I have no money or patience so how do I let me natural grey hair take over

[Bunnybigears]

I have limited funds and very limited time, I have been colourjng my hair for years as I am very grey at only 36. I cant keep doing it, its only a few days after I last did it and the greys are already back. So how do I go from long dark hair with grey roots to silver/grey hair I dont need to keep faffing about with?

It’s not a simple or quick process. Try joining a Facebook group called Silver Circle which is all about going grey. It’s a bit American but has good feedback.

I'm growing mine out too. Had a chat with teen Dd about how it looks as she is honest and kind, unlike Dh who just say it looks fine says that about everything
She said keep letting it grow, it's not as grey as I remember, and very dark, I'm braving it out, the bottom of the hair is blond from dying it and the top three inches is dark with grey especially the temples. Tied in a bun it's not as noticble.

I'm also 36 and have begun growing my colour out and letting it go grey. Its really really hard as my hair grows very slowly so will take a long time, and its quite hard to accept that thats now my colour. I've thought about getting it dyed grey at the hairdressers, but that will be costly and will take a few goes as my hair is dark. I've been putting it a ponytail mostly, think its just a case of persevering and not looking at it too much!

I have only just dyed my hair dark brown, I'm considering using colour b4 and seeing what happens then going from there.

I don't get why it needs to be a process. Don't you just stop colouring it?

It's one or the other. Spend money on a very good colourist to lighten your hair and blend it well or wait a year or so for it to grow out.

I at 33 went for the waiting game. Keeping it short helped. But 3 years later I have a rather enviable silver lob in wonderful condition and so glad I waited it out.

Would it worked to do a semi permanent dye as it grows out? Or a henna or something?

I’ve grown mine out over lockdown, there was nothing else I could do but cut it short after about 8 weeks. I hate it short but it will grow, I love the color but not the length.

i've done this several times, grit your teeth and let it grow out as much as you can bear then have it cut very short, all the old colour gone and then grow out and style as you wish. i don't suit very short hair, but it's a brief phase.

I'm trying to let mine grow out too - I'm 49 and it's nothing like as bad as I thought it would be.

Watching my support slip away, though! Facebook was all "letting it go natural this time!" Etc then as soon as the salons opened there's photos of everyone but me getting their roots done!

I don't get why it needs to be a process. Don't you just stop colouring it?

Well yes you can do but I would literally have a line where the grey hair stopped and the dark brown hair started. I'm hoping for something a bit less stark during the transition.

Bet it wouldn't be that noticeable really.

This is a really helpful thread. I was thinking I needed to start dyeing mine but I think I may just let it stay greying. I'd never keep it up so feel like it's maybe not worth starting.

Hi OP, I've posted about this before, I had the same problem at the beginning of lockdown. With time to experiment I used Colour be 4. Really good results. Do a strand test first. It stripped out all the permanent colour. It even reduced the henna which it's not meant to touch. Hair still is really good condition. Now its much more blended as it grows out. Yes, there is a difference in colour but no longer a harsh line. I'm really happy with it.

Use the spray root touch up in brown for the next 2 months. Would you face suit a short cut? If so ask your hair stylist to cut it short. Then grow it out to the length and style you like. Give it plenty of moisture.
If you use colour remover it will go blorange. The inside of the dyed hair can't be fully stripped out.
Another FB group is Gray and Proud (US) very supportive and inspiring.
You won't regret doing it. Complete hair freedom.

Stripping can really work or if not, have a few silvery highlights put in to break up your colour line.

Then-

Grow it

Cut it fairly short to get rid of as much dyed hair as possible

Repeat until all dye is gone!

Invest in good silver hair shampoo that will keep your hair looking shiny and condition well.

I am (used to be) naturally dark brown and used to dye the greys backs to brown. After speaking to a hair dresser, she advised it was best to go lighter so it was less obvious when I was too lazy to get it coloured. So I went blonde, more of a dark blond, but which ever box of colour I picked up from the shop in reality. I haven’t coloured it since February and have decided to leave it to see what happens. I think it looks ok and my friends Comments are quite encouraging. I know they would be honest and probably take the piss if they thought it looked daft. I’m going to cut it into a Bob next time I go to the hair dresser So it grows out quicker.

But the best thing I did wrt my hair was to go lighter as it makes the roots far less obvious.

CatBatCat is right! Either get a good grey colouring at a salon or let it grow.

Year and something for me ;) the first few months are difficult, not going to lie. People will comment, that road of greyish hair surprises you in photographs and what not.... but as it grows it just becomes so natural.

I have very dark hair and I just think if I waited another 10/15/20 years to stop painting, that road of greys would be worse!!! Much worse!!!!

Join the club!!

Just let it go
The first 4 or 5 months are the worst but then oddly the line becomes less noticible, and if you don't strip it, the dye will fade anyway and stripping can be really harsh on your hair.

I quit colouring nearly 4 years ago, left it long for 6 months then cut and now it's long again.. a mix of brown with silver at the front and streaks all over. SO much healthier, and other people notice/care much less that you'd think!

I started going grey at 28, coloured my hair, decided I can't be arsed. My step brother commented on it, he was greyer than me, I told him I don't care.
I have long dark hair so grey is noticeable, if my hair is down you can see i have a streak of grey like morticia addams.
Why try to hide it?
I will never understand people who dye their hair, my nanna did until dementia stopped her. My sister does.
Whats the point? Will you be one of those women who dye their hair lilac?

I'm growing my grey out too OP. Last time I got it properly done was way before lockdown and it needed doing just before. I did a root retouch myself just over the top of my head to tide me over. Then lockdown happened and I couldn't get it done properly so just left it. Having a root retouch has softened the demarcation line and is making it less painful. But 5 months on the dye has faded and is looking dull. I don't suit short hair so am in it for the long haul!

Another thought on this. Talking to Dd (15) it seesm that teens see all the blond ladies over 40 the way that I used to see all the older ladies with blue hair. I was a little sad and shocked, turns out blond is the new blue rinse for the olds. More incentive for me to grow out my hair and get rid of the blond. Who knew I was turning into my Nana.

The "road" in the first picture that scared me! Vs now. It goes all the way to my ponytail and I'm so much more confident and comfortable with it