I've got fine dark brown, shoulder-length hair which for the past 20+ years I've dyed (at home, though sometimes in a salon) regularly, usually to a warmer chocolate or reddish tone. The ends are very saturated with colour. I've also got shitloads a bit of grey hair, which is becoming increasingly obvious at the roots. Over the last few years and two children, it's now gone from the odd strand to a much more salt and pepper affair. So now (over forty) I'm thinking about embracing the grey because the upkeep of dying it is a faff and the regrowth looks crap.
So the question is: what can I do to transition to my natural colour(s)? I've got about 3" of regrowth at the moment and I don't want to cut my hair that short all over, but I need to get rid of the colour-saturated ends somehow, or find a style to suit that doesn't look too unintentional or weird.
Any ideas? Whenever I've tried to talk to a hairdresser about this they look at me like I'm a fruitcake and suggest permanent dye or highlights, which is just more upkeep I can't maintain.