Grey/Silver/White Roots (50%) HELP Please

[Delilah21D00LoT]

Hi there,
Can anyone advise me please?

I'm in my early 40's - but started going Grey at the young age of 20.

Since aged 20 I have been dyeing my hair with DIY boxed dye.

For the past 6 years I have been using a permanent 100% Grey coverage - this currently lasts TWO weeks until the Grey is back (I have played around with different brands, but they are all very similar). MY hair simply does not hold the colour anymore

Currently I'm well over 50% Grey with Dark blonde/light brown permanent colour and shoulder length hair.

I only go to the hairdressers for a trim a couple of times a year - I suffer with severe anxiety and dread going to the hairdressers!

Quite honestly, I don't know what to do - or what my options are.
I have considered shaving the lot off and starting from scratch, but I have a round fat moonface and don't think it would suit me!

Any suggestions would be fantastic, thank you.

Delilah

Watching with interest. I'm v similar, nearly white at the front. I've had to go blonder because the grey won't hold colour. My natural colour is very (Italian) brown/black.

What about a hairdresser coming to the house?

Do you mean the grey is back at the roots? That's just growth.

Your only options are stop and grow out the dye or carry on dyeing. If you go for growing it out, get it cut shorter first. If you carry on colouring it, root powders and sprays give you another week or two.

I'm watching with interest as I could have written this post!

I think the answer unfortunately is to throw a lot of money at it. You'll need to get your hairdresser to put a lot of highlights in and possibly lighten the 'base' colour so that you go a greigey- caramel colour that is more forgiving on your grey %

If you continue with the box colour as you get older, you run the risk of it looking a bit 'helmety'

I don't know what to suggest re your anxiety though. I sympathise - going to the hairdressers is horrid.

I have gone grey. I had the 2 week root thing, the colour kept fading to orangey tones and I'd had enough. I wasnt going to cut but had to endure a period of the roots growing more and more obvious so did get it cut quite a bit shorter. If I did it again I'd probably go for the shorter cut quickly and grow that out without having to endure the weird orangey leftovers for so long. No regrets at all. I hated the constant need to retouch and my hair is much better condition.

I have a similar problem and do a full diy colour about once a month - 6 weeks
I top up once or twice in between with a root colour ( before a normal hair wash) , just colouring the central roots and edges that are grey , not perfect but better than nothing

You need hairdressers dye. I highly recommend Inoa. My hair at the front is more than 50% grey and there's no fading and no orange tones, just really natural colour. I do need to colour every 3 to 4 weeks but that's the regrowth.

I'm a licensed cosmetologist (hairdresser) licensed in America. Have you considered highlights? It can mask the gray for longer and you can go longer in between. One solid color all over (especially dark) will show the grey sooner. The highlights can be subtle and it will still help. But if you don't like the idea of that, consider going at least one level lighter. Part your hair in other ways to mask the gray. You can also use the mascara wand things for covering gray when you're in between dying your hair.

I understand the anxiety about going to the hairdressers. I don't do hair anymore and I'm more of a quiet type and even I hate going to get my hair done even though I put myself through uni doing it... but in the UK it's much more common to have in home hairdressers. If I were you, I would try to find a good one to come to you.

no Napoliforte - that makes my anxiety even worse.

I like the salon I go to and the hairdressers there, I just hate sitting there, looking at myself in the mirror and making small talk. I usually ask them a question and they can talk for ages, which takes the pressure off me!

smile
x

I'm at the need to redye after three weeks stage. It's okay at the moment and I definitely use the touch up spray along my parting (it's really useful if you can see your hair from the back too - I can open the mirrored doors on the bathroom cabinet to do this)

I did try the go lighter trick, but I have naturally quite dark hair and it didn't really suit me I think. I now go for an ash shade of brown - minimises the orange. I'm v happy with he John frieda lightest cool almond brown shade.

At some point I will go for the grey but I'm not quite there yet. When I do I will go for as short as crop as I dare.

Thanks elephantcuddles,
Actually, I hadn't really thought about highlights. I used to have them many years ago and the cost drove me potty! But I think everything is pretty much more affordable these days. It's certainly worth a try.
X

I think the answer unfortunately is to throw a lot of money at it. You'll need to get your hairdresser to put a lot of highlights in and possibly lighten the 'base' colour so that you go a greigey- caramel colour that is more forgiving on your grey %

This is what I have started doing - I don't have to have it done that often as the re-growth isn't too obvious, but it cost £££

Hi SwedishEdith,
Thanks
I'm pretty sure it's not root growth, we're talking a good couple of inches with the rest of the day 3 or 4 times lighter than the original shade.

My hairdresser keeps saying it's not 70% grey yet...like that's the magic number.

I think the way to go is much lighter where it is grey so the regrowth is not as evident and blend the rest with complimentary colour. And then top up at the roots as needed. But it won't go all at once, it's a gradual process. And it does require the services of a hairdresser. A mobile hairdresser maybe?

Or embrace the grey and take it as short as you feel suits to speed the process.

Sorry, pressed send before finishing!
Hi SwedishEdith,
Thanks
I'm pretty sure it's not root growth, we're talking a good couple of inches with the rest of the day 3 or 4 times lighter than the original shade.
I do use the root colour sprays, but I don't like them as they dry my scalp, dull my hair and don't match after 2 weeks as the rest of the colour has faded so badly. (And yes I use 'colour friendly' shampoo & Conditioner).
Thanks. X

And box colour on brunettes ime does fade to that weird colour at the roots if you're grey whilst probably giving you colour build up where it isn't grey, making the grey even more pronounced!

Thank you everyone - I've tried to reply to various posts, but I started to get confused.
I'm going to book for a trim (not been done since October last year :0 )
and I think I'll run it past my usual lady.

Thanks again all.xxxxx

I had the same issues. I had highlights tgen went grey. I get quite a few compliments. As long as you look after your skin I think it looks OK. Also I think it's important that women show its possible to age.

To age well....

OP, root powders are a godsend. I use this one which is as cheap as chips, lasts ages and covers really well. I'd have to dye my roots fortnightly if I didn't have it to fall back on - now I've been known to go over a month. Consequently the condition of my hair has improved so much, too.

I'm with you re: hairdresser anxiety. I haven't been for 15 years. I've learned to cut my own hair well (it's quite long and lightly layered so no fancy cuts required) and invest in a new pair of quality hairdressing scissors every couple of years. I must be doing something right because DH and DD (very stylish 20yo uni student!) both ask me to cut their hair, too!

Btw I've tried going blonder (I'm mid-brown) and I've even grown all my grey in, but I looked awful both ways - I was entirely beige and so washed out. Which is odd because naturally I'm mid-blonde! I need the 'oomph' darker hair gives me I think.

Ditto -really dark here too.
But have finally gone for the highlights cost a fair bit the first time
But subsequent appointments cost less
Rootage less visible
Sunlight lightens rest of hair and whitey grey bits blend in
Thought I would look odd with my dark eyes and black brows but actually think I suit it better and my make up looks better,
50 BTW and greying since mid 20s.
Not ready to do the grey thing all over but if and when I do I think it will be easier from a highlighted state than from a block colour.