What to do with greys

[BarnacleNora]

My hair has got a lot of grey coming through (see pic) but isn't yet at the 'totally grey' stage. I've just been chucking box dye at it but I'm fed up with dealing with roots coming through and not very confident in my ability to touch them up properly so usually I dye it then leave it to grow out for ages then re dye the whole thing. Not very attractive!

What can I do to blend the greys? I did have an appointment next week to do something really drastic, bleach it all then go lilac grey, just for something fun to do but have cancelled because I can't justify the cost really or the upkeep.

Would highlights be a better way of blending in the greys a bit more? I'm only 36 I still want to do fun things to my hair and my general look is more 'cheerful hippy' than 'sophisticated stylista' if that makes sense?!

You have so few grey hairs I really don't think you need to do anything.

I’m similar OP.

I have a mixture of very fine ash and darker brown high/lowlights run through mine every 3-4 month. It’s very forgiving! I had only intended to do it to wean myself off the ‘block colour’ box dye but I really like the way it looks!

It looks fine as it is but if you don’t like it, a semi-permanent vegetable colour similar to your natural colour (or purple!) would cover the grey and make the hair glossy.

I had highlights to cover the grey and hate them, it’s what google says to do but the whole thing now just looks mousy brown to me

Definitely do NOT bleach the whole thing, you’ll make it very dry and breakable and that can’t be fixed it has to grow out.

I have a lot more grey than you now, but just before COVID I decided to go pink; had the hair dresser put semi permanent pink highlights in, which faded as they grew out so I didn't get the roots problem (was box dying it brown before but got sick of the upkeep and the roots).

Now he hasn't done the pink highlights for a few months and it's a sort of pale pinky ombre which is quite nice, and I've discovered pink semi permanent of the shelf for top ups if I want. They only last a week or 2, but for going out somewhere it works. And you don't get the regrowth.

Go to a good hairdresser who can suggest ways to blend them in. I have patchy areas with dark hair plus I am short so 98% of people look at the top of my head. So I diy the roots with the exact same natural hair colour (use esalon) but I have done highlights in the past.

Do not bleach everything

Thank you everyone. I don't think the photo did my greys justice really, I have some real chunks of grey and then some patches that are more whispy. The answer of course is just to ask a hairdresser-I like the idea of pink streaks!

I have dark brown hair, and likely more grey than you. I've never let it grow out so not actually sure what percent of grey I have? I used clairol castings which is only a semi- so no solid line of regrowth like a permanent colour.

Why can't you just use the box dye more often- so you aren't getting the solid, grey roots in between? If you want a cheerful hippy look, use a semi in another colour! There are lots of bright colours if that is what you are wanting. Not sure why you'd think bleaching was an option which will only dry your hair out, and still show grey roots in a few weeks?

The problem with highlights is that they are almost always too warm in tone and can be very difficult to get an ashy colour. I know so many brunette women who try the blond highlights thing to blend grey and it goes that blorange colour.
I think women who have dyed their hair blonde through their lives have a much easier time going grey than brunettes, as they just keep drying their hair blond. Whereas brunettes turning blond often looks a bit wrong.

I’m similar to you.

I've tried this recently… early results are very positive, and I’m only using it once a week.

www.amazon.co.uk/Plantur-caffeine-shampoo-conditioner-menopausal/dp/B076GNGHPN/ref=asc_df_B076GNGHPN/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=313128619118&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13499422815606790047&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006964&hvtargid=pla-564217902935&psc=1