grey, very noticable at the front. I love it! Much less hassle, and I actually think grey hair looks stylish - I do keep it cut well etc etc. I am not afraid to look older, being older isn't a bad thing.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

50
Mine is short , and hennaed (every 3 weeks or so)

Love it so soft and (I used Lush Noire last time round) it's chocolate brown.

I did think about cropping it all and letting it do its own thing, but a tiny voice (of Reason) said "Not yet"

[SexNamesRFab]

I'm 38, went grey before I was 30. I was previously mouse brown with highlights. When the grey became noticeable I switched to an all over perm colour in warm blond which I do at home approx every 4 weeks (current using L'Oreal excellence). If you go blonde then the roots become less noticeable the greyer you become. I keep my hair shortish (chin length) so the damage from dying it is not too noticeable.

[ginghamstarfish]

Has anyone used Color Oops? It is supposed to remove dye from hair. Been looking at it on Amazon, has good reviews, but a bit hesitant and wondering if anyone is in a similar position to me - hair naturally dark blonde/mousy, have been colouring greys for a few years but it always goes reddish/brassy and now want to let it grow out to natural colour again without having a short cut.

[thiswayplease]

Thanks for all your replies.

It's predominantly underneath at the back and I only really noticed the other day when I put my hair up.

I might try and hold off for a bit longer because if I can't see it it's not happening although I'm quite tempted with the bayalage look. Might get in contact with the local beauty college

[PoochiePoo]

You can buy powder that you apply to your roots - it comes with a brush with a thin end and a wider end. I use it and it's brilliant for every day use between colours. It was only around £5 and I wouldn't be without it now!

[Anxiousone30]

I'm naturally dark and have grey coming through at the front. It's not a huge amount but I hated it and so had balayage type highlights. It didn't really work for me, as with the roots being dark it just showed so quickly. I most recently had a full head of highlights and you really can't see them at all now.

[StillMedusa]

If you have lot round the edge then going blonder is probably your easiest option upkeep wise.. but you will still have root and greys to do on a very regular basis.

I did mine religiously (mid brown naturally) til last September when I thought 'fuck it' and stopped I now a fabulous white streak through my parting and what just about passes for white highlights running through. Never dying it again as I love it and my hair is so much healthier!

[scurryfunge]

I'm stuck with what to do. Started going grey at 19 and now at 50 I am very grey but with a very noticeable white streak at the front. I have black hair and now look like a badger. I've dyed my hair periodically over the years but want a hair colour that suits. Any suggestions?

[UnikittyInHerBusinessSuit]

Struggling with this because I'm mid 40s and have just a sprinkling of white hairs. I think I'll try and find the time to henna it and see whether that works, but the mess is so awful from Lush stuff that it really puts me off,

[PhyllisWig]

41 here and about 30% grey on mousy brown hair. Mine is so non descript that I've been colouring it since I was 15 on and off.

I stopped last year to see the extent of the grey and had a year dye free during which I looked awful. There was the two tone roots thing plus the fact that the ends were ginger (had used colourB4 to strip it out). What was the most disappointing was how meh the natural colour was. I have a patch of white underneath which I loved but the rest was dirty grey rather than white or steel grey. That coupled with my dull light brown made me feel drab.

After a year I had it cut quite short then had a go with lush henna. I use Marron and it comes out copper and gives me some highlights in the grey bits. Really like it and had many complements. Roots take about 5 weeks to show through so not awful and I only need 2 blocks of henna so works out about 40 quid a year to keep on top.

I don't intend to box dye again and will in time try the grey but only when it's gone whiter I think.

[Middleoftheroad]

Got my first greys at 19 and have been dyeing out of necessity since late 20s. Now 43 and would say 50 per cent white. Spent fortune on base brow colour and highlights. Now given up and gone blonde one colour home dye as cant afford salon but not ready to be grey/white ever

[Middleoftheroad]

Ps when i cut mine short u could see grey more at the back so wouldnt recommend if u wish to disguise them under layers.

[Middleoftheroad]

Ps when i cut mine you could see grey more at back as it wasnt disguised under layers of hsir

[Middleoftheroad]

SexNames which shade do you use as I tend to go too light - like DanerysTargaryan meets Lucius Malfoy - if im not careful with the shockwaves one. Im looking for a warmer blonde that covers all grey/white

[WanderingTrolley1]

I'm 38 and haven't dyed my hair since before Christmas. I'm going to leave the grey alone.