How can I go grey gracefully?

[NormaCore]

So I am mid 30s with dark hair that I have been dyeing since my early 20s. I get my roots done every 6 weeks at the hairdresser but I really fancy going back to my natural colour. I have lots of white hairs now that seem to spring up within a few weeks of getting it done. But how do I ease the transition until the roots have grown out?

I feel quite excited to stop dyeing but don't know how to start.

norma well put.

openupyoureyes, you look absolutely stunning and happy :)

Heat hear Norma.

I am willing to "make the effort" with make up, shaving, clothes etc, but not the time and money required to maintain hair dye.

So colouring hair lacks grace?

Norma you are so right, it's about choice. Going significantly grey in my 20s was hard, people seemed to think it gave them the right to tell me what to do with my hair cut it, colour it etc. Yet no one dared say that to men, no they were distinguished silver foxes. As for daring to have long almost white hair !!!!!

Medusa yy to chemical free, healthy hair!

msshapelybottom thankyou

Re. men I think there are 2 issues: men tend to have much shorter hair, so regrowth would be more noticeable and 'doing the roots' every couple of weeks or so not practical. Many younger or middle aged men with grey hair now shave their heads because they are also going bald! Also, imo grey hair is least flattering on both sexes when it frames the face ( takes away rather than adding colour) and men don't suffer from this because their hair is usually short.

And there are gender differences- most men do not use make up, most women do. Call it cultural, societal, whatever- or just plain vanity- but there is a difference.

Slebs who have all over colour ( men like Macca and Cliff) will ask for that style - trying to hang onto their youth -and their sychophantic hairdressers won't tell them it looks awful- more than their job's worth.

Highlit/lowlit hair can look good but it's also starting to be a bit of a uniform. I think grey hair with a modern cut looks more interesting.

My dilemma is eyebrows.I'm 42 and had to dye my hair since mid 20s. Been going to hairdresser as home colour was not doing me any favours. My natural colour was almost black with pale complexion. Now I reckon I am white in parts, natural in others with some salt and pepper.
A few months ago I decided drastic action was required as I just can't afford the hairdressers every 4 weeks. I had some colour stripped out and some highlights out in and it looks ok. My natural grey roots blend in better. That said I am open to going completely natural. I think grey hair with a modern cut, good complexion and great clothes looks fresh and refreshing (Isabel marant is my grey hair icon). The problem is that my eyebrows are still very dark. Which makes me wonder about going lighter still. Not sure I want the Philip schofield effect!

Openupyoureyes, I think you look fab.

A bit like my new heroine Catherine Walsh, head of Coty prefume - she rocks grey hair, and isn't afriad of bright colours which compliment her skin tone.

She used to have a dark bob, and took the plunge to cut it and let the silver out- she styles it with Nivea apparently.

Thank you venus. I was a bit worried about my hair growing back as I knew it would be mainly grey, I've always kept it long and dark. But I love it and I can see it suits me much more this way. I use silver shampoo and conditioner, a quick towel dry, and a blob of wax.

I wear jewellery more often now, as my earrings can be seen and necklaces aren't hidden by my hair.

Your hair looks lovely, Openupyoureyes.

I think if I could hide for 6 months' I may be brave. I think my hair is white at the front in places but because I'm not I don't know and will carry on colouring for a good few years'.

Thank you Norma

Sorry. Haven't read the while thread but ...I think I have decided to stop dyeing my hair. I'm 38. The last semi permanent dye I used was in march. I don't ever have roots but I do get random long grey hairs that I swear weren't there yesterday
I'm just hoping that all I the grey just continues to merge with my dark hair -& vice versa. My style is shortish. Wish me luck !!

This thread has really made me question my hair colouring choices.

I think my dark brown hair dye actually looks too much, to dark to solid againts my skin that has also changed.Im fairly white/grey underneath.

At the moments I have below the jawline bob that i can still tie back. Though I shouldnt as it thins my hairs at the front. But I have about an inch or roots showing. If I wear my bob in an off center parting I looking like I have a grey gash If I wear it scraped back with all grey around my temples and brow with bits showing through I feel its a kind of dirty look.

I think I may get hair cut short - this will help with the thinning thing too as I can't tie it back (which is no style at all really). Should I use semi permanent dyes shades lighter until all my dark has grown out or just none?

After I've grown it out I dont know what I will do - highlights or leave it, I'll see.

Im nearly 40

I found this:

momentsinmyhead.com/2014/02/21/5-tips-for-growing-out-gray-hair/

Andsmileontherightpath Get a Bettie Page fringe cut in your natural colour! You could also get a friend to apply ColourB4 over a highlighting cap with chunky strands pulled so you have a mix of tones throughout the dyed area. Just if you wanted to make it look more 'On Purpose'

Dyed hair can look fab.
So can grey hair.
No need to judge each other for embracing/rejecting the grey.
It's a free choice, and undoubtedly some women look better grey than dyed.
Some pics ......
If you think the grey might suit you, go for it. IMO it's a free and funky choice. And - of course - so is dying. As long as we decide to colour or not to colour our hair not out of fear, but for pleasure and ornamentation, it's all good.