anyone fancy going grey next year?

[notactuallyme]

so, i've been toying with this idea for ages (am nearly forty) but always end up dying it. i thnk i'm going to go for it - anyone want a support thread for intermittent updates?

[Peplum41]

vacaloca, from long and thick to a pixie? ? Thats brave. I would go for pixie if I had the facial features,you have to be gamine, pretty or striking. I got called "son" or "lad" by strangers when I had short hair as a teen, so I doubt its for me. If you think you can pull it off....pity the nervous trainee hairdresser. How old are you?

deathwatch pictures of models looking great with grey hair all very well and good but what about real women? I need to see more my age, 41 but they don't seem to exist!

I've just coloured my hair, a sort of dark auburn. Been like that for years. Bored but don't know how to move on. Was looking at hair cuts last night, they all had nice colours too, I've got the rest of my life to go grey, maybe experiment with colours first?

Wavers.

[Deathwatchbeetle]

In a word, NO.

Mum helpfully pointed out the white/grey blaze starting to show through on my hair so I dashed down to the hairdressers to get it coloured pretty pronto. Been dyeing my hair since I was 11 and see no reason to stop now!!!!!

Nothing wrong on grey/white on others though. I have been admiring those older models like Daphne Selfe etc who don't cover the grey/white.

[vacaloca]

I'd love to see their before and after photos.

Completely by chance I saw a local hairdressers asking for models for a pixie cut and I've emailed them. They've asked me to go in to have a chat with them. I'm going from 'yes, I'm definitely going to do this' one minute to 'I'm not ready quite yet' the next. DH is very supportive. 10yo DD nearly cried when I told her I was considering it.

[Peplum41]

Hi vacaloca, I just found this thread too, I think you resurrected it!

I know what you mean about your hair defining your look. My hair was often complimented, I have bad acne ravaged skin and I'm chubby so it distracted from the flaws. However, a stand in hair dresser did something weird with it a few years back and I've never got it back to its former glory. Any way, yes I think try a new style, then drop the colour.

I'm feeling very inspired now, just got to endure the growing out stage. Are any of the original posters still out there?

[vacaloca]

I just found this thread and it's inspiring me. I started going grey at 18 and by 22 I was using permanent hair dye. I had very dark brown hair, almost black and have carried on using that colour for the last 20 years.

I'm now 40 and, according to my hairdresser, about 90% grey. In the last 4 months I've started having to do my roots every 2 weeks (!) because the growth is so noticeable and also my hair grows really quickly. It's a huge commitment in time and money.

The problem is that I have quite striking hair now, people comment on it very often - it's long, thick, dark. It 'defines' me to a point so it'd be a massive change to go grey/white. The badger stage really puts me off. I'd go for a really short cut but I also have a bald patch (I feel like I'm bearing my soul now!) and I need my hair to be a fair length on one side to cover it. I like Michelle Williams's cut but it would still take quite a while to get there. Would you cut it first and then go grey? One shock at a time...

[indecisiveandclueless]

Like thefarside I had my hair bleached to get rid of the bulk of the brown. The hairdresser then put a grey semi-permanent on to try and even the colour out. It's this which is actually almost as bad as the original brown, as it's very dark and dull, whereas my natural colour is more of a white/silver.
It does alter the kinds of colours I need to wear, and I've not really got to grips with it yet, maybe that's why I'm wavering.

[KosherBacon]

I keep debating this. I have a small amount of grey (5% ish) and have been colouring. In order to blend it away I've been dying it but anything that takes on my grey lifts the rest of my hair a reddish colour. I'm frustrated with dyeing and don't have the money to keep getting it done in the salon only to end up with a ginger undertones in my brown hair four weeks later.

[CeeceeBloomingdale]

Still here, sporting the cruella de vile look as I go from dark brown to white. I'm not getting much, nay any support in real life, people think I'm insane. Sometimes I agree but mainly I'm excited to think in a couple of years transition may finally be over (I'm a year in but still colour my hairline whilst I grow out the underneath). My hair is long.

[TheFarSide]

Is your hair long indecisive and is that why it's taking months? Could your hairdresser do something to temporarily blend the regrowth? Don't give up now - it's so worth it not having to faff around dyeing your hair every couple of weeks.

I've been growing mine out for nearly a year, and it will be over a year when I'm finally rid of the last vestiges of dye. The reason it's taking so long is because I have shoulder length hair which I get cut to chin length every six months or so. I can't go any shorter because it doesn't suit me.

I have survived by bleaching out the brown dye right at the beginning so it's not too far off my natural colour of white grey. There's a tide mark but it's not totally horrendous.

If you need inspiration, there's a Facebook group Going Grey Looking Great which has kept me going.

[auntpetunia]

Am still here …just had another couple of inches chopped off mine, got about 1.5 inches of brown /red left.

Glad you're all still going strong.

[indecisiveandclueless]

New to this thread, but been growing out grey for months.
Struggling.
Teenage son said it looks the worst it's ever looked. When he saw a pack of hair colour in the bathroom (I'd been clearing out some old stuff) he looked really pleased at the thought I might be reconsidering.
Maybe it's not the right decision after all.
Friends and colleagues have been terribly polite about it, which is a worrying sign!

[TheFarSide]

So, how are we all doing?

I just had my long bob cut into a short bob but I've still got two or three inches of blonde at the bottom.

It's not looking too bad because the blonde is not that different from the white/grey - it looks a bit dip dye.

I'll be mightily glad when the rest of the blonde is gone though - probably when I get it cut again next February or March. It's been a long haul but worth it.

Hope no-one's caved in?

[Nerfmother]

Phew, glad you're all still going! Got a bit lonely there ! Have only a fee inches of red now, and most of my hair is shorter and all grey.

[Whitecat]

Still here. Thought my hair looked bloody awful after a recent cut but it just looked choppy and needed a couple of weeks to settle. Back to feeling ok about it now. Sunshine days it looks great -bring back the sunshine days.

[CeeceeBloomingdale]

I'm still here with touched up roots whilst the underneath is growing out then I'll go for the full monty!

[TheFarSide]

Also still here. Thread just dropped off my I'M ON list !

All going well, not caved in, getting used to being grey, etc, etc.

[Nerfmother]

Still here! Lone voice fighting the good fight!

[Nerfmother]

You are very kind! Glad you are still going for it! I am so pleased not to be dying my hair anymore and tbh I don't feel aged by it. I have bought some new face powder by benefit which is lovely and adds a glow

[TheFarSide]

You look great, Nerf!!! It's a big change from your long red locks but totally vibrant and youthful. I wish I had your bone structure.

I would post an updated photo but not much has changed - two/three inches of grey roots as opposed to one inch, and a much shorter bob. I'll wait until after my next haircut when hopefully there'll be more grey than dyed hair.

[Nerfmother]

Ok I think I have solved it

[Nerfmother]

Argh!

[TheFarSide]

Can't see them Nerfy

[Nerfmother]

Sorted the photos out btw - ruby, aunt petunia and the far side - you can all see my new 'do' !

[Nerfmother]

Another hair cut today ! Really really happy I did this, glad you are persevering aunt petunia!!

[auntpetunia]

Am still here persevering with the grey grow out, fortunately my hairdresser is on my side as she likes the colour of my grey! Had a few inches chopped off so got a nice bob now to carry on growing out. Had a few negative comments but don't care I'm happy with my decision.