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Original poster

If you have red, ginger or auburn hair...

32 replies

MayCup · 06/05/2021 19:04

And are going grey (or rather white) how have you dealt with this?

I have been alternating between full head colour including roots and occasional blonde foils (which inevitably wreck your hair).

I don't have enough white hair to go totally white, I'd say about 20%, but it's very concentrated around my temples (90%) and parting (50%).

There's no way I could just grow it out as it's just so patchy!

Please help ☹️
Bonus points for pictures!

OP posts:
Wbeezer · 06/05/2021 19:11

I've just left mine to go grey, it's mostly my parting in a few wide stripes, but not my temples so if i tie it back most of the grey is hidden. I have considered a few slices of colour to break up the grey stripes a bit (not completely cover them) but I've never really coloured my hair as its a nice dark auburn and dont fancy blonde at all so i dont feel confident about choosing... Sorry that wasn't much help.

Chrysanthemum5 · 06/05/2021 19:23

I use colour effects from Superdrug you use it in the shower and leave it on for 5 minutes then rinse off it costs £1.99 Sonia a bargain! Every few months I use garner nutrisse to give an overall colour as a base and the colour effects keep it topped up that's the easiest way I've found

Craftycorvid · 06/05/2021 21:53

Henna!

LavenderHills · 07/05/2021 01:25

I'm starting get get silver threads (about a dozen so far) and plan to let them be. I don't think dyed red hair ever looks as good as the real thing, so I'm embracing the natural change. I think healthy, well cared for and well styled hair looks fantastic with silver/grey/white streaks.

Gothichouse40 · 07/05/2021 01:52

Ive just let it go grey. Will be going to get a good cut at hairdresser soon.

Shwighty1 · 07/05/2021 02:09

Henna, there’s some sites where you can get different shades of hens so it’s not just the standard colour. I was recently reading some info on www.hennacat.com haven’t tried it myself yet but will likely go that way

Bythemillpond · 07/05/2021 03:00

I’ve been letting mine go grey for about 20 years and it still hasn’t gone fully grey.
I have grey hair around my temples but everywhere else is grey/mouse/red and black. Not exactly a colour that does anything for me.
Every few months for some reason my hair comes through in its original colour (dark auburn) then goes back to the mouse/black/red and grey so I get these dark stripes

I gave up last year and did a wash in colour (that I am not allergic to) so now although it was supposed to be dark brown dye it didn’t colour the paler bits of my hair dark brown so I am now dark brown and orange.
It looks better than the grey and mouse

FrozenVag · 07/05/2021 03:27

Yeah the Superdrug colour effects thing is the best

Make sure you stick it in dry hair though! Lasts so much longer!

goose1964 · 07/05/2021 12:28

I seem to be turning silver but I only have a silver streak on one side and hardly any elsewhere.

JellyNo15 · 07/05/2021 16:14

DH is now nearly completely grey. He went from auburn and faded evenly into grey.

Disfordarkchocolate · 07/05/2021 21:20

Mine is coming through a very lovely white so I'm just going to let it alone. My hair has a lot of natural variation in it so at the moment it's not very noticeable but I'm only early 50's.

Superpanicky · 07/05/2021 21:25

Just For Redheads is an American company that ships to uk they do makeup specifically aimed at red heads and they also do henna in different shades, lighter reds, mid and dark. Haven’t used the hair colour so can’t comment on that but maybe take a look... www.justforredheads.com/henna-all-natural-hair-color-100-safe/

ParisEncore · 07/05/2021 21:42

I didn't think henna worked on greys. I'm glad to see that doesn't seem to be right, as I've always wanted to try henna instead of dye.

My hair is naturally sort of reddish dark blonde. But I bleach the hell out of it normally Blush. I have vowed to stop though, as it isn't good for my hair. I'm growing it out, but I have no idea how grey I will be when it's grown. Good to know there's a less harsh option than dye available if I can't stick it out.

Eve · 07/05/2021 21:49

I was auburn and as I got more grey I went blonder & lighter with highlights.

Now completely grey / white and get it highlighted different shades of grey to give some variation.

Twenty2 · 07/05/2021 21:53

I can also recommend the Superdrug Colour Effects, but I use the rich warm brown shade, as it it seems to tone in better than the rich red or copper red, which tend to turn an unnatural, almost primary red. I agree to use it on dry hair, too, it lasts a good few washes for me.

Cailinrua1979 · 07/05/2021 21:55

I started going grey at 30ish, but only slightly. Tried henna but turned the grey orange and the build up on the rest of my hair left it wiry. I've been dying it since with L'Oréal. If I left it I'd have a dark grey base with white hair at the temples.... I'm not ready to let it go natural yet. If it was all white I'd go natural in a heartbeat, but it's natural colour now (cold dark grey) couldn't be further from what it was - warm auburn.

ZaraW · 08/05/2021 05:13

I'm about 10% grey and buy a pre mixed henna in "champagne" which is slightly lighter than my natural shade. It works well.

Tlollj · 08/05/2021 05:18

Well I’m surprised by this thread. My hair is red and I’ve no greys at all. My hairdresser said red heads very rarely go grey. I’m 57 btw. My mum is the same. She’s 92 now and is grey now but not until she was mid seventies at least.

Eve · 08/05/2021 07:54

Tlollj

My DM & her sisters and brother are all red heads ( ginger) all in 70s and 80s and all white. My DM was a lovely shade of blonde white.

toffeebutterpopcorn · 08/05/2021 07:58

@Tlollj

Well I’m surprised by this thread. My hair is red and I’ve no greys at all. My hairdresser said red heads very rarely go grey. I’m 57 btw. My mum is the same. She’s 92 now and is grey now but not until she was mid seventies at least.
I have one or two (early 50s). My eldest sibling is 66 and is still mostly red (duller so more fox like than auburn).

Mum always said that red haired people don’t go grey.

Porridgeislife · 08/05/2021 09:27

Half head of foils & a tint. My greys are blonde though, I’ve gotten progressively blonder in my late 30s. I’m a blue eyed redhead though.

FijiCavanaugh · 08/05/2021 14:22

I'm surprised too. Everyone in my family is a proper freckly ginge and tend to start getting white hairs in their 50s and just gradually start looking blonder until the white overtakes the red in their 70s.

toffeebutterpopcorn · 08/05/2021 14:25

Ah yes - I had a colleague who was in his late 60s and his hair was a yellowey colour (he maintained it wasn’t dyed) and when I saw an old photo of him he was a natural redhead!

isthismylifenow · 08/05/2021 14:41

I only have the very odd silver hair now and I'm 51. I think it is true about grey coming in much later.

My mum went the most beautiful silver colour all over around age 60.

Bythemillpond · 08/05/2021 14:47

I'm surprised too. Everyone in my family is a proper freckly ginge and tend to start getting white hairs in their 50s and just gradually start looking blonder until the white overtakes the red in their 70s

This is what is happening to me. But I really don’t suit blonde/mouse coloured hair.
It just makes me look drained.

The rinse in dye I use (allergic to permanent or semi permanent dyes) just dyes my grey hair red instead of the auburn brown it s says it supposed to be on the bottle

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