Talk to me about going grey if you a brunette please

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Just dyed my hair with a different dye to usual, and it's not covered the grey at all (Clairol Nice & Easy; I usually use John Frieda). I'm sick of dyeing it every four weeks but also really can't face just trying to grow it out for months and months and months.

Has anybody managed to go grey gracefully? Or find a way to look half decent without dyeing it every few weeks?

I don't mind going to see a hairdresser. In fact, I'm half tempted to go and ask somebody to just dye it all grey for me!

I had blonde highlights in mid Dec as part of my going grey plan. I’m 41 and I hated the grey roots and the constant slight mismatch of the brown dye with my natural brunette.

So step one is some blonde highlights, going to stick with that until Summer and I’m determined not to put a box dye on top. I’m then going to get more ashier highlights added over the Summer and again no brown box dye!! Hopefully will then have a decent amount of natural colour/greys coming through without a clear line. Will keep going with more ash highlights and no box dye. Fingers crossed it looks ok!!

I'm not sure exactly if you're asking about the process or the outcome. Is all of your new hair growth growing in grey or is it mixed with your natural color?

The process, Indie.

I'm a mixture of natural dark brown and white, but have been dying my hair red since I was about 15.

Haven’t read the full thread so apologies if this has been mentioned. I used the L’Oréal Magic Retouch spray and it totally covers up my grey roots and looks natural. It does make the top of your hair feel a bit weird like it has hairspray in but it does the job and stays put until you wash it

Thanks, Caramel. I've tried the sprays but really need a more long-term plan, I think.

Have you ever thought of a human hair topper? I have one and it clips in and looks so natural and obviously covers the greys. Everyone just thinks it’s my real hair and my DP has never realised when I’m wearing it

I’m now probably brunette with a bit of grey down the centre parting and sprinkle elsewhere (48) but I’ve been having a mixture of blonde and brown colours using fouls at hairdressers for years now. I’m not ready for grey.

Foils not fouls!

As you aren't that grey (your roots only show a bit of silver) it's the perfect time to go cold turkey - the demarcation line won't be that obvious (unlike mine) so the whole process should be less painful.

I think I could go cold turkey if I can get my hair back to brown, rather than red first.

I'm just letting it happen!! I've always loved my dark brown hair and don't want to cover the brown so am just letting the grey come in which is also fun. My father had a white streak in the front of his hair and my fingers are crossed that it passes on to me.

From looking at women around me and online they all seem to look the best when they embrace the colour change, it seems to suit their complexion so much more and make them look younger than when it's dyed.

I cut mine short, and let the dye grow out. Wasn't the easiest process but SO worth it. My hair is lovely now and I get so many compliments. Would never go back. Grey is the way.

From looking at women around me and online they all seem to look the best when they embrace the colour change

Well, you can't really know that, can you?

Noone can tell my hair is dyed (it's half head fine low lights in a match to my natural brown), when I mention it people are always surprised. When I wasn't having it dyed, I looked really washed out, the steely grey did not suit me at all. I don't mind the white, it's the hard steel grey I don't like and it just makes my hair look dirty and makes my skin look sallow.

I became allergic to hair dye at 48, doc said probably linked to menopausal hormone changes. I tied my long bob back a lot and also wore a lot of hats. At one point it looked lovely and people asked where I had my silver highlights put in. I now have a shorter blunt bob. Hairdresser said my hair is now in amazing condition due to not dying it.

@VanGoghsDog I can! I said all of the people that I've seen who have gone with the change in their hair or stopped dyeing looked better after doing so! That's my personal experience.

I didn't say that people that continue to dye their hair don't look great, you can get some very good colourists.

I dyed my hair very dark brown as soon as I started going noticeably grey in my 20s.
This year I turned 42 and decided enough is enough. In April I dyed it for the last time. Mid July my hairdresser did a half head of foils and an ash toner to blend out the line. Since then I went cold turkey. I have a longish pixie and have been totally silver white for about a month. I love it and get asked a lot about how I get the colour so natural and even!!

I'm 50 this year I have a pixie cut and just dyed it dark grey. I think I'm going to do this.

It's lovely, Mumtomaxwell.

I just can’t see myself grey. I’m 48 and have a long bob. Only greys on top half around parting so I have a half head of blonde and warm brown colours every 8 weeks. My DM was still bleaching her hair blonde in her 70s. Never give in, never surrender was her motto. All power to those of you that do go for it though.

Most of the people who have posted on here seem to home dye with box kits and then decide to go grey. I don't really think that once you start to go grey it is easy to get a good natural look with home hair dye as there is so little variation in the shade and for some reason the red tones seem to come out. I think the transition (if you want to go grey) is best managed with a bit of professional help. I have no intention of going grey in the next 10 years, and will rely on my hairdresser t get the colour right for my skin tone.

I wondered if it is also a bit of a class thing? With the higher social classes being keener to embrace the grey? Every time I go to a classical concert - recently a large one at Bath Abbey, there is a sea of grey, with even the 40 somethings ( I would guess) not using colour. In more general gatherings ( a nice full restaurant at Christmas, also in Bath) there was hardly anyone over 40 who did not have coloured hair, at my guess. Perhaps it isn't class but something else that makes the two tribes gravitate to each other?
My mother, who died last year aged 92 had her hair coloured up until she was 80, and tbh it looked very nice. It took her until she was nearly 90 to get the attractive silver grey. There have been some very attractive heads of silver hair pictured on here but I expect there are many more like me who look a bit odd and out of sorts with a dull salt and pepper colour.

I expect there are many more like me who look a bit odd and out of sorts with a dull salt and pepper colour.

Exactly, that's what mine is like and it just looks dirty. I envy those who grew it out to find it "gorgeous", but mine isn't.

I decided to go lighter to attempt to cover the grey. I am 100% white.

I went to a hairdressing college who said growing it out would age me, so they did blonde highlights. However, she did brown near the roots. So that didn't cover the regrowth of white at all! Plus sitting so long with bleach on my hair caused a reaction...... I couldn't see that night!!!!

Then I got pregnant and decided to go back to box dyes. I still toy with the idea though as I hate dyeing it!

Astra - l saw similar when I went to New York - you tend to see more grey haired people who are not elderly in museums and art galleries.

A class thing ?

No idea 're class.

I don't cafe if hair looks natural or not t bh - just don't want to look stupid. I just think red hair has been my thing for so much of my life that I can't imagine anything different.