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My Grey Hair Goals Cold Turkey

Star

Veteran

So after looking at the post Suntiger posted regarding women dying their hair grey/silver to match their roots I got inspired to share with you my hair. No dye for 8 months. No dye or low-lights to ease the awkwardness. I really want to stop putting dye on my hair and for me the 'cold turkey' route is the one I have taken. For me adding dye to stop dyeing is a little counter-intuitive, but to each his own. Last night I cut my bangs myself and this morning I loped off at least 5 cms from the bottom. This is 8 months in. Today I went to the supermarket without a hat for the first time. I did not get any peculiar looks so all seems good

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39 replies

Latest reply was from Star

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I don’t recall pictures of you with your hair dyed, so can’t compare, but you look great! Your hair has nice body/gentle curls.

RoseandJoan

Veteran

I think your hair looks great and grombre (grey ombre) hair is a style trend all of its own.

Did you see the photos of Andie MacDowell in Cannes? https://www.google.com/amp/s/w.....cannes/amp

Mainelady

Veteran

Beautiful! Enjoy the journey!

Runcarla

Veteran

Looks like you are another with beautiful natural colour hair. Good for you, Star!

@ RoseandJoan - I saw that pic of Andie MacDowell earlier this week and promptly saved it to my inspiration photo collection.

slim cat

Veteran

Looks great - shorter length and light curls.

Anonymous

Very pretty, Star! Rock on

Minaminu

Veteran

you look great! you look great

ophelia

Veteran

Oh your hair is such a pretty color! Seems to be growing fast too-I’m 15 months in & have less growth. I’ve been cutting my own too.
I’ve noticed so many women w/ gray hair in the past months!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Looks like a nice silver!

My old color is long gone. My hair grows fast, and I last had it colored in Feb 2020, so it was grown out and the last bits of old color were cut off in May. I am still trying to embrace the greys but I’m not crazy about how the texture has changed. My hair used to be smoother and shinier when I was coloring it. Are you noticing a difference in texture?

Star

Veteran

Janet Wow your hair does grow fast. It does seem like it will all be silver eventually. The texture of my natural hair seems quite soft, more soft than my dyed hair, so I am quite excited about that. Your hair is very pretty, it seems to sparkle.

Star

Veteran

Ophelia thank you so much for the lovely compliment. I think mine is growing slowly actually! Yes Gray is really everywhere which makes me happy, although not so much in my small town. You should share pics when you feel ready.

Star

Veteran

Nikki Thank you! In part seeing your grow out looking so attractive gave me the confidence to bare mine!

Minaminu Thank you!

Slimcat Thank you! - Yes I was eyeing out pics of Shaggy bobs on the internet all day yesterday and hopefully I captured the essence.

Star

Veteran

Runcarla and Fashintern thank you both for the lovely compliments.
RoseandJoan thank you and Andie McD is gorgeous - a great inspiration.
Mainelady thank you for your good wishes!

Wow! Such lovely compliments, I know you guys are really nice people but I did not expect so much support, as going natural is not for everyone, you guys are the best and I will share pics again once it is all natural.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

This is a rock star two-toned look! Rocking it

Echo

Veteran

You have a gorgeous natural color, and I agree that the grey ombre is a look in itself. I colored my hair fun colors when I was younger, but I haven't colored in years. I am starting to get grey at the front, and I think I am the only teacher in our building who doesn't color their hair. I figure the kids think we're ancient anyway, so their opinions aren't really relevant!

bella

(website)

Veteran

Woohooo! Congratulations on your journey, hang in there, it's worth it!

You are also in very good company, with SJP and Princess Caroline
https://www.vogue.co.uk/beauty.....-grey-hair
https://www.vogue.co.uk/beauty.....-grey-hair

judy

Veteran

You look lovely with your gray hair! Bravo.

I let the grays take over 20 years ago at 46. It's a wonderful freedom, I find.

Loved seeing the pics of Andie McDowell.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Your hair looks great -- enjoy the process!

Sal

Veteran

You look fantastic! It works.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

You look beautiful! I have found that younger women are more supportive of grey hair than older ones (generalizing here).

