Giving up the Dye Job

[seashore]

I haven't put any hair dye into my hair for 7 months now - because of an allergic reaction. So I was interested to read this article Grey Pride Catherine Cleary On Giving Up The Dye Job.

I'm also thinking of quiting the dye job, I'm 41, quite young looking, slim etc. I'm not asking for advice about whether I should do so or not though. What I was wondering is - is there anyone else out there who has given up using hair dye after years of use? I don't feel I can return to chasing something so ephemeral, I always had roots showing really quickly, I want my scalp to never feel itchy again. Emmylou Harris seems like a good role model for me, I had always intended to quit hair dye at about 55 yrs anyway, now I'm think my hair would be in much better condition then if I just leave it alone now.

Looking around,so many dye jobs just don't seem to work and yet everyone keeps on with it. Is there anybody out there who has like Emmylou had the insight to never dye their hair in the first place? Anybody who was brave enough to do it again even after an extremely bad reaction to it?

I now have at least 2 inches of my natural colour and grey back, it'll take some time before it's all gone (I have long hair) but I'm really thinking enough is enough, my body is saying please don't dye me!

I'd be curious to hear other peoples experiences in this area

Check out the website GOING GREY LOOKING GREAT. I wish I had the confidence to go for it.

My friend ts 36 and hasn't dyed her hair for 10 years or so and is at least 50% grey. She has long hair, and the grey is evenly spread.

I dye mine (100% white at the front, 50% at the back/sides) as I would look like a badger otherwise. Once I am nicely grey, I'll go au naturel though

What percentage grey are you btw, I reckon I am about 75%,like you I am slim, quite trendy etc and would love to do it am just scared though, I am 43 btw.People do tell me I look younger though.

I love George Lambs hair, perhaps we could all be female versions

Thanks darkandstormy for the website Going Grey Looking Great, I'm off to check it out now, every little helps

I think I'm about 50% at the front, the rest 30%

I'll have to google George Lamb cause I haven't heard of him.

Think I messed up my link, here's another try

www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/magazine/.../1224273601676.html

Ah yes! I've seen that guy on telly! He looks pretty good, I like the way his hair is light and wavy not laden down with dye and product.

Maybe we could be the female versions! Darkandstormy

I would love to be able to do an Emmylou Harris. Unfortunately, I don't look anything like her. I think for grey hair to look good, it is probably quite high maintenance. I suspect Emmlylou does dye her hair actually but dyes it a mix of silver/grey/blonde/whie. She's part American Indian so will have great strong hair and olive skin. Frizzy salt'n' pepper Celtic hair with pasty skin doesn't quite have the same effect.

Said granted Emmylou is a genetic wonder and Celtic hair pasty skin etc not having the same effect is very true, but I don't think she does dye it, I googled a load of photos and you can see she has let the grey edge in naturally over a very long time, I think she is just a pretty unique individual to say the least!

I've been looking at the stories on the going grey looking great web it's fascinating.

Yeah, think you're right about Emmylou. She made a decision to stop dyeing it. She could be bald though and still look fabulous. I think skin tone is the key hence why George Lamb and George Clooney look good

I'm seriously considering this (am almost totally grey at the front, about 50% on the rest), but I'm really fed up with the straw I currently have rather than hair.

What I can't seem to find though is any specific to grey hair shampoos/conditioners/treatments in Boots and the like. I'm presuming there must be stuff out there, just not sure where to find it.

Am not yet 40, but fed up with roots needing dealing with constantly, and never getting the actual colour I want till it's faded for a few weeks, at which point the roots become too noticeable..... What I'm not sure about though, is what I do to minimise the growing-out stage (currently quite a bright red, but naturally v dark brown) - I was thinking about one final dye to go as light as I can face, so that the roots aren't so noticeable - does that sound sensible?

Found this before about how to go grey

I haven't dyed yet and can't decide if I'm going to. (I'm 43, soon to be 44.) I have dark wavy hair and have been used to the dark hair/pale skin thing forever, so I'm not sure how I'll adjust to gray. I don't know how much gray I have now--enough to be noticeable, certainly, but maybe 10-15%. In general, I'm rather vain about my hair, which makes it surprising to me that I can't decide about dying it. I don't want to look older than I need to, but I also don't necessarily want to commit myself to a long-term dying program. My hair person has said that she can use the lightest possible dye (semi-permanent?) and see how I like it but that I shouldn't let the gray get to 25% or it will be too late for that. I really am torn, though.

