For those of us going grey

[SilveryFoxyMe]

Forgive the name change, but I reckon this post makes me fairly recognisable.

Anyway, last year I posted my dilemma as to whether to continue dyeing my hair or let nature take over and see what was really lurking under there

I bit the bullet after yet another hair dye ending up brassier than I had hoped and not lasting at all, and decided to grow it out.

Eight months on (I do have short hair) it's all gone, and I am almost completely silver, with a few smattering of darker.

At just 47 I appreciate this is not the societal norm, and in some people's eyes has aged me. One friend pretty much commiserated with me and my hairdresser is horrified.

But in the past month I have been for two job interviews, been offered both jobs, and been invited out in a date (long story, I am happily married and he mistakenly thought I was single).

Several people have told me it looks fab, a neighbour came up to me to say I had inspired her to go for it.

My face still looks fairly youthful, I think, but at first glance people might think I am much older. Yet I still got the job offers and the date! More attention that I have had in years!

So if you are swithering, I would heartily recommend it.

[Baddz]

I worry that it would look awful :(
I have had soooo many colours on my hair over the years....My hair is very very grey....maybe 80/90%.

[LargelyClearSkies]

I'm 44 and have been growing my dye out for about 10 months. At one point I had it cut from bra strap length to a short layered bob and this got rid of almost all the dye. I've been growing it since and its a longer bob now. I bleached the remaining bits of brown dye and dyed them bright blue.
I bloody love it - bright white at the front, darker at the back and I've never had so many compliments in my life! strangers have stopped me in the street and a lady commented on my lovely "mermaid hair" the other day

[TheOnlyOliviaMumsnet]

@butterfly133

if a thread is moved and you have it on your watch list, does it stay there - so to speak?

It sure does
You're in S&B now folks
Happy Silveriness

[butterfly133]

Thank you TheOnlyOlivia

[SilveryFoxyMe]

Thanks Olivia, this means our silver hair is here to stay!

[Doza]

45 and greying since I was 18: I finally stopped the dye merry go round last year! Such a relief not to have to worry about roots, cost of hairdresser, messy home dye. So much less time effort and cash required!
I stopped mostly because I was too lazy to keep the dye up properly and I was very curious to see what was underneath. The reactions I got to my plan were interesting. My mum, who still dyes, was appalled. I had a female work colleague begging me not to do it! I snapped a bit at that and told her if she could convince the younger than me grey haired bloke in the lab to dye his, then I'd dye mine

[dancelikenooneiswatching]

Nan thank you. I can't believe I keep it so short! Always had long hair but I love my crop, I have it cut every 2-3 weeks. After having to face the world without a hair or my head (or anywhere else) it didn't seem such a big thing to let it grow back silver. And you're right, I can usually pick out the "chemo crops" and we give each other secret knowing smiles

[WhattodowithMum]

I must try a purple shampoo!

I am 43 and quit dying at 41. I am about 40% grey now. I gave up dying my hair because the dye didn't take well and the maintenance was a pain. I am naturally curly and most of the time my hair looked orange-y and fried.

My hair is in good condition now, and the natural colour makes my (pale) skin look better. The bottle brown, fading to orange looked harsh.

If you've always been a brunette with pale skin, going grey is an odd feeling because you loose contrast. It's like being a light blond; a bit of makeup helps sharpen up your features and add back in some contrast. That said, I'm not that concerned and usually don't bother.

Now that I have come to terms with the hair on my head, I'm finding white hairs in my eyebrows!

[CainInThePunting]

LCS
Looks fab! You have given me a idea I fancy trying. Did you have to fill your bleached hair with anything or did you go straight to blue?

[LargelyClearSkies]

When it was cut it was really short at the back so I got rid of all the dye there but was left with longer brown layers at the front. I lived with those for a bit ( I'll see if I can find a pic) but hated them.
I just bought bleach and left it on long enough to turn it yellowish - should have left it longer but I was scared! Then a blue semi over the top of the bleached bits. Bit of a faff at the time and the blue fades quickly so once a fortnight or so I put a ponytail on top of my head and put more blue on.
It's lovely - fades from silver to blue :)

[image removed by MNHQ at poster's request]

[suzannecanthecan]

I had a female work colleague begging me not to do it

Since it doesnt affect her in any way I wonder why she was so concerned Doza?
Could it be to do with 'breaking ranks'?

