How did you transition to grey hair

[justsayso]

Over lockdown I'd grown out my hair dye and had gotten more comfortable with my grey hair. It's quite noticeable, all around the front of my head and is white with salt and pepper areas.
Went to the hairdresser 6 weeks ago for full highlights and colour, and now I'm back to square one again with a ridiculous inch of regrowth. Of course I anticipated this but am wanting really to embrace my grey hair and stop trying to live a lie!
So my question is this, did anyone go cold turkey with the dye or did you get a sort of transition colour to blend them through.
I'm only 34 so need to get used to my grey hair, if I get it right I think it could be a 'look' - fierce silver fox vibe maybe??

SwimBaby works well for me, even my hairdresser says I do a good job.
I stick to the same colour, and only do the roots, sectioning, parting and applying all over my head, I start with the areas that are most grey- front and top. No colour build up to the rest of my hair, only the 1-2 cm closest to my scalp. Takes me only 30 minutes.
May be harder to conceal grey hair on natural brunette, but my hair is always in fantastic condition.
When we decide to lighten and peroxide hair to blend in with grey then condition can suffer.
As hair turns to grey the hair naturally becomes a little drier and more fragile. Bleaching can make this worse.
Using products to restore brunette colour doesn't damage hair so much.
There is no way I could move to blond highlights to disguise my grey, my natural colour is too dark..

@justsayso

Ooooh, no, I would never do it at 34! Far too young to be grey!

Maybe re-think it in 25 years!

I think if everyone went with their natural colour then there wouldn't be this association with "old" if there is some white hair

I think if you have a lot of grey it becomes a losing battle so easier to not bother in the long run. My hair feels thicker

woodhill

True, but it is personal choice. Society is a strange and complex thing.
In an ideal world we would accept all that the age process has to bring.
Would you suggest that we give up facial moisturisers or skin care? Not medically necessary, but many people enjoy the benefits of soft skin.

I tried over lockdown but I hate the shade of grey mine is - it's a harsh steely colour that really does make me look older. Two inch roots were more than enough for me to decide not yet!

Back now to my usual strawberry blonde thank goodness. Maybe one day it will be a nice silver but I'm not there yet.

I always tried to grow the colour out but would panic and re dye it until January when I got my 16 year old daughter to give me a G.I Jane clipper cut! All the colour was gone and my natural grey/white and mousey hair is now in a long pixie cut and super healthy. I get quite a lot of pressure from women around my age (51) to 'hit the bottle' and stop 'giving in' to age 🙄🙄🙄

I get quite a lot of pressure from women around my age (51) to 'hit the bottle' and stop 'giving in' to age

I had that too - I was 43. It’s amazing how insecure it seems to make them feel.

@RubyFowler

I went cold turkey. Its taken 2 years to fully grow out but once the grey was down to my cheekbones say, it was a lot easier to keep going. It helped to have a good year or so of lockdown where no ones hair was looking great.

I started to grow my grey hair in cold turkey too. Hairdresser said it was best but she was great and cleverly layered it so the badger line creeping down my head was minimised Nearly 2 yrs later and I'm almost there!

Its still a love hate though!

I had that too - I was 43. It’s amazing how insecure it seems to make them feel.

No need to tear down other women though.
It’s amazing how insecure it seems to make them feel.
Not a supportive comment.
If women want to dye their hair black green or purple, wear army boots or leopard skins, tweeds, knits, lycra, shout from the roof with a crocheted bikini then why not!
Blossomtoes are you totally worked out with your life? All done? All perfect?
Please don't patronise with such passive aggressive comments.
We are all doing the best we can as women. and if that means embracing grey hair - great. If a woman prefers to dye her hair then fine.
No need to denigrate your sisters.

I went cold turkey but I was blonde with highlights so the transition was like going from brown to grey.

I had my hair cut shorter from shoulder length and eventually, about 2 years later, I was the colour I am now. Oh, and I had cuts every 6 weeks almost to the day to help things along.

Nowadays I’m a beautiful grey/creamy/silvery colour that has different shades in it and I’m told by my hairdresser that people who’ve seen my picture on her Instagram ask for the same colour and are shocked when told it’s natural.

It also helped that I had my colours done along the way and I also now wear a bit of make up everyday. My grey hair smartened me up no end and I love it.

I get a lot of 'Ooooh I could never do that. Yours is great though!'. I always wonder if this is a polite way if saying they think it looks awful or if they actually wish they were braver.

For me, as well, it's part of my feminism- i don't see why I should have to waste money and time on something men don't because of the beauty standards imposed on women (standard disclaimer here that of course you can be a feminist and dye your hair etc etc).

Sorry, just to add, I’m almost mid 60’s now and have been grey for 3 years.

@speakout

woodhill

True, but it is personal choice. Society is a strange and complex thing.
In an ideal world we would accept all that the age process has to bring.
Would you suggest that we give up facial moisturisers or skin care? Not medically necessary, but many people enjoy the benefits of soft skin.

No definitely not but it isn't like the hassle of dyeing and maybe there are health risks

My face is too round and fat to suit a short style, so it was cold turkey (and several failed attempts). It's probably been white/dark/strong resemblance to a badger for about ten years now.
I made the decision that if it was grey, I didn't want it to be an 'old lady' style, so it's asymmetric, shaved one side and graduated into shoulder length curly on the other.
I get offered seats on buses - but maybe I look old and tired rather than just the white hair
Lorraine Massey's book Silver Hair is good if you want some inspiration.

the hassle of dyeing and maybe there are health risks

A personal choice though?

We all make many choices which impact our health.
Diet? Weight?Exercise? Mental/emotional health?

woodhill how do rate in those terms to judge others?

@speakout

the hassle of dyeing and maybe there are health risks

A personal choice though?

We all make many choices which impact our health.
Diet? Weight?Exercise? Mental/emotional health?

woodhill how do rate in those terms to judge others?

I wasn't aware I was

More pointing out the freedom of no longer worrying about roots after 3 weeks, I did dye for quite a while

No need to denigrate your sisters

Completely agree. Do you not think comments about “giving in to age” from other women are denigrating? You choose to dye your hair yet step onto this (hitherto really nice and supportive) thread which is specifically about going grey and start an argument.

*woodhill

You didn't talk of "freedoms", you were "amazed" at women's " insecurities"

Quite different things.*

Jeezo, this thread is taking an unfortunate turn.

Speakout - not all attention is good attention you know.

I think you are muddling me up with another poster. I'm no longer 43 unfortunately

MaBroon21

Are you a moderator?

Are you a moderator?

I just like pretending to be.

Great thread until page 5! Strange!

Funnily enough I've been told 'love your badger stripe!' on several occasions since I stopped dying it over lockdown. I've only ever heard it as a compliment