Anyone using lockdown as an excuse to grow out their grey?

[SelfIsolatingBeforeItWasCool]

I have shoulder length dyed dark brown hair which is naturally 100% silver underneath - I know this because every couple of years I start to grow it out, then chicken out after a couple of months. Last time was just before Christmas - I caved in partially because I wanted to look decent over Christmas but also because I had a few events this spring which I didn't want to look skunky for. Of course now I'm kicking myself because everything's been cancelled anyway!

I also seem to have suddenly become allergic to absolutely everything I put on my face. I think it might be the SPF in my moisturiser/foundation because plain Nivea doesn't hurt, everything else leaves my face burning and red for days after. I'm concerned that as it's come on so suddenly, hair dye might also cause a reaction and I know how serious they can be.

I haven't dyed for 2 months and honestly, I'm not sure I'll bother again. One reason I usually cave in is that there's always something coming up I want to look nice for - wedding, party, etc - not an issue for months, so no temptation. Only fly in the ointment is DH who really doesn't like the idea of me being grey. I'm 47 and he's 36 so I can sort of understand it on one hand, on the other I think he's being silly - after all, he's going grey and I have absolutely no desire to see him dye it, which he has no desire to do anyway!

Anyone else considering doing this?

I have also decided to embrace the grey/white! Currently only half an inch of roots but would love to get off the hair dyeing treadmill after 25 years or so. I'm naturally a dark mousey brown ( at least I think I am ) and after years of flip flopping between blonde and brunette I'm fed up and my hair is now in rubbish condition, would love to have natural unprocessed hair.
I'm also trying to grow out an inverted bob so I think in a few months time it will be at quite a painful stage!
Just bought some purple shampoo to tone down the brassiness of the bleach under brunette! Never heard of blue shampoo how does that differ from what the purple one does?
@Mercedes519 your hair looks absolutely fantastic!

I do no poo
will using just purple conditioner do the job of toning down brassiness or would it be better to use purple shampoo too?

Odd notion but could the hair dye make you greyer once you start dyeing or is that impossible because the hair is already dead

I’ve been getting my hair dyed for donkeys years and I’m now at the stage of having it done every four weeks and I find it a horrible chore.
I’m dark brown very curly hair and I know I would have to go the cold turkey route no way can I be bothered with high lights etc and I hate the thought of the line as it grows out
Also I think curly hair tends to look more wiry but my dyed hair isn’t (well cared for) wiry is the texture of grey hair different? If I thought I’d have hair like Mercedes I’d do it !
Last issue is the curls mean it takes ages to get any length ifyswim
I would love to be brave enough to do it though I don’t want to keep this up !

Scary I don't think so. It's just dead hair you are dying like punting your nails really.

I had long hair and am naturally curly. Started with a bob and then had an asymmetrical cut that I straightened (was quick) as it grew out - was much easier to do. Can't help with the length as mine grows quite quickly but I feel your pain on curls making it look shorter

In one of the fb groups, I've just read about a woman who instead of using root spray to match her brown hair, she bought a silver one and sprayed the rest of her hair. It actually looks really good.

I have curly hair too. I have about half an inch of root- 5 weeks since my last appointment. Have a chin length bob at the moment. I am thinking that I will probably stick with cold turkey until it is long enough for a pixie cut, and then grow that out.
I have been grey before- I started to go grey quite young- taking after my dad's side. I had quite a bit of dark hair at the back and grey at the front and sides, so went back to brown. I had kids quite late and they didn't like my grey hair in my early 50s, when they were at primary school.

Coco - that's a neat idea!

She's on the Silver Revolution page about 5 posts down if you want to see it

I had to go cold turkey about 20 years ago in my 30s because I started reacting to the due (which I'd been using for years). DH was really encouraging. I was dying it chestnut because I always wanted to be a redhead and I have freckles.

Turned out I was quite blonde along with the grey and it just looked like highlights. Although more silvery now, it still gets lots of compliments especially from hairdressers.

I think part of the "fear" is that so many of us dye these days (well not these days ) that actually having grey hair makes people think you are older because so few "younger" women in their 30s/40s and even 50s have grey hair. Maybe we should ALL stop dyeing and level up the playing field for those who can't or won't dye.

I can dream...

Dye not due 🙄

Funnily enough it was about this time last year I asked my hairdresser to give me silver hair/highlights but the bleaching required completely wrecked my hair and we could never get it light enough to tone it silver/grey. Ironic really. I think I'm too impatient and just want the end result now without the painful in between!
@Cocolapew re the spray, that actually looks really good, just checked the fb page.

I think part of the "fear" is that so many of us dye these days (well not these days grin) that actually having grey hair makes people think you are older because so few "younger" women in their 30s/40s and even 50s have grey hair. Maybe we should ALL stop dyeing and level up the playing field for those who can't or won't dye.

I think this is true - you won't necessarily look older if you don't dye, but that people may assume you must be older because you have grey hair.

I’m 39 and I started growing mine out 3 years ago. I had it bleached and dyed grey and it made the growing out process a bit less traumatic. I always hated my grey hair while I was trying to hide it but as soon as I started growing it out it stopped bothering me. I now wish it was more grey 😂 I’ve also just started curly girl so it’s a bit all over!

Do you have a favourite purple conditioner Brian?

Some beautiful hair here. I'm growing out the dye. None since November. I'm really struggling with the wiry texture. My hair is really curly and I follow a sort of curly girl routine. Any advice or wonder products to stop the white wiry halo?

yes I think if your hair is curly it can be wirier I find if I damp it down in the shower in the morning and let it air dry it is better. You could just water spray it.

IMBrian your hair is lovely.

We need an app that turns our hair grey for a look see.

Justasking there's loads of colour change hair apps. There's a popular one used in the groups. But, helpfully, I can't remember which one it is. It might be the L'Oréal one.

@cardoon I’ve never used the conditioners but the bleach London purple shampoo is good to get the brass out.

'no poo' suits my hair but not sure how effective the conditioners alone will be on brass.

ahh, maybe I should be looking for silver rather than purple?

My hair is horrific, 4 inches of grey roots and 3 feet of lovely blond hair. I hate it. My hairdresser emailed me to say don't you dare use box dyes while we're in lock down as last time it took ages to get rid of the orange hue so I'm living with it.
Pony tails R us. I wouldn't mind so much if my colleagues weren't constantly going on about it.

I have to wear a little PPE hat at work now so at least my emerging greys are covered ( even though it makes ya sweat like being in an oven)