[CainInThePunting]

I've been looking into swapping my brassy blond bits for blue bits and came accross this article.

It seems that whilst the violet dye in TOS shampoo is great for brightening silver hair, brassy blondes need more of a blue rinse! It makes sense when you think about the colour circle.
I think using a food colouring in a good quality shampoo will leave my hair in better nick than bleaching and permanent dyes.

I plan to have a go at it tomorrow so will share before and after pics.
What's the worst that can happen??

[CainInThePunting]

Thanks LCS
Love the idea of some blue to spice it up.

[Senada]

Have been 100% grey since before I was 40, so dying every few weeks at the salon for about 15 years. Natural colour was a brownish red, (auburn?) quite dark actually. I colour it a similar shade, perhaps a bit lighter. The colour still works for me, I still get lots of compliments but I'm so fed up of maintaining it, not to mention the expense. I'm now getting roots 3 weeks after colour and can't leave it for longer than 5 weeks.

At my last appointment I talked at length with my hairdresser and she's come up with a plan to go natural. She said it will probably take a year, possibly a bit longer and she warned me that going through the 'blonde' stage will probably be difficult.

I've seen gorgeous grey and silver hair on this thread, shades that look fab, but mine is white. My hair is going to look like Father Christmas' beard!
I can't imagine white hair against my skin and I'm worried that it will just look drab and boring. I've always had a lot of contrast between my dark hair, v fair skin and dark eyes and I worry my hair and skin will just blend into one pale mess. But I keep telling myself that I can always start to colour it again...

Thanks for the thread and the mention of the FB page which I'll take a look at.

[Softcookie]

Senada, i think white hair looks amazing, particularly if it's white all over! Its great your hairdresser has a plan and you are not going it alone.

[suzannecanthecan]

" I talked at length with my hairdresser and she's come up with a plan to give her a nice little earner go natural."

"She said it will probably take a year, possibly a bit longer and she warned me that going through the 'blonde' stage will probably be especially expensive difficult"

only joking Seneda
I also think white hair looks lovely:)

[Fishandjam]

I have mud brown hair with about 10% silver (though increasing all the time!) Could I use the violet shampoo too or will it not work?

I too cannot be bothered with the dyeing treadmill; however, at age 42, as well as the greying hair, I also have big blue-shadowed hollows under my eyes which make me look permanently exhausted. I am slightly worried that with deliberately grey hair, I will simply look old and knackered (in contrast to how I feel on the inside!)

[Senada]

suzanne, my stylist is great and she did give me options to do it quicker and therefore cheaper, but I didn't like any of them!
I'm happy to pay whatever it costs to do this slower and in a way I'm more comfortable with. However, at £57 for cut, colour and a few highlights every 5 weeks for the next 12 months or so, I don't feel ripped off at all. Especially as my previous stylist was charging me £115 for the same, three years ago.
And I look forward to just paying for a cut every 8 weeks or so in the future, even if I do look like I've nicked Santa's beard and stuck it on my head!

[suzannecanthecan]

she sounds like she's worth her weight in gold Senada ?:)
and I'm sure you'll look fabulous :o
A drastic change in hair colour can take a while to adjust to though so a gradual change has advantages and if you entrust yourself to a stylist the risk of an impromptu diy disaster is minimal ?

[burnishedsilver]

A friend on mine promptly died her grey crop having been mistaken for a nun!

[suzannecanthecan]

that'll have been the habit and the big crucifx that she was sporting

[suzannecanthecan]

But seriously to be mistaken for a nun one has to be dressed in a certain very plain and conservative way, with no make up and a hair worn in a way that makes no attempt to flatter.

no one would mistake Dance for a nun thats for sure :o

[Milkwagon]

I tried to grow out my natural hair colour - grey - but DH said I'm too young (36) and should keep dyeing it .

[butterfly133]

Milkwagon, that's exactly the reason society sees grey hair as ageing - if we showed that we have it in our 30s, they wouldn't. I hope you will ignore DH.