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Original poster

How to cover just a few greys?

42 replies

Idontunderstandmollyandmack · 20/03/2023 17:10

I’m 45 and have started to have a few visible grey/silver hairs. I have long dark hair and have strands of grey at the top.
Ive tried dyeing it, but don’t like the look as it doesn’t look natural to me, I like my natural hair colour and want to keep this, but how do I get rid of these bloody grey hairs? 😫

OP posts:
Cupofteaaa5 · 20/03/2023 17:13

I'm only 32 but have quite a few greys already (started going grey at 27!). You can get spray to put on your roots, it works really well. It's like hair spray but coloured. You can find it in supermarkets, usually near the dry shampoo and stuff like that. It just washes out so I spray a bit on each morning.

Original poster
Idontunderstandmollyandmack · 20/03/2023 17:21

@Cupofteaaa5 Does it match your natural hair colour though and is that if you’ve not coloured your hair? Does it look natural?

OP posts:
user1496262496 · 20/03/2023 17:27

There isn’t an easy/cheap way to achieve a natural look. Either embrace the grey, or prepare to spend a lot of money with a skilled colourist who can make dye look natural. You need to get colour treatments frequently, like every fortnight so the roots don’t show…. or get those sprays to use in between appointments

Your skin tone also changes as you age. This doesn’t help with making dye look natural, hence all the ‘washed out’ older women you see with home dyed hair.

I just embraced the grey! It is liberating not to have to think about it.

LouLaBear23 · 20/03/2023 17:38

John Frieda Defy Grey. I use the shampoo and conditioner. I think they also do a blow dry mousse but I’ve not tried that. It blends with your greys so they look quite naturally covered. Usually on a 3 for 2 at Boots 😊

Original poster
Idontunderstandmollyandmack · 20/03/2023 17:49

@LouLaBear23 How does it get rid of greys please?

OP posts:
Original poster
Idontunderstandmollyandmack · 20/03/2023 17:50

@user1496262496 I know, but it really doesn’t suit me and automatically ages me 🥺On some people, they look amazing, not me sadly

OP posts:
TheChosenTwo · 20/03/2023 17:54

I’m 38 and have 4 that have been coming through for the last 6 months or so, because there’s just 4 I pluck them out 😂 I get my dd to check the back but they are all in random places around my head rather than just in the same place. So strange how it happens.
I have my hair coloured so not worried about that, I’ve had it coloured for years just because I makes it glossy and shiny in a way that shampoo and conditioner never works for me. My hair grows so fast that I think once it is becoming unmanageable I’m just going to embrace it - can’t be back at the hairdressers every week, I’m very lazy on maintenance!

LouLaBear23 · 20/03/2023 17:56

This is from the JF website 😊

How to cover just a few greys?
rllrsk8 · 20/03/2023 17:59

I'm 40 and have been dying my hair with semi permanent colour for about 10 years to cover greys. I find the at home kits easy to use and minimally damaging. I choose a shade close or slightly lighter than my natural brown shade and after a couple of washes it feels pretty natural to me.

But there are more and more greys! Once I've finished maternity leave next year I plan to get my hair dresser to add some lighter sections to blend the greys in a bit more, accept they are happening and go with it! I definitely agree with others who've said your skin tone changes as you age, too. I used to use a darker brown and loved the rich colours but it just doesn't suit me any more.

VaseWaterFlowers · 20/03/2023 18:01

@TheChosenTwo my hairdresser told me if you want to remove grey hairs, you should cut them at the root not pluck them. Plucking damages and can destory the hair folicle. eventually you'll go grey all over and whether you choose to dye or go natural, you'll want as much hair as possible and hair thins as you age anyway. no point in making it worse.

ComeOnYouSummer · 20/03/2023 18:01

I had mine dyed to a very similar colour to my natural brown colour. I asked the hairdresser for the code and matched it to a nice and easy colour. Now I buy a root touch kit and cover my few greys every three weeks. It takes 15 minutes in total.

