Grey hair regret

[raffle]

I've been growing out my grey...only now I don't think I like it! I'm so very very reluctant to go back to dying it dark brown (it literally needs roots doing every fortnight)

So, could I dye the whole lot a dark blonde? Obviously this wouldn't show on the remaining dark bits, but would it cover the white parts?

I'm a bit sad to be thinking about doing this as I've grown out over half of my bra-band level hair, but I just can't get used to it!

I've looked for this but can't find as I don't think have the right coloured hair.

Forget all the crap about warm/cool

It’s very common for people with dark brown hair to struggle with the warm tones that inevitably come through if they try to lighten their hair. Or even dye similar to their natural cooler (if they are) dark tones. Grey growing through can exacerbate this. It might not bother lots of people, and that’s great, but it’s a common problem, therefore consideration, rather than just ‘crap.’ It’s a pain to grow it out if it is an issue as the warm tones get stronger the longer it’s been dyed.

@BusStopNumber3, you are completely right. I wish we could just ignore this warm/cool toned thing but it matters as it really difficult to avoid with lightening and, in my opinion, one of the central reasons someone's hair color might really not suit them.

Yes, it’s so annoying. If there was a better solution for this it would make millions (probably billions.) Now and then I’ll wear gold jewellery or a warm coloured top but once you’re dealing with it in your hair it takes years / ongoing treatments to resolve.

Pic is dark red henna. Natural Henna is always red which is why that immediately came to mind. Black henna I believe is more indigo than henna and I think also has PPD. But don’t quote me on that, that’s from memory. Grey hair doesn’t take up Henna in the same way dark brown hair does. There would be an enormous colour difference. Depending on the type of henna it could indeed go orange. Or extremely ginger. Again, absolutely fine if that’s what you’re expecting and wanting. But Mixed with this much dark brown hair the contrast would be huge. You’d get deep dark reddish mahogany mixed with massive bits of orange or ginger. The root growth would also be extremely noticeable, extremely quickly. We’re talking a couple of weeks, same as OP’s normal box dye schedule. Hairdressers also will not use traditional dye over Henna for varying amounts of time (and neither should you at home) it doesn’t play nice together! Results also won’t be at all predictable. Time frames I’ve read about waiting to use traditional dye after henna vary from a month to months and months, which if you end up hating the result is a very long time to live with it without being able to do anything about it to fix it. I used to colour my hair a lot, varying colours, was very interested in using Henna. Every hairdresser I spoke to warned me off it because they can’t fix it quickly when it goes wrong and you go running to them looking for help. Also after the initial wait of month(s) for the Henna to fade sufficiently it would be essential for them to do a session for strand tests to test what the traditional dye does over the Henna. But I would imagine the results even after using a permanent dye would still change over time because the Henna base would still be fading underneath. So what you did eventually walk out the salon with would not be likely to be how it stayed, and again, you might not like the results. Then you’d want it fixed again and so on. If you know that’s what you’re signing up for fine, but if you weren’t aware, or couldn’t afford to fix it should you want to it could be quite distressing to live with.

What about a hair cut, so you have just the grey? Sometimes it's the contrast- you might love a sharp bob type affair...

Just speaking from my experience. I use henna from lush on my grey hair…it’s auburn and looks fine. It’s definitely not orange! It covers my greys extremely well and is very good for your hair leaving it lush and well conditioned. That’s my experience as someone with grey hair in my 50s.

I stopped using henna years and years ago ! I started going grey quite young and it stopped covering well before I went totally grey.

Maybe you weren’t t using the right henna? I get great results and am very happy with it, anyway was just a suggestion Op can take it or leave it.

I would go for a medium brown/dark blonde @raffle I wouldn't keep it that colour personally. I know some posters on here are all like 'embrace the grey!' but in reality, very few women want to do that. (And when they do some of them don't like it.)

Auburn is pretty much red hair anyway which is why you find that henna is ok. If your hair is dark brown, henna shows as reddish orange (auburn) on any greys, and you can't keep your dark brown hair, and this is my experience.

I dunno if Im made up or not tbh.

Was clearing a table ( waitress) and one of the ladies said I want my hair like hers - meaning me

But she was 20 years older :)

Still we passed 10 minutes sharing horror and success stories

Then about an hour later, stopped to have a quick word with another grey haired lady I work with in store, one I felt to look pretty older and what some would perhaps class as frumpy, and it came about she was 18 months younger then me!! First thought was OMG, second was, do I really look as good as I see myself or do others see in me what I see in her?

Blimey this getting old malarkey aint easy thats for sure

I agree with this. Some older women do look wonderful with grey hair, but by no means all of us! I love the faux silvery greys sported by young women, so I had a go at that myself. The colour turned out almost exactly as intended ... but, with my old face, it just made me look old and grey 😬

As that was the end point of my pink & turquoise experimental phase, I took it back to blonde. I've just been growing out my last lot of blonde to see whether I've gone white yet, but it's still iron grey with a few whites - much like yours, OP. This week, I'm blasting it all with my usual light blonde, and will add some 'scandi' streaks as a nod to my aged status!

@raffle, you have such a lovely, vibrant skin colour. The grey's too much of a contrast, imo, and light shades would look a bit 1970s California - you'd suit a honey/caramel dark blonde or brown, or even auburn if you fancy a change. (It's a bugger to get rid of red, though, so don't do that unless you've already tried it on an app or a wig!)

My natural hair is brown but now, lots of grey.

But your hair is now auburn, not brown, because of the henna ........ so the henna isn't giving your brown hair, it's adding red/orange tones and giving you auburn hair. Brown henna on grey hair does not give you brown hair.

I am convinced that I have become 'invisible' (ie old woman to be ignored/not worth listening to etc) since I went grey (in lockdown), but I am a lot older than you. I am seriously considering going blonde. Grey men seem to be regarded as knowledgeable/capable etc. Despite knowing there is still a lot of sexism around I was still quite shocked at the change in attitudes towards me.

I think you mean Wella Colour Fresh?

And OP, if going grey isn’t for you, then there’s no harm in changing things, at least you gave it a try! I will be having highlights until the day I die!

Would you advise me please as I would like to try this?

Hair as a child was blonde, I then was mousy. Currently I have steel grey so have dyed my hair with 10.0 very very light blonde Garnier Olia.

I'm really not sure what colour I should be. I like being darker but worry it washes me out as I'm quite pale. I tried blonde as thought the growing out into grey would be less of a shock.

Thank you.

Did it wash out next time?

@raffle I grew out my grey and had to completely overhaul my wardrobe! Vinted is your friend 😄

I don’t really understand what you are arguing about. The henna covers my grey hairs well, they are red/brown not orange. I have used brown henna before, a chestnut colour that worked well. I think people on MN just like to argue! I imagine it does depend on your hair type but it was just a suggestion and doesn’t need to become a huge Debate, it’s just my experience and it works really well for me.

Genuine question as interested (no argument here) … please can you tell me what your grey pattern is. Are they interspersed well into your brown hair or are there big chunks of grey? And is it steel, or silver/white?

My natural hair colour was brown, big chunks of grey everywhere but mostly at the front. I don’t understand the difference between steel/grey/silver or white…It’s just grey!

@Trixiefirecracker ‘Grey’ hair can be different colours. Depending on how much melanin is left in the hair it can be anywhere from actual grey, right through to white, almost transparent, which would affect the colour outcome of dye/henna.