Lockdown Locks: To Grey or Not To Grey?

[famousforwrongreason]

Sorry if this has already been covered. I'm at the point where I'd normally top up my roots.
I have a small amount of dye which I could use to keep it at bay but realistically don't know when I'll be able to buy more.
Very much a first world problem but I'm seriously considering letting nature take her course.
I'm mid 40s with naturally curly and high lighted mid to dark brown hair. I'd say if ii let it grow through I'd be about 1/3 grey.
I currently have about an inch regrowth. Most visible at front and through the parting.
I can't use stuff like paint on hair Mascara, dry shampoo etc, it just looks dreadful on my curly hair!
Any thoughts?

[ParisInTheSpringtime]

I’m letting mine grow out to see what it looks like. I think I have a Cruella streak at the front of my (brunette) hair, so it might look ok. Perfect time to see!

[goldpartyhat]

My local chemist sells hair colouring

[foreverblessedbee]

Hi OP, I feel your pain! I'm a naturally curly girl tooan also have blonde (coloured) hair. My natural colour is rarely seen as im normally on my roots before they barely show, about half a cm lol. I'm a bit obsessive But since trying the curly girl method I was considering trying to grow out my colour. Just for the sake of my hair condition really as I do love my blonde. But after 20 odd years of straightening into submission and my Ghd's being my best friend, I started trying to embrace my natural curls. So..... to improve things thought I'd try growing out the blonde. I have about an inch of roots now and am desperate for my roots doing!!! I hadn't anticipated total lockdown and no hairdressers even being open! I'm all for trying new things but I like to have the choice!!! Also got alot more grey coming through than I anticipated!!!

[BubblesBuddy]

I’m probably grey all over! White regrowth in parting and hairline will reappear quite soon. I have colour on order. From eSalon as suggested on another thread. Cannot face being grey! I’m not a grey person yet!

[PatriciaHolm]

Quite glad I gave into the grey a year ago now! And I definitely have the cruella thing going on ;-)

[Silverstreaks]

Give it a natural whirl.
How you feel about growing it out will change from day to day but you'll never get off the treadmill if you don't try.

[MadamePewter]

I shall never succumb to the grey!

With trepidation I have bought a root cover dye. Keeping looking ok keeps me less mental so I can’t face the roots.

[BetelgeuseIsOrionsArmpit]

I usually have my hair cut very short and didn't manage to get it cut before the lockdown. I'm so tempted to shave it really short and just dye it a funky colour, as I have plenty of dyes at home.

[famousforwrongreason]

Ah thanks all for replies. @foreverblessedbee your hair sounds very much like mine.
I’ve only recently started embracing the curls again. The texture has changed massively since pregnancies, trauma, ill health, medication etc and is very wiry and rhinos rarely glossy and ill defined curls then I moved to highlights as I got more grey.
I have recently discovered fantastic curly products and my hair texture was really starting to improve and get glossier and more ringlets like I had in my youth but menopause means almost permanently greasy roots, so with grey showing through as well I feel such a frump. I’ve never looked my age until very recently when I’ve suffered some awful shocks and it’s really taken it’s toll on my appearance.
I’m currently single and embracing the natural hair on the rest of my body, maybe I should just give this a go while I’m seeing literally nobody except my own children.
I have seen curly girls pull off grey strands with great aplomb but they always have amazing conditioned hair!

[famousforwrongreason]

Not rhinos. Eff knows where rhinos came from...

[balonzz]

I've got the same problem re: grey regrowth. I am also considering just letting the grey grow through, although I have some root tint on order from eSalon. Would it improve the condition of hair to let it alone for a while?

[Pipandmum]

I'm probably completely grey. Sorry to say I find unless one is a snappy dresser and always quite groomed grey is very aging. Ive only seen one woman go grey with any success, and she got herself a quite severe punky haircut and it suits her personality.
I dye my hair at home - whenever you do your shop just pick up a couple boxes.

[foreverblessedbee]

OP have you heard of the curly girl method? You may ne surprised at how it improves the condition of your hair xx

[TheWordmeister]

If it's only 1/3 grey - it might not look too bad.

I remain to be convinced that grey hair in your 40s or 50s looks anything other than washed out and older than you are for all but about 2% of women. Anyone I know (admittedly only 3 people) looks really frumpy with very grey hair. If you have a really trendy haircut it definitely helps.