Star

Veteran

Angie Thank you! You know I love the rocker reference
Shevia Thank you! Yes, although a controversial topic I tend to agree that I have noticed older woman are less supportive of the natural look. Generalising of course. Case in point, my neighbour of 73 who still dyes her hair told me in no uncertain terms that she does not like grey hair on young woman. Ha! But I am 55 :). Yet when I went to the optician a couple of months ago and had to remove my hat for a specs try on session, the young assistant, in her 20's, told me how modern silver hair is and that it so cool. I only have gotten odd looks from older woman. I always have been an individualist and in my small town Hair Dye is the thing, to such an extent that lots of people have exactly the same shade of dyed hair, by virtue of going to the same hairdresser. My point being I actually enjoy looking different, so once it is grown out in full I will enjoy knowing that no-one else can have my color.
Suz & Sal Thank you both for the support!
Judy You got clever early on and Yes, it does feel very freeing!
Bella Thank you! I actually have seen those links but thanks for sharing them. I am kind of Gray Hair obsessed so always looking at related articles to keep up my morale in this regard
Echo Thanks! Maybe the girl kids actually think your hair is kind of cool.

April

Veteran

Fabulous. As one who did the "gradual shift via lightening with dye" route, I salute your freedom. At least the year of salon shut-downs jump-started many of us.

FWIW, my FIL's lady friend (84 or 85) went from coloring to silver as well during the pandemic and she looks *so* much better. At this moment in style history, in the eyes of the young, silver is hip.

Star

Veteran

April Thank you! I did try and go blonde a couple of years ago with the idea of doing a refined transition and it looked hideous on my cool skin tone. I could not get passed the yellow stage so I reverted back to brunette. But even the brunette was always too warm to really work for me. My own brown hair back in the day was very dark. Interestingly salons here have remained open throughout mostly, just a couple of months in 2020 they were closed, so my going natural is not pandemic driven. However it certainly is driven by the fact that silver hair is now considered modern, and that I know it is going to suit my skin tone and pale blue eyes much more. The growing out phase is just so awkward and seems to take forever. Funny thing, it seemed to grow so fast when maintaining my dyed hair, my stripe was popping out earlier and earlier!

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Agree with the comments on demographics of who does & doesn’t like natural-colored hair.

ETA on the transition for brunettes vs blondes. My blonde sister's hair has gradually become darker ("dishwater"/"mousy" I don't know any positive descriptors commonly used for this color) as it has become grey. She has highlights--more each time. Mine seems to be getting lighter in general--grey in some places, lighter brown in others. This pic was taken in 2006. I had one streak then, but generally the same hair color I had as a kid. Out of the two of us, I think I'm luckier. (Our other sister has always had kind of medium colored hair, the kind it's hard to find a positive descriptor for. She has had a reddish hue for years, sometimes more red than others, says she thinks it's still the same underneath, but doesn't want to find out).

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Anonymous

Yay from me!
I think it's harder to grey as a brunette compared to blonde since it's such a drastic change.

Star

Veteran

ST Definitely harder for brunettes, and usually dark hair goes silver so the contrast is shocking. For me the worst is my dyed brown is warm and my silver is cool. Honestly it has been quite hideous until now!

ophelia

Veteran

Star I'm rather gray hair obsessed myself. There are *tons* of women sharing their experiences on youtube (search gray hair & gray hair transition); it really helped me get through the rough moments--which I still have.

It seems, at least as far as I can tell, hair color became accessible in the 50's, & that generation went all in for it. My mom started in the 60's, but neither of my grandmothers dyed their hair & it would not have been something they even considered doing.

I often wonder what my mom would think of my hair; she dyed hers, until she couldn't...
...one of the things I find most interesting is the wide & wild & ever-changing varieties of gray hair patterns & shades!

ophelia

Veteran

Oh & yes, the oxidizing of old hair color, ugh. Even the ash & neutral colors turned yellow & orange on me. And trying to go lighter I --fried--my hair.
I just kept reassuring (deluding) myself that I looked like a calico cat.

RobinF

Veteran

Looks great! I did the bleach-out-the-old-color version and by the time it got as long as yours really wished I had left it alone. The yellow bleached hair was awful and I was really excited when the last bit was cut off.

I agree it is really nice seeing more women embrace their gray hair. I hope the next generation won't make assumptions about age based on hair color.

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