Rumpledwriter I've only used semi-permanent and it's still very damaging, I regret using it at all because once you start it speedens up the greying process. Also like anuything it becomes a habit. I started with dying my hair twice a year but before you know it it's every 2 months. Like you, I'm also vain about my hair, always have been, I think you're so lucky to have so little grey by 43 , I'd just leave it, looks after it really well.

ShrinkingViolet here's the name of some shampoos from the irish times magazine mentioned above - if you google the irish times from that date sat 3rd july, magazine section and then under Beauty there is a stunning looking woman, very young with beautiful looking grey hair - L'Oreal Serie Silver Shampoo, Shu Uemura Prime Plenish, Kerestase Age Premium.

Said so true that Emmylou would look stunning no matter what,the only dodgy photo I came across of her during my detective check out of her hair was one from the 80's - what a leveller of a decade!

I stopped dyeing my hair about 5 years ago now and am now quite grey (I'm 48). I've never regretted it, I like my hair much more now and it looks better with my face -- not so harsh. And much more distinctive.

Growing out the dye was hard, and it did look awful for a bit. And it took quite a long time to make up my mind to it. But I thought in the end I want to be who I am, and be happy with that, not always trying to look younger (not that I'm trying to look older than I am!).

I think having a really good cut is very important and I have it done quite often. I use ordinary shampoos etc but slightly richer conditioners because grey hair is drier.

I would love to stop dying my hair but I'm afraid I'm a coward. My hair is very thick and wavy so dying it myself is impossible. I currently pay about £120 a month to maintain my colour and I can think of better things to do with the cash. I've given myself a deadline of two years (by which time I will be a well preserved 60)to give up the dye but I think I'm going to need therapy.

niminypiminy thank you for your post which is very encouraging. I'm at that awkward growing out stage,the web site that darkandstormy put me onto is already proving very useful as the more women I see doing this the more I realise it is lack of familiarity with women having natural hair that makes it such a big deal. I think by the time I've grown it out I'll be well used to it.

said, thanks that link is interesting, L'oreal say over half of women over 40 are not using the bottle anymore, but where are they?

Still L'oreal obviously see a whole new market opening up.

seashore good luck -- hope the awkward stage is over quickly!

oh and thanks for the tip about getting a good hair cut and having it done quiet often, it's funny how just getting your hair trimmed is relaxing whereas my dye days I've always found exhausting and I could never sleep properly that night because of the strong smell.

SEASHORE Don't you think on the going grey site that Holly and Heidi look particularly fab,I wish I could go for it,I have just succumbed to an evening of superdrugs medium brown slapping onplease keep us informed of how your progress grows if you continue to let the grey grow through,good luck,

I'm off to check which ones are Holly and Heidi, so many of them look fantastic, I really think that web is a brilliant inspiration I'm still trying to get my head around that fact that it would be stupid to say the least for me to ever dye my hair again. I just googled - gentle mild safe hair dye that does not itch - of course such a thing doesn't exist but I came across miles of bad hair dye reactions from people, scary, and found out that if it's already caused trouble for you it only gets worse with each time you dye.

So that's it for me! I'm just going to have to meet the new me!

But you know dh is so encouraging, he says I'll look great! We're tha same age, he doesn't have one single grey! and he has lots of hair!

Sorry you've had a chemical evening! maybe you'll soon be ready to go au natural thanks for your help Darkandstormy.

Ah yes, Holly and Heidi both look amazing, there's no question they both look so much better than with the dye, and Maureen also just after them. Their natural colour so often seems to make their eyes sing whereas the dye, it just never seems to work, I know the tone I've been putting myself through so much to perserve just doesn't work with my eyes, clothes, it just doesn't whereas even the white streak appearing now to my right lifts my eyes, both pupils and whites!

Maybe it will be an improvement all round, not just goodbye to awful itchy sclap.

Actually darkandstormy since you are still dyeing, you should do what the doctor had me do in my recovery treatment (I had to do this every day for ages), just maybe once every two weeks or so rub a lot of olive oil into sclap and hair, leave it for a few hours and wash out. It may save you a lot of bother in the future, it's so good for your head and hair.

Sorry bad typing, meant - scalp, ds is bust beside me with loud train toy!

Oh and Darkandstormy, don't you think Christa Hoehs from the silver scout story is just beautiful, I'm honestly thinking if I get through this now, get it over with the whole ageing thing won't be so bad, I'll breeze through becoming fifty (9 yrs away)

I'd love to do this too but I suspect I'd look crap, frankly. Just a washed out fuzzy dowdy mess. Emmylou Harris and a handful or other very lucky people go grey beautifully, but I doubt I would be one of them! Sadly, there's only one way to find out and I'm not brave enough to try just yet. I will look at that website though - sounds interesting.