[famousforwrongreason]

@foreverblessedbee, yes I have, see post above , it has massively improved my hair but I’m worried if I go grey it will just be wiry and grimms brothers ‘witchy’!
I’d love to be able to have some short choppy cut and go peroxide or silver but my body and face shape don’t suit short hair at all, I’ve tried it short before and it looks awful and I also think those cuts can be a bit ‘samey’ and altho they can look cool it’s a very strong look which calls for a very strong sense of style and confidence, I’m a real hoppy chick who still carries the 90s vibe of my youth !

[smileannie]

Been thinking about whether to do this or not for few years now and have never really had the confidence. However I saw Carrie Otis has gone for it and she looks amazing.

[mathanxiety]

I found two boxes of dye in my bathroom storage last week, one in the wrong colour (thanks DD), but good for at least 8 weeks from next weekend I reckon.

A friend of mine decided to go grey but hated the patchy results and instead dyed her hair a fashionable shade of grey and grew it long enough to get a bob cut. She looks much younger now than when she was a brunette with a practical short but not very stylish cut.

I am a curly girl, though I have been going CG for about 20 years and like it a lot. I fear I have inherited my mother's greying pattern (more grey at the temples than elsewhere at the moment). I will most likely dye mine what I hope is an attractive grey shade instead of going au naturel.

When crunch time comes I will most likely swallow hard, shed my curls and go for a Judi Dench cut, maybe wear Docs and more mascara, and do my nails in edgy colours

[famousforwrongreason]

@smileannie yes she does loook lovely! Will look for more inspo/ greyspo pics!
@mathanxiety I have a lot of temple grey too

[cremuel]

Ok doing this with some trepidation! I have a box of root dye but I’ve not used it and I since I’ve been half wanting to get off the dying treadmill this might be the right time. I waved between feeling really positive about it and just wanting to hide my hair until I can see my hairdresser again. My hair is wavy (I do curly girl) and nearly bra-strap length, so it’ll take ages to grow out - though I had been planning to get it cut a bit shorter, so maybe that’s what I should do when I can get to a hairdresser. I’d love to have a short stylish cut but my hair’s so thick it just looks like a bush if it’s short. At least that’s what I think - I haven’t actually had it short for about 25 years, so maybe with the right cut it could work?!

[fartyface]

I love this thread. I am about 4 inches into grey and moping not to go back. My ends are very orangey yellow. I am aiming to go for long and bouncy so thst is my current goal. If it doesn't work I will continue with smooth Bob or embrace a pixie.

I really like mine. My dh basically doesn't - but what does he know?

[BitchyHen]

Go for it! I stopped dyeing mine a few years ago after being in hospital for a while. I have a pure white streak at my parting and a sprinkling of greys through the rest of my hair.
I've been doing the curly girl method for about 18 months now (although I'm more wavy than curly) and my greys are a little more prone to frizz, but not wiry. I do a deep conditioning treatment once a week now, two thirds conditioner and one third sunflower or olive oil applied and left for 30 minutes or so than cowashed out.

[Redcrayons]

I have got a box dye I could use but I'm going to leave it and see what it looks like at the end of lockdown. Ive been letting it air dry The last couple of weeks and already noticed how nicer it feels without all the product I usually use to blow dry.

I regret that I didn't get it cut last month though.

[Mamia15]

I gave up dying my hair last summer and after the first initial couple of months (this is why ditching the dye now is perfect!) as the roots looked so bad.

9 months on, my hair is in great condition, there is still some dye left but its rather faded (I use a silver or blue shampoo to prevent brassiness) and to my surprise, I am not as grey/white as I thought I was. Its brilliant not having to spend hours and money covering the grey.

[niffynoonoo]

I have a box of dye here. But Ive decided to save it and just see what my hair does. Im still doing my brows and lashes (dyelash at home).

[LellyMcKelly]

I started growing out my hair last June and I wish I’d done it years ago. I have white highlights and it looks really healthy and wavy. I was tired and bored of hiding myself, of being a slave to dye, of the fear of someone seeing my without my roots done (sounds insane now!). I nearly chickened out and started dyeing it again a few times in the early days, but I’m so glad I didn’t. I think it looks fierce!