FlannelandPuce · 20/03/2023 18:20

I use the defy grey shampoo and conditioner too. It colours the grey so it blends in and looks like natural highlights. It's much better than colouring hair as it keeps all the natural tones and you don't get a flat colour or roots. I would definitely try this before colouring your hair as it's much easier to up keep. Boots do a 3 for 2 which makes it a bit cheaper

LivesinLondon2000 · 20/03/2023 18:27

You’re really lucky to get to 45 before needing to think about it! I have naturally very dark brown hair and had to start dying my hair at 25. I’m now mid 40s and for the last 10 years have spent a fortune getting it dyed professionally with a lighter colour than my natural colour with balayage etc in an effort not to look ‘washed out’ as I’m also very fair skinned. Home dye for dark hair is very hard to get right so I wouldn’t rush into it if you don’t need to.
At your stage I would probably look at the L’Oréal colour spray or something similar that washes out so you can think about whether or not you want to go grey. Or a semi permanent colour if you really need to.

Gatekeeper · 20/03/2023 19:03

I wasn't keen on the John Lewis one..gave my grey hairs a gingery/sofa stuffing look and feel which I didn't like! I've ordered this so will report back when it arrives

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00YTJKQAC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Gatekeeper · 20/03/2023 19:06

John Lewis??? John Frieda I meanHmm

Cheesuswithallama · 20/03/2023 19:13

I slightly colour with henna. It's lovely natural and if you leave it only short time, it just tones and washes of eventually.

Agree with others. Kudos on getting them at 45😁 I started late 20s early 30s...🙄

VladsPants · 20/03/2023 19:23

Gatekeeper · 20/03/2023 19:03

I wasn't keen on the John Lewis one..gave my grey hairs a gingery/sofa stuffing look and feel which I didn't like! I've ordered this so will report back when it arrives

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00YTJKQAC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

I used this after seeing it recommended on here. It gave the grey parts of my hair a definite greenish tinge. It was very noticeable.

RandomUsernameHere · 20/03/2023 19:25

Interested in this defy grey stuff, thanks for posting! I also have very long nearly black hair so greys show really badly.

TheChosenTwo · 20/03/2023 19:47

VaseWaterFlowers · 20/03/2023 18:01

@TheChosenTwo my hairdresser told me if you want to remove grey hairs, you should cut them at the root not pluck them. Plucking damages and can destory the hair folicle. eventually you'll go grey all over and whether you choose to dye or go natural, you'll want as much hair as possible and hair thins as you age anyway. no point in making it worse.

That’s true! I’m very thick and plentiful in the hair department at the moment - my mum went pretty grey in her early 30’s and had very thin fine hair so I’ve been waiting for a while but just 4 at the moment, they just look very noticeable as my hair is naturally very dark!
It’s easier when you have fair hair for them to just blend in a bit better but it’s a stark contrast if you’re dark.
My granny always used to tell me that plucking grey hairs out will force 5 more to grow in their place 😂

ThankfulForEverydayEspeciallyToday · 20/03/2023 19:49

Idontunderstandmollyandmack · 20/03/2023 17:10

I’m 45 and have started to have a few visible grey/silver hairs. I have long dark hair and have strands of grey at the top.
Ive tried dyeing it, but don’t like the look as it doesn’t look natural to me, I like my natural hair colour and want to keep this, but how do I get rid of these bloody grey hairs? 😫

When I just had a few I would actually just use a permanent marker,lol!
It only took a couple of seconds and it covered them perfectly. I doubt any professional would recommend that but I swear it was so simple.
Now I have to get it done every 8 weeks.
Ahhh,how I miss the ol permanent marker days😀

Stressybetty · 20/03/2023 19:53

I tried the John Frieda defy grey but it did make my hair feel a bit heavy and scalp a bit itchy like I'd dyed it properly. Will try again though as I've spent money on it.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 20/03/2023 20:08

Wear a crown.

It won't cover your grey hairs but it is a fantastic distractor.

Oblomov23 · 20/03/2023 20:16

If it's only a few Surely you can find a nice and easy hair colour that is very close to your own natural hair colour?

Dibblydoodahdah · 20/03/2023 20:21

My hairdresser colours my centre parting and around my temples to
match the rest of my hair. These are the only noticeable bits at the moment.

theblackradiator · 20/03/2023 20:44

watching this thread with interest as I'm the same age and starting to notice the odd grey creeping in and must admit I am guilty of just plucking them out. my hair is also it's natural colour and don't want to go down the full hair dye route just yet. spent years dying my hair in my younger days. Any advice on how to get rid of crows feet and puffy saggy eye lids as I'm really starting to look bloody old!